Best Homemade Sourdough Bagel Recipe: Soft & Chewy
I started making sourdough bagels because my kids were asking for bagels and cream cheese EVERY SINGLE DAY for breakfast. I’m not really sure where their obsession came from, but I decided if I was going to give them bagels, I wanted those bagels to be homemade without the extra junk. And this sourdough bagel recipe is IT! They are everything you want in a bagel – chewy, soft, and perfect every time. I always make a double batch so that I can have them in the freezer ready to go. I just know you are going to love these delicious bagels!
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Why You Will Love This Sourdough Bagel Recipe
There are so many reasons to love this sourdough bagel recipe, but I’ll give you a few:
Fresh, Bakery Style Bagels At Home – Store bought bagels just aren’t as good as homemade! The fresh bagels that you think of when you think of a bagel shop or local bakery. To keep them fresh, you can freeze them and pull them out one at a time.
Bagels Meet Sourdough – The health benefits of sourdough and the tangy flavor it brings combined with a classic chewy bagel we all love. I’m here for it!
Bagels Are Versatile – There are so many things you can do with these sourdough bagels. Classic cream cheese, egg and cheese breakfast sandwich, butter and jam, or you could make a spin on avocado toast.
What Are The Ingredients In Store-Bought Bagels?
If you have ever paused to read the ingredients on a pack of traditional bagels, you will see that they have enriched flour, preservatives, and many other ingredients. Take a look at this popular brand:
ENRICHED FLOUR (WHEAT FLOUR, MALTED BARLEY FLOUR, NIACIN, REDUCED IRON, THIAMINE MONONITRATE, RIBOFLAVIN, FOLIC ACID), WATER, SUGAR, CONTAINS 2% OR LESS OF EACH OF THE FOLLOWING: YEAST, SALT, YELLOW CORN MEAL, CALCIUM PROPIONATE (PRESERVATIVE), VITAL WHEAT GLUTEN, DISTILLED MONOGLYCERIDES, POWDERED CELLULOSE, SORBIC ACID (PRESERVATIVE), CITRIC ACID (PRESERVATIVE), XANTHAN GUM, ENZYMES, SESAME FLOUR.
This sourdough bagel recipe however, has only 5 real food ingredients and the final product tastes WAY better than the store bought version.
Ingredients You Need For This Sourdough Bagel Recipe
Bagel Dough Ingredients
- 150g (3/4 Cup) Active Sourdough Starter – Active sourdough starter is starter that has been fed at least 4-6 hours prior, and has doubled in size. It should be nice and bubbly!
- 250g (1 Cup + 2 Tsp) Warm Filtered Water – Slightly warm water gives the rise a boost.
- 24 g (2 Tb) Cane Sugar – Sugar gives the bagels just a light touch of sweetness. I prefer to use organic cane sugar to make sure that the sugar didn’t come from genetically modified crops. You can also leave the sugar out, if desired.
- 500g (4 Cups + 2 Tb) All Purpose Flour – Again, organic is best here to avoid pesticides like glyphosate & GMOs. You can also use bread flour if you prefer
- 9g (1 1/2 tsp) Salt – My favorite salt is always Redmonds real salt
Water Bath Ingredients
- Filtered Water – I love my under the sink water filter from Hydroviv.
- 20g (1 tb) Raw Honey – Using honey in the water bath gives the bagels that nice brown crust. I’m a big fan of raw honey, because it is in it’s natural, pure form without being diluted or sweetened. To ensure you are buying real raw honey, try to find a local farm or small company that you trust.
Bagel Toppings (Optional)
If you want any toppings on your bagels, here are a few ideas:
- Sesame seeds
- Poppy seeds, fennel
- Flax seeds
- Cheddar cheese & jalapeños
- “Everything but the bagel” seasoning
Get creative with toppings. I’d love to hear some of your favorites!
