Homemade Sourdough Discard Cheese Crackers
Crunchy and cheesy, these sourdough discard cheese crackers are an easy snack perfect for lunchboxes and parties, made from just a few simple ingredients.
Ingredients
Dairy
- 8 oz sharp cheddar cheese, freshly grated
- 4 tbsp unsalted butter, softened
Sourdough
- 100 g sourdough discard, unfed (about 1/2 cup)
Dry
- 80 g all-purpose flour (about 2/3 cup)
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
Spices & Color
- 1/2 tsp turmeric (for color, optional)
Topping
- to taste Flaky salt (e.g., Maldon) for sprinkling
Instructions
Preparation
- Using the small holes of a box grater, grate the sharp cheddar cheese; finely grated cheese incorporates better to prevent greasy pockets.
- In a food processor, pulse the grated cheese, softened butter, and sourdough discard until completely blended and creamy.
- In a small bowl, whisk together flour, kosher salt, baking powder, and turmeric; add to the food processor and pulse just until a ball of dough forms — do not over-process.
- Pat the dough into a disc, wrap in plastic, and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes to relax the gluten and firm up the butter.
Baking
- Preheat the oven to 350ºF (177ºC).
- Roll the dough between two sheets of parchment until very thin (less than 1/8 inch), then cut into 1-inch squares with a pastry wheel.
- Place squares on parchment-lined baking sheets, poke a hole in the center of each cracker with a toothpick to prevent puffing, sprinkle with flaky salt.
- Bake for 15–17 minutes until edges are toasted orange-brown. Cool completely on a wire rack to crisp and store in an airtight container.
Notes
Keep the dough cold so crackers stay crisp and buttery; chill for at least 30 minutes. Roll very thin and watch the oven closely—thin crackers go from perfect to burnt quickly. Use freshly grated cheddar for the best texture and melt. Store cooled crackers in an airtight container. Serve alongside homemade strawberry cake with cream cheese frosting for a sweet pairing idea.