How To Make Easy Sourdough Bagels
Simple step by step tutorial for homemade sourdough bagels made with whole grains – mix with your favorite ingredients or toppings to make your own. You can find this recipe and more (like my popular Easy Sourdough Artisan Bread) on the Best Bread Recipes page.
Our family – like many, I’m sure – loves chewy and tender bagels. Morning bagels with flavored cream cheese (smoked salmon is my favorite) is a tradition and our kids loved using bagels for lunch sandwiches for a change.
After many attempts at making yeast bagels without success, I finally found a great whole wheat-yeast bagel recipe from my friend Gina. Finally and easy, bagel that turns out every time.
But then my sourdough started taking off and I found I was making most of our bread with the starter, so I needed to create a way to replicate the successful recipe to work with sourdough.
I tweaked two sourdough recipes and combined them with Gina’s method to develop what I think are the perfect sourdough bagels – in fact, my family likes these better than the regular yeast version!
Simple Sourdough Bagels Tutorial
1. Start with an active sourdough starter. I’ve written previously about how I grew my sourdough starter and the tips I use to keep it active without a lot of work and I’ve kept it alive for many years doing this.
The picture above was taken in the morning after I had gotten the starter out of the fridge the night before, fed it and left it on the counter so it was ready to go in the morning.
TIP: While an active starter is important, bagels don’t need as much raising, so this recipe is a good option for when you’re starter is in it’s first months and may not be strong enough to bake a single loaf.
2. Mix all the ingredients, let them rest, and then knead for 4 minutes in a stand mixer or 6-8 minutes by hand
When all the ingredients are mixed, you will notice that this dough is much stiffer than other doughs. It really gives the mixer a work out!
3. Transfer to a greased large bowl and let rise for 4 hours. Fold the dough over on itself 2 times (or try to- sometimes I don’t always remember both folds)
TIP: Sourdough does take longer to rise, though, so I usually plan to mix it in the morning and finish it in the evening right before dinner.
4. Cut dough. When it’s ready to shape, transfer it to a floured surface (I use a towel whenever I’m dealing with bread- it’s easy clean-up and less flour needed).
Cut the dough into 12-18 pieces.
TIP: In order to get somewhat equal pieces, I like to flatten the dough with a rolling pin- approximately a 10×13-inch rectangle is good – and use a sharp knife to cut into equal (or as equal as you can) pieces. The corners will need more, but it’s easy to cut a little from the bigger pieces and add to the fill out the corner pieces.
12 or 18 bagels?
I used to make a dozen, but found that the bagels just were too big (I think store-bought ones are too big, too – it’s part of my real-food-in-moderation philosophy), so now I cut the dough into 18 pieces.
Do what works best for you.
5. Shape the bagels. There are two ways to form bagels:
- The first is to roll each piece of dough into a rope and pinch the ends together creating the bagel.
- I find the second way to be the quickest: pinch each piece together creating a ball (above), like my Soft 100% Whole Wheat Dinner Rolls.
And then:
Simply use your thumb to punch through the center of the dough ball, stretching a bit as you do in order to create the classic bagel shape.
It’s not perfect (but that’s hardly ever my goal, remember?), but it will puff more during the boiling and baking stages, creating that bagel shape with all know.
Why is there a hole in a bagel?
Because bagel dough is fairly thick, making a hole allows for the dough to cook thoroughly all the way through.
6. Rest. After all the bagels have been shaped, set them aside to rest for about an hour under a dampened towel.
TIP: The holes I made in the bagels above are quite large – making them smaller gives a bit more surface after they’re cut. On the other hand, you don’t want the hole so small that it closes up when cooking. Play around with the size to find what you like best.
7. Boil the bagels. Fill a large pan or pot halfway with water, add one tablespoon of baking soda and bring to a boil.
Boil the bagels for one minute, turning them at the halfway mark.
Why baking soda?
The classic ingredient added to the boiling water for bagels is malt syrup. Right. Not the most common of pantry ingredients.