Other Supplies You Will Need
To gear you up for success, you will need a few other things to make sourdough bagels:
- Large glass bowl
- Kitchen scale or measuring cups
- Large cookie sheet or baking sheet
- Bench scraper or sharp knife
- Kitchen Towel or Tea Towel
- Unbleached parchment paper
- Coconut oil or cooking spray (to prevent sticking)
- Large pot for boiling bagels
- Slotted Spoon
How To Make Sourdough Bagels
I know this sourdough bagel recipe looks like a lot of steps, but I promise it isn’t as complicated as you might think. There are a few different things you need to do, but I’ve got it all broken down with step by step instructions. Plus, at the bottom of this post I’ve got a sample baking schedule for you so you can see what the timeline looks like! After a few times of making this recipe, you will be a bagel expert. Promise!
Here’s an overview:
Day 1: Mix The Dough
Step 1: Combine active starter, water, and sugar in a large bowl. Whisk together with a fork until there are no clumps.
Step 2: Add the flour and the salt. Combine everything together, finish mixing with your hands. The dough is really stiff and dry. That’s what we want!
Step 3: Cover the bowl with a very damp tea towel, and let it rest for 45 minutes to 1 hour.
Step 4: After the resting time, use your hands to shape the dough into a ball
Step 5: Cover the dough ball with plastic wrap and leave it to bulk rise for 10-12 hours. The dough should double in size.
The Next Day: Make The Bagels
Step 1: Remove the bagel dough onto a lightly floured surface. I like to use my wood cutting board for this.
Step 2: Work the dough into a long rectangle, and divide it evenly into 8 equal pieces. I like to use a bench scraper for this step, it cuts through the dough really easily. A sharp knife will work too though! It’s easiest to divide it in half, and then each half into 4 equal parts.
Step 3: Take each piece of dough, and work it into a ball. Let the bagel balls rest for 10-15 minutes on your work surface.
While the dough rests, prepare your sheet pan. Cover it in parchment paper, and lightly grease the parchment paper with coconut oil or cooking spray. I like to use a silicone brush to spread coconut oil on the parchment paper.
Step 4: Shape the dough balls into bagels by poking a hole in the center of the ball, and stretching it slightly. I like to pick up the bagel, and use both of my index fingers to gently pull and roll the bagel so the hole is even. You want the hole to be about the size of a ping-pong ball. Repeat with the remaining dough balls, and place them on the prepared parchment paper. It’s okay if the hole shrinks a little.
Final Rest
Step 1: Cover the shaped bagels with a damp towel, and let the dough rest at room temperature for 15 to 20 minutes.
Step 2: Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to boil. Stir in the honey and mix well to dissolve completely.
Step 3: Preheat the oven to 425. If desired, add toppings/seeds to a small plate or shallow bowl.
Boil & Bake
Step 1: Boiling bagels gives them the chewy crust that is signature to a bagel. Depending on how big your pot is, add 3-4 bagels at a time to the boiling water. Boil bagels for 30 seconds, and then flip over for an additional 30 seconds. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the bagels back to the parchment-lined baking sheet. Make sure they have the rounded side or pretty side up for baking.
Step 2: Once slightly cooled, dip the bagels into desired toppings.
Step 3: Bake your bagels for 20 minutes on the center rack of your oven. Once they are golden brown, flip them over for an additional 1 minute to get the bottoms cooked.
Step 4: Transfer to a wire rack to cool
These bagels are really best fresh! Store them in an airtight container for up to 2 days on the counter. To keep them fresher, freeze them in a freezer bag or airtight container for up to 3 months.
Sample Baking Schedule That Works For Me
This recipe isn’t as hard as it might look, but you do need to plan ahead. Here’s what I do and it’s worked really well for me!
Day 1 Schedule:
Day 2 Schedule:
How To Store Sourdough Bagels
I highly recommend trying one of these bagels fresh and warm out of the oven. You really can’t beat the texture! These bagels don’t taste as good after a few days, so I recommend keeping them in an airtight container on the counter for up to 2 days. If you want to enjoy them for longer, freeze them sliced, or whole in a freezer safe bag or airtight container in the freezer. They will last for several months that way and taste fresh when you thaw them out!
To thaw frozen bagels, wrap them in a paper towel and microwave for 30 seconds, or leave them out at room temperature for a few hours or overnight.
Want More Delicious Sourdough Recipes?
If you are hooked on sourdough like me, try some of my favorite, tried and true sourdough recipes:
Other Ways To Eat Sourdough Bagels
If any of your bagels survive past the warm out of the oven stage, try some of these other delicious combinations!
