Rosemary Garlic Sourdough Discard Crackers
A homemade take on rustic sourdough crackers, using sourdough discard for the tang and depth that lactic acid provides in the boxed version.
The sourdough journey continues! As part of making homemade sourdough bread, I’m dealt with the shame of discarding sourdough starter from time to time when I am not in need of making bread, but the starter requires feeding. That’s where sourdough discard recipes enter the chat.
I love crackers, and have been searching far and wide for one that both my spouse and I like or one that we do like, but has ingredients that are too hard to pronounce. We also appreciate a homemade treat.
For the last month, I have been testing a recipe with sourdough discard and finally landed in a good place with it. It’s a delicious and abundant one (producing anywhere between 50-70 crackers per batch). Here’s another bonus: no proving time! I don’t see the need for it to prove. If you want it to, leave it in ball form for ten minutes, but I don’t.
There’s only one frustration I encounter making this recipe: rolling. It’s a very dense dough. You’ve been warned! If I have had an intense arm day at the gym, then rolling this dough out is going to be a challenge. If you have something like a pasta press or roller, then you’ll be in good shape. The trick with this dough is you're going to want it to be at thin as possible to achieve the crispiness.
Enjoy making your own aromatic savory sourdough discard rosemary wheat crackers! Be sure to check the notes for sourdough discard and oil replacement suggestions. Serve with my Homemade Chickpea and Black Bean Garlic Hummus.
Ingredients
1 1/4 cup King Arthur Organic Whole Wheat Flour
1/2 tsp sea salt
1/4 tsp baking soda
1 tbsp nutritional yeast
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp onion powder
1 tsp dried rosemary, crushed
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1/2 cup sourdough starter discard
3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2 tbsp water, cold, plus more as needed
1/4 tsp flaky sea salt for topping
Steps
Whisk together 1 1/4 cup whole wheat flour, 1/2 tsp sea salt, 1/4 tsp baking soda, 1 tbsp nutritional yeast, 1/2 tsp garlic powder, 1/2 tsp onion powder, 1 tsp dried rosemary, crushed, and 1/2 tsp dried oregano in a large bowl.
Add 3 tbsp oil and 1/2 cup sourdough starter discard to the dry ingredients. Stir to combine, then add 2 tbsp water, cold, plus more as needed a little at a time, mixing until a stiff dough forms. Knead 2-3 minutes until smooth.
Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment.
Roll the dough out as thin as possible on a flat surface, roughly 1/16 inch to 1/8 inch. Thinner dough makes crispier crackers. Roll the dough onto a rolling pin.
Unroll dough onto a flat tray or cookie sheet. Cut into cracker-sized squares, approximately one-inch square. Use a pizza cutter (don’t separate them). Prick or press each square a few times with a fork to prevent puffing. Sprinkle with sea salt for topping to taste. I find it helpful to do one more roll with the rolling pin to press the salt into the dough.
Bake until golden and crisp, 15-20 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through. Watch the edges closely since they brown faster.
Cool completely on the pan. Snap any apart along the cut lines. Store in an airtight container. Enjoy with a bowl of hummus!
Notes
Roll thin for the crispiest results.
Cutting one-inch squares from this dough gives roughly 50-70 crackers total, or about 15-18 crackers per serving.
Sourdough discard hydration varies by starter, so add the water gradually and stop once the dough is stiff and rollable, not sticky. If your discard is very active or sour, you can skip the baking soda’s leavening role and lean on the discard’s tang alone.
No sourdough starter on hand? Swap the discard for 1/4 cup King Arthur Organic Rye Flour plus 1/2 tsp apple cider vinegar stirred into 1/3 cup cold water. Add the vinegar-water mixture where the recipe calls for the discard and water.
Prefer not to use oil? Consider adding more water to achieve texture or use coconut oil, which will add a hint of sweetness.