Combining sourdough tanginess with bagel chewiness, these sourdough bagels are a step above other homemade bagels. Toasted or warmed, they're great for breakfast and a great way to use sourdough starter discard!
[February, 2022: I've reworked the recipe and updated this post with all new pictures. Enjoy!]
Why this recipe works
- Combines sourdough tanginess and bagel chewiness into a delicious homemade bagel
- Make a variety of bagel flavors with mix-ins and/or toppings
- Can make the dough and freeze for later baking
I'm always thinking up creative ways to use my unfed sourdough starter after feeding it, like Sourdough Crumpets or Sourdough Gingerbread. When inspiration hits, experimentation follows.
Instead of making pizza dough or focaccia, some of my go-to recipes for sourdough starter discard, I thought about bagels. What if I substitute in my unfed sourdough starter for some of the flour and water and make Sourdough Bagels? Challenge accepted!
However, there’s some calculations to be done.
(Wait, there's math?) No worries, mate!
Jump to:
Altering a recipe for sourdough
The trick for adapting a recipe for sourdough is to weigh the amount of sourdough starter discard you have using a kitchen scale, then divide it by half. The result is the amount of flour and water, by weight, that you need to remove from the recipe.
(Side Note: this calculation is based on a sourdough starter that's 50/50 flour and water. If your sourdough starter has a different makeup, use your ratio to figure out how much flour and water you'll be replacing.)
The bagel recipe I adapted called for 4 cups of flour and 1½ cups of water (that’s 17 ounces of flour and 12 fluid ounces, respectively). A week's worth of sourdough starter discard is about 8 ounces, so for this sourdough bagel recipe, I need to remove 4 ounces (1 cup, about 113 grams) of flour and 4 ounces (½ cup, 113 grams) of water and replace it with the discard.
Does your brain hurt? I’m sorry. Here, have a sourdough bagel.
What you need
After making the necessary flour and water substitutions, the rest of a homemade bagels recipe, as they say, is history.
Ok, that's not what they say.
The ingredients for bagel making include the usuals, like bread flour, yeast, sugar (brown sugar, in this case), and salt, in addition to the starter discard.
Honey is used in a water bath to boil the bagels (more on that later), and an egg is used with a tablespoon of water to brush on the dough before baking for a shiny finish. The bagels can also be enhanced with optional toppings, like sesame seeds or a seasoning blend.
How to make bagels at home
Step 1: Prove the yeast (optional)
This first step is optional if you want to prove (aka proof) the yeast (i.e. making sure it's alive and well). I don't normally do this step when I make bread dough, instead I usually just dump everything into the mixing bowl.
Whether you choose to prove your yeast is up to you, and I've included it here for demonstration purposes. For more detail on proving yeast, head to Pro Tip #2 on my Cranberry Cinnamon Babka post.
Heat ¾ cup (170 grams) of water until it’s warm to the touch, about 100 to 110°F as read on a digital thermometer. Stir in 1 teaspoon of the sugar, then sprinkle the yeast over the water and set aside to proof for about 5 minutes or until bubbles form on the surface of the water (photo 1).
Step 2: Make the bagel dough
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook attachment, combine the flour, sourdough starter discard, brown sugar, yeast (if you didn't prove the yeast earlier), and salt. Pour in the water (or the water/yeast mixture) into the bowl (photo 2).
Beat on low speed for 2 minutes, then knead for 4 to 5 minutes. Add in additional flour or water in one tablespoon increments to get the dough to the right texture. The amount of flour or water in your dough will depend on the humidity of your kitchen and the hydration of your starter. As you mix your dough, you might need to add more flour or water in one tablespoon increments to get the dough to the right consistency.
Once you've got the dough to a smooth and slightly sticky texture that springs back up when lightly pressed, it's time to let it rise.
Lightly grease a large bowl with oil. Place the dough in the bowl, turning it to coat all sides. Cover the bowl with a clean kitchen towel or plastic wrap, and allow the dough to rise at room temperature for 60 to 90 minutes or until double in size (photo 3). The inside of the oven with just the light on works well.
For an overnight bagel recipe, prepare the bagel dough as directed. Place the dough in an oiled bowl, leave on the counter for about 30 minutes, then transfer to the refrigerator to rise overnight. This slow rise allows the bagels to develop more flavor. In the morning, allow the dough to come to room temperature for an hour on the counter before continuing with shaping. I don't recommend allowing shaped bagels to rise overnight as they may puff up too much in the refrigerator.
Step 3: Shape the bagel dough
After making the bagel dough and letting it rise, divide the dough into 8 equal pieces and shape each piece into a ball. Press your index finger through the center of each ball to make a hole about 1½ to 2 inches in diameter (photo 4).
Widen the hole to about 1- to 2-inches in diameter (photo 5). It's a similar process to making Jerusalem Bagels, just with not such a big hole.
Loosely cover the shaped bagels with a kitchen towel and rest for a few minutes as you prepare the water bath.
Step 4: Boil the bagels
Fill a 4- to 8-quart stock pot with 2 quarts of water and whisk in the honey. Bring the water to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium-high.
