My easy sourdough bagel recipe uses active sourdough starter (no yeast) to make soft, chewy, NY-style bagels at home with just 10 minutes of prep and an overnight option to fit your schedule. Customize with everything bagel spice, cinnamon raisin and more. Adapted from my bestselling book: Artisan Sourdough Made Simple.
Reader review
“I have made these twice this week. OH MY GOODNESS… they are perfect! They are literally so close to Brueggers!!! I’ve played with plain, sesame, Everything and cinnamon raisin. ALL were amazing! I want to make them into rolls or bialys as well. Thank you for your work on this. Just wonderful!”
—Rosemarie
Sourdough bagels are nothing like yeasted bagels. They’re more flavorful, less dense, and intensely chewy. You can eat two without time taking nap! The crust is thin and crisp, and the inside is soft (not doughy). I like mine warm, slathered in salted butter.
This recipe is from my bestselling book Artisan Sourdough Made Simple and like all of my sourdough bread recipes: it’s practical and straightforward. You’ll find clear step-by-step instructions for mixing, shaping, boiling and baking, plus a sample baking schedule to make it work for you.
Homemade sourdough bagels sound hard, but they’re doable and a fun next step after making sourdough bread. Just read the comment section! You’ll get the best tips from real life bakers who’ve made this recipe hundreds of times.
How To Make Homemade Sourdough Bagels {Step-By-Step Recipe}
Step 1: Mix The Dough
To start: Whisk the water, sourdough starter and sugar together in a large bowl (the sugar is for balanced flavor – the bagels are not sweet). Then add the bread flour and salt, and mix to form a rough dough. It will feel very stiff since it’s a low hydration dough. This is normal. Cover and rest to relax the gluten for 1 hour.
Step 2: Bulk Rise
Cover the dough or transfer to a high sided dough tub. Let rise overnight at room temperature until airy, puffy, and double in size.
How long should bagel dough rise? At 68 F, plan on 10-12 hrs; at 70 F, about 8-10 hrs. The dough will look lighter, domed, and spring back slowly when pressed lightly with your fingertip. Pay close attention to your specific room temperature. Treat it like an ingredient, and you’ll nail the rise time every time.
Step 3: How To Shape Sourdough Bagels
First, divide the dough into 8 equal pieces, about 115 g each.
Then roll into balls, and rest for 10-15 minutes on a parchment-lined sheet pan coated with cooking spray. If you forget to spray your pan, your bagels will stick.
To shape the bagels, poke a hole into the center, then gently stretch and spin to form a ring. Don’t be afraid to make the hole larger than you think (it will shrink back during proofing and baking).
Step 4: Second Rise
The bagel dough needs to rise again, but only briefly. So you’ll cover and rest until puffy, about 20-30+ minutes (I use this sheet pan set w/lid. No more fussing with plastic wrap and kitchen towels!).
Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add a spoonful of honey or barley malt syrup, which adds golden color and flavor to the crust. Preheat your oven. Prep your topping station with all of your favorites: sesame seeds, Everything bagel spice, poppy seeds, sharp cheddar cheese. Get creative!
Step 5: Boil The Bagels
Gently lower 2-3 bagels into the pot of boiling water. The idea of boiling dough used to make me so nervous, but it’s not that bad. If you can boil pasta or ravioli, you can boil bagels. Once they float, simmer for 30 seconds on each side for a thin crust (my preference), or up to 1 minute per side for a thicker, chewier crust.
Remove and place onto the sheet pan. They will look lumpy and slightly wet. All normal.
Why boil bagels before baking? It sets the crust early, so the dough doesn’t rise too high like bread. You can’t skip this step. It gives the crust its glossy sheen, chewy texture, and helps the toppings stick too.
Step 6: Add Toppings
While the bagels are still warm from boiling and slightly wet, dip the rounded side into your toppings. Leave a few plain (the crust is amazing). If you wait too long and your bagels dry out, the toppings won’t stick.
Step 7: Bake The Bagels
Bake your sourdough bagels for 20-25 minutes at 425 F. They should be light, slightly firm to the touch, and deep golden brown when ready. Do yourself a favor and enjoy one straight from the oven!
To serve, top with salted butter, veggie cream cheese, smoked salmon etc. Or just eat plain.
Sourdough Bagle Recipe: Sample Baking Schedule
First: You need a game plan. Sourdough bagels follow several steps, which can be broken down into manageable chunks. I recommend splitting the process over 2 days to utilize the overnight option.
Second: Feed (and activate) your sourdough starter prior to making the bagel dough. This can take anywhere from 2-12 hrs. Plan ahead! If you need assistance, read my companion articles, Feeding Sourdough Starer: My Best Tips & Tricks and Troubleshooting Sourdough Starter.
