Sourdough Discard Graham Crackers

Don’t toss that sourdough discard and make these light and crispy graham crackers. My sourdough discard graham crackers are homemade graham crackers that are sweet, crisp, and light. The perfect way to use your leftover sourdough starter discard in a new way.

small bowl filled with sourdough graham crackers.

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You will have excess sourdough starter and instead of tossing, learn new recipes to use it, in a fun way. These delicious crackers are great for snacking on or use to make graham cracker crumbs for pie crust and more.

This homemade sourdough crackers recipe can be used all year round for a fun treat to snack on.

Want more sourdough starter recipe ideas? Try my sourdough discard cinnamon rolls! They are the perfect way to start your morning. Or try my sourdough starter discard biscuits. Top with jam or even sausage gravy!

Ingredients

This is a quick overview of the ingredients that you will need to make this recipe. You can find the full list in the recipe card at the bottom of the post.

bowls of butter, sourdough discard, flour, sugar, vanilla, honey, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon.

butter – I used unsalted butter, but salted can be used as well
sugar
honey
sourdough discard
vanilla extract
all purpose flour
baking soda
kosher salt
ground cinnamon

Instructions

This is a quick overview of the instructions to make this recipe. You can find the full steps in the recipe card.

sugar and melted butter being mixed in a large mixing bowl.

In a microwave-safe bowl, you will melt butter. In a large bowl, you will mix it with sugar and mix until it is creamy. Mix in the vanilla, sourdough discard, and honey.

dry ingredients being mixed in a large mixing bowl.

In a separate mixing bowl, add your dry ingredients, and whisk.

dough being mixed in a large mixing bowl.

Slowly work in your dry ingredients to the wet for the sourdough graham crackers dough. You want the dough to become a smooth dough ball.

dough being split into two halves on a counter.

Place the dough on a flat surface, and divide it in half.

dough being rolled out into a thin layer with a wooden rolling pin.

Set one half aside and place the one half on parchment. Place a second piece of parchment on top of the dough and compress the dough first with hands and then a rolling pin to shape the dough into a rectangle at 1/8” thick.

graham crackers being cut out with a pizza cutter

Place your crackers on a prepared baking sheet and bake as directed. Repeat for both halves of the dough.

Hint: Make sure to roll evenly so that you get the optimal results of the crackers. You want to ensure they are all evenly sized.

Variations

Here are a few ways you change up the sweet flavored cracker recipe in a fun new way to make them.

Spices – Consider adding some warm spices to the graham crackers to make a sweet-flavored cracker. Cinnamon, nutmeg, ground ginger, or cloves could flavor the crackers.
Chocolate – Add in some cocoa powder and make a chocolate graham cracker recipe.
Mix-ins – Mix in some citrus zest for a lemon or an orange. Add in dried fruit, chocolate chips, or even nuts for a twist in flavor and texture. Even sunflower seeds or sesame seeds could be a great way to add crunch.

See this strawberry dessert dip that you can pair with this graham cracker recipe.

Equipment

For this recipe, you can use mixing bowls, a spatula, or even a stand mixer with a dough hook. You can reach for a sheet pan or cookie sheet for baking the crackers on. I also like to use a pizza cutter for slicing the sourdough crackers into even strips.

Another essential tool for this recipe is a rolling pin. This is going to help you get that even thickness to the cracker dough so it bakes up evenly.

Storage

Store your fully cooled crackers in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a week or a bit longer. The biggest thing is to make sure no moisture gets to crackers or it will cause them to become stale and soft.

Feel free to freeze the graham crackers for 2-3 months to extend the life. Use sheets of parchment paper to place between stacking crackers in a bag or container. Then freeze as directed. When ready to eat thaw at room temperature on the counter.

Wendy’s Test Kitchen Tips

Make sure that your discarded sourdough starter is active and bubbly before you go to use it. It needs to be active so it can act as the leavening agent in the crackers.
Pricking the dough with a fork will help ensure the crackers do not bubble up when they are being baked in the oven.
Grab your dough balls and work in batches. Use a piece of dough for rolling out and shaping, and keep the rest of the dough covered with plastic wrap to prevent it from drying out.
Watch the crackers brown as they bake up. You don’t want them to overbake and dry out. If you want a light golden brown, then remove them and let them set and fully dry.

FAQs

Can I use whole wheat flour instead of all-purpose flour?

You can swap the type of flour you are using. Feel free to use it, but just know that the liquid and the dry ingredients can be altered to fit the different types of flour.

Do I need to feed my sourdough starter before making graham crackers?

You need to have an active sourdough starter for this recipe. If you haven’t fed your sourdough starter in a while, I recommend feeding it a bit. You want to ensure it is active or the graham crackers will not have the correct texture.

Pairing

These are my favorite dishes to serve with Sourdough Discard Graham Crackers recipe:

I hope you’ll like this recipe, and please, if you make this recipe, snap a pic and hashtag it #mamasonabudget— I love to see your creations on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter!

If you love this recipe, please leave a ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ rating! Thank you.