Crispy Sourdough Cheddar Crackers (Homemade Cheez-It Style)

Cheez-Its, but make them sourdough.

These sourdough discard cheddar crackers are basically homemade Cheez-Its, and Cheez-Its are a big deal in my family. They’re our road trip snack, the box that gets passed around the car until someone shakes it and hears nothing. These have that same sharp, salty, keep-reaching-for-more thing going, plus a little tang from the discard that the box version can’t touch.

If you keep a sourdough starter, you already know how fast discard piles up. I feed mine almost every day to keep it strong for bread baking (with the occasional stretch where it sits in the fridge longer than I’d like to admit), so I always have discard on hand. There are plenty of ways to use it up, but this recipe is one of my go-tos because it uses a lot of discard with barely any extra ingredients or time.

The dough comes together in one bowl. No rolling pin, no chilling, no cutting individual crackers. You mix, spread the dough thin over parchment, bake, score, and bake again until crisp.

One tip from my kitchen: I spread the middle of the pan a little thicker on purpose. My daughter loves the chewy center crackers, and I like the crispy edges, so we each have our territory. Once the pan cools, we always grab a little handful every time we walk by. It took me a lot of batches before I could even test how to store leftovers, because they usually don’t make it off the pan.

Why You’ll Love These Sourdough Cheddar Crackers

✓ Uses 200 grams of sourdough discard in a single batch
✓ Four ingredients, one bowl, no rolling pin
✓ Crispy edges and chewy centers in the same pan
✓ Great for snacking, lunchboxes, or a road trip bag

Ingredients You’ll Need

• Sourdough discard: Unfed sourdough discard adds tangy flavor and helps create a crisp cracker.
• Sharp cheddar cheese: Freshly shredded sharp cheddar melts more evenly and gives these crackers their rich, cheesy flavor.
• Unsalted butter: Melted butter adds richness and helps create a crisp, tender texture.
• Fine sea salt: Seasons the dough and enhances the cheddar flavor.

How to Make Sourdough Cheddar Crackers

Step 1: Mix the Dough

Stir together the melted butter and sourdough discard until smooth. Add the shredded cheddar and fine sea salt, then mix with a thin silicone spatula until evenly combined.

Step 2: Spread the Dough

Spread the dough onto a parchment-lined baking sheet in a thin, even layer about 1/8 inch thick. It should be almost transparent in a few spots near the edges. If you want chewier crackers, leave the center slightly thicker. Sprinkle evenly with flaky sea salt.

Step 3: Partially Bake

Bake at 375°F for 15 minutes. The dough should be set but still pale.

Step 4: Score the Crackers

Using a pizza cutter, score the dough into bite-sized squares while it’s still warm.

Step 5: Poke the Centers

Use a skewer or toothpick to poke a small hole in the center of each cracker. This helps them bake evenly and gives them that classic Cheez-It look.

Step 6: Finish Baking

Return the pan to the oven for 20 minutes, rotating halfway through. The crackers are done when they are deep golden brown and crisp across the entire pan.

If a few crackers are still slightly soft, turn off the oven and let them sit inside with the door cracked open for 5 to 10 minutes.