Description
This Sourdough Bagels recipe offers a deliciously chewy and flavorful homemade bagel crafted with an active sourdough starter. The dough is kneaded by hand for optimum texture, allowed to undergo a long fermentation for depth of flavor, then boiled in a honey water bath before baking to perfection. Perfect for toasting, topping with your favorite spreads or making creative sandwiches, these bagels deliver bakery-quality taste and texture right from your kitchen.
Ingredients
Scale
Dough Ingredients
- 150 grams active sourdough starter (about 3/4 cup)
- 250 grams warm water (about 1 cup + 1 tablespoon)
- 500 grams bread flour (about 3 1/2 cups)
- 40 grams sugar (about 3 tablespoons)
- 12 grams salt (about 2 teaspoons)
Boil Bath
- 20 grams honey (for the boiling water bath)
Toppings (Optional)
- Everything Bagel Seasoning (white and black sesame seeds, onion and garlic flakes, sea salt)
- Poppy seeds
- Sesame seeds
- Garlic flakes
- Onion flakes
- Cheese (such as Asiago)
- Cinnamon Crunch (brown sugar, white sugar, coarse sparkling sugar, cinnamon, flour, vanilla, butter)
Instructions
- Make the Dough: In a straight-edge bowl, combine active sourdough starter, warm water, and sugar. Mix by hand or with a Danish dough whisk until the mixture looks milky. Next, add bread flour and salt to the wet ingredients, mixing until fully incorporated. Knead the dough by hand for 5 to 6 minutes using a stretch, fold, and push technique to develop structure. The dough will feel stiff and a bit bumpy, which is normal. Cover with plastic and let it rest for 60 minutes.
- Stretch and Fold: After resting, perform the stretch, fold, and push kneading technique again for 30 seconds. The dough will become smoother and less stiff. Cover and place the dough in a warm environment to rise.
- Bulk Rise: Let the dough double in size, typically 8 to 12 hours at around 69°F. The duration will vary depending on kitchen temperature.
- Shape the Bagels: Once doubled, gently remove the dough onto the work surface without flour. Roll the dough into a rectangle about 1/2 inch high, then cut into 8 equal triangle pieces. Shape each triangle by folding 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 in diameter. Place shaped bagels on a parchment-lined baking sheet, cover with plastic to prevent drying.
- Second Rise: Allow bagels to puff up in a warm place for 20 to 60 minutes. If not baking immediately, cover and refrigerate up to 24 hours; allow longer rise times after refrigeration before proceeding.
- Prepare Boil Bath: Preheat the oven to 425°F. In a large pot, combine about 10 cups of water with honey and bring to a rolling boil.
- Boil the Bagels: Carefully lower 2 to 3 bagels at a time into the boiling water. Boil each side for 30 seconds. Remove with a slotted spoon and place on a cooling rack to drain. Repeat until all bagels are boiled.
- Add Toppings: While bagels are still slightly sticky, dip the tops into desired toppings such as seeds or cheese. For cheese toppings, optionally dip the bottom side as well to create a crunchy crust.
- Bake: Transfer the bagels to a parchment-lined baking sheet and bake in the preheated oven for 20 to 25 minutes until golden brown and the internal temperature reaches 200–210°F.
- Cool and Serve: Remove bagels from the oven and transfer to a wire rack to cool. Enjoy warm with butter or your favorite spreads.
Notes
- Simple Baking Schedule: 8pm – Make and knead dough, rest 1 hour. 9pm – Stretch and fold, then bulk rise overnight for 8-12 hours. 7am – Shape bagels and rest for 20-60 minutes. 8am – Boil, top, and bake at 425°F for 20-25 minutes.
- Topping Suggestions: Everything bagel seasoning, poppy seeds, sesame seeds, garlic flakes, onion flakes, Asiago cheese, cinnamon crunch mixture.
- Other Serving Ideas: Bagel chips made by toasting leftover bagels, egg breakfast sandwiches, burger buns, or adult-style bagel bites with marinara and cheese.
- Storage: Store leftover bagels at room temperature in a plastic bag for 2-3 days. Freeze whole or sliced for up to 3 months. Reheat by microwaving for 10 seconds or toasting after thawing.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bagel
- Calories: 280
- Sugar: 6 g
- Sodium: 420 mg
- Fat: 1.5 g
- Saturated Fat: 0.3 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 1.2 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 58 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 9 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
