This recipe for rosemary sourdough crackers will make your friends go WOW! It’s a great recipe for artisan crackers using sourdough discard. (If you’re not familiar with sourdough starter, you “throw out” half and “feed” the other half with new water and flour. I refuse to throw away starter made from premium flour, so I always find another use for it. These crackers were born of that desire to find a yummy solution for sourdough discard.)
When I make anything bread-related, I think it’s easier to use a food scale and to measure in grams. If you don’t have a food scale yet, it’s a must-have for your kitchen if you’re going to make bread! It takes the guesswork out of measuring water and flour, and it will save you tons of time trying to get your dough ball the perfect consistency. While we’re on the subject of scales, don’t bother with a cheap one that can be imprecise. You need an accurate digital scale that can be zeroed out every time you add an ingredient. The terminology for this is tare. (Rhymes with rare.) The tare button allows you to deduct the weight of the bowl (or the bowl and its contents), and start from zero.
When time planning for this recipe, allow it time to rest in the refrigerator. You can make the dough in the evening and then roll out and bake the rosemary sourdough crackers the next day… or you can start them earlier in the day and give them an hour in the fridge.
When rolling out the crackers, get them as thin as possible. It doesn’t matter if they are crooked or have windowpane-holes. In fact, the imperfection is part of their artisan charm. I like to cut them into 2″ strips using sharp kitchen shears before baking them so the edges get nice and crisp. If you don’t have a good pair of stainless steel kitchen shears, they will change your life.
When it comes to toppings, use your imagination! My sweetheart loves the Zahtar spice with sesame seeds, and I’m very partial to the Parmesan cheese… but however you top them, they will be fabulous. You may want to double the recipe if you have a house of hungry people, because I guarantee you this recipe for rosemary sourdough crackers won’t last long once they’re baked.
Recipe for Rosemary Sourdough Crackers
200 grams (3/4 cup + 1 Tbsp.) sourdough starter
66 grams (1 cup + 1 Tbsp.) all-purpose flour
66 grams (1 cup + 1 Tbsp.) rye flour
32 grams (3 Tbsp.) extra virgin olive oil
1 Tbsp. Rosemary, finely diced (dried or fresh)
1/2 tsp. Kosher saltToppings:
Extra virgin olive oil
Kosher salt
Cracked black pepperOptional toppings:
Parmesan cheese, finely grated or ground in a food processor
Zahtar spice & sesame seeds
Mix all ingredients for the dough together. Knead together until the dough forms a smooth ball. This will take 4-5 minutes in your Kitchen Aid Mixer with the dough hook.Wrap the dough ball in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or overnight.Roll the dough out between 2 pieces of waxed paper until it’s about 1/4″ thick. Then cut into 4 smaller rectangles. Put one rectangle between the waxed paper it roll it into a large rectangle, as thin as you can make it. The imperfect shape is part of the charm of these artisan crackers. Use sharp kitchen shears to cut each rectangle into strips about 2″ in diameter. Place each thin strip of dough on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Repeat with 3 other strips of dough.Using a pastry brush, brush on a thin coat of olive oil to the top of each dough strip. Top with salt and cracked black pepper. I typically make 3 different flavors by topping 1/3 of the dough with Parmesan, 1/3 with more rosemary, and 1/3 with Zahtar and sesame seeds.Bake at 350 degrees for 10-14 minutes. Keep an eye on them. Depending on the thickness, they may be done sooner or later. When they are brown and the edges look crisp, they are done. They will continue to crisp once you remove them from the oven.
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