Sausage, Egg & Cheese Breakfast Sandwich
2 Over-medium / scrambled eggs, sausage patty, and cheese of choice. Toast the bagel with cheese while the eggs and sausage cook. It’s an amazing combination!
Bagel “Avocado Toast”
Top your toasted bagel with smashed avocado, over easy egg(s), and everything but the bagel seasoning.
Pizza Bagels
Do you remember pizza bagels? Well this version is only about 2,000 times better than the frozen version.
Top your bagels with pizza sauce, cheese and pepperoni or sausage. Bake them in the oven or a toaster oven until everything is hot and bubbly.
Burger Buns
A different twist on a burger bun, kind of like a pretzel bun. Don’t knock it til you try it!
Best Homemade Sourdough Bagels: Soft & Chewy Recipe
Equipment
- 1 Large glass bowl
- 1 Kitchen scale or measuring cups
- 1 Large Baking Sheet
- 1 Bench scraper or sharp knife
- 1 Tea towel
- Unbleached parchment paper
- Coconut oil or nonstick cooking spray
- 1 Large pot
- 1 Slotted Spoon
Ingredients
Bagel Dough Ingredients
- 150 g active sourdough starter 3/4 Cup
- 250 g warm filtered water 1 Cup + 2 Tb
- 24 g organic cane sugar 2 Tb
- 500 g organic all-purpose flour 4 Cups + 2 Tb
- 9 g salt 1 1/2 tsp
Water Bath Ingredients
- Filtered water
- 20 g raw honey 1 Tb
Toppings (Optional)
- Seeds or other desired toppings like poppy, sesame, fennel, flax, cheese, everything but the bagel seasoning.
Instructions
Mix The Bagel Dough
- Combine active starter, water, and sugar in a large bowl. Whisk together with a fork until there are no clumps.
- Add the flour and the salt. Combine everything together, finish mixing with your hands. The dough is really stiff and dry. That’s ok!
- Cover the bowl with a very damp tea towel, and let it rest for 45 minutes to 1 hour.
- After the resting time, use your hands to shape the dough into a ball
- Cover the dough ball with plastic wrap and leave it to bulk rise for 10-12 hours. The dough should double in size.
Shape The Bagels
- Remove the bagel dough onto a lightly floured surface. I like to use my wood cutting board for this.
- Work the dough into a long rectangle, and divide it evenly into 8 equal pieces. I like to use a bench scraper for this step, it cuts through the dough really easily. A sharp knife will work too though! It’s easiest to divide it in half, and then each half into 4 equal parts.
- Take each piece of dough, and work it into a ball. Let the bagel balls rest for 10-15 minutes on your work surface.
- While the dough rests, prepare your sheet pan. Cover it in parchment paper, and lightly grease the parchment paper with coconut oil or cooking spray. I like to use a silicone brush to spread coconut oil on the parchment paper.
- Shape the dough balls into bagels by poking a hole in the center of the ball, and stretching it slightly. I like to pick up the bagel, and use both of my index fingers to gently pull and roll the bagel so the hole is even. You want the hole to be about the size of a ping-pong ball. Repeat with the remaining dough balls, and place them on the prepared parchment paper. It’s okay if the hole shrinks a little.
Final Rest
- Cover the shaped bagels with a damp towel, and let the dough rest at room temperature for 15 to 20 minutes.
- Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to boil. Stir in the honey and mix well to dissolve completely.
- reheat the oven to 425. If desired, add toppings/seeds to a small plate or shallow bowl.
Boil & Bake
- Depending on how big your pot is, add 3-4 bagels at a time to the boiling water. Boil bagels for 30 seconds, and then flip over for an additional 30 seconds. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the bagels back to the parchment-lined baking sheet. Make sure they have the rounded side or pretty side up for baking.
- Once slightly cooled, dip the bagels into desired toppings.
- Bake your bagels for 20 minutes on the center rack of your oven. Once they are golden brown, flip them over for an additional 1 minute to get the bottoms cooked.
- Transfer to a wire rack to cool
In Conclusion
I hope you love this sourdough bagels recipe! We make it in our house at least a couple times a month and always double the recipe. That way we always have sourdough bagels ready to go. If you tried this recipe and liked it, I’d love if you would leave me a review and a 5 star rating!
