Sourdough Discard Cheese Crackers
Crisp, buttery, sharp cheddar crackers that put unfed sourdough discard to good use. The discard adds a faint tang and helps the dough roll out smoothly. They're thin, snappy and easy to make in a food processor.
- Prep
- 30 min
- Cook
- 22 min
- Wait
- 50 min
- Total
- 1 hr 42 min
- Makes
- About 70 small crackers (1½-inch squares), 8 snack servings
Steps
Before you start
- Use unfed sourdough discard straight from the fridge or at room temperature. It should be at roughly 100% hydration (equal parts flour and water by weight), the usual consistency of a pourable batter.
- Grate the cheddar yourself from a block. Pre-shredded cheese has anti-caking starch that makes the dough drier and the crackers less flavorful.
- Keep the butter and cheese cold so the dough stays flaky and doesn't turn greasy.
- Plan for about 1 hour 40 minutes in total, including 30 minutes of chilling and 20 minutes of cooling.
Heat oven, prep pansOven 350°F / 175°C
- Position two racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven and preheat to 350°F (175°C).
- Cut four sheets of parchment: two to line the baking sheets and two roughly 14×16 inches (36×40 cm) for rolling the dough.
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Ready when: Oven reaches 350°F (175°C).
Tip: Use an oven thermometer if you can. Thin crackers go from golden to bitter quickly in an oven that runs hot.
Pulse dry ingredients
- In a food processor, combine the flour, fine salt, smoked paprika (if using) and black pepper.
- Pulse 3 times to mix.
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Ready when: Spices are evenly distributed with no streaks of paprika.
Cut in butter
- Scatter the cold butter cubes over the flour.
- Pulse 8 to 10 times in 1-second bursts until the mixture looks like coarse crumbs with some pea-sized bits of butter remaining.
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Ready when: Coarse, sandy crumbs with a few pea-sized butter pieces.
Tip: Don't over-process. Warm, smeared butter makes crackers greasy instead of crisp.
Add cheese and discard
- Add the grated cheddar and pulse 4 to 5 times to distribute it.
- Add the sourdough discard and pulse in 1-second bursts, 10 to 15 times, until the mixture forms large moist clumps and begins to gather.
- Tip it onto the counter and press together into a ball.
- If it feels dry and won't hold, knead in 1 teaspoon of water.
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Ready when: Dough holds together when squeezed and is firm and slightly tacky, not sticky.
Tip: If the dough is sticky, it's likely the discard was wetter than 100% hydration. Knead in 1 tablespoon of flour.
Divide and chill
- Divide the dough in half.
- Shape each half into a flat disc about ¾ inch (2 cm) thick and wrap in plastic wrap or place each between the large parchment sheets.
- Refrigerate for 30 minutes.
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Ready when: Discs are firm to the touch but still slightly pliable.
Tip: Dough chilled longer than an hour will crack when rolled. Let it sit 10 minutes at room temperature if so.
Roll out thin
- Lightly flour one disc and place it between the two large parchment sheets.
- Roll out to a rectangle about 12×14 inches (30×36 cm) and a scant ⅟₁₆ inch (2 mm) thick.
- Peel off the top sheet, then slide the bottom sheet with the dough onto a work surface.
- Repeat with the second disc once the first is cut.
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Ready when: Dough is evenly thin and you can almost see the parchment's edge through the cheese flecks.
Tip: Thin dough means crisp crackers. Thick spots stay chewy in the center.
Cut, dock and season
- Trim the ragged edges.
- Cut the dough into 1½-inch (4 cm) squares with a pizza wheel or knife.
- Slide the parchment onto a baking sheet (squares can stay touching, they will separate as they bake).
- Prick each square once or twice with a fork.
- Lightly brush with water, if using, and sprinkle with flaky salt.
- Repeat with the second disc, rerolling scraps once.
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Ready when: All squares are uniform in size and thickness and pricked.
Tip: Docking stops the crackers from puffing up into pillows.
Bake until goldenOven 350°F / 175°C
- Bake both sheets at 350°F (175°C) for 18 to 22 minutes, swapping rack positions and rotating each pan 180° at the 10-minute mark.
- Bake until the crackers are deep golden brown at the edges and light golden in the centers.
- Pull off any smaller edge pieces that brown earlier and set them aside.
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Ready when: Edges are deep golden brown, centers are light golden and no longer look pale or soft.
Tip: Take them out when they smell nutty and toasty. If they smell sharp or burnt, they've gone too far.
Cool to crisp
- Slide the parchment with the crackers onto wire racks, or leave on the pans, and let cool completely for about 20 minutes.
- Break apart along the cut lines.
- They crisp further as they cool.
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Ready when: Crackers snap cleanly when bent and feel dry, not soft or bendy.
Tip: If any still bend after cooling, return to a 300°F (150°C) oven for 3 to 5 minutes, then cool again.
Good to know
Tips
- Weigh the flour, cheese and discard for the most consistent dough.
- Roll thinner for crunchier crackers. Even thickness helps them bake at the same rate.
- Rotate the pans halfway through, since oven hot spots brown edges first.
- Bake the smaller scraps on their own tray, as they brown faster than full-size squares.
Make ahead
"The dough can be made, wrapped and refrigerated for up to 2 days or frozen for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge and let it stand at room temperature for 10 minutes before rolling. Or roll and cut the crackers, then freeze them on a tray, bag them, and bake from frozen, adding 2 to 3 minutes."
Storage & reheating
"Cool completely, then store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days. Refrigerate for up to 2 weeks, or freeze for up to 3 months. To refresh soft crackers, bake on a sheet pan at 300°F (150°C) for 3 to 5 minutes and cool."
Substitutions
- sharp cheddar cheese → Gruyère, aged Gouda or Pepper Jack. Use the same weight, finely grated. Choose firm, aged cheeses for the best flavor and crispness.
- all-purpose flour → whole wheat flour for up to half. Gives a nuttier flavor. The dough may need an extra teaspoon of water.
- smoked paprika → ½ tsp dried rosemary, garlic powder or cayenne. Adds a different flavor. Use the same amount, or ⅛ tsp cayenne for heat.
- unsalted butter → cold vegan butter block. Works well with the same quantity, though the flavor will be slightly less rich.
