Sourdough Ritz Crackers Made With Active Starter or Discard
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My Sourdough Ritz Crackers are crispy, flaky, and buttery homemade crackers made with simple ingredients and sourdough starter discard. With a flaky texture and a gentle tangy flavor from the good bacteria in the starter, these sourdough butter crackers are a great snack that tastes far better than anything from the store.
This easy recipe is a great way to use sourdough discard and contains no artificial flavors or preservatives. If you love sourdough discard crackers, try my Sourdough Goldfish Crackers, Sourdough Whole Wheat Crackers, and Sourdough Graham Crackers.
Quick Look: Sourdough Ritz Crackers
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Chill Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 8 minutes
- Total Time: 48 minutes
- Servings: 36 crackers
- Calories: ~24 kcal per cracker (based on nutrition panel)
- Cook Method: Baked
- Flavor Profile: Crispy, buttery, and slightly tangy with a light flaky texture and a touch of sweetness. A quick and delicious homemade snack ready in under an hour!
- Difficulty: Easy — Simple ingredients, quick to mix in a food processor, and ready in under an hour!
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Why You’ll Love This Sourdough Ritz Crackers Recipe
- All the Ritz nostalgia, but homemade: These crunchy crackers have the same flavor you loved as a kid, but now you get to choose the wholesome ingredients that go in. This cracker recipe uses only basic ingredients from your pantry with no preservatives or artificial flavors.
- Crispy, flaky, and buttery: Cold cubes of butter mix into the dough until it forms a sandy texture, creating flaky, airy layers that puff just enough as they bake. Brush with egg wash, sprinkle with flaky sea salt, and bake until golden brown. They are sturdy enough for cheese, spreads, or dips, and they pair perfectly with a charcuterie board.
- A gentle tang that is good for your gut: Using leftover sourdough discard adds a mild, toasty tang that makes each bite more flavorful without tasting sour. Because the dough is naturally fermented, your gut benefits from the good bacteria in the starter. For another delicious way to use discard, try my Sourdough Cheez Its.
Ingredients & Substitutions
* To find precise measurements, scroll to the bottom of this post to find the recipe card*
- Flour – I used all-purpose flour for this recipe.
- Unsalted Butter – If you substitute with salted butter, reduce the salt by 1 gram (¼ teaspoon).
- Sugar: Adds a touch of sweetness to balance the savory flavors.
- Salt: I use flaky sea salt to enhance the taste of these homemade crackers.
- Baking Power: Helps the crackers rise slightly and stay light.
- Sourdough Starter – I used cold, fresh sourdough discard that is no more than 1-2 days old. You can certainly use older discard if that’s your preference, but it’ll bring a more tangy flavor to these crackers. You can also use a bubbly starter for similar results, just be sure to use the same amount in grams. So, these are sourdough discard crackers, and you can make active starter ones using the exact same recipe.
How to Make Sourdough Ritz Crackers
- To a bowl of a food processor, add the flour, baking powder, sugar, salt, and cold butter. Mix until a sandy texture is formed.
- Pour in the cold sourdough starter discard and continue to mix until a dough is formed. Here’s how to make your own sourdough starter if you haven’t learned that already.
- Shape the Ritz dough into a flat disc, cover with plastic wrap, and chill for at least 30 minutes in the fridge. If you want a slightly deeper flavor, long-ferment the dough, which means let the dough rest in the fridge for up to 2 days.
- On a lightly floured surface or a piece of parchment paper, roll the dough into a large rectangular shape that’s about 1/16th of an inch thick. Use a small cookie cutter, a sharp knife, or even a pastry wheel to cut out the cracker dough.
- Continue to re-roll the remaining dough until all of the crackers are cut. You’ll need to bake in batches.
- Place the shaped cracker dough on the prepared baking sheet. Use a toothpick to poke 7 holes in the center of each cracker. Brush an egg wash and sprinkle the dough with flaky sea salt before baking the crackers at 350°F for 8-10 minutes, or until they are golden brown.
- Remove the crackers from the oven and cool slightly on a wire rack. Enjoy!
