Sourdough Rye Crisp Crackers Recipe

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Try this special rye crisp crackers recipe for a cheese board or healthy snack! Mini loaves made with sourdough starter discard, seeds, and dried fruit are sliced and twice baked to make these homemade crackers.

sourdough rye crisp crackers recipe pin image

Surprisingly, these sourdough rye crisp crackers start out as an easy quick-bread-like batter. Since baking soda is the leavening agent, sourdough starter (or discard) is added for flavor only.

I really enjoy the rye flavor with the toasty sesame, pumpkin (pepitas), and flax seeds. The sweetness from the dried fruit takes the crackers over the top. I love them as a snack with brie cheese!

The crackers remind me of Raincoast Crisps® or store brand crisp crackers. This is my version inspired by the amazing fruit and nut crisps recipe from Simple Bites.

close up shot of the dried fruit and seeds in the rye crisp crackers recipe

Though not necessary, I like to mill my own rye flour and use my whole wheat starter for 100% whole grain. I love baking crackers at home so I can control the ingredients in them!

After you are familiar with the recipe, I’m sure you could get creative with your own flavor combination. Try a different flour and your favorite seeds, herbs, dried fruits, or even nuts.

For more tasty party appetizers, try my Easy Charcuterie Appetizers in a Cup or Whole Wheat Sourdough Pita Bread (hummus recipe included).

Sourdough Rye Crisp Crackers Baking Schedule

Approximate timing:

Mix batter: 10 minutes
Bake mini loaves: 25 minutes
Cool loaves (and partially freeze for easy slicing): 3 hours
Slice and bake: 45 minutes

Tips for Making This Sourdough Rye Crisp Crackers Recipe

These are the mini loaf pans I use. They are 5.75 x 3.25 inches in size. This recipe makes about 6 servings (8 crackers in a serving). I would recommend that you double the recipe if you have 4 mini loaf pans.
You’ll want to partially freeze the loaves (for at least 2 hours) after they cool for the cleanest slices. If you make extra loaves, you can freeze them for up to three months before you take them out to slice and bake them!

homemade rye crisp crackers on unbleached parchment paper

How to This Make Sourdough Rye Crisp Crackers Recipe (Step-By-Step Instructions)

Step 1 – Mix Batter

Before you start, preheat your oven to 350°F. Grease your mini loaf pans and line them with parchment paper.

A hand mixer is really handy here, but you can use a whisk. Mix together the dry ingredients first (the rye flour, baking soda, and salt) then add the remaining ingredients to the bowl.

I pulse the pumpkin seeds and flax seeds together briefly in my small blender just to break them up a little before adding them in the bowl. I then pulse my dried fruit separately to chop it into finer pieces. A food processor would work as well, or feel free to leave the seeds more chunky.

Mix the batter until well combined.

Step 2 – Bake in Mini Loaf Pans

Divide the batter evenly between the pans. If you want to be really precise, you can use your kitchen scale.

Spread the top of the batter smoothly with a table knife.

Bake the loaves for 25 minutes. They should feel springy to the touch and look lightly golden on top.

spreading sourdough discard batter into mini loaf pans

Step 3 – Cool and Slice Crackers

After a few minutes on a cooling rack, you should be able to remove the loaves from the pans. Allow them to cool completely, then put them in a container or bag and freeze for about 2 hours.

Once they are partially frozen, they will be much easier to slice without your knife snagging on seeds or fruit.

Preheat your oven to 325°F this time. Slice the loaves as thinly as you can using a sharp serrated bread knife.

slicing the sourdough rye crisp crackers

Step 4 – Bake Rye Crisp Crackers for a Second Time

Place the slices face up on half sheet pans. There’s no need to line or grease your pans since the crackers shouldn’t stick.

arranging the sliced crackers on a baking sheet to bake for a second time

Bake them for 20 minutes, then give them a flip, and bake for 20-30 more minutes. Watch them at the end because the bake time will depend on how thinly you sliced the crackers.

They should be completely golden brown and crisp on both sides when they are fully baked.

Transfer the finished rye crisp crackers to a rack to cool completely before you serve them on a cheese board or store them in an airtight container. I hope you enjoy these!

Sourdough Rye Crisp Crackers

Yield: About 50 crackers

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Bake Time: 1 hour 15 minutes

Additional Time: 3 hours

Total Time: 4 hours 35 minutes

Ingredients

100g grams whole rye flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
7g kosher salt
180g water
100g ripe or discard sourdough starter, 100% hydration (see notes)
25g honey (optional)
20g olive oil
15g sesame seeds
50g raw pumpkin seeds (pepitas)
30g whole flax seeds
100g dried fruit of choice (apricots, cranberries, cherries, blueberries, etc.)

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350°F with a rack set in the center. Grease 2 mini loaf pans and line with parchment paper. Set aside.

Add rye flour, baking soda and salt to a large bowl. Mix to combine (I like to use an electric hand mixer for the batter).

To the flour mixture, add water, sourdough starter, honey, olive oil, and sesame seeds to the dry mixture. Do not mix yet. Pulse pumpkin and flax seeds very briefly in a blender or food processor until they are slightly broken apart (leave them in more sizable chunks if you so desire, but don't over blend, or you will make a seed butter). Add seeds to the bowl with the other ingredients. Then pulse the dried fruit in a similar manner until finely chopped. Add the fruit to the bowl as well. Mix batter until well combined.

Distribute batter evenly into the prepared mini loaf pans. Use a table knife to spread the top of the batter smoothly in each pan.

Bake loaves for 25 minutes on the same rack until springy and lightly golden on top. Set on a cooling rack for a few minutes, then remove loaves from the pans. Allow them to finish cooling completely. Place loaves in a bag or container and freeze for at least 2 hours (until partially frozen) for easy slicing.

Preheat oven to 325°F. Remove loaves from freezer and use a sharp serrated bread knife to cut the mini loaves into very thin slices. Place the slices face up on two half sheet pans (no need to grease or line the pans).

Bake for 20 minutes, flip the crackers over, then bake for an additional 20-30 minutes or until golden brown and crisp (the bake time will vary based on the thinness of your crackers, so watch them near the end!). Transfer finished crackers to a cooling rack to cool completely before serving or storing in an airtight container.

Notes

Sourdough starter: I use whole wheat starter so my crackers are wholegrain. You can use white flour starter or feed a portion of white starter with whole wheat ahead of time, if you like.

Make ahead: Keep extra loaves frozen (well wrapped) for up to 3 months until you want to slice and bake the crisp crackers.

Variations: Make the crackers with your own flavor combinations after you're familiar with the recipe. Add nuts, different seeds, fresh herbs, a different flour than rye, etc.

Sourdough Rye Crisp Crackers Recipe

Sourdough Rye Crisp Crackers Baking Schedule

Tips for Making This Sourdough Rye Crisp Crackers Recipe