Homemade Sourdough Cheese Crackers are a delicious way to use your sourdough discard. These savory crackers are made with sourdough discard, butter, cheese, and a sprinkle of salt, and are a crispy snack, perfect for munching.
They taste like the store-bought ‘cheese-it’ versions that everyone loves but are a healthier alternative.
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Sourdough Cheese Crackers Recipe
My original Sourdough Discard Crackers were such a hit, and many of you asked if you could add cheese. These crunchy sourdough discard cheese crackers have become a favorite in our household. We love them, and the kids adore them too.
They’re perfect for casual lunch snacks at school or camp, yet versatile enough to serve as a sophisticated appetizer with dip. I might need to start doubling the recipe because they disappear so quickly around here!
Making homemade crackers might sound complicated, but I promise, they take just 2 minutes to stir together (plus spreading and baking time), and the flavor payoff is so worth it. They taste like storebought Cheese-It crackers, but I feel much better serving my homemade version to my family knowing they’re made with real cheese and without any additives or preservatives.
Also, baking them with a fermented sourdough starter makes them easier to digest (according to Healthline).
Ingredients for Sourdough Cheese Crackers
The key to making great sourdough cheese crackers is using strong, flavorful cheese to really taste the flavor. Here’s what you’ll need:
- Sourdough discard – this can be active and stirred down or just plain inactive discard that you would normally throw away (unless it’s really old or has changed color).
- Cheddar cheese – You can use medium or sharp cheddar cheese. Finely shredded cheese blends into the batter easier for a uniformly cheesy cracker.
- Butter – adds great buttery crunch to the crackers and helps bind ingredients together.
- Salt – a little goes a long way, especially since cheese adds to the saltiness of the recipe.
Variations
The type and amount of cheese you choose significantly influence both the flavor— try a sharp cheddar to enhance the taste and the texture of the crackers. Consider experimenting with different cheeses like:
- White cheddar
- Parmesean (use 1/2 cup or the crackers will be too salty)
- Monterey Jack
How to Make Sourdough Cheese Crackers
- Preheat – Preheat your oven to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Melt and Combine – Melt the butter in a large measuring cup or mixing bowl and cool until just lukewarm. Add the sourdough starter discard, and salt and stir until well combined. Add cheese and stir until well incorporated.
- Spread – Spread your batter over your parchment-lined baking sheet (an offset spatula makes it easy to spread into an even, very thin layer that is almost transparent (my rectangle measured 14×11 inches).
- Season – Lightly sprinkle the top with flaky salt (don’t use too much or the crackers will be too salty).
- Bake and Score – Bake for 10 minutes, then remove from the oven and score with a pizza cutter into 1-inch squares. Optional: use the back of a skewer to poke a hole in the center of each cracker.
Fun Fact:
The holes poked in store-bought crackers actually serve an important purpose. “Docking” doughs that are higher in fat, such as pie crusts, cheese crackers, and thin cookies, provide a vent to release steam. This prevents the baked goods from puffing up and cracking during baking.
- Final Bake – Return to the oven and bake for another 20 minutes, or until the crackers are golden and hardened throughout. Note: thicker crackers will take longer to bake so bake until they are firm to the tap.
- Cool and Serve – Allow the crackers to fully cool on the baking sheet, then store them in an airtight container or zip bag.
What to Serve with Sourdough Cheese Crackers
These crackers are incredibly delicious on their own, but they can also be paired with a variety of accompaniments. You can even score them to different sizes depending on how you serve them. Here are some excellent options to serve with these sourdough discard crackers:
- Dips: Serve with creamy dips such as queso, spinach and artichoke dip, hummus, ranch, or guacamole
- Soup: Sprinkle on top of a bowl of chicken tortilla soup, tomato soup, or chili for a comforting combination
- Sandwich: Serve alongside your favorite sandwich— whether it’s chicken bacon avocado sandwich, grilled cheese, or a BLT— for a delightful combination of flavors and textures.
- Charcuterie: Combine with an assortment of cured meats and cheeses, nuts, fruits, and fresh vegetables for a savory charcuterie platter.
- Spreads: Enjoy with spreads such as pimento cheese or a cheese ball.
- Salad: Instead of croutons, crumble these up and toss over a cobb salad, Caesar salad, or garden salad for extra crunch.
How to Store Sourdough Cheese Crackers
Once the crackers are cooled to room temperature, store them in an airtight container, glass jar with a lid, or zip bag. These are best enjoyed within a few days of making them.
Also note: if you try storing crackers that aren’t fully crisp and baked through, they will not crisp up with storage.
If you’re on your sourdough journey, you likely have plenty of sourdough discard baking loaves of Sourdough Bread. Instead of literally discarding it, why not transform it into fantastic treats Sourdough Pancakes or waffles? With just a few common kitchen ingredients, you can quickly whip up these simple and delicious discard recipes. If you are a fan of sourdough, these Sourdough Cheese Crackers are a must-try!
