This post contains affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.
Craving the chewy, golden perfection of a classic bagel—without the stress? This sourdough bagel recipe is the perfect place to start. Made with simple ingredients, this recipe is ideal for new bakers who want bakery-style results without complicated steps. Let the dough rest overnight, shape it in the morning, and enjoy fresh, tangy sourdough bagels with minimal effort.
New to sourdough? Check out our How to Make Sourdough Starter Guide.
Table of Contents
When I was 39 weeks pregnant with my daughter, I didn’t have the bassinet set up or my hospital bag packed. I wasn’t exactly sure how I would get in touch with my husband if I went into labor during the day or what the midwife’s phone number was.
What I did have was 927 homemade sourdough bagels.
Were sourdough bagels going to help me, in any capacity, give birth to my first child? Absolutely not.
But as my due date drew closer, I had more and more nervous energy.
So I baked. And I baked. And I baked some more.
Every day, I baked a fresh batch of sourdough bagels to put in the freezer.
When my brother, bless his heart, asked me if I’d packed my hospital bag yet, I said no and texted him a picture of all my beautiful bagels.
He was not impressed.
But I was impressed. Because over the course of baking all those bagels, trying different sourdough recipes, and waddling around on swollen feet, I found the best recipe for easy overnight sourdough bagels that are so soft, tangy, and chewy.
Y’all, I’m not a bagel snob. I’ve never been to New York or Italy. But sometimes bagels are so chewy that they get stuck in my teeth, and that’s not ok.
So, my mission (apart from surviving the last few days of pregnancy) was to find a super-soft bagel recipe that was the appropriate amount of chewy on the outside and soft enough in the center not to get stuck in my teeth.
I succeeded.
And I’m here to share it with you.
Are Sourdough Bagels Healthier Than Regular Bagels?
Because these bagels are fermented with sourdough starter, the gluten is broken down, making it easier to digest and enhancing the availability of nutrients found in flour. Fermenting grains also reduces anti-nutrients like phytic acid, which can block the absorption of minerals like iron, zinc, and calcium.
So, by making gluten easier to digest and the vitamins and minerals naturally found in flour more bioavailable, sourdough bagels are a healthier alternative to commercial yeast bagels!
Ingredients for Sourdough Bagel Recipe
- Flour (I prefer using organic flour, but use what’s available to you.)
- Sourdough starter, active and bubbly
- Water
- Honey
- Salt
- Avocado or olive oil
What Makes These Bagels Soft
Adding a few tablespoons of oil makes these bagels beautifully soft. But don’t worry, they still have the classic chewy outside you’d expect from bagels!
Tools you may need
You don’t need anything fancy to make this sourdough bagel recipe, but a few essential tools are:
- Baking sheet
- Parchment paper
- Large pot
- Oven
Optional equipment:
- Stand mixer and dough hook– this isn’t a necessity, but it makes kneading sourdough a breeze.
Does My Sourdough Starter Need to Be Active to Make Bagels?
Yes, for this sourdough bagel recipe, your starter needs to be active and bubbly for the bagels to rise properly. Not sure if your starter is active? Try the float test!
Float test for sourdough starter:
Drop a spoonful of sourdough starter into a glass of warm water. If the starter floats, you’re ready to bake! If not, it needs more time to ferment and/or to be fed.
Sample Timeline for Sourdough Bagel Recipe
If you’re new to sourdough baking, trying to time everything correctly can feel daunting. Here’s a sample timeline for overnight sourdough bagels to take the guesswork out of planning.
The day before baking:
9 am: Feed sourdough starter in a 1:1 ratio for 100% hydration.
8 pm: Mix the bagel dough in a stand mixer or by hand, place it in a well-greased bowl, and cover with a damp cloth.
The day of baking:
7 am: Punch down dough, shape bagels, and set aside for a second rise.
7:50 am: Preheat oven to 400°F and set a large pot of water to boil.
8 am: Boil and bake bagels.
How to make This Sourdough bagel Recipe (Step-by-Step Instructions)
Mix the dough:
In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine flour, sourdough starter, water, oil, salt, and honey. Knead the dough on low for about five minutes until the dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl.
Long ferment:
After the dough is mixed, transfer it to a large, well-greased bowl and cover with a damp dish towel. Allow the dough to ferment for 8-12 hours or overnight.
3. Punch down and shape:
In the morning, when the dough has doubled in size, punch down the dough. Then, divide into eight equal pieces and make a hole in the center with your finger.
4. Second rise:
Set the dough aside to rise for an hour, or until it has doubled in size.
5. Boil the sourdough bagels:
Preheat oven to 400°F and bring a pot of water to a boil. Boil each bagel for thirty seconds, flipping halfway through.
Bake bagels:
Bake bagels for 22-25 minutes until golden brown on top.
Best Bagel Topping Ideas
You can’t go wrong with a plain bagel, but if you want to jazz it up, add one of these toppings after boiling and before baking:
- Cheddar cheese
- Fresh or pickled jalapenos
- Everything seasoning
- Dried minced onion
- Poppy seeds
- Sesame seeds
Bagel Filling Ideas
One of my favorite ways to enjoy this sourdough bagel recipe is either stuffed with entirely too much cream cheese or as a sandwich. A few ideas are:
- Cream cheese. You can’t go wrong with a cream cheese bagel. I like the Tillamook brand because it doesn’t have any gums or preservatives, but use whatever your family likes.
- Butter. Beautiful golden butter from grass-fed cows on a sourdough bagel is an entire mood for my toddler.
- Honey butter. Speaking of butter, try whipping it with honey for a sweet twist!
- Lox bagel. It’s impossible not to feel fancy eating a lox bagel. All you need is cream cheese, smoked salmon, cucumber, and a fried egg!