One of the reasons I loved Gina’s yeast bagel recipe is because it used baking soda which created wonderful bagels that weren’t all misshapen like the others I had tried that used honey as a replacement.
Why boil bagels?
Boiling the bagel dough before baking creates their signature thick and chewy crust. Because the crust is already set after boiling, the bagels don’t rise as much in the oven which also contributes to their chewy crumb.
Use a slotted spoon to return the bagels to the lined pan. The darker bagels on the left have been boiled, those on the right have not.
You can see that they puff up a bit during this stage. After boiling, it’s okay to put them close together on the baking sheet since they won’t puff up much more during baking.
8. Add optional toppings. Brush the bagels with an egg glaze (water+beaten egg) or milk at this point and top with your desired toppings.
Above I’ve used Everything Bagel seasoning and sesame seeds. We also like poppy seeds, dried onion flakes, and even a bit of kosher salt is yummy on top of these sourdough bagels.
Bake for 14 to 15 minutes, alternating pans at the halfway point if needed. Cool completely on a rack before storing.
For the best texture, it’s best to let the bagels cool completely before cutting – but of course there’s nothing like a warm bagel fresh from the oven, so sacrifices should be made, lol.
What is the best way to store bagels?
You can keep bagels at room temperature in a plastic bag for 1-3 days before they will start to dry out.
Freeze bagels for longer storage, thawing and toasting as you need them.
Are sourdough bagels healthier than regular yeast bagels?
Yes, because they are made with wild yeast and are fermented, allowing our bodies to digest the ingredients better.
So enjoy your homemade bagels!
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Easy Sourdough Bagels
Ingredients
- 2 cups (400g) active sourdough starter, fed in last 12 hours
- 1 ¼ cups (300g) warm water (if your starter is thick, use up to 1/4 cup more)
- 1 tablespoon (13.63g) oil
- 5 ½ to 6 cups (687.5-750g) flour*
- 1 tablespoon (15g) salt
- optional ingredients for bagel dough**
- 1 tablespoon (14.4) baking soda
For Topping:
- 1 egg***
- 1 tablespoon (14.8g) water
- Toppings of choice: sesame or poppy seeds, dried onion flakes(rehydrated 10 minutes), cheese, Everything Bagel, etc.
Instructions
- Mix starter, water, oil, flour, and salt together and then let rest for 10 minutes.
- Knead the dough in a stand mixer with a dough hook on low speed for about 4 minutes, or by hand 6-8 minutes. The dough will be very stiff.
- Transfer to a greased large bowl and let rise for 4 hours. Fold the dough over on itself 2 times (or try to, sometimes I don't always remember both folds and it's okay).
- Pour out the dough onto a floured surface (a lightly floured tea-towel works great), knead a couple of times, flatten and cut into 12-18 equal pieces (about 5 oz. each).
- Shape the bagels by making each piece into a ball and using your thumb to punch a hole through the middle of the ball, stretching to make the center hole. Set the shaped bagels on a parchment or silicone lined baking sheet (12 will fit on one large sheet, if making 18, use two smaller sheets) – they are known for sticking, so this will make removing them much easier.
- Cover the shaped bagels with a damp towel (the one used for cutting works great) and let sit for about an hour.
- Fill a large 12-inch skillet 1/2 to 3/4 full with water and add the tablespoon of soda. Bring it to a boil. Start the oven preheating to 450 degrees at this time.
- When the water is boiling, drop as many bagels as will fit, one at a time, into the boiling water. Boil for 1 minute, turning at the halfway mark. Use a slotted spoon to place the bagels back on the baking sheet. Continue until all the bagels have been boiled.
- Brush the bagels with an egg glaze (or milk) at this point if you wish, and top with your desired toppings.
- Bake for 14 to 15 minutes, alternating pans at the halfway point if needed. Cool on a rack.
Notes
- 1-2 teaspoons onion powder and/or dried flakes for onion bagels.
