
Do you have sourdough discard collecting in your fridge?
Or, did you feed your sourdough starter but miss the window to use it for bread and it has fallen flat? If so, you have sourdough discard and these crackers are for you! They cannot be easier:
Stir, spread, sprinkle, bake, score, enjoy! …and they are only 3 ingredients! (plus seasonings, if you like!)
Let’s talk about sourdough discard
Are sourdough discard and sourdough starter two different things? No, they are actually the same thing! They are both starter but in two different phases: discard is unfed starter that is hungry. Discard is flat and runny and not suitable for making bread. Even though it isn’t used for bread, it is still useful and useable!
Discard adds moisture and flavor to bakes. Also, the longer it sits, the more sour it gets.
What can discard be used in?
Muffins
Pancakes
Waffles
Cakes
Brownies
Pie dough
Cookies
…and crackers!
How long is discard good for?
Discard can last a long time in the refrigerator. Keep in mind, the longer it sits, the more sour the taste of your bake may be. If liquid has collected on the top of the discard, pour that off before using it. You can use discard straight from the fridge in your bake. I never get rid of discard because there is always something you can add it to! I find that I can add 1/4-1/2 cup of starter to almost any recipe without changing anything else in the recipe.
Does discard need to be long fermented?
The fermenting process means a chemical change happens over a period of time, using yeast, bacterium, mold or enzymes. You can let dough ferment and you can ferment vegetables and fruit. What about discard? Does it fall into this category? The answer is yes! The same yeast that is used to rise your starter is in discard. In fact, in discard, the yeast has done all the fermenting that it can do and now has no food source (gluten) left to digest. In this cracker recipe, there is no additional flour added to them so they are naturally long fermented, low gluten and easy to digest. If you can believe it, the discard I used for the crackers here was in my refrigerator for 3-4 weeks! Talk about long fermented 🙂
Let’s get to the sourdough discard crackers!
The beauty of these crackers is that you can make them to your liking. Get creative! What flavors do you like?
For the crackers shown here, I used bagel seasoning and Parmesan cheese. While they were baking the aroma throughout the house was incredible!
Here are some flavor ideas:
-minced herbs like thyme, rosemary & sage
-poppy, pumpkin or sesame seeds
-seasonings such as everything bagel, chili lime or Italian spices
-onion or garlic salt
The options are endless and I really can’t choose a favorite!
Here are some of the supplies I used to make these crackers:
Stainless steel baking sheet This is a much better option than a nonstick coated baking sheet. Nonstick coating contains a class of chemicals called PFAS. These can be a combination of thousands of different chemicals that are known as “forever chemicals” because of how long they stay in the environment and the body.
Unbleached parchment paper I love these pre-cut sheets that fit a standard size baking sheet.
Offset spatula Perfect for thinly spreading the sourdough discard. It is also useful for frosting a cake!
Redmond Real Salt (use code LAURA15). I love their salt because it isn’t bleached, doesn’t contain anti-caking agents and is full of naturally occurring minerals! I have also used their organic season salt, onion salt and garlic salt in crackers. It makes them so delicious!
The crackers are SO easy to make.
First, mix the discard with the melted butter and salt.

Spread the mixture on parchment paper.

Sprinkle with your seasonings of choice.

Bake! Be sure to score them 10 minutes into baking. Finish baking and enjoy!

3 Ingredient Sourdough Discard Crackers
Ingredients
- 1 cup sourdough discard
- 2 tablespoons melted butter (oil would work, also)
- 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
Instructions
- Mix the sourdough discard with melted, cooled butter and salt.
- Pour over a piece of parchment paper using an offset spatula.
- Sprinkle with a couple tablespoons of toppings of your choice. Sprinkle another 1/4 teaspoon of salt over the top, if desired.
- Bake at 325° for 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and score with a knife or pizza cutter.
- Return to the oven for 20-30 minutes. These should be crispy and not chewy. Watch carefully toward the end of baking. Enjoy!
These crackers are perfection. I added sesame seeds and kosher salt on top. I’m trying not to eat them all before I ket my husband try them.
Yummy! Love the crispy taste.. I sprinkled mine with some chia seeds, flax meal, rosemary salt and Trader Joe’s cheesy seasoning blend…. So simple compared to other recipes!…,this could be a dangerous habit❤️
Author
Oh, that sounds soo good!! I am going to try that combination!
If you haven’t tried these yet, try! They are easy to make with minimal ingredients and taste delicious! No more store bought crackers when you can make these.
Author
I’m so glad you loved them! 🙂
Easiest cracker ever made. Truly. I’m already looking forward to making more.
These are delicious and so easy! Will be making these again!
Author
I’m so happy to hear that!! So easy and yet tasty:)
I love the step by step pictures. I am so visual it helps me understand the recipe.
P.S. I didn’t kill my starter, you were right!
Author
I’m so glad the pictures are helpful! I’m the same way! So happy your starter is alive, woohoo!