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Home » Sourdough » Sourdough Discard Crackers with Parmesan

Sourdough Discard Crackers with Parmesan

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Sourdough crackers are a thing, and thank goodness for that! Crisp, buttery, and flavorful, packed with grated Parmesan and herbs, these sourdough discard crackers taste like they’re straight out of a pizzeria!

A basket filled with homemade sourdough starter crackers.

This is a great recipe to use up excess starter, and it tastes so much better than store-bought crackers.

Even better, they’re a crowd-pleaser! Who can resist the delightful combination of Italian seasoning, parmesan cheese, butter, and garlic baked to perfection in a cracker form? Crispy, cheesy, and studded with herbs is how we’ll take ours, please, and thank you!
These sourdough starter crackers are irresistible and addictingly delicious whether you’re snacking on them plain or pairing them with a creamy dip!

Using Sourdough Discard for Crackers

We use a sourdough starter for this recipe. It’s a wonderful way to use excess sourdough discard, and the sourdough infuses an incredible flavor into the crackers. We’re talking buttery, cheesy, and herby all rolled into one!

These crackers are super easy to make and only use a few ingredients. You can top them with whatever herbs and cheese you like, so feel free to get creative.

If you need a sourdough starter, we recommend taking a look at our Wild Yeast Sourdough Starter recipe.

Crackers on a baking sheet.

And by the way, this sourdough cracker recipe works with fed or unfed sourdough starter, but using unfed sourdough starter will give the crackers more of a sourdough flavor. 

A jar with sourdough starter

The Ingredient List

Here is a list of the ingredients you will need for homemade sourdough crackers. Scroll down to the printable recipe card for all the details.

To make these sourdough crackers with parmesan cheese, you will need the following ingredients:

  • Sourdough starter discard. When you feed your starter, save the discard in a jar and store it in the fridge until you have enough to make things like this cracker recipe. 
  • Flour. We are using all-purpose flour, but this recipe works well with whole wheat flour, rye flour, or spelt. 
  • Grated parmesan cheese. For some variations, you can substitute with Mizithera, Asiago, or Cheddar cheese. If you need a dairy free recipe, you can use nutritional yeast. 
  • Melted butter. You can substitute the butter with olive oil or sesame oil. 
  • Herbs and seasonings. We used an Italian seasoning blend, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. 

Ingredients used for sourdough crackers with parmesan cheese

How to Make Sourdough Starter Crackers

Here is a brief overview to get an idea of what to expect with this recipe for discard crackers. Scroll down to the printable recipe card for all the details.

Do you have ten minutes? Because that’s all the time it really takes to prepare these sourdough starter crackers (not including rest time and bake time of course!).

Adding sourdough starter to a bowl, then mixing in flour and seasonings.

  1. Add the sourdough starter to a bowl then stir in the rest of the ingredients. Let the dough sit for 10 to 20 minutes to absorb the moisture.
Slicing dough in half then rolling it into a thin sheet.
  1. Divide the dough in half, then use a rolling pin to roll each section into a thin rectangle. Tip: roll the dough on a sheet of parchment paper to make it easy to transfer.
Photo 1: topping cracker dough with seasonings and transferring it to a baking sheet. Photo 2: breaking the crackers into rustic shapes.
  1. Brush the top with oil and sprinkle with cheese and seasonings. Bake the crackers until golden brown, then let them cool and break them into rustic shapes.

Now get a bowl of guacamole or carrot hummus and dip in.

?️ What to Serve with Sourdough Crackers

Sourdough crackers add a nice wholesome touch to any charcuterie board, cheese platter, or a hearty bowl of beef barley soup. Here are some other ways to serve these discard Parmesan crackers. 

More Sourdough Recipes

There are so many wonderful things to do with sourdough discard! Every time you refresh your starter, instead of throwing away the leftover unfed starter, you can put it to use in all kinds of delicious sourdough recipes.

Helpful tips

  • Don’t forget to preheat the oven. The oven should be hot when you start baking the crackers.
  • Roll the dough out thin. It should be about 1/16″ thick. If you want thicker crackers, you will need to bake them longer.
  • You don’t have to slice the crackers before they bake because you will break them into rustic crackers when they come out of the oven.
  • If you want perfectly portioned square crackers, use a pizza cutter to slice squares in the cracker dough prior to placing them in the oven. When they cool down, you can snap them along the score lines.
  • Roll the dough out on a piece of parchment paper, then use the paper to slide the thin sheet of dough onto a sheet pan or cookie sheet.

 Substitutions and Variations

  • Swap the melted butter for olive oil and omit the Parmesan for a dairy-free cracker. 
  • Add sesame seeds to the top of the crackers and replace the butter with toasted sesame oil for a sesame cracker. 
  • Play around with the seasonings.
    • Fresh herbs: Try using fresh rosemary, thyme, basil, or tarragon.
    • Seasonings and spices: Try topping the crackers with everything bagel seasoning, paprika, lemon zest, and red pepper flakes. 
    • Nuts and seeds: Add chopped almonds, pistachios, or macadamia nuts. Or, top the crackers with sesame seeds, poppy seeds, or caraway seeds.

