Homemade Sourdough Bagels

Sourdough bagels are savory, chewy, crusty, and deliciously tangy. These are an amazing way to start your morning or to enjoy for a yummy brunch. 

Sourdough may be one of my favorite ways to start the morning, whether it be breakfast strata, pancakes, English muffins, crepes, or these delicious bagels. 

It’s a delicious, easy, and filling way to start our busy days, fueled up.

Bagels may seem intimidating, but I promise that they really aren’t that difficult. It’s much like making any baked sourdough recipe, with the added step of cooking it in boiling water for a few minutes before baking.

These sourdough bagels have a yummy and tangy flavor, pairing really well with sweet or savory dishes. They’re a wonderful comfort food.

I love slathering cream cheese or homemade butter all over them.

Below, I share a few different variations and a bunch of bagel sandwich ideas. 

Sourdough Bagel FAQ

Are all bagels sourdough?

No. They are typically leavened with either sourdough or commercial yeast. Unless they are specifically labeled as sourdough, you can expect bagels to be made with commercial yeast.

Why is there a hole in a bagel?

There is a hole for more even cooking throughout. This also helps with crust development.

Are bagels bad for you?

While they tend to be higher in calories, these simple sourdough bagels are made with wholesome ingredients and healthy fermented grains. 

What do you eat bagels with?

There are so many ways to eat bagels. Most commonly, they are served with cream cheese. See below for sandwich recommendations.

Why are bagels boiled at first?

You boil bagels first to set the crust, which allows them to hold their shape in the oven. The longer you boil them, the thicker the crust. Boiling for 60 seconds on each side yields the perfect result. Although this step may seem silly, don’t skip it – it is one of the most important.

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Tips:

• Use a slotted spoon or ‘spider’ strainer to flip and pull the bagels out of the boiling water.
• If you don’t have a sourdough starter, you can check out this post, where I show you exactly how to make a starter from scratch.
• Cook 2-4 bagels in the baking soda water at a time. Don’t overcrowd your pot.
• You can knead the dough by hand or use a stand mixer. A stand mixer is much easier and less time consuming.

Tools you may need:

Stand mixer

Measuring cups and spoons

Large pot or dutch oven

Baking sheet

Parchment paper

Topping ideas

• Shredded cheddar cheese
• Sesame seeds
• Dried onion/dried garlic flakes
• Poppy seeds
• Everything But The Bagel seasoning
• Cinnamon sugar topping

Additional Bagel Add-Ins:

Mix in these extras into the dough right before forming into bagels:

Blueberries – add fresh blueberries

Cinnamon and raisins

Chocolate chips

How To Make Sourdough Bagels From Scratch

Add sourdough starter, water, honey, salt, and two cups of flour to a stand mixer. 

Mix until it comes together, about 10 minutes on low speed. The dough will be really stiff and difficult to incorporate.

Add remaining flour, half a cup at a time. Use a dough hook and knead until it is smooth and pliable. You could also knead by hand, but the stand mixer makes this process much easier.

Cover dough with wet tea towel, plastic wrap, or beeswax wrap; allow to ferment for 8 to 12 hours. Don’t just cover with a dry towel, because it will create a hard skin on the top of your dough, which you don’t want.

After the dough has fermented, divide into 8 equal pieces.

Roll the dough into balls, flatten them down a bit, and poke a hole in the middle with your finger. Stretch the hole a bit to widen.

Cover with a tea towel and allow the dough to rise in a warm spot for two hours or until puffy. The time will depend on how warm your house is. It could take 1 to 4 hours.

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

Bring a large pot of water to a boil and add the baking soda and sugar. 

Using a slotted spoon, gently add bagels to the water and boil for one minute, flip, then boil for another minute.

Shake off excess water and dip into desired toppings (optional).

Place boiled bagels on parchment-lined baking sheet.

Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until golden on top.

Sourdough Bagel Sandwich Ideas

Truly, a sourdough bagel is a vessel for the yummy toppings you want to add.

• Breakfast sandwich – add a fried egg, bacon or sausage, cheese, and some lettuce for a yummy way to start your morning.
• Cream cheese and veggie. Spread cream cheese on bagel, add slices of tomato, cucumber, avocado (optional). Sprinkle with salt and enjoy.
• Avocado… bagel. Rather than toast. Add sliced avocado and sprinkle with salt.
• Lox – cream cheese and smoked salmon (lox) make a really delicious sandwich any time of day.
• Turkey club. Really any of your favorite lunch meat will do; top with slices of cheese, tomato, avocado, and an egg.
• Ham and cheese. Top with ham and a slice of Swiss or cheddar cheese. Bake it in the oven until the cheese starts to melt. Honey mustard takes this up a notch.
• Add chicken salad

Find More Sourdough Recipes:

• Coffee Cake
• Chocolate Chip Cookies
• Banana Bread
• Cranberry Bread
• Carrot Muffins

If you try this recipe and love it, I would love if you could come back and give it 5 stars!