More Easy Snack Recipes
If are a fan of snacks and easy finger food recipes, then you won’t want to miss these crowd favorites:
- Homemade Pita Chips
- Air Fryer French Fries
- Baked Potato Wedges
- Mozzarella Sticks
- Candied Pecans
- Cheese Ball Recipe
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Sourdough Cheese Crackers
Ingredients
- 200 grams sourdough discard, 1 cup stirred and unfed starter
- 2 Tbsp unsalted butter, melted
- ¼ tsp fine sea salt
- 1 cup finely shredded medium cheddar cheese, loosely packed or 60 grams*
- Seasonings to taste – flaky sea salt, everything bagel seasoning, sesame seeds, etc.
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350℉ and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Melt the butter in a large measuring cup or mixing bowl and let it cool until just lukewarm. Measure in the sourdough discard and salt, and stir together with a spatula until well combined. Add cheese and stir until well incorporated.
- Pour the mixture onto your parchment-lined baking sheet and use an offset spatula to spread it into a thin, even layer that is almost transparent (for reference, my dough rectangle measured 11×14 inches) .
- Lightly sprinkle the top with flaky salt – don't overseason.
- Bake for 10 minutes then remove from the oven and use a pizza cutter to score your crackers into bite-size squares. For the classic cheese cracker appearance, you can use the back of a wooden skewer to poke a hole in the center of each crack. It takes a couple of extra minutes but they look so cute.
- Return to the oven and bake another 20 minutes or until the crackers are golden and hardened. If crackers are not firmed up, it may be due to not spreading them thinly enough, just continue to bake until they are firm when you tap the tops.
- Remove from the oven and let cool on the baking sheet to let them fully dry out. Once they have cooled completely, store in an airtight container or zip bag.
Notes
- Sharp Cheddar Cheese
- White cheddar
- Parmesean (use 1/2 cup or the crackers will be too salty)
- Monterey Jack
Nutrition Per Serving
Filed Under
Good Things
Speaking of Pies; one of my favorite scenes from my debut cookbook photo shoot was the precious moments of rolling pie dough with my daughter for Chicken Pot Pie. My photographer, Charity Burggraaf captured it beautifully.
P.S. Stay tuned for our next recipe which will be a super yummy No-Bake Blueberry Cheesecake!
I have tried this recipe 3 times and the crackers wont release from the parchment paper. I even tried spray ing the parchment paper with pan spray. Can I cook them straight on a non stick pan?
Hi Tiffany! Are you sure that you’re using parchment paper and not wax paper? I need to ask because cause this is a common mistake.
I have made these so many times and they never stick. I worry they will stick to your pan. Make sure to spread the mixture out very thin, also fully preheat your oven before baking them and bake long enough for them to get crispy. If they are soft and still wet, they will stick.
Hands down the best cracker recipe out there! These taste just like cheez its. I make these at least once a week and rarely have any left to put away. The entire family loves them. Thank you for another amazing recipe Natasha!
Hi Brianna, I’m truly so happy to hear that!
How would I do a long ferment for these?
Hi Angela! I haven’t done that here. It’s not needed. Just mix and bake. The tangy flavor from the discard is already there.
why is your discard in grams but your starter in cups? do you use both discard and starter, or should there be an “or” in the first ingredient? what is the weight of the starter to use?
Hi there! Sourdough discard is unfed starter. Active starter is sourdough starter that has been fed and used at its peak usually in 3-4hrs. We use discard/unfed starter here. You can weight out 200g or if you don’t have a scale, it’s 1 cup measured out. Just stir it before measuring it out. I hope that helps clarify.
I admit it: I was a sourdough cracker skeptic. I tried a different recipe a couple years ago and they were just meh and not worth the effort. THIS RECIPE IS ABSOLUTELY worth the minimal effort it takes! A couple of notes that might help other newbies: 1. I found that the quantity of cracker dough will fill a half sheet pan (13×18) when spread out thinly enough–you should almost be able to see the pan through the cracker.. 2. King Arthur Baking has good quality parchment sheets that exactly fit a 13×18 pan. 3. An offset spatula makes spreading a ton easier. 4. Dipping the offset spatula in a jar of water then shaking off the excess makes the job much easier too–the dough will spread more evenly and smoother. 5. Don’t worry if you get a few holes where the dough has been spread too thin. It will bake up just fine. 6. I shredded Cabot’s extra sharp white cheddar with my fine microplane grater–makes very very fine shreds of cheese that melt into the dough beautifully. 7. Keep making sourdough discard, because I guarantee you’ll be making these crackers multiple times a week! Many thanks to Natasha for her great recipe and clear directions!
What type of grater do you have? I’m thinking of getting one that sticks to the counter.
Fantastic! Thanks for great directions and the recipe!
You’re welcome, Trish! Glad to know you enjoyed it.
These sound delicious! Can they made with cheddar cheese powder instead of the shredded cheese? thanks!
Hi Aimee! I’m not sure, I’ve never tested that. But let us know if you test it.
I’m curious, how long are these shelf stable? Thanks!
Hi Magen! They should be baked until crispy, so there is a low moisture content to keep mold and bacteria from growing. The fat content and acidity from the starter also help.