McKenna’s Helpful Tips
- Keep the butter ice cold when cutting it into the flour. Cold butter creates little pockets of steam as the crackers bake, which is what gives them that signature flaky texture. If the butter starts to soften, pop the dough back in the fridge for 10 minutes. I use the same cold-butter technique for my Sourdough Graham Crackers.
- Roll the dough paper-thin, about 1/16th of an inch, for the crispiest results. Use a rolling pin on a lightly floured surface or a piece of parchment paper to prevent sticking. If you prefer a thicker, more rustic cracker, try my Sourdough Whole Wheat Crackers.
- Let the dough rest in the fridge for at least 30 minutes before rolling. This dough rest relaxes the gluten and makes the dough easier to roll thin. For a deeper tangy flavor, let it cold-ferment for up to 2 days. I use a similar long-ferment option for my Sourdough Pretzel Bites.
- Use a small cookie cutter for classic round shapes, or a pastry wheel or sharp knife to cut squares. Poke 7 holes in the center of each cracker with a toothpick before baking for that authentic Ritz look. For another fun cracker shape, try my Sourdough Goldfish Crackers.
- Store these delicious sourdough crackers in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a week. They also freeze well. Let the crackers cool completely first, then thaw at room temperature or warm in a 300 degree F oven for 3 to 5 minutes. For another snack that stores beautifully, try my Sourdough Flatbread Chips.
How to Store
Around here, these delicious sourdough crackers rarely last more than three days. I keep them in a jar on the counter, and before the sun blinks three times, they’re gone. I’m not complaining. Mom didn’t either when the same thing happened in her kitchen.
Store extras in an airtight container (like my jar) at room temperature for up to a week and they’ll stay crisp. They also freeze well. Let the crackers cool completely, then pop them into a freezer-safe bag or container. Thaw at room temperature or warm in a 300°F oven for 3–5 minutes to revive that crispy, flaky texture.
Sourdough Ritz Crackers FAQs
Yes, you can. Use a pastry cutter, two knives, or even your fingertips to cut the cold butter into the flour until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Then add the sourdough starter discard and mix until a dough forms. The texture might be slightly different, but the crackers will still be delicious and crisp. I use the same hand method for my Sourdough Cheez Its.
The most common reason for losing that flaky texture is the butter getting too warm or melting into the dough. For the flakiest, crunchiest crackers, the butter should stay nice and cold so it creates little pockets of steam as they bake. Next time, try chilling the dough well before rolling and baking, and work quickly so the butter does not warm up too much. I use the same cold-butter approach for my Sourdough Graham Crackers.
You definitely can. You can swap in whole wheat or other whole grain flours like spelt or einkorn flour. They will be a bit denser than the all-purpose flour version, but still crisp. Roll the dough thin to keep them light and crunchy, and you could even sprinkle sesame seeds on top for extra flavor. For a dedicated whole grain cracker, try my Sourdough Whole Wheat Crackers.
Yes. You can prepare the dough and chill it for at least 30 minutes, or let it rest in the fridge for up to 2 days for a longer ferment. Rolling and cutting can also be done ahead, but be sure to keep the dough tightly wrapped in plastic wrap. Bake in batches on a baking sheet, which means you can bake as many as you want and enjoy fresh crackers anytime.
If you tried this Sourdough Ritz Crackers recipe or any other recipe on my blog, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the📝 comments below. Thanks for visiting!
Sourdough Ritz Crackers Recipe
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Ingredients
- 100 grams all-purpose flour 3/4 cup
- 6 grams baking powder 1 1/2 teaspoons
- 13 grams sugar 1 Tablespoon
- 3 grams salt 1/2 teaspoon
- 57 grams unsalted butter, cold & cubed 4 Tablespoons
- 60 grams sourdough discard, cold 1/4 cup
- egg wash
- flaky salt if desired
Instructions
- To a bowl of a food processor, add the flour, baking powder, sugar, salt and cold, cubed butter. Mix until a sandy texture is formed and the butter is.100 grams all-purpose flour, 6 grams baking powder, 13 grams sugar, 3 grams salt, 57 grams unsalted butter, cold & cubed
- Pour in the cold sourdough discard and continue to mix until the discard is incorporated. The dough will still look crumbly, but when you press a piece of the cracker dough together, it should stick to itself. It shouldn’t be dry.60 grams sourdough discard, cold
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Set aside.
