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Sourdough Goldfish Crackers

If you grew up eating handfuls of Goldfish straight from the box, you're going to love these Sourdough Goldfish Crackers. They're homemade, extra cheesy, perfectly crisp, and made with real shredded cheddar.
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Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Servings 10

Equipment

  • Food processor - for combining ingredients.
  • Cheese grater - If you are grating your own cheese which is what I recommend for the texture to be consistent, you'll need a cheese grater or you can use your food processor with the grating attachment.
  • Plastic wrap - to wrap and chill dough.
  • Rolling Pin - to roll out dough.
  • Fish-shaped cutter - to cut out goldfish shapes. I used this fish shaped cookie cutter.
  • Skewer or toothpick - to shape the fish eyes.
  • Small teaspoon - to make fish mouth.
  • Parchment paper - to keep crackers from sticking.
  • Baking sheets - to bake crackers.

Ingredients
  

  • 2 (220g) cups freshly shredded sharp cheddar cheese you can use pre-shredded but it won't be as even
  • ¼ (57g) cup unsalted butter cold
  • ¼ (60g) cup cold sourdough discard (100% hydration)
  • 1 (120g) cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon cornstarch
  • ¾ teaspoon fine sea salt
  • ½ teaspoon garlic powder
  • ¼ teaspoon onion powder
  • 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
  • ⅛ teaspoon baking powder
  • 1-2 Tbsp ice water as needed
  • Flaky sea salt optional, for garnish

Sourdough Discard Swap:

  • 2 (30g) tablespoons ice water

Instructions
 

Step 1: Mix the Cracker Dough

  • I recommend shredding your cheese for these crackers if you want a consistent texture, but you can use pre-shredded if you're in a pinch.
    2 (220g) cups freshly shredded sharp cheddar cheese
  • Make sure your butter is cold before you continue to the next step. Cut your butter into small 1/4 inch cubes.
    ¼ (57g) cup unsalted butter
  • In a food processor fitted with the blade attachment or a blender, add the shredded cheddar and the butter cubes.
  • Add the flour, cornstarch, sea salt, white sugar, garlic powder, onion powder and baking powder to the food processor or blender.
    1 (120g) cup all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon cornstarch, ¾ teaspoon fine sea salt, ½ teaspoon garlic powder, ¼ teaspoon onion powder, 1 teaspoon granulated sugar, ⅛ teaspoon baking powder
  • Pulse the ingredients until the cheddar and butter are cut into small bits and well coated in the flour mixture.
  • Add the sourdough discard (remember cold discard is best). Pulse until the dough starts clumping. If it’s too dry, add ice water 1 teaspoon at a time until it just comes together.
    ¼ (60g) cup cold sourdough discard (100% hydration)
  • Sourdough Discard Swap: If you want to skip the discard, simply add additional ice water until the cracker dough comes together.
  • Be very careful when adding water not to add to much, you want dough to barely form a ball. Avoid overmixing the dough at this stage or the crackers will get tough!
    1-2 Tbsp ice water
  • Divide the cracker dough into two sections, and wrap tightly with plastic wrap pressing gently to form a disc. Refrigerate the dough at least 2 hours to chill before proceeding with cutting out the crackers.
  • Optional Overnight Fermentation: If you want additional fermentation time for the sourdough starter to really work on breaking down the gluten in the dough, refrigerate the dough overnight.

Step 2: Shape and Bake the Crackers

  • Preheat the oven to 325°. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.
  • Remove one of the discs of dough from the refrigerator, and flour a clean work surface well.
  • Roll out the dough to 1/4 inch thickness. Using your cookie cutter, cut out your goldfish crackers. Transfer the crackers to one of the parchment lined baking sheets. You
  • Repeat this step with the second disc of cracker dough, until all of the dough has been shaped into goldfish. You should have roughly 200 goldfish after cutting out your crackers.
  • Using a small teaspoon, shape small mouths onto the goldfish and use a toothpick to form a little eye.
  • If the crackers are getting hard to shape, chill for a few minutes in the refrigerator before continuing.
  • Bake for 18 to 20 minutes, rotating the pans halfway through baking, until the crackers are a deep golden orange around the edges. Don’t be afraid of a little extra color because that’s where so much of the cheddar flavor develops.
  • Sprinkle with flaky sea salt if you'd like at this point.
    Flaky sea salt
  • Allow the crackers to cool completely on the baking sheet before serving. They’ll continue to crisp as they cool.
  • Yields ~200 mini goldfish crackers

Notes

How to Store:
  • Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week. If they lose a little crispness, spread them onto a baking sheet and bake at 300°F for 3 to 5 minutes, then cool completely before storing again.
  • For longer shelf life, freeze in a zip-top bag for up to 2 months.

Nutrition

Serving: 20crackersCalories: 175kcalCarbohydrates: 12gProtein: 6gFat: 11g
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!