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Homemade Sourdough Bagels Recipe

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 4.8 from 102 reviews
  • Author: Julia
  • Prep Time: 1 hour
  • Cook Time: 20 minutes
  • Total Time: 9 hours 20 minutes
  • Yield: 8 bagels
  • Category: Bread
  • Method: Baking
  • Cuisine: American

Description

This homemade sourdough bagels recipe delivers soft, chewy, and flavorful bagels made from an active sourdough starter and baked to golden perfection. The process includes a long natural fermentation, shaping, boiling in a honey water bath for that classic bagel texture, and baking at high heat. Finished bagels can be enjoyed plain or with a variety of toppings, perfect for breakfast sandwiches, snacks, or as burger buns.

Ingredients

Scale

Dough Ingredients

  • 150 grams active sourdough starter (3/4 cup)
  • 250 grams warm water (1 cup + 1 Tablespoon)
  • 500 grams bread flour (3 1/2 cups)
  • 40 grams sugar (3 Tablespoons)
  • 12 grams salt (2 teaspoons)

Boil Bath

  • 20 grams honey

Toppings (Optional)

  • Everything Bagel Seasoning (white & black sesame seeds, onion flakes, garlic flakes, sea salt)
  • Poppy Seeds
  • Sesame Seeds
  • Garlic flakes
  • Onion flakes
  • Cheese (e.g., Asiago cheese)
  • Cinnamon Crunch (brown sugar, white sugar, coarse sparkling sugar, cinnamon, flour, vanilla, butter)

Instructions

  1. Make the Dough: In a straight-edged bowl, combine the active sourdough starter, warm water, and sugar. Mix by hand or with a Danish dough whisk until the mixture looks milky. Then add the bread flour and salt to the wet ingredients and mix until fully incorporated. Knead the dough by hand for about 5-6 minutes using a folding and pushing technique, which develops the right texture and chewiness. Cover the dough and let it rest for 60 minutes.
  2. Stretch and Fold: After resting, perform a gentle stretch, fold, and push routine with the heel of your hand for 30 seconds to develop gluten further, smoothing the dough ball. Cover and place in a warm spot for bulk fermentation.
  3. Bulk Rise: Allow the dough to double in size over 8-12 hours at about 69°F (room temperature). This slow fermentation develops flavor and texture.
  4. Shape the Bagels: Turn the dough onto a work surface without flour. Press and stretch it into a large rectangle about 1/2-inch thick. Cut into 8 equal triangle pieces (about 115g each). Shape each piece by pulling corners to the center and rolling into smooth balls. Poke a hole in the center of each ball with your thumb and stretch the hole to about 2 inches.
  5. Second Rise: Place shaped bagels on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Cover with plastic wrap to prevent drying out and let them rest until puffed up, about 20-60 minutes. Alternatively, refrigerate up to 24 hours and allow extra rising time before boiling and baking.
  6. Prepare Boil Bath: Preheat oven to 425°F. In a large pot, bring about 10 cups of water mixed with 20 grams of honey to a boil.
  7. Boil the Bagels: Carefully drop 2-3 bagels at a time into the boiling honey water. Boil each side for 30 seconds. Remove with a slotted spoon and place on a kitchen towel or cooling rack. Repeat for all bagels.
  8. Add Toppings: While still sticky from boiling, dip the tops of the bagels into your chosen toppings on a small plate. For cheese toppings, also dip the bottom for a crispy finish. Place bagels on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
  9. Bake: Bake the bagels in the preheated oven for 20-25 minutes until golden brown with an internal temperature of 200-210°F. Remove from oven and cool on a wire rack.
  10. Serve: Slice bagels when warm and enjoy with butter or your favorite spreads. The chewy, buttery bite is especially delightful fresh out of the oven.

Notes

  • Simple Baking Schedule: 8pm – mix and knead dough; rest 1 hour. 9pm – stretch and fold, then rest 8-12 hours. 7am – shape bagels, rest 20-60 minutes. 8am – boil, add toppings, and bake.
  • Topping Ideas: Everything Bagel seasoning, poppy seeds, sesame seeds, garlic flakes, onion flakes, Asiago cheese, cinnamon crunch.
  • Alternate Serving Ideas: Make bagel chips by baking sliced bagels, use as burger buns, egg sandwich base, or mini pizza-style bagel bites.
  • Storage: Keep bagels in a plastic bag at room temperature for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 3 months. Reheat by microwaving briefly or toasting.
  • Hand kneading preferred over mixer for the best soft and chewy texture.

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 1 bagel (approx. 120g)
  • Calories: 300
  • Sugar: 5g
  • Sodium: 400mg
  • Fat: 1.5g
  • Saturated Fat: 0.3g
  • Unsaturated Fat: 1.2g
  • Trans Fat: 0g
  • Carbohydrates: 65g
  • Fiber: 3g
  • Protein: 10g
  • Cholesterol: 0mg

Find it online: https://lazydayrecipes.com/homemade-sourdough-bagels-recipe/