These Sourdough Discard Parmesan Crackers are one of the easiest, most addictive little things you can make with leftover starter. Crisp, savoury, deeply cheesy and wonderfully snackable, these 3 Ingredient Sourdough Crackers are a brilliant way to turn sourdough discard into something you'll want to keep on hand at all times. If you're after homemade Sourdough Parmesan Crackers that are beginner-friendly, low effort and genuinely delicious, this is a great recipe to start with.
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Recipe Highlights
TASTE: Deeply cheesy & savoury
TEXTURE: Thin, crisp & crunchy
WHAT'S SPECIAL: 3 ingredients,100% fermented flour, zero waste
Seb's Rating: Gone in 48 hours
No Unfermented Flour Crackers
One of my favourite things about these Parmesan Sourdough Discard Crackers is that they use 100% fermented flour - meaning there's no extra flour added at all. Everything in the crackers comes from the sourdough starter discard itself, plus butter, Parmesan cheese and a little salt.
That makes them such a good use of so much starter, especially if your jar has been building up in the fridge and you need a fast, easy way to use it.
And unlike some sourdough discard recipes that still need quite a few extra ingredients, these are about as low-fuss as it gets. Stir, spread, bake, cut, bake again - done.
Seb has these and my Sourdough Seed Crackers on regular snack rotation for work, and every time I think I've made a big enough batch to last four days, they mysteriously vanish in two. To be fair, Seb may not be entirely to blame. They're very easy to "just have one more" of.
Ingredient Notes
Here are all 3 basic ingredients (plus salt) you will need to make this cracker recipe:
- Sourdough discard. Use 100% hydration sourdough starter discard. It can be cold from the fridge or closer to room temperature - either works. Active starter will work too, but may be more difficult to spread.
- Parmesan cheese. Finely grated Parmesan gives the best flavour and crisps up beautifully. For the best flavour, grate your own if you can. You can absolutely swap the cheese, but it does need to be a hard cheese. We especially like:
- aged Asiago
- Grana Padano
- Pecorino Romano. All of them work beautifully in this sourdough discard crackers recipe.
- Melted butter. Unsalted melted butter adds richness and helps the crackers crisp up. You could use olive oil or a neutral oil in a pinch, but butter gives the nicest flavour here.
- Salt. A little goes into the mixture, and a sprinkle of flaky sea salt or flaky salt on top is optional but lovely.
You'll find the full measurements in the recipe card.
Step-By-Step Method
1. Preheat and prepare. Preheat the oven to 150°C fan and line a large baking sheet, cookie sheet or half sheet pan with a large piece of parchment paper.
2. Mix the cracker base. In a large bowl or mixing bowl, stir together the sourdough starter discard, finely grated parmesan cheese, melted butter and salt until smooth. This mixture won't form a cohesive dough ball or classic cracker dough - it's more like a thick spreadable batter, and that's exactly right.
3. Spread thinly. Use a rubber spatula or offset spatula to spread the mixture into a very thin, even layer over the parchment. Try to get the surface of the dough as level as possible, especially around the edges of the pan, so the crackers bake evenly.
4. First bake and cut. Bake for 10-15 minutes until the top is beginning to set. Remove from the oven and use a pizza cutter, pizza roller or sharp knife to cut into small squares or 1-inch squares. No need for perfect rectangles - rustic is absolutely fine.
5. Bake again until crisp. Return the tray to the oven for another 10-15 minutes, until crisp and golden brown. The edges usually cook faster, so remove any crackers that are done and return the tray to finish baking the rest.
6. Cool completely. Leave the crackers to cool to room temperature before snapping them apart. This final cooling step is what gives them that proper crisp bite.
Important Tips For Best Results
First time making these crackers? Here are a few important notes:
- Spread the mixture very thinly. This is the biggest difference between chewy and crisp crackers.
- Use finely grated hard cheese. It blends more evenly and gives better texture than coarser shreds.
- Watch the edges closely. The outer crackers often bake faster than the centre.
- Let them cool fully before judging crispness. They continue to firm up as they cool.
- Don't worry if they look uneven. Your first batch might be a little rustic, but they'll still taste brilliant.
- Try flavour add-ins next time. A little bagel seasoning, fresh rosemary, black pepper or sesame seeds work really well - just keep extras light so the crackers still crisp properly.
- Use a kitchen scale if you can. It's the easiest way to get consistent results, especially with discard.
Serving Suggestions
These homemade sourdough crackers are ideal for easy snacks, lunchboxes and nibbling straight from the jar.
They're brilliant:
- on a charcuterie board or cheese board
- with hummus, whipped feta or cream cheese
- alongside soups and salads
- with olives, grapes and a cold drink for easy grazing
They also make a lovely savoury cracker to serve before dinner when you want something homemade but effortless.
Storage
Once fully cool, store these sourdough cheese crackers in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days.
If they soften slightly, just pop them back into a low oven for a few minutes to crisp up again. It's a great way to revive them if you're making a double batch.
More Sourdough Cracker Recipes
If you enjoy easy, practical sourdough discard recipes, sourdough discard cheese crackers are one of the most delicious ways to use up leftover starter - simple ingredients, great flavour, and endlessly snackable.
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Sourdough Discard Parmesan Crackers
Equipment
- Large baking Sheet or 2 half sheets
Ingredients
- 225 g (1 cup (ish)) sourdough discard 100% hydration
- 40 g (3 tablespoon) melted butter unsalted
- 50 g (½ cup) Parmesan finely grated
- ¼ teaspoon salt optional, parmesan is quite salty already
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 150°C (300°F) Fan. Line a large baking sheet (or 2 half sheets) with parchment paper.
- In a large mixing bowl, add sourdough discard, parmesan, salt and melted, slightly cooled butter. Mix everything well.
- Spread the mixture onto the baking parchment with a rubber spatula (or offset spatula), trying to get an even thin layer.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 10-15 minutes, then take the sheet out of the oven and carefully cut your crackers into squares by running a pizza wheel or pressing a thin-bladed sharp knife across.
- Return the crackers to the oven for another 10-15 minutes, or until crispy. It will depend on how thinly you spread the mixture.
- TIP: the corners will cook quicker. Take the tray out and remove the crackers that are golden brown around the edges, then return the tray to carry on baking. You may repeat it every few minutes to avoid burned edges.
- Leave them to cool down to room temperature before snapping them into pre-cut squares.
Video
Nutrition
Cathy says
These sourdough discard Parmesan crackers came out crisp, cheesy, and so snackable. Such an easy way to use leftover starter, and they disappeared fast.
Ieva Greber says
Ah, thank you for the comment. These never last in our house either! 🙂
Erica says
So crunchy and cheesy. Way better than store bought crackers. Made a batch and they were gone in two days. Perfect for using up extra starter.
Ieva Greber says
Thank you, Erica! These never last long in our house either. I simply cannot stop snacking on the edges as soon as they come out of the oven! 🙂
Catalina says
These crackers were delicious! I'm always looking for new ways to utilize my sourdough discard and this was such a great recipe. We put these crackers on a charcuterie board this weekend and everyone loved them!
Ieva Greber says
Thank you, Catalina! I’m so pleased they made it onto a charcuterie board. So happy everyone enjoyed them!
Linda says
These crackers are perfect for dipping of all sorts! I love that they are just 3 simple ingredients.