Baked Sourdough Tortilla Corn Chips Recipe (Active or Discard Starter) (2024)

Last Updated on August 2, 2023

Are you ready to add one more awesome homemade sourdough recipe to your repertoire? Good. Because these crispy, flaky sourdough corn chips are fit to be a repeat guest at your table! They’re incredibly easy to make, with a flexible recipe to accommodate your schedule. As with all fermented sourdough goodies, homemade sourdough corn chips are a healthier alternative to processed store-bought snacks. Made with either fresh (active) or discarded sourdough starter, this is also a great way to use up extra starter.

Imagine if tortilla chips, pita chips, and crackers got together to make a delicious crunchy baby. This baked sourdough corn chips recipe is exactly that!


If you’ve made our infamous herbed whole wheat sourdough crackers before, this is going to feel extra easy and familiar! The process of making baked sourdough corn chips is essentially the same, but with even fewer steps and ingredients. As much as I love those crackers, the approaching summer season had me craving something a little different. Sourdough corn chips are the perfect dipping companion for salsa, guacamole, bean dip, hummus, or even alongside a dinner of soup, lentils, or chili!

You will need an established sourdough starter to make baked sourdough corn chips. If you don’t have a starter yet, don’t fret! Check out this article to learn how to make your own starter from scratch at home. Or, for even less fuss, pick up an organic sourdough starter from our shop. Once you have an established starter, you can enjoy baking rustic sourdough bread, focaccia, pizza crust, crackers, and more!

Baked Sourdough Tortilla Corn Chips Recipe (Active or Discard Starter) (1)


INGREDIENTS

  • 1 cup cornmeal OR masa corn flour (traditionally used for making tortillas). If using cornmeal, I suggest using a fine to medium grind for best binding. We like to use this organic medium-coarse cornmeal, which gives the chips a nice bit of grit. Masa flour is made with corn that has been soaked in limewater, so it provides more of a classic tortilla flavor.
  • 1 cup sourdough starter. For this recipe, you can use sourdough starter discard or fresh active (recently fed) starter. We prefer to use active starter, mostly because our starter often sits in the fridge for up to two weeks before being discarded and fed again. In that state, it is very acidic and sour. A hungry, unfed starter will result in a more tangy chip flavor. Using starter at peak activity (as you would in a bread recipe) will result in a more light and flaky chip.
  • ½ teaspoon sea salt
  • ¼ cup (4 tablespoons) of coconut oil, olive oil, or butter (softened)
  • Olive oil, for brushing
  • Coarse sea salt, for sprinkling on top
  • Optional: garlic powder, onion powder, lemon powder, or other seasonings of choice. Finely grated cheese is always welcome at this fiesta too!


Quantity

This recipe makes 2 full baking sheets or approximately 6 to 7 dozen sourdough tortilla corn chips (depending on the size and shape you cut them). The full recipe is perfect for a family, party, gathering, or a few days of snacking. With just the two of us here, we sometimes make a half-batch only. They’re so addicting, we’d devour them all in a day or two otherwise! They do stay crunchy for several days with proper storage.

Baked Sourdough Tortilla Corn Chips Recipe (Active or Discard Starter) (2)


DIRECTIONS


1) Mix dough


In a large mixing bowl,combine all of the ingredients listed above: 1 cup cornmeal or masa flour, 1 cup sourdough starter, 1/2 teaspoon of salt, and 1/4 cup oil or butter of choice.If you opt to use coconut oil or butter, lightly heat it as needed to make it soft and easy to work with.

Baked sourdough corn chips are awesome as-is, but feel free to spice them up if you’d like. Sometimes we add a sprinkle (about 1/4 tsp) of homegrown garlic powder or onion powder, or even a little dash of lemon and chili powder for a fun twist! Everything-but-the-bagel seasoning and/or a handful of grated cheese is also amazing. Soon, I want to experiment with adding a handful of flax seeds to the mix. You can add extra seasonings early with the dough, or lightly sprinkled over the top later – once the raw chips are rolled out.

Thoroughly mix the dough until it is uniform. I usually start mixing with a fork or spoon, but then finish mixing with my hands. The oil or butter prevents it from being too sticky. The texture should be similar to cookie dough, but more rough from the cornmeal.

