Homemade sourdough crackers seasoned with Parmesan, fresh herbs, and coarse sea salt. Crispy and flavorful, they’re ideal for serving with soups, salads, cheeses, or simply as a satisfying snack.
If you’ve been keeping a sourdough starter, these Parmesan sourdough crackers are a great way to use your unfed starter or discard. The recipe was adapted from a classic sourdough cracker technique and highlights the nutty, savory notes of grated Parmesan combined with bright herbs for an irresistible crunch.
Before making the crackers, make sure you have unfed sourdough starter or discard on hand — this recipe calls for starter that hasn’t been recently fed.
What is unfed sourdough starter?
Unfed starter is simply sourdough starter that hasn’t been refreshed with flour and water. It’s generally more acidic and dense than active, fed starter and typically won’t pass the “float test” (it won’t float in water).
In everyday baking, unfed starter and discard are used interchangeably. If you don’t have unfed starter, feel free to use your discard — the results will be nearly the same.
More Sourdough Recipes You May Love
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Sourdough Sandwich Bread
Sourdough Doughnuts
Sourdough Biscuits
Parmesan Cheese Sourdough Crackers
What You’ll Need
- ½ cup white whole wheat flour
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- 1 cup sourdough starter, unfed/discard
- ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
- ¼ cup fresh thyme or rosemary, finely chopped
- ¼ cup avocado oil or olive oil, plus extra for brushing
- ½ teaspoon coarse sea salt
How to Make It
- In a medium bowl, mix the flours, sourdough starter, grated Parmesan, chopped herbs, and oil. Stir until a firm, non-sticky dough forms.
- Divide the dough into two equal portions and shape each into a rectangle. Wrap each piece tightly in plastic and refrigerate until firm, 30 minutes to 2 hours.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Lightly flour a rolling pin, two large pieces of parchment paper, and the top of the dough. Working with one piece at a time, roll the dough out very thin — about 1/16 to 1/8 inch thick — between the parchment sheets. Transfer the parchment and dough to a baking sheet; repeat with the second piece.
- Brush the dough lightly with oil and sprinkle evenly with coarse sea salt. Cut the dough into 1-inch squares and prick each square with a fork to prevent bubbling.
- Bake for 20–25 minutes, or until the cracker edges are lightly golden. Rotate the pans if needed for even browning.
- Allow the crackers to cool completely, then store in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
Suggested Equipment
- Mixing bowls
- Sheet pan
- Rolling pin
- Parchment paper
Notes
- Nutrition values are approximate and based on the recipe card; actual values may vary depending on ingredients and portion sizes.
Nutrition
Calories: 48 kcal
Carbohydrates: 6 g
Protein: 1 g
Fat: 2 g