? More Sourdough Discard Recipes 

There are so many wonderful things to do with sourdough discard! Every time you refresh your starter, instead of throwing away the leftover unfed starter, you can put it to use in all kinds of delicious recipes.

  Storage 

Store the crackers in an airtight container at room temperature for 7 to 10 days. If you store them in the fridge, they can pick up moisture and lose their crispy texture. 

You can store them for up to six months in the freezer if you keep them in a freezer-proof container. 

Saving Your Sourdough Discard

You can make this recipe with freshly fed sourdough starter, but if you want an extra sourdough flavor, use the discard you save when you feed your starter. 

Save your discard in the fridge after each feeding until you are ready to use it in a recipe. You can keep topping off the discard container and don’t need to feed the discard. Just save it until you have enough to bake a discard recipe.

My discard will usually last 7 to 10 days in the fridge before it starts to get a watery hooch on top.

The longer you save it, the more “sour” it will taste. 

Rustic crackers made with sourdough discard.

If you’re big on sourdough like we are, you will absolutely love these cheesy, flavorful sourdough crackers! They are a simple to make and a fabulous way to make the most of your sourdough starter!

More Sourdough Inspiration

If you’re looking for more inspiration on all things sourdough, here are a few of our favorite sourdough recipes!

  • Sourdough spelt bread is a rustic hearty bread that is perfect for anyone looking to diversify their bread-baking repertoire.
  • Our einkorn sourdough bread has a crisp crust and a hearty crumb, perfect for any occasion.
  • Our sourdough bread is easy to make and always a great way to use your ripe sourdough starter. 

Frequently Asked Questions

Is eating sourdough discard healthy?

Sourdough discard contains natural yeasts and bacteria that benefit your digestive health. However, not everything you make with sourdough discard is necessarily healthy. For example, many recipes call for adding sugar and other unhealthy ingredients.

Why are my sourdough crackers tough?

If you overmix the dough or add too much flour, the crackers can get tough.

Why aren’t my sourdough discard crackers crispy?

If your crackers are not crispy, then you need to bake them a little longer. The baking time will vary depending on how thick you roll the dough.

More Recipes You Will Love:

Parmesan herb crackers made with einkorn flour. These crackers are rich, cheesy, and incredibly addictive.

These Ancient Grain Gourmet Crackers are comparable to those high priced gourmet crackers in the store but much more affordable. They are perfect for your next cocktail party.

These gluten free artisan crackers are packed with dried fruit, nuts, and seeds. They are packed with so much flavor no one will know they are gluten free.

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A basket filled with homemade sourdough crackers.

Sourdough Crackers with Parmesan Cheese

Use your sourdough discard to make some incredible sourdough crackers. The parmesan cheese and herbs make these crackers taste as if they came out of a pizzeria.
5 from 12 votes
Print Pin Video Rate
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 40 minutes
Calories: 41kcal
Author: Dahn Boquist

Ingredients

  • 1 cup sourdough starter 240 grams *see notes
  • 1 cup flour 120 grams
  • 1/3 cup grated parmesan cheese 40 grams
  • 4 tablespoons butter melted
  • 2 tablespoons Italian seasoning blend
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon pepper

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 350°F. 
  • Combine all the ingredients in a bowl. Let the dough sit for 10 to 20 minutes to absorb the moisture and firm up. 
  • Divide the dough in half.
  • Place one piece of dough onto a piece of parchment paper and roll it out into a thin rectangle. It should be about 1/16 inch thick.
  • Slide the sheet of dough on to a baking sheet. Brush the top with olive oil and sprinkle with grated parmesan, salt, and pepper.
  • Repeat with the second piece of dough.
  • Bake for 28 to 30 minutes. (Thicker crackers will need to bake longer)
  • Remove from the oven and let cool. Once cool, break into small cracker-sized pieces.

Notes

This recipe works with fed sourdough starter or sourdough discard. Sourdough discard will give the crackers more of a tangy, sourdough flavor. 
The baking time may vary depending on how thick you roll the cracker dough. Start watching the crackers after 20 minutes and remove them if they start to get brown. The color of the cracker is a better judge than the time.

Video

Nutrition

Serving: 1g | Calories: 41kcal | Carbohydrates: 5g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 2g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 4mg | Sodium: 56mg

Dahn Boquist

Dahn is a retired nurse, recipe creator, home cook, baker, and self-proclaimed foodie. She loves creating in the kitchen and cooking for family and friends. She lives in Washington State with her husband and dog. When she isn't cooking or baking, you can usually find her spending time with her grandchildren or exploring the beautiful Pacific Northwest.

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Recipe Rating




Linda

Friday 27th of January 2023

I did a milk-free version. Used ghee in place of butter and nutritional yeast in place of parmesan cheese. I also swapped out all the seasonings for TJ's "Everything But The Bagel Sesame Seasoning". I also pre-cut prior to baking. DELICIOUS!

Dahn Boquist

Friday 27th of January 2023

Thanks for the comment Linda. I'm glad the dairy-free version turned out. The Everything seasoning sounds fantastic.

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