Homemade Sourdough Bagels Recipe
Homemade sourdough bagels are chewy, golden, and deeply flavorful—everything you crave in a classic bagel, but made right in your own kitchen. No fancy ingredients, just naturally leavened goodness.
This recipe is simple to follow and flexible with timing, making it perfect for beginners and sourdough enthusiasts alike. Start the night before and wake up to fresh bagels ready to boil and bake.
What You’ll Need for These Sourdough Bagels
- Bread flour or all-purpose flour – The foundation of your bagels; bread flour offers chewiness, while all-purpose gives a slightly softer texture.
- Water – Hydrates the flour and activates gluten formation, crucial for structure and a smooth crumb.
- Active sourdough starter – The natural leavening agent that brings both rise and signature sourdough tang.
- Honey or sugar – Adds a touch of sweetness and helps with fermentation and browning.
- Salt – Essential for balancing flavor and strengthening the dough structure.
Shaping and Baking: How to Make Sourdough Bagels
Begin by mixing your sourdough starter with water and honey until dissolved. Add in flour and salt, stirring until no dry flour remains. Let the dough rest covered for 45 minutes to hydrate.
Knead the dough on a clean surface for about 8–10 minutes until smooth and elastic. Let it rest overnight at room temperature, loosely covered, to rise and ferment.
In the morning, portion the dough into 8 equal pieces and shape each into a tight ball. After a brief rest, create the signature bagel holes and allow another short rest while your water comes to a boil.
Boil each bagel briefly in sweetened water to set their chewy crust. If desired, dip in your favorite seeds right after boiling while they’re still slightly wet.
Bake at 425°F for 20–25 minutes until golden brown and crisp on the outside. Let cool slightly before enjoying.
Pro Tips for Perfect Bagels Every Time
For best flavor and texture, let your dough ferment overnight at room temperature—this long rise enhances the sourdough tang and improves chew. If time is tight, the dough can be refrigerated after proofing and used the next day.
When shaping, ensure the holes are at least the size of a quarter to prevent them from closing during baking. Don’t skip the boil—it’s what gives sourdough bagels their shiny crust and classic chew.
Customize with sesame, poppy, or everything seasoning, and consider adding dried onion or garlic flakes for even more flavor.
Keeping It Fresh: Storing Your Homemade Bagels
These sourdough bagels are best eaten the day they’re baked, ideally still slightly warm from the oven. To keep them fresh, store in an airtight container or bread bag at room temperature for up to two days.
For longer storage, slice them in half and freeze individually. When ready to enjoy, toast straight from frozen or warm them in a low oven until soft and crisped.
Homemade Sourdough Bagels Recipe
Ingredients
- 10 grams salt
- 6 cups water for boiling
- 2 tablespoons honey or sugar
- 150 grams active sourdough starter
- Seeds for topping optional: poppy, sesame, everything bagel seasoning, etc.
- 1 tablespoon sugar for boiling water
- 500 grams bread flour or all-purpose flour
- 265 grams water
Instructions
- Dissolve the sourdough starter and your choice of honey or sugar in the water inside a large mixing bowl. Add in the flour and salt, then hand mix until the mixture fully integrates. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let rest for 45 to 60 minutes.
- Transfer the dough onto a clean, unfloured surface. Use a kneading motion by folding a section of dough inward and pressing down with your palm repeatedly. Continue for 8 to 10 minutes until smooth. If the dough becomes resistant or tears, allow it to rest for 10 minutes before resuming. Return the dough to the bowl, cover with a damp towel or plastic wrap, and leave to rise overnight at room temperature. Optionally, you may perform a single stretch and fold 45 minutes into this rise for enhanced gluten strength.
- By morning, your dough should have expanded to nearly triple its original size. Gently remove it and form into a rectangle on a clean surface. Cut into 8 equal portions using a bench scraper—each piece should weigh about 115 grams for uniformity. Prepare a parchment-lined baking sheet with a light mist of non-stick spray.
- Shape each segment into a round ball, place on the sheet, and cover loosely with an oiled plastic wrap or damp towel. Let rest for 15 minutes to relax the gluten. Then form each ball into a bagel by pressing your fingers through the center to create a hole, then gently stretch to widen. Ensure the holes are at least the size of a quarter. Rest for another 15 minutes under the same covering.
- Preheat the oven to 425°F. Simultaneously, bring a large pot with 6 cups of water and 1 tablespoon of sugar to a boil. Boil 2 to 3 bagels at a time for 30 to 60 seconds per side. If using seeds, dip the boiled bagels into them while still slightly damp to ensure they adhere.
- Arrange the boiled bagels back on the prepared baking sheet. Bake in the preheated oven for 20 to 25 minutes until golden brown. Cool slightly before serving.
Notes
Refrigeration Option: After proofing, the dough can be refrigerated for up to 24 hours if needed.
Hole Size Tip: Ensure holes are at least the size of a quarter to prevent closure during baking.
Flour Choice: Bread flour produces a chewier texture, while all-purpose yields a softer result—choose based on your preference.
Storage: Best enjoyed fresh but can be stored in a bread bag or airtight container for up to 2 days at room temperature.
