Sourdough Cheddar Crackers (Like Cheez-Its!)
I know making crackers might seem a bit nuts, but I promise they come together very fast. The dough is easy to handle because you are rolling it out in-between sheets of parchment, and since you mix it by hand there aren’t too many dishes to deal with. Amen
Ingredients
You can use a food processor to break up the butter, but honestly washing it is more trouble than it’s worth.
- ¾ cup sourdough starter
- 1 cup all purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons butter
- ¾ cup shredded cheddar (sharp cheddar is best)
- Kosher salt for sprinkling
I don’t recommend substituting olive oil or melted butter, you really want those bits of butter for a flaky texture.
Instructions
Okay! This is quick and easy, promise. Preheat your oven to 375 degrees.
Begin by combining the butter and flour until the butter is broken up into bits. The best way to do this is the simply rub the butter and flour together. Then add the discard sourdough starter, and gently mix. Finally stir in the cheese.
If you need too use your hands to get everything to come together into a ball, then go ahead.
Turn the dough out onto a piece of parchment paper.
Place a second piece of parchment paper on top of the sourdough cracker dough and begin to roll it out. The thinner you can roll, the crispier they will be. I try to roll them until the cover the full piece of parchment paper.
Cut them into squares (or really any shape you’d like). You can poke a hole in the center which sometimes keeps them flatter.
Place them on two parchment-lined baking sheets, just using the same pieces of parchment that you used to roll the crackers out. They will not spread, so they can be placed pretty close together.
Make sure you sprinkle them with kosher salt before baking. Kosher salt sticks better and will add a lot of flavor.
Bake for 10-13 minutes until lightly browned around the edges.
They can cool right on the baking sheet, which won’t take long. They are tastiest when served right away, but they can be stored in an airtight container for a day or so once they are fully cooled.
Make It Your Own
This recipe is quite versatile, and many readers have added their own twists.
- Swap the cheddar for other hard cheeses like Parmesan or Gruyere
- Add dried herbs like rosemary, thyme, or a pinch of cayenne for heat (I like this version)
- Try whole wheat flour for a nuttier flavor (not my favorite but some like it)
- Make them extra fancy by topping with everything bagel seasoning
Storage & Serving
These crackers are best within two days when stored in an airtight container. They freeze beautifully for up to a month just let them thaw for a few minutes before serving.
Try them with:
Common Questions
Yes, but active starter will give your crackers a bit more rise and they’ll be puffier. I don’t love them this way, but you might.
Don’t worry, it happens! A few things could cause this. Maybe your dough was a little too thick, or perhaps your oven runs a bit cool. Next time, try rolling the dough even thinner.
Sourdough Cheddar Crackers
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- ¾ cup discard sourdough starter
- ¾ cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
- Kosher salt for sprinkling
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Instructions
- Prep. Preheat oven to 375 with two racks in, spaced relatively equally apart.
- Make the dough. Combine the butter and flour in a medium mixing bowl. Using your hands, rub the butter into the flour until it looks like sand. Pour in the sourdough starter and gently mix. Add the cheddar cheese and combine. If necessary, use your hands to make sure the dough forms a ball.
- Roll out dough. Turn the dough out onto a piece of parchment paper and top with a second piece of parchment. Roll out as thin as you can using a rolling pin.
- Cut out into squares. Cut into squares using a pastry wheel and place the squares on two parchment-lined baking sheets. Sprinkle generously with kosher salt.
- Bake. Bake for 10-13 minutes, switching the baking sheets halfway. The crackers should be crisp with slightly browned edges. Allow to cool directly on the baking sheet. Serve immediately, or let fully cool and transfer to airtight container and store for up to 2 days.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
First time making and they are delicious. I added some sea salt to the dough before I rolled them out. I also used a pizza cutter and the end of a skewer to make a whole in the middle to prevent them from puffing up.
Wish I could add a picture.
Can you freeze these?