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2) Split, Squish & Chill


Divide the large dough ball intotwosmaller balls that are roughly the same size. (That is, if you made a full batch; form just one ball for a half-batch.) Using your hands, form each ball into aflattened rectangle.We have been vegetarian for a loooong time, but this step definitely reminds me of forming hamburger patties, if that helps… Mine generally end up a little larger than my flattened hand, and about half an inch thick. Repeat for the second ball.

Wrap each rectangle of dough in parchment paper, plastic wrap, or better yet, reusable beeswax wraps! The purpose is to prevent the dough from drying out. We set each one on a small plate, though you could put them together on one larger plate – or skip the plate all together and stick them right in the fridge.

Finally, refrigerateyour flattened dough for at least 30 minutes, up to several hours. This is where the recipe is nice and flexible for your schedule! The main benefit of an extended time in the fridge is added time for the sourdough starter to ferment the cornmeal, which will make it slightly healthier and easy to digest. We typically let it sit for at least an hour.

Baked Sourdough Tortilla Corn Chips Recipe (Active or Discard Starter) (4)


3) Roll Out


Preheat the oven to 350°F.

Once they’ve had time to chill, remove the sourdough corn chip dough from the fridge. Cut a piece of parchment paper to the size of the baking sheet, or use a handy silicone baking sheet liner. Lightly dust the parchment paper/liner with a small amount of cornmeal. Carefully unwrap one chunk of flattened dough, place it in the center of the parchment paper, and then lightly dust the top of the dough with cornmeal as well. I like to do this on a large cutting board, which makes it very easy to transfer the cut raw chips onto the baking sheets.

Using a rolling pin,roll out the dough until it is nice and thin. The goal is about 1/16th of an inch thick or less. The edges may get a little ragged; that’s okay. Just work it back and forth and side to side to spread the dough as evenly as possible, while still maintaining a relatively rectangular shape. The thinner you roll them, the more crisp your sourdough corn chips will be!


4) Oil, Salt & Cut


Once the dough is rolled out, lightly brush the surface with a thin even coating ofolive oil. Make sure to get the edges!Then sprinkle somecoarse sea saltover it as well. Here is where you could opt to add a little extra seasonings of choice, if you didn’t already when mixing the dough. Or, keep them simply salted!

Next,cut the doughinto rows of either squares, strips, or triangle chips. The use of a rolling pizza cutter works very well for this. Anything in the ballpark of 1 to 2 inches is good. Squares are definitely the easiest to cut, but triangles are fun too! We are making sourdough corn chips after all. You can also use apastry/pasta cutterto cut them and create fun wavy edges.

RepeatSteps 3 and 4 for the second piece of dough.

Baked Sourdough Tortilla Corn Chips Recipe (Active or Discard Starter) (5)
Baked Sourdough Tortilla Corn Chips Recipe (Active or Discard Starter) (6)


5) Bake


Slide the parchment paper with the cut chips onto a baking sheet. Each batch will need its own sheet. We bake two trays at one time, but if you only have one baking sheet to work with, have them take turns.

Bake on350°F for approximately 25 minutes*, until the chips turn lightly golden brown and crisp. Rotate and switch the cookie sheets halfway through baking. It is common for the outermost edges to get “done” more quickly than the inner chips. Personally, I find it worthwhile to ever-so-slightly overcook the ragged edges in order to get the ideal crunch in the rest of the batch. The more crisp your baked sourdough corn chips are out of the oven, the longer the crunch lasts in storage.

When they are done baking, immediately transfer your finished sourdough corn chips off of the baking sheet (and parchment paper) and on to acooling rack.

*Note: Baking times will slightly vary by individual oven, how thin you roll out your chips, and also depending on if you bake one or two trays at a time.

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6) Enjoy


The moment we’ve all been waiting for! You’ve probably already sampled a few by now… I always snack on those irregular outer pieces right away. They’re too irresistible, and “not pretty” enough to make it to the plate anyways, right?! Right. Of course.

Now, dig in! These sourdough corn chips are best freshly-baked. Enjoy them any way you’d like – with your favorite dips, or plain on their own. Your friends and family are going to be SO impressed that you made homemade chips!

After they are fully cool,store the chips in an air-tight containerto maintain maximum freshness and crunch. We like to use a glass food storage container with snap-on sealing lid. They may get a tad stale after 4 or 5 days in storage, but ours don’t usually last that long anyway!

