Homemade Sourdough Goldfish Crackers
There are times when I am completely overwhelmed, have approximately 100 things on my to-do list, and genuinely cannot take on one more thing.
And then there are times when I decide my kids’ childhood will obviously be ruined if I don’t make homemade sourdough Goldfish crackers from scratch for their under-the-sea birthday party.
This was both of those times.
I first made these sourdough discard cheddar crackers months ago, and they were SO good that I knew I wanted to make them again for the party. They’re buttery, cheesy, perfectly crunchy and made with just a handful of simple ingredients.
Are homemade Goldfish necessary? Absolutely not. But they’re surprisingly easy to make, a great way to use up sourdough discard, and honestly so much better than the crackers from the bag.
Why You'll Love These Homemade Goldfish Crackers
If your kids love crackers as much as mine do, this is such a fun homemade version to have in your back pocket.
They’re made with real cheddar cheese and butter, with no artificial colors or flavors, and sourdough discard makes up part of the dough. They're also a great recipe for getting kids into the kitchen, they can help roll the dough, cut out the little fish and sprinkle them with sea salt before baking.
And while the fish shape is adorable, you absolutely do not need a Goldfish cutter to make them. Cut them into little squares with a pizza cutter and you'll save yourself a LOT of time. Although apparently I don't make choices like that.
What You'll Need
One of my favorite things about these sourdough cheese crackers is how short the ingredient list is.
Sourdough discard: You can use unfed discard straight from the refrigerator or active starter. This recipe doesn't rely on the starter for leavening, so either will work.
All-purpose flour: I use a good-quality unbleached all-purpose flour.
Cheddar cheese: I used Tillamook cheddar for this batch because that is what we had on hand. A medium or sharp orange cheddar gives you that classic Goldfish color and plenty of cheesy flavor.
Butter: Cold salted butter adds richness and helps create that flaky, crispy cracker texture.
Sea salt: You'll use a little in the dough and another sprinkle on top.
Cold water: You'll only need enough to help the dough come together. Start with 1 tablespoon and add more only if needed.
How to Make Sourdough Goldfish Crackers
These look much more impressive than the amount of work actually involved, especially if you have a food processor.
Add your sourdough discard, flour, cold butter, cheddar cheese and a pinch of sea salt to a food processor.
Pulse until the ingredients are finely incorporated and begin to form a dough. Add cold water 1 tablespoon at a time, pulsing between additions, until the dough comes together. Depending on the consistency of your sourdough starter, you may not need all of the water.
Separate the dough into 2 even balls and press down into a disc. Wrap the dough and refrigerate for about 1 hour.
When you're ready to bake, preheat your oven to 350°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Lightly flour your work surface and roll the chilled dough to approximately 1/8-inch thick. You want these pretty thin, that's one of the keys to getting an actual crispy cracker rather than a puffy little cheese biscuit.
Cut the dough into fish using a mini Goldfish cracker cutter like this one. Transfer to your prepared baking sheet and sprinkle lightly with sea salt.
Bake for 11–12 minutes, or until the crackers are lightly golden and crisp around the edges.
Let them cool completely before storing—and definitely steal a few while they're still warm.
The Secret to Crispy Homemade Crackers
The biggest trick here is rolling your dough thin enough.
About 1/8 inch worked well for me. More important than getting out a ruler is keeping the dough relatively even so your crackers bake at approximately the same rate.
Because the fish are so tiny, keep an eye on them toward the end of baking. Depending on your oven, your pan and exactly how thin you've rolled them, they may need a little more or less time.
They'll also continue to crisp as they cool, so let them cool completely before deciding whether you've nailed the texture.
Do I Have to Use a Goldfish Cracker Cutter?
Absolutely not.
The tiny fish are undeniably cute—and perfect for the under-the-sea birthday party I originally made these for—but the dough can be cut into just about any shape.
Use mini cookie cutters, let your kids choose shapes, or simply use a pizza cutter to cut the dough into small squares.
Can Kids Help Make These?
es! This is a great recipe for getting kids involved in the kitchen.
Depending on their age, kids can help add ingredients to the food processor, roll the dough, use the cracker cutter, transfer the fish to the baking sheet and sprinkle them with salt.
I am a huge fan of letting kids participate in making their food whenever possible. It builds familiarity with ingredients and gives them ownership over what's going onto their plate.
And let's be real: cutting out tiny fish is a job I am more than happy to outsource to small hands.
Are Sourdough Goldfish Crackers Fermented?
Not necessarily, and this distinction is worth making.
We're using sourdough discard in this recipe, but the standard recipe only rests in the refrigerator for about an hour before baking. That makes it an awesome way to use your discard, but I wouldn't call these a traditionally long-fermented sourdough food.
If you're specifically looking for the benefits associated with a longer fermentation, you can rest the dough in the refrigerator for an additional 12-24 hours.
Can I Make These Gluten-Free?
I haven't tested a gluten-free version yet, so I don't want to promise that a 1:1 substitution will give you the same crispy texture, but let me know if you try it. In theory a gluten free sourdough starter and 1:1 gluten free flour should work just fine.
If I test a gluten-free batch that works well, I'll update the recipe!
How to Store Homemade Sourdough Crackers
The most important thing is to let the crackers cool completely before putting them into a container. Any residual warmth can create moisture inside the container and take away that crunch we worked so hard for.
Once completely cool, transfer them to an airtight container.
And if your house is anything like mine, long-term storage probably isn't going to be much of an issue.
Sourdough Goldfish Crackers
Buttery, cheesy and perfectly crunchy, these homemade sourdough Goldfish crackers are made with simple ingredients and are a delicious way to use up sourdough discard.
Prep time: 15 minutes
Chill time: 1 hour
Cook time: 11–12 minutes
Ingredients
½ cup sourdough discard
1 cup all-purpose flour
4 Tbsp cold salted butter, cubed
8 oz cheddar cheese, cubed
1/2 tsp sea salt
1–2 Tbsp cold water, as needed
Extra sea salt for sprinkling
Instructions
- Add the sourdough discard, flour, cold butter, cheddar cheese and sea salt to a food processor.
- Pulse until the ingredients begin to come together into a dough. Add cold water 1 tablespoon at a time as needed, pulsing between additions.
- Wrap the dough and refrigerate for 1 hour.
- Preheat oven to 350°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Lightly flour your work surface and roll the chilled dough to approximately 1/8-inch thick.
- Cut into fish shapes using a mini cracker cutter, or cut into your desired shapes.
- Transfer crackers to the prepared baking sheet. If desired, you can se a toothpick or skewer to make an eye in each fish (I skipped that step). Sprinkle lightly with sea salt.
- Bake for 11–13 minutes, or until lightly golden and crisp around the edges.
- Allow to cool completely before transferring to an airtight container.
Notes
The exact amount of water needed will depend on the hydration of your sourdough discard. Start with 1 tablespoon and add more only if needed.
Keep an eye on the crackers during the final few minutes of baking. Smaller or thinner crackers may finish more quickly.
For maximum crunch, make sure the crackers are completely cool before storing.
Makes 12 servings
Nutrition per serving: 165 calories, 6g Protein, 12g Carbs, 10g Fat, <1g Fiber
Hi, I’m Becki Yoo, MS, RD, LD
I’m a functional medicine dietitian, mom of three, and author of Naturally Nourished Kids. I help women and families use real food and root-cause nutrition to support fertility, pregnancy, postpartum recovery, hormones, gut health, and raising well-nourished kids.
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