Sourdough Graham Crackers From-Scratch
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These homemade sourdough graham crackers utilize simple ingredients like honey, brown sugar, cinnamon, and your sourdough discard to achieve the perfect tang and wholesome crunch. These crisp, scratch-made crackers are ideal for snacking, s’mores, or even as a crust for your cheesecake, and offer an easy way to use up extra sourdough starter. No artificial ingredients here!
It’s officially s’mores season, and we’re in full swing over here! There’s nothing like the taste of a gooey, toasted marshmallow on top of melting Hershey’s chocolate sandwiched between two crunchy graham crackers. The only thing that can make the classic s’more better is pairing it with these sourdough discard graham crackers.
I truly don’t know how I waited so long to create this recipe. It comes together beautifully, and they are so easy to make! I had fun using the classic store-bought graham crackers as an example, i.e., cutting them into rectangles with quadrants and spaced-out holes. BUT, it’s not a necessity if you’re short on time.
We had just as much fun making these graham crackers by slicing the dough as we pleased and poking holes in them with forks. They all taste the same when they come out of the oven, so be as precious as you want.
Looking for other fun summer desserts? Check these out!
- sourdough sugar cookie bars
- peach upside down ricotta cake
- sourdough s’mores cookies
- cherry cheesecake sourdough galette
- boston cream brownies
Ingredients
See below for notes on the ingredients for these sourdough discard graham crackers.
melted butter – I always use salted butter in my kitchen. If you only have unsalted butter, add an additional 1/4 teaspoon salt to your dough.
sourdough discard – This recipe calls for unfed sourdough discard. Alternatively, you can use active, bubbly sourdough discard, but it is not necessary. The baking soda in this recipe acts as a leavener in the crackers. The active sourdough will add more of a tangy flavor. You’ll get additional fermented benefits if you let the dough chill overnight.
all-purpose flour and whole wheat flour – I use a combination of all-purpose flour and whole wheat flour in these crackers. The whole wheat flour adds some color and texture to these crackers. I recommend using both flours!
Step-By-Step Instructions
Mix the Wet Ingredients
Start by whisking together the melted salted butter, brown sugar, honey, sourdough discard, and vanilla extract in a medium bowl. Stir until smooth and well combined. The mixture should look glossy and caramel-colored.
Combine the Dry Ingredients
In a separate large bowl, mix together the all-purpose flour, whole wheat flour, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt. Give it a quick stir to evenly distribute everything.
Bring It All Together
Pour the wet mixture into the dry ingredients. Use a rubber spatula to gently fold everything together until a soft dough forms. The dough will be pliable and slightly tacky, but not sticky.
Shape and Chill the Dough
Shape the dough into a rough rectangle with your hands and wrap it tightly in plastic wrap. Place it in the fridge to chill for at least 1–2 hours (or overnight if prepping ahead). Chilling helps the dough firm up so it’s easier to roll out.
Roll and Cut the Crackers
Once chilled, roll the dough out on a lightly floured surface to about ⅛-inch thick. Use a knife, bench scraper, or pizza cutter to slice the dough into 2×5-inch rectangles. I like to use paper guides to keep the shapes consistent and even.
Add Graham Cracker Details
To get that classic graham cracker look, gently press a 1×5-inch strip of paper down the center of each rectangle to mimic the seam. Then fold the strip in half and use it to lightly press lines across the width, creating four quadrants. Use a toothpick or skewer to poke small holes in each section.
Roll out excess dough to create more crackers.
Bake
Transfer the crackers to a parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake at 350°F for 15 to 18 minutes, depending on how crispy you like them. Watch closely toward the end—they’ll firm up more as they cool!
Cool and Store
Let the graham crackers cool completely on a wire rack before breaking them into squares. Store in an airtight container at room temperature. They’ll stay fresh for up to a week!
Equipment Used for These Sourdough Graham Crackers
- Mixing bowls – one medium and one large
- Whisk – for combining wet ingredients
- Rubber spatula – to fold the dough together
- Plastic wrap – to wrap and chill the dough
- Rolling pin – for rolling out the dough evenly
- Bench scraper – great for cutting clean, straight lines and shaping the dough
- Ruler or paper guides – optional, but helpful for precise 2×5 inch rectangles
- Toothpick or skewer – to create the signature graham cracker holes
- Parchment paper – for lining the baking sheet
- Baking sheet – standard size works well
- Wire rack – for letting the crackers crisp up and cool evenly
Storage
Store the graham crackers in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a week.
Sourdough Graham Crackers
Ingredients
Wet Ingredients:
- 8 tablespoons salted butter melted
- ½ cup brown sugar
- ¼ cup honey
- ½ cup sourdough discard unfed
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Dry Ingredients:
- 1¼ cups all-purpose flour
- ¾ cup whole wheat flour
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Instructions
Mix Wet Ingredients:
- In a medium bowl, whisk together melted butter, brown sugar, honey, sourdough discard, and vanilla extract until well combined.
Mix Dry Ingredients:
- In a large bowl, stir together the all-purpose flour, whole wheat flour, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt.
Combine:
- Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients. Use a rubber spatula to mix until a dough forms. It will be soft but not sticky.
Chill Dough:
- Shape the dough into a rectangle. Wrap it tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1–2 hours or overnight.
Roll & Cut:
- On a lightly floured surface, roll the chilled dough out to about ⅛ inch thick. Cut into 2×5-inch rectangles. Use a paper guide for uniform sizing if desired.
Shape Crackers:
- To add the classic look, gently press a 1×5-inch strip down the center of each rectangle to mimic a seam. Then fold that same paper strip in half and use it to divide each rectangle into quadrants. Use a toothpick or skewer to poke small holes in each quadrant.
Bake:
- Transfer crackers to a parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake at 350°F (177°C) for 15–18 minutes, depending on your preferred level of crunch.
Cool & Store:
- Let cool completely on a wire rack. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to one week.
My kids have been loving snacking on these sourdough graham crackers! These taste SO much better than store-bought graham crackers. If you make them, please let me know what you think!