Baked Sourdough Tortilla Corn Chips Recipe (Active or Discard Starter) (8)


Ta da! You just made homemade baked sourdough tortilla corn chips.


In all, I hope you enjoy this recipe as much as we do! Feel free to ask questions in the comments below, or share this recipe with your friends! We’d love to hear how you like them, so please pop back by for a review. Happy baking!


Don’t miss these related recipes:

  • Simple No-Knead Sourdough Bread Recipe
  • Herb Sourdough Discard Crackers Recipe
  • Simple Sourdough Focaccia Bread Recipe
  • Sourdough Cornbread Recipe (w/ vegan options)

Baked Sourdough Tortilla Corn Chips Recipe (Active or Discard Starter) (9)

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4.39 from 21 votes

Baked Sourdough Tortilla Corn Chips Recipe

Come learn how to make baked sourdough corn chips! The recipe is easy to make, has flexible timing, and can be used with either sourdough starter discard or fresh active starter. Crunchy, flaky, and delicious – these sourdough corn chips are perfect for dipping in salsa, guacamole, bean dip, hummus, and more! Make a batch for holidays, parties, or just as a healthy homemade snack.

Prep Time30 minutes mins

Cook Time25 minutes mins

Resting Time30 minutes mins

Course: Appetizer, Party Food, Side Dish, Snack

Keyword: Sourdough chips, sourdough corn chips, Sourdough Recipe, Sourdough Starter Discard, Sourdough Starter Recipe

Servings: 6 Dozen

Equipment

  • Rolling pin

  • Pizza Cutter or Pastry Wheel

  • Mixing bowl

  • Parchment Paper

  • Basting Brush

Ingredients

  • 1 Cup Cornmeal, fine to medium grind (OR 1 cup masa corn tortilla flour)
  • 1 Cup Sourdough starter (discard, or at peak activity – see recipe notes below).
  • 1/4 Cup Coconut oil, olive oil, or butter (softened)
  • 1/2 Tsp Sea salt
  • Olive oil for brushing
  • 1/4 tsp Optional: garlic powder, onion powder, chili powder, lemon powder, or other seasonings of choice.

Instructions

  • In a mixing bowl, thoroughly combine the sourdough starter, cornmeal or masa, salt, and oil/butter.

  • Divide the large dough ball into two equal sized balls.

  • Next shape and squish each dough ball into a patty like rectangular shape until the dough thickness is about a half inch.

  • Place the rectangular dough patties on their own plates and cover with plastic wrap, parchment paper, or beeswax wrap. Place in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes or up to several hours hours.

  • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

  • Place the patties of dough each on their own piece cornmeal-dusted parchment paper, dust the top of the dough with cornmeal, and roll out with a rolling pin until dough is nice and thin, about 1/16th of an inch thick. The thinner they are, the more crisp they'll be!

  • Lightly brush the dough with extra virgin olive oil, and lightly sprinkle salt over the top.

  • Cut the dough using a pizza wheel into 1 to 2 inch squares, strips or triangles.

  • Transfer the parchment paper of raw chips on to a baking sheet and place in the oven for approximately 25 minutes* (see recipe notes below) until the chips are lightly golden brown and crisp.

  • Rotate the baking sheets halfway through to help the chips bake evenly.

  • Once finished baking, quickly remove the chips to a cooling rack.

  • Once cool, enjoy the chips immediately or store them in an airtight container to enjoy later.

Notes

  1. For this recipe, you can use sourdough starter discard or fresh active (recently fed) starter. We prefer to use active starter, mostly because our starter often sits in the fridge for up to two weeks before being discarded and fed again. In that state, it is very acidic and sour. A hungry, unfed starter will result in a more tangy chip flavor. Using starter at peak activity (as you would in a bread recipe) will result in a more light and flaky chip.
  2. Baking times will slightly vary by individual oven, how thin you roll out your chips, and also depending on if you bake one or two trays at a time.
Baked Sourdough Tortilla Corn Chips Recipe (Active or Discard Starter) (10)
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Baked Sourdough Tortilla Corn Chips Recipe (Active or Discard Starter) (2024)

FAQs

What is the difference between sourdough starter and discard? ›

The starter is a mixture of flour and water that captures wild yeast and bacteria over time, creating a leavening agent for bread. On the other hand, sourdough discard refers to the portion of the starter that is removed and discarded before feeding the remaining starter during regular maintenance.

