Sunday, March 15, 2026
HomeDessertSourdough Bagels - Sugar Spun Run

Sourdough Bagels – Sugar Spun Run


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These sourdough bagels are made with simply 7 components (and no supplemental yeast!). They take a while to make, however the last taste and texture is effectively price it! Completely customizable along with your favourite seasoning, dried fruit, cheese, and so on.

Close-up view of sourdough bagels of vary flavors, including plain, cheese, and everything.

Do-it-yourself Sourdough Bagel Recipe

Right this moment we’re making genuine sourdough bagels! You gained’t want any store-bought yeast for this recipe; simply homegrown sourdough starter and some pantry staples. They take a little bit of time to make, however that point is simply what you want to make bakery-worthy, chewy bagels with a unbelievable sourdough depth.

4 Issues to Know About This Recipe:

  • Style: The sourdough provides depth of taste with out overpowering any mix-ins or toppings you select so as to add. I embrace just a few of our favorites flavorings under!
  • Method: Fairly simple! There’s some kneading and shaping concerned, however nothing too sophisticated.
  • Components: Quite simple and fundamental–we’re utilizing simply seven components at the moment! Most significantly, we aren’t utilizing any supplemental yeast, which implies these are actual deal, genuine sourdough bagels.
  • Time: Whereas the method is pretty easy, this sourdough bagel recipe is a two-day dedication, so maintain this in thoughts earlier than you get began. It is because we’re utilizing sourdough starter as a substitute of a mix of sourdough discard and yeast (similar to when making my sourdough donuts). You can not rush the method; will probably be an train in persistence, however your persistence shall be vastly rewarded with chewy, contemporary bagels 😉

Components

We’re maintaining issues tremendous easy; right here’s what you want (plus I like to recommend an egg for the egg wash–I forgot so as to add that earlier than I snapped this picture!).

Overhead view of ingredients for my sourdough bagels recipe including honey, bread flour, sourdough starter, and more.
  • Sourdough starter. Use a longtime, lively and bubbly sourdough starter. In case you haven’t but begun your sourdough journey, head on over to my put up on learn how to make a sourdough starter.
  • Honey. We’ll add this to our dough and to the boiling water we’ll dip our bagels in earlier than baking (a key step for that traditional bagel texture and look).
  • Bread flour. Bread flour actually is finest right here; I don’t suggest substituting all-purpose flour (bagels shall be extra fluffy and fewer chewy, and bagel ought to have a pleasant chew). Be aware that you could be want roughly than what I like to recommend and may add this by how the dough feels/seems, similar to when making my sourdough mushy pretzels.
  • Egg (not pictured above). We are going to whisk this with a bit of water to make an egg wash for brushing over our bagels earlier than including any toppings and baking.
  • Cornmeal (not pictured above). That is optionally available, however if you wish to sprinkle some over your pan earlier than you add your bagels, be at liberty. It provides a bit of texture and helps maintain the bagels from sticking to the pan, however isn’t actually crucial when you use parchment paper.

Keep in mind, that is simply an outline of the components I used and why. For the total recipe please scroll all the way down to the underside of the put up!

SAM’S TIP: Historically, you’ll boil your bagels in water and barley malt syrup. Barley malt syrup might be troublesome to seek out, so I usually substitute this with honey (which works very effectively). You need to use both; simply know one will not be a direct substitute for the opposite. I embrace measurements for each within the recipe.

Easy methods to Make Sourdough Bagels

Hands kneading dough into a smooth ball.
  1. Step 1: Make the dough. Add the nice and cozy water, sourdough starter, oil, and honey to a mixing bowl. Stir collectively, then add the salt and three cups of the flour. Progressively add extra flour till the dough begins to kind a ball and cling to itself, then flip it out onto a flippantly floured floor. Knead along with your arms till the dough is clean and elastic; this normally takes about 10 minutes (add any mix-ins in direction of the top of this course of). Place in a flippantly oiled bowl, cowl, and let rise for a number of hours. As soon as it has almost doubled in measurement, switch the dough to the fridge and ferment in a single day.
Hands stretching a hole into a dough ball to make a bagel.
  1. Step 2: Form the dough. Deflate the dough along with your arms and divide into 12 equal items, forming every into a decent ball. Poke a gap within the middle of every ball along with your thumb, making every gap about 2″ extensive (they’ll shrink!).
Overhead view of bagels proofing under plastic wrap.
  1. Step 3: Proof. Place the bagels on a parchment lined baking sheet (mud with cornmeal first, if desired), then cowl. Let rise till they give the impression of being puffy, about half-hour.
Bagel being dipped into a boiling water and honey mixture before baking.
  1. Step 4: Boil. Boil every bagel within the water and honey combination, about 1 minute per aspect. Drain, then return the bagels to the baking sheet and brush liberally with egg wash. Add any toppings now, when you plan to make use of them.
Overhead view of a tray of homemade sourdough bagels, with three different flavors on the tray.
  1. Step 5: Bake. Bake one tray at a time till golden brown. I prefer to test my bagels with a digital thermometer; the facilities ought to attain 205F when they’re achieved.

SAM’S TIP: I don’t suggest baking a couple of tray of bagels at a time except you actually, actually know your oven effectively. It’s completely fantastic to let one tray of bagels sit on the counter whereas the opposite one bakes (similar to when making sourdough pretzels).

Close-up view of an everything seasoned sourdough bagel.

Ceaselessly Requested Questions

What’s the distinction between a sourdough bagel and a daily bagel?