- 1/2 cup grated cheese for cheese bagels (top with cheese, too).
- 2-3 teaspoons dried herbs.
- 1/3 to 1/2 cup raisins + 1-2 teaspoons cinnamon.
Nutrition
More Sourdough Recipes To Try:
This recipe has been updated – it was originally published in March of 2012.
Confused, the ingredient list includes a tablespoon of baking soda. The baking soda is not included in the list of ingredients to add to the dough in step one, and I don’t see any other place in the recipe to include it. Can you help me understand?
It’s in step 7, Amy – it’s added to the water. 🙂
So thankful for this recipe! I definitely jumped on the sourdough train when quarantine started back in March; thus, I’ve tried every which way to use up the discard. I’ve made this recipe 5 or 6 times now (even halved it once or twice) and they always turn out amazing! Husband and neighbors approve everytime and now that we’re starting round two, I’m glad I built up my baking confidence with recipes like this. Thanks again!
Glad to know this! Thanks so much for taking the time to leave a review!!
We love this bagel recipe and have probably made 100 bagels already – they disappear quickly to friends and family also.
We were wondering about possibly incorporating blueberries into the dough. Do you have any recommendations on how this might be done?
Dried vs frozen vs fresh berries?
Wow, 100? So glad you like these!
Hmm, you have to be careful with blueberries as they will mush and turn the batter blue. That said, I’ve seen those commercial bagels streaked with blue from berries, so you could try frozen. You’ll have less streaking with fresh and none with dried (though I don’t know if I’ve ever seen any with dried?).
I would probably incorporate them at step 4, after the first rise but before shaping.
I have successfully used dehydrated blueberries in these bagels numerous times.
Good to know, Jac – thank you!
So I’m sitting here in my kitchen in Newark-on-Trent UK with my two post teen sons who are with us because of lockdown And we’ve made our first Sourdough bagels using your recipe. Half of them have gone already! Easy to make, forgiving (a good thing in our case – a bit sketchy on reading instructions) and so tasty….thank you x
How wonderful! Might as well bond over baking, right? 🙂 So glad you enjoyed this recipe!
Hi – I’m making these now. Question: do you let it rise 4 hours then fold it over twice, or fold it over two times during the 4 hour rising period??
Two times during the 4 hour rise. 🙂
Sorry but this wording is confusing… When are you feeding, refrigerating, and removing your sourdough from the fridge?
“The picture above was taken in the morning after I had gotten the starter out of the fridge the night before, fed it and left it on the counter so it was ready to go in the morning.”
The starter had been in the fridge for about a week. I took it out the night before I wanted to use it so I could feed it and wake it up so it would be ready to use in the morning for the bagels (“active” starter is one that’s been fed 8-12 hours previously).
Loved this recipe! I did cheddar jalepeno and cinnamon sugar. One question, I used fresh starter but can I use discard as well?
If your discard has been fed in the last 8 hours or so, yes. If it’s from the fridge or hasn’t been fed in awhile, I don’t think it would work as well. 🙂
So so good. I’ve never had a fresh bagel before and now I don’t know how I’ll ever eat store-bought again! This was a delicious and easy to follow recipe (though I did add an overnight proof after shaping the bagels). Thank you!
I’m so with you, Jenn – unless they’re fresh from a bakery, they definitely aren’t the same!
Thanks so much for the review!
Jami, new to your site, and very new to the sourdough experience. My first loaf of sourdough bread yesterday. And today I was craving bagels. I only had 1 cup of starter available, so did a half recipe. I used 40% fresh ground whole wheat flour. I have to say, this is a really awesome recipe you have here. I have been making bagels for years, and this has now replaced my previous recipe (of course, it was not sourdough). Thanks for sharing.
Wow, that’s high praise, Steve – thank you so much, I’m so glad this will be a go-to recipe for you!
I’m new, so please forgive me if this has already been asked and answered. I’m just wondering if you could add the measurements in grams. Thanks!
