Sourdough Roasted Fennel and Caraway Seed Crackers
Crispy, seed-studded crackers made from sourdough dough and topped with roasted fennel bulb, caraway seeds, and olive oil. The fennel caramelizes slightly in the oven, adding a subtle anise sweetness, while caraway brings earthy, peppery notes. Perfect for cheese boards, soups, or snacking straight from the tin.
Steps
Before you start
- Have active sourdough starter at room temperature (fed 4–8 hours prior, bubbly and at peak)
- Preheat oven to 425°F (220°C) on two racks
- Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper
Mix dough
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the active sourdough starter and room-temperature water until slightly combined (small lumps are fine).
- Add the bread flour and salt.
- Using a bench scraper or dough knife, fold and turn the dough in the bowl about 20 times, scraping the sides and bottom, until a shaggy dough forms with no dry flour.
- The dough will be sticky—that's correct.
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Ready when: No visible dry flour remains and dough pulls away from the bowl sides
Tip: Don't knead—fold gently. A wet, sticky dough makes thin, crispy crackers.
Toast caraway seeds
- Heat a small skillet over medium-low heat.
- Add caraway seeds and toast, stirring occasionally, for 1–2 minutes until fragrant and slightly darkened.
- Pour onto a plate to cool.
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Ready when: Seeds smell peppery and aromatic; some may brown slightly
Tip: Toasting releases the oils and deepens the flavor. Watch closely—caraway can burn quickly.
Sauté fennel
- In the same skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil over medium-high heat.
- Add the sliced fennel and a pinch of salt.
- Cook, stirring occasionally, for 5–7 minutes until the fennel softens and the edges caramelize to light gold.
- The fennel should smell sweet and nutty.
- Transfer to a plate and let cool slightly.
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Ready when: Fennel is tender, edges are lightly caramelized, and the slices are soft enough to break with a spoon
Tip: Don't stir too often—let the fennel sit on the heat so the flat surfaces brown.
Divide dough
- Lightly oil two parchment-lined baking sheets.
- Divide the dough in half.
- Place one half on each sheet, using a bench scraper or your oiled fingers to spread it into a rough rectangle about 1/4 inch (6 mm) thick.
- It won't cover the entire sheet—that's fine; leave some space.
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Ready when: Dough is spread into two separate rectangular layers, roughly even in thickness
Tip: Keep your fingers or scraper oiled to prevent sticking. Aim for uniform thickness so the crackers bake evenly.
Roll and even
- Using a rolling pin or the bottom of a wine bottle, gently roll each dough portion to an even 1/8-inch (3 mm) thickness.
- Work lightly and press from the center outward to avoid tearing the dough on the parchment.
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Ready when: Dough is visibly thinner, more translucent, and about 1/8 inch thick throughout
Tip: If the dough springs back, let it rest 2–3 minutes and try again. Don't tear the parchment.
Top with fennel and seeds
- Brush each sheet of dough lightly with 1 tablespoon of olive oil (1.5 tbsp remaining total).
- Scatter the cooled fennel evenly over both sheets.
- Sprinkle the toasted caraway seeds over the fennel.
- Finish with a light sprinkle of fleur de sel on each sheet.
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Ready when: Fennel and seeds are distributed across the dough and oil and salt are visible on the surface
Tip: Press the fennel gently into the dough so it adheres during baking and doesn't scatter.
Score and bakeOven 425°F / 220°C
- Using a knife, gently score the dough into 12 cracker-sized rectangles on each sheet (roughly 2×3 inches / 5×7.5 cm), being careful not to cut all the way through to the parchment.
- Place one sheet on the middle oven rack and one on the upper-middle rack.
- Bake at 425°F (220°C) for 15–18 minutes, rotating the sheets halfway through.
- The crackers should be golden-brown at the edges and lighter in the centers, and they should feel crisp when cooled slightly.
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Ready when: Edges are golden-brown, centers are pale golden, and a test cracker snaps cleanly when cool
Tip: Rotate halfway through to ensure even browning on both racks. If one sheet is browning faster, swap their positions.
Cool completely
- Remove both sheets from the oven and place them on a cooling rack or counter.
- Let the crackers cool for 10 minutes on the sheets—they will continue to crisp as they cool.
- Once fully cooled, break along the score lines into individual crackers.
- The crackers will continue to crisp as they sit.
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Ready when: Crackers are completely cool and snap cleanly when bent or broken
Tip: Don't skip the cooling time—warm crackers are soft. They harden as they cool.
Good to know
Tips
- For extra crunch, score the dough deeply but don't cut all the way through—this helps the crackers separate cleanly and bake evenly.
- If your oven runs hot, lower the temperature to 400°F (200°C) and bake 20–23 minutes. Start checking at 15 minutes to avoid burning.
- Toast the caraway seeds right before cooking to maximize their aroma—if done too far ahead, they'll lose some potency.
- These crackers are best eaten the same day or within a day of baking. To refresh them, warm in a 300°F (150°C) oven for 3–5 minutes.
Make ahead
You can prepare the scored, unbaked crackers up to 4 hours ahead. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and store at room temperature or in the refrigerator. Bake just before serving for maximum crispness.
Storage & reheating
Room temperature (airtight container, 4–5 days): Crackers stay crisp if kept away from humidity. Refrigerator (airtight container, 1 week): Recrisp in a 300°F / 150°C oven for 5 minutes. Freezer (airtight container, up to 3 months): Bake directly from frozen at 375°F / 190°C for 12–15 minutes.
Substitutions
- caraway seeds → cumin seeds, fennel seeds, or a mix. Caraway gives the earthy note; cumin adds warmth, fennel adds anise. Use about the same weight.
- fennel bulb → thinly sliced onion (white or red) or leek (white part only). Sauté the same way. Onion and leek won't be as sweet; add a pinch of sugar if desired.
- bread flour → all-purpose flour or spelt flour. Bread flour gives the best crunch, but all-purpose works. Spelt makes a nuttier, slightly more tender cracker.
- active sourdough starter → active whole-wheat sourdough starter. Whole-wheat starter adds a deeper flavor and slightly darker color. Use the same volume.
