My Sourdough Bagels have a crisp, chewy crust and soft center with a mild sourdough flavor. If you have an active sourdough starter, this beginner-friendly recipe is a must-try and flexible with both same-day and overnight options.
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Sourdough Bagels Video
Whip up a batch of these sourdough bagels and top with your favorite toppings, from lox to cream cheese spread, Preserves, or Jam.
Sourdough Bagel Recipe
I’ve been developing this recipe for weeks, and I now have more bagels than I know what to do with. I joked to my husband that instead of having a freezer full of beef like many people, ours is full of bagels! I learned how to make Sourdough Bagels from Emilie Raffa’s Artisan Sourdough Cookbook and Amy Duska’s Overnight Bagels.
After weeks of testing, I was surprised at how forgiving these bagels are. The dough is easy to work with, and the recipe gives you flexibility with proofing and timing, which makes it especially approachable for sourdough beginners.
To get started, you’ll need an active Sourdough Starter to make these bagels. If you don’t have one yet, you can make your own or get some starter from a friend.
Ingredients for Sourdough Bagels
For the most consistent results, measure ingredients correctly, ideally in grams using a kitchen scale.
- Sourdough Starter -It should be active, bubbly and more than doubled in size after feeding. See my How to Feed Sourdough Starter tutorial.
- Filtered water – Helps ensure consistent fermentation.
- Honey – Adds a hint of sweetness.
- Sea salt – Adds flavor and helps strengthen the dough.
- Bread flour – Its higher protein creates the signature chewy texture and a smoother crust. All-purpose also works.
- Sugar – for the boiling water to help the crust brown.
Overnight Sourdough Bagels Schedule
Starting with refrigerated starter, begin 16-18 hours before you want to bake.
- Day 1 at 3-4 pm: Feed starter at a 1:1:1 ratio and then let it rise for 3-4 hours.
- Day 1 at 8-9 pm: Make the dough, knead, cover and proof for 8-10 hours.
- Day 2 at 7-9 am: Shape the bagels, proof for 30 minutes to 1 hour, and then boil and bake.
Same-Day Sourdough Bagel Schedule
For evening bagels, feed your starter the night before.
- Day 1 at 9-11 pm: Feed starter to use at its peak in the morning.
- Day 2 at 7-9 am: Make the dough, knead it, and then cover and proof for 8-10 hours.
- Day 2 at 4 pm: Shape the bagels and then proof for 30 minutes to 1 hour. At 5 pm, you can boil and bake.
How to Make Sourdough Bagels
Starting with an active starter, these bagels can be made in one day. See the sample schedules below for same-day and overnight options.
- Feed your sourdough starter – feed your starter a 1:1:1 ratio, 3-4 hours before making the dough. Begin when it’s bubbly and doubled in size.
- Make bagel dough – mix the starter, water, honey, and salt in a mixing bowl, and then add the flour. Knead by hand for 10 minutes or with a dough hook on an electric mixer for 6 minutes until smooth. Cover and proof at room temperature for 7-10 hours until doubled. Careful not to overproof (see my notes below).
Natasha’s Make-Ahead Tip
Need to pause? After kneading the dough and before the first rise is complete, cover and refrigerate the dough for up to 24 hours. When ready to continue, let it sit at room temperature until doubled, before moving to step 3.
- Shape bagels – Divide the dough into 8 equal pieces, pinch the edges together and roll into smooth balls. Rest for 15 minutes, then poke a hole through the center of each one and gently stretch to form a bagel with a 1-inch hole. Place on a greased sheet of parchment paper, cover and proof 30-60 minutes until slightly puffed. For a softer more open crumb, they can proof up to 2 hours.
- Boil water in a large pot and add 1 Tbsp of sugar. Boil 3-4 bagels at a time for 20 seconds on each side.
- Add toppings – return the bagels with a mesh strainer to the baking sheet and sprinkle or roll the bagels in a bowl of toppings, if desired.
- Bake in a preheated 450°F oven for 20 minutes.
How to Tell When Bagel Dough is Proofed?
For the first rise, look for dough that has nearly doubled in size. After shaping, the bagels should look slightly puffed before boiling. I like to take a photo before each rise so it’s easy to compare. Room temperature affects proofing time, so check the dough earlier in a warm kitchen and avoid overproofing.
Toppings for Sourdough Bagels
Try some of our favorite sourdough bagel toppings: Everything Bagel Seasoning, sesame seeds, poppy seeds, Asiago cheese, or cinnamon and brown sugar.
Storing Sourdough Bagels
Store cooled bagels covered at room temperature for up to 4 days. For longer storage, freeze instead of refrigerating, which can make them firm.
