Sourdough has become the lifeblood of my household, and these crispy, flaky, salty, rustic sourdough butter crackers are no exception.
I feel like I’ve finally perfected this recipe, combining the smooth golden flavor of pastured butter with a long fermentation time to yield an easily digestible, artisan wheat cracker made with healthy saturated fat.
The extra-long fermentation time of these crackers also develops the classic sourdough tang and crunch. Don’t expect them to last long!
They make an easy choice for serving with cheese and charcuterie, alongside hummus, with guacamole, or on all their own.
A Quick Note on Why Sourdough Is Better for Your Digestion and in Turn Your Body.
Fermenting, soaking, and sprouting grains removes phytate, otherwise know as phytic acid. Phytate is found in all grains, nuts, seeds, and legumes. While phytates won’t necessarily harm you, they do act as an anti-nutrient, binding with vitamins and minerals and decreasing the absorption of those nutrients. A diet relatively high in inadequately prepared grains can lead to malnutrition.
When sourdough undergoes a long fermentation process the enzymes in the culture start to break down starches, sugars, and proteins, thus making them much easier for our tummies to digest!
For more information on how to properly prepare your foods using time-honored traditional techniques, please refer to the book Nourishing Traditions by Sally Fallon and Mary G. Enig, Ph.D. This is the one book that I lovingly call my “Traditional Food Bible.”

Rustic Sourdough Butter Crackers
Ingredients
For the Dough:
- 250 grams (1 cup) sourdough starter or discard, at 100% hydration
- 280 grams (2 cups) organic all-purpose flour
- 8 grams (3/4 teaspoon) sea salt
- 113 grams (1/2 cup) melted butter
- 105 grams (just shy 1/2 cup) filtered water
For the Garnish:
- 1 egg
- 1 tablespoon water
- 15 grams (1 to 2 teaspoons) artisan salt
- 5 grams herbs, optional
Instructions
The Night Before Baking:
- Weigh or measure all the dough ingredients into a ceramic or glass mixing bowl.
- Mix the dough just until it comes together. There will be plenty of structure without developing extra gluten.
- Let the dough rest and rise, covered, for 12 to 16 hours.
The Next Day:
- Preheat your oven to 350°F.
- Transfer the dough to a floured surface and pat it into a rectangle. Cut the rectangle in half.
- Cut three sheets of parchment paper that will fit a large baking sheet.
- Place one piece of the dough in the center of a piece of parchment and cover with the other sheet.
- Use your hand to flatten the dough into a large rectangle. Then use a rolling pin to roll it to a thickness of about 1/8th inch. Remove the top sheet of parchment paper.
- In a small bowl beat the egg with 1 tablespoon water. Use a pastry brush to lightly coat the surface of the crackers with the egg wash. Sprinkle the cracker dough with a thick flake artisan salt and herbs if desired.
- Using a pizza cutter or knife cut the dough into cracker size squares. Prick (dock) each square twice with a fork to keep the dough from bubbling up in the oven.
- Slide the parchment paper onto the baking sheet and set the crackers aside.
- Repeat these steps with the remaining dough.
- Bake the crackers for 30 minutes at 350°F. Then turn the oven off and jar the door. I use a baking mitt between the door and frame to just barely keep the oven door open. Let the crackers cool completely in the oven.
- Once cool, store the crackers in an airtight container.
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milou
Tuesday 21st of June 2022
These look amazing! I haven't seen a cracker recipe use butter, but the result looks delicious. Also, excited to see some Humboldt Fog! That's got to be one of the tastiest cheeses ever made.
Butter For All
Wednesday 29th of June 2022
Hi Milou!
I'll agree with you there! Everything Cypress Grove makes is delicious! We even had Humboldt Fog at our wedding :)
Hope you enjoy the crackers!!!
Courtney
Claudine
Thursday 17th of March 2022
Thank you so much for sharing this recipe! This has been my go-to cracker recipe for months now. Today I baked a batch with half kamut flour and a kamut starter. It was what was on hand. I stored the dough in the fridge for 36 hours after 12 hours at room temperature, as I had no time to bake until today. They turned out excellent, a bit tangier in flavour, which makes them even harder to resist!
Butter For All
Thursday 17th of March 2022
Hi Claudine!
This sounds so wonderful! Especially with kamut because it has a buttery flavor on its own. Double the butter flavor!
Thank you so much for the nice feedback, I really appreciate it!
Courtney
Jennifer
Thursday 27th of January 2022
Could I use a butter wash on the top instead? I don't have any eggs right now :(
Butter For All
Friday 28th of January 2022
HI Jennifer!
Absolutely! A little butter, milk or water will work. Just watch them to make sure they aren;'t browning too fast. It they do, lay a sheet of parchment loosely over the top while baking.
Happy baking!
Courtney
Jessica Morton
Sunday 31st of October 2021
I want to thank you for this wonderful recipe! I used half all-purpose and half whole wheat pastry flour, just Maldon sea salt on the egg wash, and they’re fantastic.
Butter For All
Monday 22nd of November 2021
Hi Jessica!
I'm so happy to hear it! ❤️
Sam
Saturday 25th of September 2021
I want to make these for my son who is allergic to dairy. Could you replace the dairy with olive oil, coconut oil, or something else?
Sam
Monday 27th of September 2021
@Butter For All, Thank you! And would you use the same amount?
Butter For All
Monday 27th of September 2021
Hi Sam!
Absolutely! I would suggest coconut oil, lard, tallow, or, if he isn't deathly allergic to dairy, ghee, which has almost all of the milk solids removed but still has a buttery flavor.
Hope you enjoy them!
Courtney