Simple Sourdough Bagels
Sourdough bagels have been a staple in my house for the last month - and after you try these babies, you’ll know why!
Chewy, crispy, and slightly tangy - what’s not to like? For this recipe you’ll need an active sourdough starter - which if starting from scratch, it could take a week or 2 to develop. Once you’ve got that on hand, all you need is a few simple ingredients and you’ll have delicious homemade sourdough bagels in no time! Ready to give it a try? Keep on scrolling for the recipe!
Sourdough Bagel Ingredients
Active sourdough starter
Warm filtered water
Pure cane sugar
Unbleached all-purpose flour
Pink Himalayan salt (regular is fine too)
Bagel seasoning, if desired
Prepare Your sourdough starter
Before you start mixing ingredients, make sure your sourdough starter is good to go. It should be active and bubbly, indicating that it's ready to leaven your bagels to perfection. This is something I’ve been experimenting with for the last 6 weeks or so and it definitely takes patience! Once I test out more sourdough recipes, I’ll be happy to share my process in a future post!
MIx The Dough
In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the sourdough starter and warm filtered water until well combined. Next, add in the pure cane sugar and salt, giving everything a good stir. Gradually incorporate the unbleached all-purpose flour into the mixture until a dough starts to form. If you have a stand mixer with a dough hook attachment, this is the perfect time to let it do the heavy lifting. Otherwise, roll up your sleeves and get ready to knead by hand until the dough is slightly shaggy but not too dry.
Let it rise
Once your dough is nicely mixed, cover the bowl with a clean kitchen towel or plastic wrap and let it rest for about 30 minutes. This rest period allows the gluten to relax and the flavors to develop.
stretch & fold
After the initial rest, it's time to give your dough a little TLC. Perform a stretch and fold technique to strengthen the gluten structure. Simply grab one edge of the dough, stretch it upwards, and fold it over the center. Repeat this process from all four sides of the dough, then cover it again and let it rest for another 30 minutes. You can repeat this step once or twice more if you have the time, but I’ve found even one round will yield deliciously chewy bagels!
Bulk Fermentation
Now comes the waiting game. Allow your dough to ferment at room temperature for up to 24 hours or until it has doubled in size. This slow fermentation process not only enhances the flavor of the bagels but also improves their texture, giving you that perfect chewiness we all crave. NOTE: It’s good to do this is a warm place like inside your oven (turned off) with the light on. I’ve found that 75-degrees is a great temperature for rising and will also shorten the fermentation time.
Shape The Sourdough Bagels
Once your dough has reached its prime, it's time to shape it into those iconic bagel rounds. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and divide it into four equal portions. Roll each portion into a ball, then use your thumbs to poke a hole through the center, gently stretching the dough to form a ring. Don't worry if they're not perfectly round – it's all part of the homemade charm!
Boiling the bagels
Preheat your oven to 425°F (220°C) and bring a large pot of water to a gentle boil. Carefully drop each bagel into the boiling water, working in batches if necessary, and let them simmer for 1-2 minutes on each side. This brief boiling step is what gives bagels their signature chewy texture and shiny crust.
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season it up
Once boiled, remove the bagels from the water using a slotted spoon and place them onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Now comes the fun part – adding your favorite seasoning! Whether you're a classic sesame seed fan or prefer something a bit more adventurous like everything bagel seasoning, sprinkle generously over the tops of your bagels.
Bake to Perfection
Pop your seasoned bagels into the preheated oven and let them bake for 20-25 minutes or until they're beautifully golden brown.
Add a Spread & Enjoy!
Once your sourdough bagels are golden and crisp on the outside, let them cool for a few minutes on a wire rack before slicing, toasting, and spreading with your favorite toppings. I love a good classic cream cheese, egg sandwich, or avocado – the possibilities are really endless!
Simple Sourdough Bagels
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup sourdough starter
- 3/4 cup warm filtered water
- 2 tablespoons pure cane sugar
- 2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons Pink Himalayan salt (or regular is fine)
- Bagel seasonings, if desired
Instructions
- Before you start mixing ingredients, make sure your sourdough starter is good to go. It should be active and bubbly, indicating that it's ready to leaven your bagels to perfection.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the sourdough starter and warm filtered water until well combined. Next, add in the pure cane sugar and salt, giving everything a good stir. Gradually incorporate the unbleached all-purpose flour into the mixture until a dough starts to form.
- Once your dough is nicely mixed, cover the bowl with a clean kitchen towel or plastic wrap and let it rest for about 30 minutes.
- After the initial rest, perform a stretch and fold technique to strengthen the gluten structure. You can repeat this step once or twice more if you have the time, but I’ve found even one round will yield deliciously chewy bagels!
- Allow your dough to ferment at room temperature for up to 24 hours or until it has doubled in size. NOTE: It’s good to do this is a warm place like inside your oven (turned off) with the light on. I’ve found that 75-degrees is a great temperature for rising and will also shorten the fermentation time.
- Once your dough has reached its prime, it's time to shape them. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and divide it into four equal portions. Roll each portion into a ball, then use your thumbs to poke a hole through the center, gently stretching the dough to form a ring.
- Preheat your oven to 425°F (220°C) and bring a large pot of water to a gentle boil. Carefully drop each bagel into the boiling water, working in batches if necessary, and let them simmer for 1-2 minutes on each side.
- Once boiled, remove the bagels from the water using a slotted spoon and place them onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. If desired, sprinkle bagel seasonings generously over the tops of your bagels.
- Pop bagels into the preheated oven and let them bake for 20-25 minutes or until they're beautifully golden brown.
- Once your sourdough bagels are golden and crisp on the outside, let them cool for a few minutes on a wire rack before slicing, toasting, and spreading with your favorite toppings. Enjoy!
Sourdough Variations
Once you master the classic sourdough bagel, the sky’s the limit! I’m excited to try different variations of this recipe using different flavors like blueberries, cinnamon, pesto, and sundried tomatoes! I even tried this fun heart-shaped sourdough bagel this week just in time for Valentine’s Day - check it out!
And there you have it – homemade sourdough bagels that are sure to impress even the most discerning breakfast connoisseurs. So go ahead, whip up a batch of these delightful treats, and savor every chewy bite! 🥯✨
P.S. Enjoy this tutorial? Then, be sure to pin it to Pinterest so you can use this post as a reference!
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