How do you revive a dead sourdough starter? ›

A sourdough starter kept in the refrigerator is revived by feeding. If the starter has been in the fridge for a week or less, I'll take about 60 grams of it (equal parts by weight of water and flour) and add 60 grams of 100F water and 60 grams of plain flour. The new fed starter is about room temperature after mixing.

How do I know if my sourdough starter is bad? ›

Typical signs of food spoilage and mold include pink, orange, or green colors, white fuzzy spots, or sometimes areas that are darker with white areas on top. If you see any of these signs, I would recommend throwing your starter away and creating a new one.

What happens if you bake sourdough starter discard? ›

Similar to case #2, above, discarded sourdough is used in recipes with no additional flour called for, so it can be baked immediately. The discarded starter's flour is already fermented and it adds sourdough flavor to the recipe.

Can I use active starter instead of discard? ›

Absolutely you can! Active starter can be used in the same way as sourdough discard in sweet or savory baking.

What happens if I forgot to discard starter before feeding? ›

If you don't get rid of the excess, eventually you'll have more starter than your feedings can sustain. After a few days, your daily 1/4 cup flour and water won't be enough to sustain your entire jar of starter, and your starter will be slow and sluggish, not much better than discard itself.

What temperature kills sourdough starter? ›

Yeast will die if exposed to temps of 60C or above (140F). It is very likely that your sourdough starter will actually die at temps lower than this. Anything above 120F (50C) would be considered too hot for a sourdough starter and will kill the wild yeast if exposed for long periods.

How do I make my sourdough starter more active? ›

Flour with more protein and nutrients make sourdough starter more active, so consider feeding your starter with bread flour, whole wheat flour, rye flour (or a combination of these) to increase fermentation activity and rise. Thicken the starter (lower hydration ratio).

What color is a bad sourdough starter? ›

Things that Will Kill A Sourdough Starter

Starvation - if you don't feed your starter for a long period of time it will develop harmful bacteria and mold. This will smell terrible and look orange, pink or fuzzy and green.

Should I pour the hooch off my sourdough starter? ›

If your sourdough starter forms hooch, mix the hooch back into the starter before you discard and feed. The only time I would consider pouring the hooch off your sourdough starter is if it has been stored in the fridge for a long time and the hooch is very dark.

Why is my starter bubbling but not rising? ›

If your starter gets completely covered on top with bubbles but does not rise, it is healthy but may just be a wet mix. Try reducing the water in your next feeding and see if you have different results. Also, the type of flour you are using can impede the rise of your starter.

What does an active starter look like? ›

A good starter should have a slightly sour, fermented smell. The starter should have increased in volume. A well-fed starter should have doubled or tripled in size, indicating that the yeast and bacteria are active and healthy. The starter should pass the float test.

How old is the oldest sourdough starter? ›

The World's 'Oldest' Sourdough Starter Was Made With 4,500-Year-Old Yeast. There's no bread quite like sourdough. In addition to being tasty as a sandwich bread, delicious as sourdough croutons, and even great just toasted with butter, sourdough's production process is decidedly unlike other breads.

Can I feed my sourdough starter without discarding? ›

It would be best if you discarded some portion of your starter each time you feed it unless you want to continue to let it grow. Eventually, you need to discard the used “food” (flour and water) that's been used to sustain your starter during the last fermentation period.

Do you have to discard when making sourdough starter? ›

Discarding some first allows you to add this fresh food, whilst maintaining your starter at a manageable size. Not discarding your starter will also affect the flavor of your starter. Not discarding before you feed will cause too much acidity which may eventually be detrimental to your microbes.

Do you have to discard every time you feed sourdough starter? ›

Nope! Once the sourdough starter is established on day 8, all you have to do is just give it flour and water. You no longer need to discard half of it.

What is the purpose of sourdough discard? ›

This is done to refresh the acidity levels (think sweet vs. sour smell) and to manage its overall growth in size. This technique is crucial for successful sourdough bread. However, the whole “discard” process can feel really wasteful and counterintuitive to some.

References

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