- Freezing Bagels: Slice or freeze whole, wrapped in plastic wrap, and freeze in a freezer-safe bag for up to 3 months.
- To Reheat: Toast sliced bagels from frozen. Thaw whole bagels just enough to slice and toast.
I love to serve these as bagel sandwiches with cream cheese (or my Smoked Salmon Spread), lox, avocado, and dill. It’s the perfect lunch combination.
Sourdough Bagels
Ingredients
- 125 g bubbly active sourdough starter, stirred down, about 1/2 cup
- 250 g filtered water*, (1 cup + 1 Tbsp)
- 20 g honey, (1 Tbsp)
- 10 g fine sea salt, (2 tsp)
- 500 g bread flour,* spooned and leveled, (4 cups)
- 1 Tbsp sugar, for boiling water
Instructions
- Feed your sourdough starter about 3-4 hours before making the bagel dough. It should be bubbly and more than double its original size.
- Make bagel dough – in a large mixing bowl, combine active starter, water, honey, and salt. Stir in the flour until a stiff dough forms. Knead the dough by hand for 10-12 minutes or, in a stand mixer with the dough hook on the lowest speed, for 6-8 minutes*, until smooth and elastic. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise at room temperature for 7 to 10 hours*, or until puffy and doubled. Do not overproof.
- Shape bagels – divide the dough into 8 equal pieces, about 115g each. Shape each piece into a ball by pinching the edges toward the center, then roll under a cupped hand until smooth. Let the dough balls rest for 15 minutes to relax the gluten. Poke a hole straight through the center of each, then gently stretch and barrel roll between your fingers to form a ring with about a 1-inch hole. Place the bagel onto lightly greased parchment paper over a baking sheet. Cover with a kitchen towel and proof at room temperature for 30 to 60 minutes* or until slightly puffed. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 450˚F.
- Boil the bagels – Fill a large pot halfway full with water. Bring it to a boil and add 1 Tablespoon of sugar. Add the bagels, 3 or 4 at a time, starting with the top facing down, and boil for 20 seconds per side.
- Add toppings – Remove your bagels with a mesh strainer and set them back on the parchment-lined baking sheet. Sprinkle your desired toppings over the moist bagels, or roll the bagels in a bowl of toppings for a heavier coating.
- Bake the bagels at 450˚F on the center rack for about 20 minutes, or until the crust is golden brown.
Notes
- Measuring Ingredients: For the most consistent results, use a kitchen scale and measure ingredients in grams.
- High humidity baking: In humid conditions, hold back 1 Tbsp (15 g) water and add only if needed. The dough should be firm, smooth, elastic, and barely tacky – not sticky.
- Flour: Bread flour gives the best chewy texture and shape. All-purpose flour also works, but the bagels may have a bumpier surface.
- Kneading: The dough is pretty stiff and can be tough on a stand mixer so keep an eye on the mixer while kneading.
- Proofing: Rise times depend on room temperature. At 65-70˚F, the first rise may take 9-12 hours; at 75-80 ˚F, about 6-8 hours. Go by the dough, not the clock – it should double in size. After shaping, bagels should look slightly puffed before boiling.
- For a softer, more open crumb: Let the shaped bagels proof for up to 2 hours instead of 30-60 min.
- Need to pause the recipe? Cover and refrigerate the dough for up to 24 hours. When ready to continue, let it sit at room temperature until nearly doubled, then shape, proof, boil, and bake as directed.
- To freeze – slice if desired, wrap individually, and freeze in a freezer bag for up to 3 months.
- To reheat – toast pre-sliced bagels from frozen. Thaw whole bagels just enough to slice, then toast.
Start about 16-18 hours before you want the bagels baked.
- Day 1 (3-4 pm) Feed starter (1:1:1 ratio) and let it rise until bubbly and more than doubled, 3-4 hours.
- Day 1 (8-9 pm): Make and knead dough. Proof overnight 8-10 hours or until doubled.
- Day 2 (7-9 am): Shape and proof for 30-60 min, then boil, top and bake.
- Night before (9-11 pm): Feed starter and let rise overnight.
- Day 2 (7-9 am): Make dough and let rise until doubled, about 8 hours.
- Day 2 (4 pm): Shape and proof for 30-60 minutes, then boil, top, and bake.
Nutrition Per Serving
More Sourdough Recipes
Sourdough Cheese Crackers
Sourdough Cinnamon Rolls
Sourdough Discard Pancakes (VIDEO)
Overnight Sourdough Pancakes
Sourdough Croutons
