Sourdough Bagels

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The Ultimate Sourdough Bagel Experience

Crispy on the outside, chewy on the inside, and packed with that signature tang—these sourdough bagels are everything you love about a classic bake, with the added depth of flavour that only sourdough can bring. Whether toasted for breakfast or piled high with your favourite sandwich fillings, they’re the perfect anytime treat.

Let’s bake!

this recipe

Why You’ll Love these Sourdough Bagels

• No commercial yeast: these bagels rise entirely with sourdough starter.
• Unmatched flavour: that sourdough tang adds a rich, deep flavor you won’t get with store-bought bagels.
• Chewy, golden crust: thanks to a quick boiling step and optional toppings like homemade everything bagel seasoning.
• Freezer-friendly :make a batch and enjoy fresh bagels any day of the week.
• A great starter-friendly bake: if you’ve got a healthy starter, this recipe is surprisingly hands-off.

My Go-To Favourites

Parchment Paper

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Dough Scraper

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Cooling Rack

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Schedule for Making Sourdough Bagels

Here’s how I break up the process to make it manageable:

Day	Timeline	Steps
Day 1 (Afternoon)	3:00 pm	Feed sourdough starter
	9:00 pm	Sourdough starter is doubled in volume and active.
	9:30 pm	Mix the dough and cover it with a lid. Bulk ferment overnight at room temperature for 8 – 12 hours.
Day 2 (Morning)	9:30 am	Dough has risen. Shape dough into balls.
	10:00am	Shape into bagels and let rise at room temp for 2 hours.
	12:00 am	Preheat the oven to 200°C (425°F) and get the station ready.
	12:30 am	Boil and bake.

If you follow the timeline I use, you’ll have freshly baked bagels just in time for lunch—it’s all about planning ahead, not working harder!

Watch the Video Tutorial

Ingredients in this Sourdough Bagel Recipe

At a glance: Here is a quick snapshot of what ingredients are in this recipe. Please see the recipe card below for specific quantities.

• active sourdough starter (fed and bubbly)
• water
• caster sugar
• organic white bread flour
• sea salt

How to Make Sourdough Bagels

Here are some key tips for making the perfect sourdough bagels ! Be sure to scroll down to the printable recipe card for the ingredient amounts and watch my step-by-step video tutorial for a complete guide to learn how to make these sourdough bagels.

1. Have 100 g of sourdough starter carryover in the jar.
2. Add 100 g of organic white bread flour and 50 g of organic rye flour.
3. Add 150 g of water and mix thoroughly.
4. Cover the jar with a lid and let it sit on the countertop until it is bubbly and active. You can also place a rubber band to see how much it grows over the next few hours. For your reference, mine normally takes around 4 – 6 hours to double in size.

5. Combine 120 g active sourdough starter, 260 g water. Give it a good stir.
6. Add 35 g sugar and mix again.
7. Add 500 g of flour and 10 g salt.
8. Mix by hand until a rough dough forms using a dough scraper.

9. Knead at low speed for 10 mins until mixture is smooth and elastic.
10. When it is done, there should be nothing sticking onto the sides of the bowl.  
11. Cover the bowl with a lid, cling film or a tea towel.
12. Start bulk fermentation for 8 – 12 hours at room temperature. I normally leave it rest on countertop overnight so I can bake in the morning.

13. After the resting period, the dough should doubled in size and puffy.
14. Lightly sprinkle the visible surface with flour.  
15. Turn the bowl upside down and allow the dough to fall under its own weight onto the countertop.
16. Use the dough scraper to to help release the dough from the bowl.

17. Lightly dust your hands with flour, but don’t flour the top of the dough.
18. With a very light hand, gently stretch the dough just to widen it a bit, without tearing it.
19. Fold the edges of the dough into the centre to form a ball.
20. With the final fold, gently flip the dough over so the smooth side is facing up.

21. Gently pull the dough toward you while tucking the edges underneath.
22. This helps build surface tension and forms a smooth, tight ball.
23. Weigh the dough (total weight: 928 g) and divide it into 8 pieces.
24. Each piece is 116 g.

25. Shape each piece into a ball. First, find the smooth side, then tuck the edges underneath. Pinch the ends together.
26. Place the dough on your work surface, use your palm as a guide to pull it toward you to create a smooth ball.
27. Place each dough ball on the parchment paper.
28. Start shaping the dough ball into bagel shape. Use your thumbs to gently poke through the centre of the dough.

29. Rotate and stretch the hole slightly to form a ring.
30. The hole should be at least 2 inches wide.
31. All the shaped bagels are done.
32. Cover the shaped bagels with a tea towel and let them rest at room temperature for about 2 hours, or until they look noticeably puffy and feel slightly airy when gently pressed.

33. Toward the end of the 2-hour rise, preheat your oven to 200°C and bring a large pot of water—about 10 cups—to a boil.
34. Get your station ready: set up some kitchen paper on the work surface.
35. Place a cooling rack on top to catch the boiled bagels.
36. Use this spider strainer to lift the bagels out of the water.

37. Line a baking tray with parchment paper.
38. Ready your favourite toppings.
39. After 2 hours, bagels have puffed up beautifully.
40. To make transferring easier, cut the parchment paper around each bagel.

41. Before boiling the bagels, add sugar to the boiling water.
42. Add baking soda as well.
43. Boil 2 – 3 at a time, flip each one upside down into the boiling water—this ensures the smooth side ends up on top when baked—and boil for 30 to 45 seconds per side.
44. Once the parchment paper is wet, it is easy to peel off from the shaped bagels if it stick.

