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Sourdough crackers

Sourdough experiment

The year 2022 was the year that I was introduced to sourdough, and then totally succeeded in my endeavors to consistently make edible bread! I am laughing as I write that, since I can follow any recipe, until it comes to bread. Bread and baking recipes inspire fear and trepidation in my heart. Not really, but I have only had passable results, and sometimes not even that. Sourdough changed the game for me, though. I don’t consider myself an expert, except in my home. And even now, my sons may be on track to pass me as experts. I will share what I do, and yet I humbly point you to the host of experts on the web for the sourdough feeding and maintenance. I have only been at this for a year now, and that is such a babe when compared to other sourdough aficionados!

Crunchy replacement

Whenever I told friends that I had started with sourdough, the question I heard most was “What discard recipes do you have?” I had no idea how to respond, because I didn’t know what discard was! So, I had to look it up, and that’s when I found the sourdough universe beyond my kitchen. Basically, discard is what I have in my sourdough bucket when my starter has completed its feeding frenzy. When I feed my starter, it gets bubbly and begins to rise in my bucket for the next 8-10 hours. After this, it looks like it is deflating and a liquid begins to form on top. This liquid has the fancy name “hooch”. When the deflating and the hooch are apparent, my starter is now in an unfed state, and anything I remove from that bucket is called discard. And no, you don’t throw discard away. You use it in recipes that don’t need yeast activity, or that call for additional yeast. Our favorite discard recipe is to make sourdough crackers. These crackers have become a great crunchy replacement for chips or store-bought brands.

Versatility abounds

The basic recipe is delicious. However, you can customize this recipe so many different ways. I have tried rosemary, garlic, ranch, cinnamon sugar, salt and pepper, and everything bagel seasonings. I have a friend that has done cheddar and jalepeno and also a dill variation. Here’s the basic recipe:

1 cup sourdough discard

1 cup white wheat flour (or pastry flour)

4 tablespoons softened unsalted butter

1-2 tablespoons of herb or flavoring of choice

2 tablespoons melted butter or olive oil for brushing tops

Additional seasoning for top of crackers

I mix these crackers in a stand mixer. I add the sourdough discard, flour, butter and herbs or flavor and then mix with my paddle attachment.

Stand mixer bowl with ingredients for crackers

The dough should not be sticky, so scrape down your bowl as needed and add more flour if necessary. When the dough is the desired consistency, turn out only a silicone mat and divide in half. Pat each half of dough into a rectangle shape and cover with plastic wrap. Place the mat on a baking sheet, and place in the fridge for an hour (or up to 2 hours).

Cracker dough on countertop
Cracker dough divided in half and shaped in rectangles covered by plastic wrap

Once the dough has had a chance to chill, take one rectangle out of the fridge and place on a piece of floured parchment. Lightly flour the rolling pin or top of the dough and roll into a larger rectangle. Usually, my crackers are about 1/16th of an inch thick. Then I brush the olive oil on top and sprinkle any additional seasoning on top. I use a beautiful pizza cutter gifted and made by my father-in-law to cut the crackers into squares. Then, I repeat the process with the other rectangle of dough.

Cracker dough with seasonings on top
handmade pizza cutter
cracker dough cut into squares

Prick (dock) each cracker with a fork, and place in a 350 oven. I bake for 15 minutes, then I turn each pan, and switch their positions in my oven. So, the front of the pan is now facing the back, and the one that started on the top rack moves to the bottom rack. Another 15 minutes in the oven. Rotate and switch one more time. Watch for crackers the next 5-7 minutes.

Lightly browned crackers

If your oven is like mine, the outside crackers will begin to brown before the middle. I will scoop these off to prevent them from burning. Also, I have noticed that while the middle crackers are soft when they first come out of the oven, but harden up as they cool. I store mine in a quart wide mouth mason jar, and they stay good and crispy.

Crackers cooling on pan
Finished crackers in mason jar

Helpful Hints

Some seasonings stay on the tops of the crackers better when you gently press them into the dough, or roll back over the tops of the rectangles before cutting them into squares.

Certain seasonings like the everything bagel, do better when added to the dough, then the tops of the crackers just lightly sprinkled with salt.

Unsalted butter helps you to control the amount of salt in your crackers. Salted butter works in a pinch, just adjust your other seasonings accordingly.

I love using a silicone mat underneath my parchment paper so the paper doesn’t slide all over my counter, and the dough doesn’t stick to the mat. This also makes it easy to move the cut crackers to the baking sheet, by simply picking up the mat.

Crackers cooling on pan

Sourdough Crackers

An easy, customizable and delicious recipe for your sourdough discard
Print Recipe
Prep Time:10 minutes
Cook Time:35 minutes
Chill time:1 hour
Total Time:1 hour 45 minutes

Equipment

  • stand mixer with paddle attachment
  • silicone mat
  • 2 baking sheets
  • plastic wrap
  • parchment paper
  • fork
  • knife or pizza cutter
  • pastry brush
  • cooling rack
  • Rolling Pin

Ingredients

  • 1 cup sourdough discard
  • 1 cup white wheat flour or pastry flour
  • 4 tablespoons softened unsalted butter
  • 1-2 tablespoons of herb or flavoring of choice
  • 2 tablespoons melted butter or olive oil for brushing tops
  • Additional seasoning for top of crackers

Instructions

  • I mix these crackers in a stand mixer. I add the sourdough discard, flour, butter and herbs or flavor and then mix with my paddle attachment. The dough should not be sticky, so scrape down your bowl as needed and add more flour if necessary. When the dough is the desired consistency, turn out only a silicone mat and divide in half. Pat each half of dough into a rectangle shape and cover with plastic wrap. Place the mat on a baking tray, and place in the fridge for an hour (or up to 2 hours).
  • Once the dough has had a chance to chill, take one rectangle out of the fridge and place on a piece of floured parchment. Lightly flour the rolling pin or top of the dough and roll into a larger rectangle. Usually, my crackers are about 1/16th of an inch thick. Then I brush the olive oil on top and sprinkle any additional seasoning on top. I use a beautiful pizza cutter gifted and made by my father-in-law to cut the crackers into squares. Then, I repeat the process with the other rectangle of dough. Prick (dock) each cracker with a fork, and place in a 350 oven. I bake for 15 minutes, then I turn each pan, and switch their positions in my oven. So, the front of the pan is now facing the back, and the one that started on the top rack moves to the bottom rack. Another 15 minutes in the oven. Rotate and switch one more time. Watch for crackers the next 5-7 minutes.
  • If your oven is like mine, the outside crackers will begin to brown before the middle. I scoop these off to prevent them from burning. Also, I have noticed that while the middle crackers are soft when they first come out of the oven, but harden up as they cool. I store mine in a wide mouth quart mason jar, and they stay good and crispy.
Course: Snack
Cuisine: American
Keyword: Crackers, Sourdough, Sourdough discard
Servings: 20
Calories: 98kcal

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