Drop the bagels in, 2 to 4 at a time, making sure they have enough room to float around. Cook the bagels for 1 minute on each side, or 2 minutes per side if you want a chewier bagel (photo 6). This step pre-cooks the dough, giving the bagel its characteristic chewiness.
Remove the bagels and quickly dry them on a paper towel before transferring to a half sheet baking pan lined with a Silpat silicone mat or parchment paper (photo 7). When the bagels are cool enough to handle, gently reshape them if needed.
Step 5: Bake the bagels
Using a pastry brush, brush the egg wash on top and around the sides of each bagel. Dip the bagel in any toppings, if desired (see the Pro Tip below for more). Place 4 bagels onto each lined baking pan.
Bake at 425°F for 20 to 25 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through. You want the bagels to be a dark golden brown (photo 8). Remove from the oven and allow bagels to cool on the baking sheets for 20 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Questions asked and answered
Here are some questions you might have...
Store leftover bagels in an airtight container at room temperature for a few days. Refrigerating them isn't recommended because they can dry out. You can also store the bagels in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator or at room temperature, then warm to your liking.
If you want to store the dough for future baking, wrap the dough tightly in plastic wrap, then in a layer of aluminum foil, after the first rise. Store the dough in an airtight bag in the freezer for up to 3 months. When you're ready to proceed with baking, thaw the dough overnight in the refrigerator, then punch it down again to release any air bubbles. Continue with shaping the bagels.
It's boiling in the water bath that gives bagels (and pretzels) their characteristic texture. That's because boiling starts to cook the outside of the dough, tightening its gluten structure, before baking. When baked, the pre-cooked dough on the outside tightens further while it protects the inside, resulting in a chewy outside and tender inside.
Pro tip: Make a variety of bagel flavors
You can enhance plain sourdough bagels by adding mix-ins (like cinnamon and raisins) while creating the dough. You can also top the bagels by rolling or dunking them into a topping after brushing them with the egg wash before baking. Here are some ideas for different bagel flavors to get you started:
- Cheese Bagels (Asiago, Cheddar, etc): Fold in ½ cup of shredded cheese to the dough ingredients right after kneading (like I do when making Sourdough Jalapeño Chedder Bread). Sprinkle the shaped bagels with extra shredded cheese after the egg wash
- Cinnamon Raisin bagels: Add 3 tablespoons granulated sugar, 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract to the bagel ingredients when making the dough. Fold in ½ cup raisins to the dough after kneading
- Whole wheat bagels: Replace half of the bread flour with whole wheat flour when making the dough
- Everything Bagels: use ⅓ cup Everything bagel topping
- Sesame Seed Bagels: use ⅓ cup sesame seeds
- Poppy Seed Bagels: use ⅓ cup poppy seeds
- Salt Bagels: use ⅓ cup coarse salt. These are pretty salty, so feel free to go lighter on the salt
Soft, chewy, and delicious
These sourdough bagels have a wonderful sourdough tang from the sourdough starter discard, yet still retain that bagel chewiness. The inside is soft and tender, and toasts up beautifully.
Also, my kitchen smells like a bagel shop when I make them. That alone is worth it!
You can toast your bagels with a shmear of cream cheese (my way) or eat them warm and whole (my husband's way). Or another way entirely. I won't judge.
However you enjoy your sourdough bagels, try making them yourself!
Slainté! L’chaim! Cheers!
Tammy
Related Recipes
When you maintain a sourdough starter, you have a dilemma. What do you do with your unfed sourdough starter discard? I've got lots of suggestions for sweet and savory ways to use your fed sourdough starter and the sourdough starter discard. Here are a few samples...
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Recipe
The Best Homemade Sourdough Bagels
Equipment
- 4- to 8-quart stock pot
Ingredients
For the dough
- 3 cups bread flour, or more as needed
- 1 cup sourdough starter discard, unfed, at room temperature, see Recipe Notes
- 1 Tablespoon brown sugar, packed, either light or dark
- 2¼ teaspoons yeast, instant or rapid rise, see Recipe Notes
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- ¾ to 1 cup water, warmed between 100°F to 110°F, see Recipe Notes
- 1 large egg white, beaten with 1 tablespoon water, for egg wash
- toppings, optional, see Recipe Notes
For the water bath
- 2 quarts water
- ¼ cup honey
Instructions
- Pour in ¾ cup (170 grams) of warm water. Beat on low speed for 2 minutes, then knead for 4 to 5 minutes. Add in additional flour or water in one tablespoon increments to get the dough to the right texture.
- Lightly grease a large bowl with oil. Place the dough in the bowl, turning it to coat all sides. Cover the bowl with a clean kitchen towel or plastic wrap, and allow the dough to rise at room temperature for 60 to 90 minutes or until double in size. The inside of the oven with just the light on works well.
