Sourdough Crackers
by PJ Hamel, https://www.kingarthurbaking.com/

Sourdough Crackers

Here's the perfect solution to your discarded sourdough dilemma. The rosemary, while optional, complements the tang of the sourdough perfectly. We're obsessed with these crackers, especially when dipped into some healthy hummus.

FMM; These weren’t too bad. They puffed up here and there (I put the dough in the frig overnight - not sure if this made a difference) and were nicely crisp. I think I would like them better if they were not made with all whole wheat flour. I made some with sesame seeds on top, which I liked, as well as those with rosemary on top. I made some with dill, but could not taste the dill that much. I think fresh ground black pepper would be good, as would wheat germ added to a dough made of white flour. Perhaps a little brown or white sugar would give them a little more flavor, sort of like Wheat Thins. Wheat Thins contain sugar and malt syrup (made from corn and barley).

Also see Easiest Sourdough Discard Crackers

1 cup (227g) sourdough starter, unfed/discard
1 cup (113g) King Arthur White Whole Wheat Flour [use some wheat germ for better flavor]
1/2 teaspoon flaky sea salt
4 tablespoons (57g) unsalted butter, room temperature
2 tablespoons dried herbs, of your choice, optional
oil, for brushing
coarse salt (such as kosher or sea salt) for sprinkling on top

Mix together the sourdough starter, flour, salt, butter, and herbs [Parmesan cheese, etc. - see below] to make a smooth (not sticky), cohesive dough.

One tip: try mixing the flour, salt, and butter first, before adding the starter. Butter coats the flour with fat, which translates to a more tender cracker. This is also a great recipe for your food processor. First process the flour, salt, and butter into an evenly sandy mixture, then add the starter and process just long enough for the dough to come together.

Divide the dough in half, and shape each half into a small rectangular slab. Cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 30 minutes, or up to a couple of hours, until the dough is firm.

Preheat the oven to 350°F.

Working with one piece of dough at a time:

  1. Very lightly flour a piece of parchment large enough to fit in a half-sheet pan, your rolling pin, and the top of the dough.
  2. Place the dough onto the floured parchment and roll it about 1/16" thick. It'll have ragged, uneven edges; that's OK. Just try to make it as even as possible.

    [Note: These crackers do puff up and increase in thickness as they bake, so the thinner, the better. Try to roll the dough to an even thickness. Crackers that are thinner, brown more quickly.]

  3. Transfer the dough and parchment together onto a baking sheet. Lightly brush with oil (or butter) and then sprinkle the salt over the top of the crackers. [Sprinkle with other toppings (sesame seeds, caraway for rye crackers, etc.), if desired. Roll over the dough to press the toppings in.]
  4. Cut the dough into 1 1/4" squares; a rolling pizza wheel works well here Don’t separate the squares; they’ll separate themselves as they bake.

    If little squares don't excite you, it's fine to experiment with different sizes and shapes of crackers. Cut triangles, rectangles, or diamonds, and make them any size you like. Since there will be less heat-absorbing edge exposed on larger crackers, though, you may have to bake them a bit longer. Another idea is to cut them in long strips like cheese straws.

  5. Prick (dock) each cracker a couple of times with a fork; this will help keep them from puffing up like little pitas as they bake.

Roll and cut the second piece of dough following the directions above.

Bake the crackers for 20 to 25 minutes, until they're starting to brown around the edges. Midway through, rotate the baking sheets both top to bottom and front to back; this will help the crackers brown evenly. Thicker crackers should be baked 30 to 35 minutes in order to dry out fully.

When fully browned, remove the crackers from the oven and place the pans on a rack to cool.

Store crackers, well wrapped, at room temperature for up to a week; freeze for longer storage.

YIELD about 100 1 1/4" square crackers

Make them your own

I’m not one to follow a recipe — not even the first time — without asking, “What if … ?” Thankfully, this recipe is so forgiving it’s no problem to take it in different directions, both flour- and flavor-wise.

Whole wheat gives these crackers a rich, hearty flavor that complements sourdough beautifully. But feel free to try different flours beyond white whole wheat; I've successfully used all-purpose flour, medium rye, and a 50/50 blend of all-purpose and rye.

Mix-ins: If you'd like to boost the flavor of your crackers, you can add all sorts of mix-ins to the dough along with the dry ingredients. Some suggestions include:

Season with toppings

Salt — plain or coarse; sea, seasoned, or smoked — is a natural. Just sprinkle it judiciously on top as directed in the recipe; a quick once-over with the rolling pin will help "tack" the salt to the dough.

But don’t stop at salt. Try a dash of ground cumin, coarse black pepper, turmeric, smoked paprika, or … scan your spice shelf! Sprinkle multiple toppings on different areas of the rolled-out cracker dough prior to baking, then see which you like best for next time.