Description
This homemade sourdough bagels recipe yields soft, chewy, and flavorful bagels with a delightful tang from the sourdough starter. Featuring a natural fermentation process, the bagels are kneaded by hand, boiled in a honey water bath for a perfect crust, and baked to golden perfection. Customize your bagels with a variety of toppings or enjoy them plain with butter for a truly satisfying treat.
Ingredients
Scale
Dough Ingredients
- 150 grams active sourdough starter (3/4 cup)
- 250 grams warm water (1 cup + 1 tablespoon)
- 500 grams bread flour (3 1/2 cups)
- 40 grams sugar (3 tablespoons)
- 12 grams salt (2 teaspoons)
Boil Bath
- 20 grams honey
Instructions
- Make the Dough: In a straight-edged bowl, combine the active sourdough starter, warm water, and sugar. Mix by hand or with a Danish dough whisk until the mixture looks like a milky liquid. Then add the bread flour and salt, mixing until fully incorporated. Knead the stiff dough by hand for 5-6 minutes, using a folding and pushing technique to develop gluten. Cover with plastic and let it rest for 60 minutes.
- Stretch and Fold: After resting, perform a gentle stretch, fold, and push routine with the heel of your hand for about 30 seconds to smooth the dough. Cover again and place in a warm spot to rise.
- Bulk Rise: Allow the dough to double in size, which typically takes 8-12 hours at 69°F. The timing will vary depending on kitchen temperature.
- Shape the Bagels: Turn the risen dough onto a clean workspace without flour. Stretch it into a large rectangle about 1/2 inch thick. Cut into 8 equal triangular pieces, then shape each piece into a smooth ball by pulling corners toward the center and rolling. Poke a hole in the center of each ball with your thumb and stretch to about 2 inches diameter.
- Second Rise: Place shaped bagels on a parchment-lined baking sheet, cover with plastic to prevent drying, and let them rest for 20-60 minutes until puffed. Alternatively, refrigerate covered for up to 24 hours; if refrigerated, allow extra time for the second rise after removing from the fridge.
- Preheat and Prepare Boil Bath: Preheat the oven to 425°F. Bring about 10 cups of water to a boil in a large pot, adding and whisking in 20 grams of honey to the water.
- Boil the Bagels: Carefully drop 2-3 bagels into the boiling honey water. Boil each side for 30 seconds, then remove using a slotted spoon and place on a cooling rack set on a kitchen towel.
- Add Toppings: If desired, dip the tops of boiled bagels into your choice of toppings such as everything bagel seasoning, sesame seeds, or cheese. Place the topped bagels on a parchment-lined baking sheet. For cheese toppings, dip the bottom side as well for a crunchy bite.
- Bake: Bake the bagels for 20-25 minutes at 425°F until golden brown and internal temperature reaches 200-210°F. Remove from oven and cool on a wire rack.
- Serve: Enjoy the bagels warm, ideally sliced with butter for a chewy, buttery experience.
Notes
- Follow the simple baking schedule: 8pm – make dough and rest 1 hour; 9pm – stretch and fold and bulk rise overnight; 7am – shape and second rise; 8am – boil and bake.
- Topping suggestions include everything bagel seasoning, poppy seeds, sesame seeds, garlic flakes, onion flakes, Asiago cheese, and cinnamon crunch.
- Store leftover bagels in a plastic bag at room temperature for 2-3 days or freeze whole or sliced for up to 3 months.
- To reheat, microwave briefly or thaw and toast.
- Alternative uses: bagel chips, egg sandwiches, burger buns, or mini bagel pizzas (‘bagel bites’).
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bagel (approximately 115g)
- Calories: 280
- Sugar: 5g
- Sodium: 380mg
- Fat: 1.5g
- Saturated Fat: 0.3g
- Unsaturated Fat: 1.2g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 58g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 10g
- Cholesterol: 0mg