- Alternatively, prepare the bagel dough as directed. Place the dough in an oiled bowl, leave on the counter for about 30 minutes, then transfer to the refrigerator to rise overnight. This slow rise allows the bagels to develop more flavor. In the morning, allow the dough to come to room temperature for an hour on the counter before continuing with shaping. I don't recommend allowing shaped bagels to rise overnight as they may puff up too much in the refrigerator.
- Shape the Bagels: Line two half sheet baking pans with a Silpat Silicone mat or parchment paper. Punch down the dough to release any air bubbles.
- Optional: If you want to store the dough for future baking, wrap the dough tightly in plastic wrap, then in a layer of aluminum foil. Store the dough in an airtight bag in the freezer for up to 3 months. When you're ready to proceed with baking, thaw the dough overnight in the refrigerator, then punch it down again to release any air bubbles. Continue on to the next step.
- Divide the dough into 8 equal pieces, then shape each piece into a ball. Press your index finger through the center of each ball to make a hole about 1½ to 2 inches in diameter. Loosely cover the shaped bagels with a kitchen towel and rest for a few minutes as you prepare the water bath.
- Preheat the oven to 425°F.
- Prepare the Water Bath: Fill a 4- to 8-quart stock pot with 2 quarts of water and whisk in the honey. Bring the water to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium-high. Drop the bagels in, 2 to 4 at a time, making sure they have enough room to float around. Cook the bagels for 1 minute on each side (2 minutes per side if you want a chewier bagel). Remove from pot and drain slightly. This step pre-cooks the dough, giving the bagel its characteristic chewiness.
- When the bagels are cool enough to handle, gently reshape them if needed. Using a pastry brush, brush the egg wash on top and around the sides of each bagel. Dip the bagel in any toppings, if desired. Place 4 bagels onto each lined baking pan.
- Bake the Bagels: Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through. You want the bagels to be a dark golden brown. Remove from the oven and allow bagels to cool on the baking sheets for 20 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Store leftover bagels in an airtight container at room temperature for a few days. Refrigerating them isn't recommended because they can dry out. You can also store the bagels in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator or at room temperature, then warm to your liking.
Video
Notes
- Cheese Bagels (Asiago, Cheddar, etc): Fold in ½ cup of shredded cheese to the dough ingredients right after kneading (like I do when making Sourdough Jalapeño Chedder Bread). Sprinkle the shaped bagels with extra shredded cheese after the egg wash
- Cinnamon Raisin bagels: Add 3 tablespoons granulated sugar, 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract to the bagel ingredients when making the dough. Fold in ½ cup raisins to the dough after kneading
- Whole wheat bagels: Replace half of the bread flour with whole wheat flour when making the dough
- Everything Bagels: use ⅓ cup Everything bagel seasoning
- Sesame Seed Bagels: use ⅓ cup sesame seeds
- Poppy Seed Bagels: use ⅓ cup poppy seeds
- Salt Bagels: use ⅓ cup coarse salt. These are pretty salty, so feel free to go lighter on the salt
Anna says
We made these last week and they were a massive hit! Delicious and not too difficult. If I wanted to make the bagels slightly bigger (perhaps making 6, instead of 8, from the 1x recipe), would I change the baking time at all? Thanks!
Tammy Spencer says
Hi Anna, I'm so glad you liked these bagels! In response to your question, I'd probably add about 3 to 5 minutes to the baking time, depending on how much bigger you make the bagels. And if they're not done then, add a couple of minutes at a time until they are. I haven't done this myself, so please share your results if you do. Happy baking! 🙂
Anna says
Thank you!
Meghan L Donaghy says
If I don’t have a stand mixer can I knead by hand?
Tammy Spencer says
Hi Meghan, Thanks for your question. You can most assuredly knead the dough by hand. You’ll want a smooth, slightly tacky dough. Depending on your strength (and stamina), it’ll probably take about 5 to 10 minutes. Let me know how it goes, and happy baking! 😉
Meghan L Donaghy says
It worked!!
Tammy Spencer says
Excellent! Enjoy 🙂
Charles K. says
Hello,
I have sourdough starter that I use for our sourdough bread stored in the refrigerator which I feed each time I bake.
This recipe calls for the dough to be refrigerated overnight using the sourdough starter, is that necessary being the sourdough starter is already established?
Secondly what temp should the starter be prior to adding into the flour mixture?
Thank you for your assistance, this recipe is exactly what I was looking for.
Tammy Spencer says
Hi Charles, thanks for your questions. The reason I suggest refrigerating the dough overnight is just to retard the rise so the dough can develop more flavor. It's optional, and isn't in relation to the starter being established. The temperature the starter should be when you're mixing the dough is about 70 to 80˚F (approximately room temperature). You can use the starter discard straight from the refrigerator - the dough will just take longer to rise until doubled. I hope you enjoy your bagels, and happy baking! 😉
Charles K. says
Tammy thank you for your quick response and guidance.👍🏼
Your bagel recipe will be used for our next baking adventure with our Grandson being our last project we made soft pretzels.
Tammy Spencer says
You're welcome. Baking with children is such a fun way to spend time together, being tactile and educational at the same time. Enjoy!