Conventional bagels (like my do-it-yourself bagels) use business yeast for his or her rise, whereas sourdough bagel recipes depend on the wild yeast from an lively, bubly sourdough starter.

Because of this, sourdough bagels take for much longer to make (the lengthy fermentation is crucial), and so they have a barely tangy taste just like a sourdough bread. They nonetheless have that completely chewy, traditional bagel texture although!

Are sourdough bagels more healthy than common bagels?

Very similar to my sourdough bread recipe, sourdough bagels have a decrease glycemic index, are simpler to digest, and have much less components (and no preservatives!) in comparison with commonplace store-bought bagels.

What flavorings can I add to sourdough bagels?

You possibly can all the time add dried fruit like blueberries or raisins, minced onion or garlic, asiago cheese, cinnamon, chocolate chips, sprinkles, and so on.

Or, skip any mix-ins and simply add a topping like sesame seeds, a sprinkle of cinnamon sugar, poppy seeds, coarse salt, or all the things bagel seasoning. There are many choices right here!

Can I make sourdough bagels with all-purpose flour?

Bread flour actually is finest for making these bagels because it has a better protein content material and ends in chewier bagels (which is what we’re aiming for). In case you use all-purpose flour, the recipe will nonetheless “work”, the bagels will simply ve much less chewy. If all I had available was all goal flour, I wouldn’t let it cease me from making this sourdough bagel recipe, I’d simply make a psychological be aware to verify I attempted them with bread flour subsequent time, as a result of they’re even higher that manner!

Sourdough bagel that has been cut in half to show it's interior texture.

Extra Methods to Use Your Sourdough Starter:

I can’t wait to hear what flavors you try! Let me know in the comments ⬇️

Enjoy!

Let’s bake together! Subscribe to my newsletter to be notified of all the newest recipes, and find my free recipe tutorials on YouTube 💜

Before you begin, note this dough is a two-day process. The dough will be made in one day and will need to rest for 5-7 hours at room temperature before fermenting overnight (at least 12 hours) in the refrigerator.

  • Make the dough: Heat water to 105F (41C) and add to a large mixing bowl (see note if you would like to use a stand mixer) along with sourdough starter, oil, and honey, and stir to combine. Add 3 cups (375g) of your flour, sprinkle salt overtop, and stir well.

    1 ⅔ cups (395 ml) warm water, ⅔ cup (150 g) active sourdough starter, 2 Tablespoons avocado oil, 3 Tablespoons honey, 1 Tablespoon table salt

  • Add additional flour: Gradually, while stirring, add remaining 2 ½ cups (315g) flour as needed until the dough begins to cling to itself (note you may not need all of the flour listed or you may need a bit more, this depends on humidity and your starter).

  • Knead: Transfer dough to a clean, lightly floured surface and knead by hand until the dough is smooth and elastic (about 10 minutes).

  • Proof: Transfer dough to a large, lightly oiled bowl, cover tightly (with a lid or plastic wrap), and allow rise in a warm, draft free place until nearly doubled in size, about 5-7 hours. Then, transfer to the refrigerator to ferment overnight (12-36 hours).

The next day:

  • The next day, line two baking sheets with parchment paper and dust lightly with cornmeal (if using). Set aside.

    1 Tablespoon cornmeal

  • Shape: Remove dough from the refrigerator and gently deflate by pressing down with your hands. Turn out onto a clean surface and divide into 12 even pieces. Form each piece into a tight ball and use your thumb to gently form a hole into the center that’s about 2” (5cm) wide (the holes will shrink after shaping, this is fine and why we start larger than we actually want).

  • Proof: Place bagels on prepared baking sheets, spacing at least 2” (5cm) apart, and cover with a clean towel or plastic wrap. Set aside to rise until puffed, about 30-60 minutes.

  • Preheat and boil: Once bagels are nearly finished rising, preheat your oven to 425F (220C). Pour water and honey into a Dutch oven or a large pot, stir, and turn stovetop to medium-high heat and bring to a rolling boil.

    8 cups (2 L) water, ¼ cup (60 ml) honey

  • Boil: Working in batches, boil bagels for 45-60 seconds per side then gently drain and return to prepared sheet.

  • Brush with egg wash: Once all bagels have been boiled, whisk together egg and a teaspoon of water. Brush egg wash liberally over bagels and sprinkle with any toppings, if using.

    1 egg, 1 teaspoon water, Any desired bagel toppings

  • Bake: Transfer bagels to preheated 425F (220C) oven for 17-20 minutes (I bake one tray at a time, the second tray is fine sitting on the counter while the first bakes) until bagels begin to turn golden brown or the internal temperature of the bagel reaches 205-210F (97-99C) if tested with an internal read thermometer.

  • Allow bagels to cool then slice and enjoy!

Stand mixer

While this dough can be mixed and kneaded in a stand mixer with the dough hook attachment, it is a very stiff dough and can be a lot for a mixer, especially the kneading stage.

Storing

After baking, allow to cool and store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.
Bagels may also be frozen. Individually wrap in plastic wrap then store in an airtight container or Ziploc bag for up to 2 months. Thaw on the counter at room temperature or reheat from frozen.

Serving: 1bagel | Calories: 286kcal | Carbohydrates: 55g | Protein: 8g | Fat: 4g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 0.002g | Cholesterol: 14mg | Sodium: 598mg | Potassium: 72mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 10g | Vitamin A: 21IU | Vitamin C: 0.1mg | Calcium: 18mg | Iron: 1mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

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