Sourdough crackers have quickly become my family’s favorite snack.
If you made a sourdough starter during quarantine and find yourself with discard every time you feed it, these crackers are a perfect solution. They’re simple, versatile, and an excellent way to use up leftover starter.
I only started my starter a few weeks ago, so I’m no sourdough expert. But even early on, the discard smelled pleasantly tangy, and I began experimenting. Crackers were the first trial, and they quickly became a staple. Since then I’ve also used discard for waffles, pancakes and pizza dough, but these crackers are the one we keep coming back to.
The flavor is fantastic.
The crackers bake up thin and super crisp with a bright, slightly tangy sourdough note. They’re a perfect blank canvas for seasonings: plain with flaky sea salt, garlic and herbs, or a smoky BBQ-style mix that tastes dangerously close to a savory chip. They pair beautifully with dips and spreads or can be eaten on their own.
Our household favorite is a BBQ seasoning blend—smoked paprika, brown sugar, garlic powder, kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper. It’s the same mix I’ve used for years to get that sweet-smoky, slightly tangy profile. Eddie suggested it after a few batches of plain and garlic-herb crackers, and it was an instant hit. He even said the first batch reminded him of Pringles, which made me very happy.
You don’t need much hands-on time. The dough comes together quickly—starter, flour, fat and salt—then rests in the fridge for at least 30 minutes. Divide the dough into manageable pieces, roll each piece paper-thin, brush with oil or melted butter, and top with your seasoning. Bake until golden and crisp, cool completely, then break into crackers.
One curiosity: some crackers puff with little bubbles while others stay flat. I don’t always poke the dough before baking, and results vary a bit—maybe it’s the starter strength or how thin each sheet is rolled. Either way, the texture is crisp and satisfying.
Below are the base recipe and two seasoning variations—BBQ and Garlic Herb. The base is very adaptable: use olive oil or melted butter, and swap or adjust seasonings to suit your taste. Store finished crackers in a resealable bag at room temperature for several days, though they rarely last that long in our house.
Sourdough Crackers
Sourdough Crackers
Ingredients
- 1 cup leftover sourdough starter (about 248 grams)
- 1 cup all-purpose flour (about 113 grams)
- 1/4 cup olive oil or melted butter, plus more for brushing
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- Flaked sea salt, for topping
BBQ spice
- 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder
- 2 teaspoons brown sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
Garlic Herb
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 2 teaspoons dried herbs (basil, oregano, Italian seasoning, etc.)
Instructions
To make the BBQ or Plain crackers:
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In a large bowl, stir together the starter, flour, oil or melted butter and salt until a dough forms. Bring it together with your hands and knead a few times until smooth. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
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Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Line one or two baking sheets with parchment paper.
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Divide the dough into two pieces to make rolling easier. On a lightly floured surface, roll one piece as thin as possible (about 1/8 inch or thinner) without tearing. You can also roll directly on parchment and transfer the parchment to the baking sheet. Brush the top with olive oil or melted butter. For BBQ crackers, sprinkle the BBQ seasoning evenly over the dough. For plain crackers, simply sprinkle with flaked sea salt.
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Bake for 10 minutes, rotate the pan, then bake another 10 minutes or until the crackers are golden and crisp.
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Cool completely before breaking into pieces. Store in a resealable bag at room temperature for a few days.
To make the Garlic Herb crackers:
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Follow the directions above, but stir the garlic powder and dried herbs into the flour before combining with the starter. Brush the top with melted butter and sprinkle with flaked salt before baking.
Notes
How Sweet Eats
Once you start making these, they’re hard to stop. Enjoy experimenting with flavors — they’re a simple, delicious way to use sourdough starter discard.