- On a lightly floured surface or a piece of parchment paper, roll the dough into a large rectangular shape that’s 1/16th of an inch thick. Using a cookie cutter or a sharp knife, cut the dough to create crackers.
- Place the shaped cracker dough on the prepared baking sheet with spaces in between. Use a toothpick to dock 7 holes in the center of each cracker. This prevents the crackers from puffing up.
- In a small bowl, whisk together an egg with a splash of water. Brush the top of each cracker with an egg wash and sprinkle the dough with lightly flaky sea salt. Bake the crackers for 8-10 minutes, or until they are golden brown.egg wash, flaky salt
- While the first batch bakes, continue to re-roll and cut the remaining dough until all of the crackers are cut. You will need to bake in a few batches.
- Remove the baked Sourdough Ritz Crackers from the oven and cool completely on a wire rack before serving. The crackers will become crunchier as they cool. Enjoy!
Notes
Ingredients & Substitutions
-
- Flour – I used all-purpose flour for this recipe.
-
- Unsalted Butter – Be sure to us cubed, cold or frozen butter! This allows for the most flaky crackers. If you substitute with salted butter, reduce the salt by 1 gram (¼ teaspoon).
-
- Sugar: Adds a touch of sweetness to balance the savory flavors.
-
- Salt: I use flaky sea salt to enhance the taste of these homemade crackers.
-
- Baking Power: Helps the crackers rise slightly and stay light.
-
- Sourdough Starter – I used cold, fresh sourdough discard that is no more than 1-2 days old. You can certainly use older discard if that’s your preference, but it’ll bring a more tangy flavor to these crackers. You can also use a bubbly starter for similar results, just be sure to use the same amount in grams.
Tips
- For the most consistent results, it is best to roll the dough as evenly as possible.
- Don’t skip the chill time. This allows the dough to be rollable without being sticky. If you decide to long-ferment the dough, you will need to let the dough sit at room-temperature for 15-20 minutes to soften slightly.
- This recipe can easily be doubled.
- You can also freeze the dough for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge and allow the dough to sit at room-temperature for 15-20 minutes before rolling and baking as normal.
Thank you beautiful recipe
Thank you so much! I’m so glad you enjoyed the recipe. Thanks for taking the time to leave a kind comment.
First try! They turned out ok, but I didn’t get the flaky texture that you’d expect from a ritz cracker. Maybe I need to troubleshoot? I followed the recipe exactly and the flavor was good, but I’m open to suggestions!
Great question—and I’m so glad you enjoyed the flavor! The most common reason for losing that flaky Ritz-style texture is the butter getting too warm or melting into the dough. For the flakiest, crunchiest crackers, the butter should stay nice and cold so it creates little pockets of steam as they bake. Next time, try chilling the dough well before rolling and baking, and work quickly so the butter doesn’t warm up too much.
Anyone try this recipe without the aid of a food processor?
Absolutely! You can make these without a food processor—it just takes a bit more elbow grease. Use a pastry cutter, two knives, or even your fingertips to cut the butter into the flour until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Then proceed with mixing in the wet ingredients and kneading the dough by hand. The texture might be slightly different, but the crackers will still be delicious and crisp!
I’ve been using sourdough exclusively and the product, while very tasty, is more like chips than crackers. I also try not to use baking powder to reduce the sodium. In its place I use about 1/2 tsp. baker’s ammonia, ammonium carbonate (NH4CO3), which breaks down to to CO2, water vapor and nitrogen. But with or without the carbonate, the crackers are still “flat.” Have you tried this? If “yes,” what were your results?
I haven’t tested this recipe using baker’s ammonia, so I can’t say for sure how it would affect the texture. My recipe relies on baking powder for a bit of lift and that light, crisp texture, so that could definitely be why yours are turning out more chip-like without it!
These taste so much better than store-bought! Buttery, flaky with the perfect crunch. Yum!