Sourdough Bagels

4.84 from 24 votes

These Sourdough Bagels are chewy and so delicious! They are everything you love about bagels, but they are leavened with active sourdough starter for a natural rise, easier digestion and signature sourdough flavor.

Prep Time20

Cook Time18

Rise Time9

Total Time9 38

Course: Bread

Cuisine: American

Servings: Bagels

Author: Emily Christensen

Equipment

Ingredients

150 grams starter ½ cup + 2 Tablespoons
400 grams water 1 ¾ cups
15 grams sugar or honey 1 tablespoon
15 grams salt 2 ½ teaspoons
750 grams bread flour 5 ¼ cups
Optional toppings
14 grams baking soda 1 Tablespoon

Instructions

Feed your starter: Add flour and water to your sourdough starter and let it sit in a warm spot until it is doubled or more in size and is done growing. It should be bubbly on the sides and top.
If you want to feed your starter about 12 hours prior to mixing the dough I recommend a 1:5:5 ratio (15 g starter: 75 g flour: 75 g water) and leaving it at about 72°F. For a quicker rise, you could feed your starter a 1:1:1 ratio (55 g starter: 55 g flour: 55 g water) 4-5 hours ahead of time and leave it at about 77°F.
Mix & Knead: To the bowl of a stand mixer add active sourdough starter, water, sugar, salt and bread flour. Using your dough hook, knead the dough for about 15-20 minutes or until the dough can pass the windowpane test. You can also mix this dough in a bowl and then knead it by hand.
The windowpane test is used to see how well the gluten has developed. When the dough is able to stretch thin enough that you can see light through, without it tearing, it has passed.
750 grams bread flour, 150 grams starter, 400 grams water, 15 grams sugar or honey, 15 grams salt
Bulk Fermentation (First Rise): Transfer the bagel dough to a bowl or straight-edge container and let it rise on the counter overnight, covered, until doubled in size. At 72°F, my dough doubled within 8 hours.
If your house runs warmer or you need a longer rise time, you can reduce the amount of starter in the dough to 125 grams to slow down the process.
Divide dough: Once doubled in size, punch down the dough and divide it into 12 equal pieces, about 108 grams each. I like to use a bench scraper for this.
Form into balls: Taking one section at a time, form the dough into a ball by pulling the sides to the middle of the dough and then flipping it over. With your hand in a cupping shape, rotate the dough ball a few times in a circle. Repeat with the remaining 11.
Shape into bagels: Poke a hole in the middle of the dough and then, using both pointer fingers inserted on each side, rotate your fingers around each other, making a hole in the middle of the dough. Ideally you want the size of the hole to be 1.5-2 inches.
Second rise: Cut twelve 4×4-inch squares of parchment paper. Place a shaped bagel on each piece of parchment paper, and then place all 12 of them on a large baking sheet. Alternatively, you can place all 12 of them on a silicone mat, but when you pick them up to boil them the shape of the bagel can change. Cover with a slightly damp tea towel and let the bagels rise for another 30 minutes to an hour to relax and get puffy. The bagels will not double in size.
Boil: After the bagels have had a chance to rise, preheat your oven to 425°F. Bring a large pot of water to a boil and add 1 tablespoon of baking soda. Add a few bagels at a time to the boiling water, parchment paper side up, and boil them for about 1 minute on each side. Once the bagels are in the water, you can easily remove the parchment paper from the dough. Use a slotted spoon or spider strainer to easily remove the bagels from the water and drain excess liquid.
Add toppings: Place the bagels on lined sheet pans, 6 to each pan. Add your toppings of choice to the tops (see notes on flavor options above and for tips on adding to bagels).
Bake: Bake for 18-20 mins or until lightly golden brown.
Cool: Let the bagels cool on a wire rack and then enjoy them with butter or cream cheese.

Video

Notes

Topping ideas:

Shredded Cheese -You can use any type of cheese you like, but I love cheddar, pepper jack, or colby cheese. Sprinkle the shredded cheese on top of the bagel.
Everything But the Bagel Seasoning– To easily get the seasoning all over the bagel I like to pour some seasoning on a plate and dip the boiled bagel into the seasoning. This gives the bagel an even coat.
Jalapeno & cheddar cheese – Sprinkle the cheese and set the jalapeno slices on top of the bagel. I prefer to use pickled jalapenos but fresh works too.
Cinnamon and sugar – Using the same technique as the seasoning above, add the cinnamon and sugar to a plate and then dip the top of the boiled bagel into the cinnamon and sugar mixture.

Tips for success:

I highly recommend making individual parchment paper squares for the bagels to rise on. It makes it easier to put the bagels into the boiling water without messing up the shape.
If the room temperature is 65°F or lower, use a temperature-regulated dough mat (use code country10 for 10% off) or proofing box to keep it warmer. Learn more about tips to keep your dough warm here.
Knead the dough until it passes the windowpane test. This ensures proper gluten development in the dough.
Use your sourdough starter at peak. Using a bubbly and active starter will set you up for success and help your dough to rise. Learn more about how to feed and care for your sourdough starter.
Add toppings, especially seasonings and seeds, when the bagels are damp to help them stick to the bagels.

Nutrition