Ranch Sourdough Cheddar Crackers (Printer View)

Savory cheddar crackers infused with ranch herbs and sourdough starter for a crisp, tangy bite.

# Components:

→ Dairy

01 - 2 cups sharp cheddar cheese, grated
02 - 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, cold and cubed

→ Sourdough

03 - 1/4 cup sourdough starter, active or discard

→ Dry Ingredients

04 - 1 cup all-purpose flour
05 - 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
06 - 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
07 - 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt

→ Ranch Seasoning

08 - 1 teaspoon dried dill
09 - 1 teaspoon dried parsley
10 - 1 teaspoon garlic powder
11 - 1 teaspoon onion powder
12 - 1/2 teaspoon dried chives
13 - 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
14 - 1/2 teaspoon dried buttermilk powder

→ Topping

15 - Flaky sea salt for sprinkling

# Method:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
02 - In a food processor, combine grated cheddar and cold butter. Pulse until mixture resembles coarse breadcrumbs.
03 - Add sourdough starter to the food processor and pulse until mostly incorporated throughout.
04 - In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, sea salt, dill, parsley, garlic powder, onion powder, chives, black pepper, and buttermilk powder.
05 - Add dry mixture to food processor. Pulse until dough forms. If too dry, add 1 to 2 teaspoons cold water as needed.
06 - Turn dough onto lightly floured surface and roll out to 1/8 inch thickness.
07 - Using a fluted pastry wheel or sharp knife, cut dough into 1 inch squares. Use a skewer to poke a small hole in the center of each cracker.
08 - Transfer squares to prepared baking sheets, leaving space between each cracker.
09 - Sprinkle tops lightly with flaky sea salt.
10 - Bake 16 to 18 minutes, rotating sheets halfway through, until golden and crisp.
11 - Cool completely on wire rack before serving. Store in an airtight container for up to 1 week.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • They're way more flavorful than anything bagged because you control every seasoning layer.
  • Your sourdough starter finally has a purpose beyond guilt-tripping you from the back of your fridge.
  • Homemade means they stay crispy longer and taste like you actually know what you're doing in the kitchen.
02 -
  • Don't skip rotating the baking sheets halfway through—one rack in your oven will always run hotter and burn the bottom if you're not watching.
  • Cold butter and careful pulsing are the only things standing between crispy crackers and a dense, greasy mess.
  • Sourdough starter straight from the fridge works fine, but if yours is recently fed and bubbly, it adds extra lift and makes them even lighter.
03 -
  • Weigh your ingredients on a kitchen scale if you have one—it's the difference between perfectly crispy and slightly tough crackers.
  • If your food processor starts heating up the mixture, you've pulsed too much; stop while you still see small butter pieces or the dough gets greasy.
  • Once baked and cooled, store these in an airtight container with parchment between layers so they don't break from stacking.
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