Absolutely fantastic! I have made them with different cheeses and spices and sometimes add a 1/4 c of Badia’s Trilogy Seeds for extra crunch! I struggle with arthritis in my hands, and find that this dough works amazing in a pasta roller. I use the highest setting and cut strips!
I tried to give this recipe 5 stars, the stars kept disappearing. These are awesome!!!
hi deb! i’m sorry about the stars but thanks for letting me know anyway 🙂
I also didn’t get mine thin enough to be crunchy enough for me, but my picky 2 and 5 year old are munching on these quite happily right now. They taste great and I’ll be trying this again to see if I can roll out better.
I added a couple tablespoons of avocado oil and a quarter cup of powdered cheese (like you use on popcorn) to get these really cheesy looking and buttery for the kids. Since I used the powder, I omitted sprinkled salt.
very good
Yummy
this recipe was way to dry for me. it could be because I weighed out the equivalent of 3/4 c of starter, which Google said 90 grams. I ended up have to add avocado oil to moisten so I could roll it out. second round I used even more starter, and it wad still too dry, again had to had more oil to make dough pliable enough to roll out.
FYI 3/4 cup sourdough starter is 200 grams
How do I crisp up my crackers once they soften?
hey paula, oven or air fryer
I loved these. I made with a Mexican blended cheese and they turned out great. Sea salt on top. Thanks for this recipe!
I love having uses for my discard. I like the amount of cheese, but the crackers are a bit lacking. I would definitely make them again but add some salt to the dough.
Absolutely delicious 👍
I added garlic & onion powder to the mix.
I tried rolling these out and could not get them thin enough so they were not crispy. My brilliant son said use the pasta roller – hey what a clever idea! I tried it this time and it was easy, quick, gave me evenly thick crackers! Yummy!!
Def going to make these again they are soooo good and easy.
SO GOOD.
I added chopped jalapeños (dabbed dry) and crushed red pepper on top towards the end of rolling out. Thank you for this recipe and for using traditional measurements as I don’t use a scale for my sourdough starter. ❤️❤️
LOVE THESE.
I added chopped jalapeños and sprinkled crushed red pepper on top towards then end of rolling it out. Mine came out slightly thicker than desired, but they were still SO delicious. Thank you for this recipe (and non-scale measurements!)
Was skeptical to try these due to being a beginner sourdough maker but seriously so easy!! I added some garlic & onion powder, parsley and basil to the flour before adding anything else and wow game changer. Love being able to use the discard instead of wasting it! Also used a pizza cutter and it worked perfect! Thank you!!
How do you recommend storing these? I put in snapware which changed the texture of crackers from crunchy and yummy to soft and gummy…
hi! yes i agree airtight doesn’t work. I actually put them in a bowl loosely covered with a tea towel. we don’t keep them longer than a day.
I store them in a gallon ziplock freezer bag. Have them for over a week and they are just fine. I push out as much air as possible before zipping shut. It’s just 2 of us but I make a lot at one time.
followed the recipe and nothing would hold together just crumbled
hey it’s fine to add a tiny bit of water i f that happens again… think of it almost like a pie crust it should be crumbly but hold together if you squeeze it 🙂
Yes, oh yes! It pays to read the comments (thank you everyone for your input). I used my pasta maker to get a really thin sheet of dough, cut with a pizza cutter on the parchment paper, then layer the parchment on the pan. This made the cutting much easier for me. I added a little bit cayenne to give them a spicy taste. Hubby and I can’t stop eating them right off the pan! I think next time I’ll try using a food processor to mix the ingredients. Thank you for this recipe!
Tam here
Substitute fresh grated Parmesan for sharp cheddar cheese. Upped oven temperature to 400 as they are not browning. Delicious ! Need to cook fully.
Made it for a bake sale & it was a hit! Did a little extra cheddar & added cayenne. Thanks for a keeper!!
wonderful! thank you for letting me know! 🙂