45. When each bagel is done boiling, let it drain briefly on a rack.
46. Place them on a baking tray and add your toppings. Don’t leave the boiled bagels sitting out for too long—it’s best to add your toppings while the surface is still wet or tacky.
47. You can dip the bagel into a plate of toppings.
48. I prefer sprinkling toppings on top. This is totally personal preference, either way works great!

49. Bake the bagels in a preheated oven at 200°C (392°F) for 20 to 25 minutes. For reference, mine took 22 minutes.
50. Freshly baked bagels, the smell is incredible!
51. Once they’re out of the oven, transfer the bagels onto a wire rack to cool.
52. It’s still warm and slice it in half, a little bit of butter—that’s all it needs. Delicious!

Don’t Have a Sourdough Starter? Try the Yeasted Version!

If you haven’t started your sourdough journey yet—no worries! You can still enjoy homemade bagels by using instant yeast instead of sourdough starter.

To substitute, use:

🔄 1 to 1¼ teaspoons (4–5 grams) of instant yeast in place of the sourdough starter.

Adjusted Yeasted Dough Timeline:

• Mix and knead the dough as usual.
• First rise: Let the dough rise at room temperature for 1 to 1½ hours, or until doubled in size.
• Divide and shape into balls, rest for 10–15 minutes.
• Shape into bagels, then proof for another 30–45 minutes, or until slightly puffy.
• Boil and bake just like the sourdough version.

This is a great way to make fresh bagels quickly while you’re building up your sourdough starter—or if you just want a faster bake!

Topping Choices

Seeded Toppings:

• Black Sesame Seeds
• White Sesame Seeds
• Sunflower Seeds
• Pumpkin Seeds
• Poppy Seeds
• Everything Bagel Seasoning* (recipe below)

Savoury Toppings:

• Cream cheese – plain, whipped, or flavored (chive, garlic herb, smoked salmon)
• Avocado – mashed with lemon, salt, chili flakes
• Smoked salmon – with cream cheese, capers, red onion, and dill
• Eggs – scrambled, fried, or poached with cheese or greens
• Cheese – cheddar, mozzarella, or goat cheese (melted or fresh)
• Nut butter – almond or peanut butter + a sprinkle of sea salt
• Hummus – plain or flavored, topped with cucumber or roasted veggies
• Tuna or chicken salad
• Pesto + tomato + mozzarella – for a caprese-inspired bite

Sweet Toppings:

• Butter + jam – strawberry, raspberry, or apricot
• Honey or maple syrup + cream cheese
• Nutella + sliced banana
• Cinnamon sugar + butter
• Greek yogurt + berries + a drizzle of honey
• Ricotta + fresh figs or berries

Bagel Sandwich Ideas:

• Breakfast bagel – egg, cheese, bacon or sausage
• Turkey club – turkey, lettuce, tomato, cheese, mayo
• Veggie bagel – hummus, spinach, cucumber, bell peppers, sprouts
• BLT – bacon, lettuce, tomato, and avocado

How to Make Homemade Everything Bagel Seasoning

• 4 tsp white sesame seeds
• 2 tsp black sesame seeds
• 2 tsp poppy seeds
• 3 tsp dried minced garlic (I love garlic!!!)
• 3 tsp dried minced onion (I love onion too!!!)
• 1 tsp sea salt flake

Mix everything together and store it in an airtight container or spice jar for easy sprinkling.

This recipe makes around 1/4 cup. You can adjust the amount of any of these ingredients to your liking. But seriously, it’s so delicious. I sprinkle this seasoning on everything!

Tips for Making the Best Sourdough Bagels at Home

• Use a strong starter: Make sure your sourdough starter is well-fed and bubbly for the best rise.
• Don’t skip the boiling: This gives bagels their signature chewy texture and golden crust.
• Flip them upside down into the water: This ensures the smooth, pretty side ends up on top.
• Cut the parchment paper: It makes transferring bagels to the water much easier.
• Use a spider strainer: A flat strainer with a handle makes boiling and draining effortless.
• Shape all the bagels before proofing: This keeps the proofing time consistent and the centre holes even.

How to Serve Sourdough Bagels

Here are a few delicious ways to enjoy your sourdough bagels:

• Toasted with a slather of butter
• With cream cheese and smoked salmon
• Smashed avocado + soft-boiled egg
• Ham, cheese, and mustard for a hearty sandwich
• Nut butter and banana for something sweet

How to Store Sourdough Bagels

• Room temperature: Store bagels in an airtight container / ziplock bag once fully cooled. Slice and toast or grill, they will keep for several days.
• Freezer: Slice them first (if you like) and freeze in a zip-top bag for up to 3 months. Toast from frozen or thaw and warm up in the oven.
• Avoid the fridge: It dries out the texture.

Frequently Asked Questions

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Let me know if you give this recipe a go – I absolutely love seeing your creations! Tag me on Instagram @bakabeecom and be sure to leave me a comment / ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating below so I can cheer you on!

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Final Thoughts

Sourdough bagels might take a little time, but they’re absolutely worth the wait. With their crisp, golden crust and that perfectly chewy, flavourful interior, these homemade bagels are everything you could want — whether you enjoy them plain, toasted, or loaded with your favourite fillings.

Once you get the hang of the process, it becomes second nature — and there’s something incredibly satisfying about pulling a tray of fresh bagels from the oven that you made from scratch.

I hope this post helps you feel confident and excited to give them a try. Don’t forget to check the full timeline in the post to make scheduling easier, especially if you want freshly baked bagels ready by lunchtime!

Thanks for joining me in the kitchen today. Happy baking — and enjoy every bite! 🥯💛

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