How to Make Easy Homemade Sourdough Cheez-it Crackers
Welcome back to The Midnight Mustard Seed! If you’ve been following along on my little corner of the internet, you know how much I love turning something simple into something special for my family. Whether it’s crafting with clay in the pottery studio or baking up treats in the kitchen, creating from scratch brings me so much joy—especially when it means nourishing my loved ones with wholesome goodies free from artificial flavors and mystery stuff. Today, I’m excited to share one of my new favorite sourdough snacks: homemade sourdough cheez it crackers.
These crackers are a copycat recipe for those classic Cheez-Its we all grew up loving, but made with real cheddar cheese, a bit of sourdough discard, and simple pantry staples. They’re a great use for that discard sitting in your fridge. If you’re on a sourdough kick like me, this simple recipe is a delicious way to keep things moving without making yet another loaf of sourdough bread. These crispy crackers have become a favorite snack in our house—the whole family devours them! My little one grabs handfuls right off the cooling rack, and honestly, I can’t blame him.
Why You’ll Love These Sourdough Discard Cheese Crackers
• Made with real food ingredients—no artificial flavors or dyes here!
• Uses unfed starter or sourdough starter discard (even from an inactive starter works great)
• Comes together quickly in a food processor- so minimal clean up!
• Perfect crispy snack for lunchboxes, movie nights, or just because
• Customizable—try pepper jack next time for a fun twist!
Ingredients
• 1 1/4 cup freshly shredded cheddar cheese (sharp cheddar cheese for the best cheesy flavor; I love real cheddar cheese over pre-shredded for fewer additives)
• 1/3 cup sourdough discard (about 100 gramd; room temperature is fine, active starter or unfed starter both work)
• 3 tbsp unsalted butter, cold and cubed (42 grams)
• 1 cup grams all-purpose flour (140 grams)
• 1/4 tsp garlic powder (1 gram)
• 1/4 tsp cayenne (1 gram)
• 1/4 tsp onion powder (1 gram)
• 1/2 tsp (3 grams; table salt or sea salt—sea salt on top is my favorite for that extra crunch)
Instructions
1. In your food processor, add the shredded cheese, cold butter cubes, flour, garlic powder, onion powder, and salt. Pulse until it looks like coarse crumbs.
2. Add the sourdough discard and pulse again until the cracker dough begins to stick together when you press it with your fingers. Think of the consistency of a graham cracker crust almost.
3. Turn the dough out onto a piece of plastic wrap, shape into a flat disk, wrap tightly, and let the dough chill in the fridge for at least 30 minutes (or up to a few hours if you’re busy mama-ing).
4. Preheat your oven to 350°F and line a couple of baking sheets with sheets of parchment paper.
5. Divide the dough in half. Place one portion between two sheets of parchment paper and roll it out with a rolling pin to about 1/8-inch thick (the thinner, the crispier!). Peel off the top sheet.
6. Use a pizza cutter or sourdough cutter to cut into small squares (classic Cheez-It size). Poke each cracker with a fork or toothpick for that authentic look and to prevent puffing. If you want the ridged edges, use the tines of a fork to make the design on all sides.
7. Sprinkle the top of the dough with a little sea salt if desired.
8. Transfer the cut crackers (on the parchment) to your baking sheet. Repeat with the second half of dough.
9. Bake for 15-20 minutes, rotating the pans halfway, until golden and crispy. Keep an eye on them—the edges should be nicely browned.
10. Let the crackers cool completely on the baking sheet—they crisp up more as they cool!
Store in an airtight container for up to a week (if they last that long—these are seriously addictive!)
Recipe Card: Easy Homemade Sourdough Cheddar Crackers
Prep Time: 15 minutes + chill time
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: About 45 minutes
Yield: Around 100 small crackers
Ingredients:
• 12 oz freshly shredded sharp cheddar cheese
• 100g sourdough discard (room temperature)
• 42g cold unsalted butter, cubed
• 140g all-purpose flour
• ¼ tsp garlic powder
• ¼ tsp onion powder
• ¼ tsp cayenne
• ½ tsp salt
Happy baking, friends. Let’s keep creating good things together.
