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!
Wow! Simply amazing. I used peak starter that was just about to deflate, and used approx 75% Cheddar to 25%. I’m in love, and these will become a staple in my household. Spreading super thin before baking was definitely key for making them crisp.
So glad you loved them!
Amazing!!
They were gone within 15 min!
I want to make more but I only have 100 g discard 🙁 any tips
Hi Laura! So glad you loved them. Go ahead and feed your starter, 100g water and 100g flour. After it peaks, take 200g for your crackers and use the remainder 100g as your starter base.
Made these tonight with a half-fallen starter and old cheddar. So easy and a delicious cross between a chip and a cracker. May try to cut the butter in half tomo
Thanks for sharing, I’m glad you enjoyed it!
Amazing! I’m a teacher, and I shared with coworkers and students. They all immediately said, Cheez-Its, but better!
These are quite wonderful. So glad they were a hit!
Just made these, so good! Better than cheese its and no junk in them!
Yes and they’re healthier too!
These are amazing!! Better than cheeze-it’s! They are usually gone in 5 minutes.
I have both regular flour and whole wheat flour discard so I made these with mixed discard. I used a little heart press to instead of a skewer, I wish I could upload a photo they are adorable. My family and me loved them think they lasted 30 mins.
That sounds wonderful, Caroline! I would love to see a picture. You can’t upload one here but you can tag me on Facebook or instagram. #natashaskitchen
I made them the other day for my birthday, and everybody loved them, so I’m gonna make double batch tomorrow.
I’m so glad you loved them, Ana! That’s so great!
I do not have sourdough starter, is there anything else I could use? would like to make these crackers sounds delicious. thanks
Hi Judy! This recipe was specifically made to use sourdough discard. I don’t have another recipe at the moment.
Hi Natasha, I’m about to make these and wondering if it’s a cup of unfed starter in addition to the 200g of discard, or just 200g of discard?
Hi Annie! It’s 200g total, which is about 1 cup if you don’t have a food scale.
I have made these four times in the last week. My husband and I just can’t stop eating them!
That’s awesome! I make these on repeat, so good!
Yummm! Followed directions exactly as written and medium cheddar cheese + ranch seasoning for my crackers and they turned out perfectly crisp, and they did not stick to the parchment paper! Recipe is a keeper with so many possible flavor variations to suit anyone’s taste!
Thank you for following the recipe as it is! Happy to hear that you loved it a lot!
Did you use the whole packet of ranch seasoning?
Omg i made these and they turned out phenomenal.. thank you!!!
You’re so welcome, Jumana! I’m happy you loved them.
I made these with Parmesan (3/4c) and added in some flaked brewers yeast for more nutrition. They were great!
I made them with Parm and pesto. They came out
awesome. Even my husband who doesn’t care for pesto loved them. Love your recipes!!! And have 2 of your cook books. One for home and one for camp 🙂
I just made these. They are wonderful thank you for the great recipe.
I think with some adjustments, this could be better. It was a little greasy, and the regular discard crackers tasted better. Maybe a blend of the twoo would taste better.
Hi R, if it seemed greasy, I think it’s likely the butter was too hot. Also, if you want to add more flavor, you would probably love our Sourdough Cheese Crackers. They taste just like cheese-it’s to me!
These didn’t last long at my house. Very easy to make and delicious! My kids loved them
In the oven now and expecting great results. TIP: sandwich the dough between two sheets of parchment and use a rolling pin. Much easier than spreading it out with a spatula
That’s an excellent idea, Carmie! Thank you for sharing.
Had a ton of discard built up and just made these! OH. MY. GOODNESS. They are so yummy! Thank you for sharing this wonderful recipe! 😋
Hi Rhea! You’re very welcome. They really are so good! I can seriously eat a whole jar.