Sourdough Discard Cheese Crackers (Cheez-Its)

Sourdough Discard Cheese Crackers are crispy, cheesy, and taste even better than Cheez-Its!

These sourdough cheese crackers made with real cheddar cheese are an easy way to use sourdough discard. Plus, the recipe makes dozens of thin, salty, and addictive crackers that are perfect for snacking and store well.

Follow my detailed instructions with photos and tips below for the best sourdough discard cheese crackers.

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👍 Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• Simple and quick way to use sourdough discard.
• Copycat recipe that taste even better than boxed Cheez-It crackers (like my Sourdough Vanilla Wafers or Sourdough Oatmeal Cream Pies).
• Lots of cheesy flavor from real sharp cheddar cheese, like the best Sourdough Grilled Cheese.
• Crispy, thin, and bright orange.
• The crackers snap with a slightly airy and flaky interior.

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🔍 Tips for Making Sourdough Discard Cheese Crackers (Cheez-Its)

• Chill the dough for at least 30 minutes and up to overnight to make rolling out easier.
• Roll the crackers very thinly between parchment paper and separate them so they keep they crisp up.
• Add turmeric powder for a little more orange color and slight earthy flavor.
• Grate or shred a block of cheddar cheese for the best flavor. Don’t use pre-shredded cheese.
• Use a wooden dowel to dock the crackers. This gives them that classic Cheez-it look and helps prevent them from puffing up too much.

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🛠 Tools Needed

You only need a few basic tools to make these homemade sourdough cheese crackers.

• Baking scale
  • Flour and sourdough starter can weigh differently from person to person, so weighing your ingredients is the best choice over volume. Measuring your ingredients by weight will make your baking more consistent and accurate.
• Sheet Pan or Cookie Sheet
  • Line the pans with parchment or a silicone baking mat to prevent sticking.
• Box Grater, for grating the cheese
• Food Processor, recommended
  • Pulsing a food processor brings the dough together very easily, but you can mix by hand as well.
• Pastry Wheel, for cutting
  • I like the fluted edges of a pastry or ravioli wheel to cut the crackers, but you can use a pizza wheel or knife as well.
• Wooden dowels, for docking
  • Use the blunt end of a wooden dowel or skewers to dock or make holes in the cheez-its to prevent them from puffing up too much.
  • Can also use a fork (multiple holes) or chopsticks.

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🛒 Ingredients Needed

See below for my ingredient recommendations and possible substitutions.

• Block of sharp cheddar cheese, grated
  • For the best flavor and color with no added ingredients or preservatives, use a real block of sharp cheddar cheese and grate by hand just like in my Sourdough Cheddar Biscuits.
  • I like orange sharp cheddar for that classic bright orange color, but you could use white cheddar or add in other hard cheeses like parmesan, monterey jack, or gouda.
• All-purpose flour
  • Substitute with whole wheat flour to make whole wheat cheese crackers.
• Salt
• Baking Powder
  • The baking powder helps the crackers puff up just a bit so they have an airy, flaky interior with a nice crunch.
• Unsalted butter, room temperature
  • Softened butter will mix easily and distribute well in the dough.
• Turmeric powder
  • Not only does ground turmeric give these crackers even more orange color like in my Sourdough Carrot Cake Scones, it also adds a slight earthy flavor.
  • Can substitute with paprika or if you want other flavors like ranch seasoning, garlic powder, cayenne for spicy crackers, or Old Bay seasoning.
• Sourdough Discard
  • If you don’t have an active sourdough starter, learn how to make one in a week following my how-to guide. See my top sourdough starter tips and other sourdough discard recipes.
• Flaky salt, for topping
  • The flaky salt gives them a finishing salty touch like my Sourdough Discard Chocolate Chip Cookies and Sourdough Chocolate Muffins.

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🧀 How to Make Sourdough Discard Cheese Crackers (Cheez-Its)

1. Grate the Cheese

Using the small holes of a box grater, grate the entire 8 oz. block of sharp cheddar cheese.

2. Mix the Dough

In a food processor with the blade attachment, or by hand, mix the shredded cheddar cheese, softened butter, and sourdough discard together.

Mix the dry ingredients in a separate small bowl. Then, add them to the food processor and mix until a cohesive ball of dough forms.

Scrape out of the food processor, pat down into a disc and cover in plastic wrap or beeswax to rest and chill in the refrigerator for 30 minutes and up to a couple of days. It should be tacky like Play-Doh and look like Sourdough Pie Crust or Sourdough Galette dough.

3. Cut Out the Cheese Crackers

Preheat the oven to 350ºF (177ºC).

Use a rolling pin to roll the chilled dough into a thin slab (less than ⅛” thick) between two large pieces of parchment paper. I cut the parchment paper to be the size of two large baking sheets so I can use them for baking too.

Once you’ve thinly rolled out the dough, trim the edges with a pastry wheel so you have a large rectangle. Then, cut out the cheese crackers into 1-inch squares. You can make larger crackers if you prefer too, but this is about the size of Cheez-Its.

For the best results, separate the crackers and scatter them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. This way, they bake evenly and the edges crisp.

Then, dock the centers with a wooden dowel or blunt end of a toothpick or chopstick with a hole in the middle.

4. Bake

Sprinkle the tops of the crackers with optional flaky salt.

There should be enough crackers for at least two rounds of baking. Bake one sheet at a time in the oven for even baking.

Bake for 15-17 minutes or until the crackers are crisp and turning dark orange brown. Thinner crackers will bake faster and thicker ones may need more time.

Let cool on a wire rack and repeat with the remaining crackers.

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How to Store and Serve

You can store sourdough discard cheese crackers like Cheez-Its at room temperature.

Before storing, always let the crackers cool down completely.

As long as they were baked crisp, you can store them in an airtight container at room temperature for 5-7 days.

The homemade sourdough Cheez-Its are the perfect salty, cheesy snack and a great back-to-school snack, like Sourdough Chocolate Protein Granola Bars.

Bring these cheese crackers out for parties, as a Super Bowl appetizer or snack, or just to munch on throughout the day.

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❓ Frequently Asked Questions

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