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four bagels on a white plate with a wood background

The Best Easy Sourdough Bagels

These easy homemade sourdough bagels are so soft on the inside and deliciously chewy on the outside! A real treat at breakfast time.
Prep Time 12 hours
Cook Time 28 minutes
Additional Time 30 minutes
Total Time 12 hours 58 minutes
Serving Size 8

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup Active Sourdough Starter
  • 3 tablespoons sugar
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
  • 2 tablespoons oil
  • 1 1/4 cups warm water
  • 3 1/2 cups flour
  • For Boiling & Topping Bagels:
  • 2 tablespoons Baking Soda
  • 1 egg

Instructions

  • Mix together starter, oil, sugar and water in the bowl of a stand mixer.
  • Add in flour and mix on low until a smooth dough forms. If adding inclusions, add up to 1/2 cup now. See notes below.
  • Knead in the stand mixer for 3-4 minutes.
  • Lightly oil the top of the dough and cover with plastic wrap.
  • Put the dough in the fridge for 12-18 hours.
  • Pull the dough out of the fridge and let it warm up on the counter for about an hour.
  • Shape dough into 8 equal sized pieces.
  • Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
  • Boil water in a large pot on the stove. Once the water is boiling, add 2 tablespoons of baking soda.
  • Using a slotted spoon, boil bagels for 30 seconds on each side working in batches of 2-3 at a time.
  • Place boiled bagels on a parchment lined baking sheet.
  • If adding toppings, brush each bagel with egg wash and sprinkle on toppings.
  • Bake at 425 for 25-28 minutes. Let the bagels cool COMPLETELY before cutting open. The bagels continue to bake on the inside until completely cooled.
  • Store leftovers in an air tight container or in the freezer for up to 3 months.

Notes

Inclusions such as jalapeños, blueberries, cheese, etc. should be added when making the dough. Add up to 1/2 cup of inclusions.