That’s not how I normally bake, though I am trying to add it to newer recipes. I’d have to go back and test this with grams, so it may be awhile. 🙂
That would be fab, since I also work with grams! (I live in Europe) Thanks in advance.
I am looking forward to trying this recipe. Is your starter recently fed or can you use ‘spent’ starter just before the regular weekly feed?
I always use active, fed starter for bagels.
Do you cover with plastic wrap for the 4 hour prove in the greased bowl? Or leave it uncovered?
Cover the dough always, Jenny. Otherwise it develops a tough skin. You’ve already caught the yeast in the starter and once it’s in the dough, there’s plenty to feed it. 🙂
My bagels are ready and they are absolutely yummy! I made half the mixture and got 9 bagels…we like things smaller over here in Europe 😉 The only step I did differently was, after shaping them, I put them in the fridge, uncovered overnight to prove, and then boiled and cooked them in the oven in the morning. An absolute winner recipe!! Will definitely make more. Love from Malta…a tiny sunny island in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea!!
Oh, your home sounds lovely – to live on a sunny island all the time? Bliss. 🙂
I’m glad these worked for you – I’ll have to try the overnight proof to get the fresh bagels in the morning!
Thanks so much for the review!
Thank you for this recipe Jami! I live in Norway and can’t get a decent bagel. I’ve been doing the sourdough thing since quarantine started and wanted to branch out beyond bread. I found this recipe, made some everything bagel seasoning and now I’m in heaven! I halved the recipe and made 2 plain, 2 parmesan, and 2 everything bagels so I’d have variety and they are all tasty. Tusen takk fra Oslo.
Yay! So glad this worked for you and helped to make a sad situation a bit better. 🙂 Your variations sound yummy!
We’ve made bagels twice now following this recipe, and have already shared it with a lot of friends who wanted it! DELICIOUS. The first try, we used only wheat flour, and though dense they were great! The second time, we attempted strictly AP flour, and to be honest, I effed up a bit and didn’t use enough flour, so the dough was kinda sticky and floppy… and they were STILL delicious. The egg wash is definitely superior to the milk wash, especially if you have any heavy toppings like jalapeños. But all around, this recipe is amazing and even, dare I say, fairly bomb proof! Thanks for posting this!!
Oh, dear – well, you’re right, it does show that these are pretty error-proof! Glad you like them.
I am new to bread making… like… less than a week. I wondered if you had tried freezing the bagels after the boiling and finished baking them at a later date?
No, but I freeze them after baking and that works good for us.:)
Thank you for this recipe—it was easy and delicious and a great way to use up a lot of starter rather than discarding!
Yay, so glad you tried these, Lara!
Your soft dinner rolls are my absolute favorite and when I delved into sourdough, I converted that tried and true recipe to use my starter. So now that I’ve come upon this bagel recipe, I can’t wait to try it!
Wow, that’s awesome, Rachel! Would you care to share the sourdough conversion for the rolls? Are they still as soft? I’d love to try it!
I’m making these for the second day in a row. They’re fantastic and SO EASY to make.
Question: could I shape the bagels and then let them sit overnight in the fridge? Then take them out, boil them, and then bake? I’d love to have fresh bagels in the morning. Thanks!
I’m so glad you like these, Andrea! I haven’t tried that with the bagels, though you certainly can – I’d just let the sit at room temperature for about 30 minutes before boiling.
I was wondering if anyone makes the the night before and then boils and bakes them in the morning. I would love to know if it worked.
Sourdough is really good for long rising and resting in the fridge, so I think that would work fine. Just be sure to bring them to room temp before boiling and baking – about an hour on the counter should be fine.
Jami you don’t mention what size cutter to use when cutting the dough for bagels. Also you don’t mention 1 1/4 cup “warm” water you just say water. I’m really enjoying your recipes.
Thanks Lorna
Hi Lorna, I don’t use a cutter – I show in the tutorial photos how I measure and cut the dough, shaping the bagels with my hands. I’ve updated the recipe to say warm water – thanks!