- Club bagel sandwich: For a classic club sandwich, pile your favorite deli meat, cheese, avocado oil mayonnaise, lettuce, and tomato on top of your bagel.
- BLT bagel. Piles of bacon, lettuce, and juicy tomato on top of sourdough are what dreams are made of.
- Bacon, egg, and cheese bagel. Homemade bagels are the perfect base for quick breakfast sandwiches!
- Hummus and roasted veggies. Add a smooth layer of your favorite hummus and top with roasted red peppers, mushrooms, onions, and a slice of cheese.
- Avocado and sea salt. To turn your bagel into avocado toast, spread a layer of creamy avocado and top it with sea salt, seasoning, or hot sauce!
- Pimento cheese. But not just pimento cheese. Pimento cheese with bacon.
- Chicken salad. Perfect for bridal showers and picnics, try adding chicken salad and butter lettuce.
How to Store Sourdough Bagels
For best results, place cooled bagels in a paper bag (to absorb moisture) and then in a plastic bag or airtight container. Store at room temperature for up to three days.
Do not store sourdough bagels in the refrigerator. This will dry them out quickly.
Can You Freeze this Sourdough Bagel Recipe?
For anyone who is invested in my pregnancy bagel-baking marathon, you’ll be relieved to know that I didn’t eat all those bagels. I froze them!
To freeze homemade bagels, allow the bagels to cool entirely and slice horizontally (optional but convenient). Place sliced bagels on a parchment-lined baking sheet and transfer to the freezer. When bagels are frozen, place them in a labeled plastic bag and return them to the freezer.
Bagels can be stored in the freezer for three months
To thaw:
- If you want a bagel for breakfast, remove one from the freezer, place it in an airtight container, and it will be thawed by morning.
- Toast bagel halves in a toaster.
- Warm in a 350°F oven for 6-10 minutes.
Sourdough Bagels
Equipment
- 1 Sheet pan
- 1 Large bowl (for bulk ferment)
- 1 Dish towel
- 1 Stand mixer (optional)
- Parchment paper
- 1 Large pot
Ingredients
- 500 grams (4 cups) All-purpose flour
- 130 grams (A little more than half a cup) Sourdough starter, active and bubbly
- 250 grams (1 cup) Water
- 32 grams (about 2 Tbs) Honey
- 6 grams (1 tsp) salt
- 23 grams (3 Tbs) Olive or avocado oil
- Oil or butter (for greasing the bowl)
Instructions
For a stand mixer
- Combine flour, starter, water, honey, and salt in the bowl of a stand mixer.
- Using a dough hook, mix the ingredients on low for five minutes until the dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl (see note).
- Transport the dough to a large, well-greased bowl and cover with a wet dish towel or wet paper towel.
- Allow the dough to bulk ferment for 8-12 hours, or until it has doubled in size.
- When the bulk ferment is complete, punch down the dough and turn it out onto a floured work surface.
- Portion the dough into eight equal balls.
- Cover a large sheet pan or cookie sheet with parchment paper.
- Roll each dough ball between your hands. Gently flatten the ball and make a hole in the center using your finger.
- Place each bagel on the parchment-covered baking sheet. Cover the baking sheet with a damp towel or paper towel and let rise for one hour or until the dough has doubled in size.
- When the dough has doubled in size, bring a large pot of water to a boil and preheat the oven to 400°F.
- Place each bagel in the boiling water for about a minute, flipping halfway through (see note).
- Place the boiled bagels in the oven and cook for 23-25 minutes, until the tops are golden brown.
If mixing by hand
- In a large bowl, combine the honey, oil, and sourdough starter with water. Stir until the starter is mostly broken up and the mixture looks milky.
- Add the flour and salt to your starter mixture.
- Mix with your hands, wooden spoon, or dough whisk until a shaggy dough forms.
- Turn the dough out onto a well-floured surface.
- Continue to knead the dough, leading with the heel of your hand, for about ten minutes. The dough will be smooth and firm with just a little elasticity (see note).
- Transport the dough to a large, well-greased bowl and cover with a wet dish towel or wet paper towel.
- Allow the dough to bulk ferment for 8-12 hours, or until it has doubled in size.
- When the bulk ferment is complete, punch down the dough and turn it out onto a floured work surface.
- Portion the dough into eight equal balls.
- Roll each dough ball between your hands. Gently flatten the ball and make a hole in the center using your finger.
- Place each bagel on the parchment-covered baking sheet. Cover the baking sheet with a damp towel or paper towel and let rise for one hour or until the dough has doubled in size.
- When the dough has doubled in size, bring a large pot of water to a boil and preheat the oven to 400°F.
- Place each bagel in the boiling water for about a minute, flipping halfway through (see note).
- Place the boiled bagels in the oven and cook for 23-25 minutes, until the tops are golden brown.
Notes
- If your dough is too dry/shaggy, add water one tablespoon at a time until it comes together. If it’s too wet to work with/not pulling away from the bowl, add flour one tablespoon at a time until it comes together.
- I can usually boil four bagels at a time. Do not overcrowd the pot, or your bagels will swell and stick together.
If your Sourdough Bagels didn’t turn Out Quite right, check out:
You’re going to love this sourdough bagel recipe!
Making sourdough bagels at home might sound intimidating at first, but this overnight method proves it’s totally doable, even for beginners. With a little planning and some patience, you’ll be rewarded with soft, chewy, perfectly tangy bagels that taste better than store-bought. Plus, they freeze beautifully and make your kitchen smell amazing.
[…] you love our Sourdough Bagel Recipe but don’t always have an active starter on hand, these sourdough discard bagels are for you! […]
[…] Easy Sourdough Bagel Recipe […]
[…] Sourdough Bagels […]
[…] Sourdough bagels […]