- Saturday night (8:00 PM)
- Mix the dough
- Let rise overnight at 68F
- Note: Hot weather? The dough will rise faster. Skip the overnight rise: do it during the day instead, then chill the bowl overnight once almost doubled. Cold dough is easier to shape.
- Sunday Morning (8:00 AM)
- Shape
- Boil bagels
- Add toppings
- Bake & enjoy warm
What To Make Next:
Once you’ve mastered my sourdough bagel recipe, try my no-knead pumpkin spice sourdough bagels for a seasonal twist, or these super soft sourdough english muffins for breakfast. My easy to slice sourdough sandwich bread is very popular too.
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Best Sourdough Bagels (Soft, Chewy, Easy!)
- Prep Time: 15 hours
- Cook Time: 20-25 minutes
- Total Time: 0 hours
- Yield: 8 bagels 1x
- Category: Sourdough Bread
- Method: Oven-Baked
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegetarian
Description
My easy sourdough bagel recipe uses active sourdough starter (no yeast) to make soft, chewy, NY-style bagels at home with just 10 minutes of prep and an overnight option to fit your schedule. Customize with everything bagel spice, cinnamon raisin and more. Adapted from my bestselling book: Artisan Sourdough Made Simple.
Ingredients
For the Dough
- 150 g (3⁄4 cup) bubbly, active sourdough starter
- 250 g (1 cup plus 2 tsp) warm water (See Notes below for temperature range)
- 24 g (2 tbsp) granulated sugar
- 500 g (4 cups plus 2 tbsp) King Arthur bread flour
- 9 g (1 1⁄2 tsp) fine sea salt
- Cooking spray or oil, (for coating the plastic wrap)
For the water bath
- 20 g (1 tbsp) honey
Toppings
- Mixed seeds, such as poppy, sesame, fennel, flax and sun flower seeds or Everything Bagel Spice.
Notes, Tips & Variations
- Bread flour is best. It’s high protein content creates that classic chewy bite. In a pinch, I’ve had success with King Arthur all purpose flour instead (11.7%).
- Use a kitchen scale to weigh your bagels. They’ll be uniform in size.
- Toppings won’t stick? Try an egg wash for super sticking power.
- Water temperature: In winter, I use 85-95 F water (29-35 C) to give the rise a boost. In summer, I use cooler water, about 55- 60 F (13-16 C) to slow down and control the rise.
- Cinnamon raisin variation: add 6 g (2 tsp) of ground cinnamon to the dry ingredients (or try 50/50 ground cinnamon and pumpkin spice). Then make the dough. While the dough is resting in Step #2, soak 80 g (1/2 cup) raisins in warm water to soften. Drain in a fine mesh strainer and pat dry using a paper towel before adding them to the dough.
Instructions
- Make the Dough: In a large bowl, whisk the starter, water, and sugar together with a fork. Add the flour and salt. Combine to form a rough dough, then finish mixing by hand until no lumps of our remain. The dough will be very stiff and dry. Note: it’s important to use a large mixing bowl- this dough is strong and rises quite high. As a mixing alternative, use a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook; run on low speed for 5 to 6 minutes to combine and knead.
- Cover the dough with a very damp towel and let rest for 45 minutes to 1 hour. After the dough has rested, work the mass into a semi-smooth ball, about 15 to 20 seconds.
- Bulk Rise: Cover the bowl with plastic wrap that has been lightly coated in oil to prevent sticking. Let rise until double in size, about 10-12 hrs when the temperature is 68 F (20 C); 8 to 10 hours @ 70°F (21°C). Note: in the summer, rise the dough during the day. Once the dough is almost double in size, cover and chill the whole bowl overnight (it will continue to rise slightly in the fridge). Proceed using the cold dough the following day.
- Shape: Line a sheet pan with a nonstick silicone mat or parchment paper. If using parchment, lightly coat with cooking spray or oil to prevent sticking.
- Remove the dough onto a non- floured work surface. Flatten the dough into a rectangle and divide into 8 equal pieces, about 115 g (4 oz) each. Gather the ends, flip the dough over, and roll each piece into a ball. Let the dough rest on your lined sheet pan for 10 to 15 minutes to relax the gluten.
- Working with one ball of dough at a time, poke a hole straight through the center. Move your finger around in a circular motion to gently stretch the dough until the hole is about the size of a walnut. You can also lift up the dough, insert both index fingers through the center hole, and barrel roll to gently stretch the opening. When finished, place the dough back onto the sheet pan. It’s okay if the hole shrinks slightly. Repeat shaping the remaining dough.
- Second Rise: Cover the dough with a damp towel and let rest at room temperature for 15 to 20 minutes. The dough will puff up only slightly at this stage.
- Meanwhile, bring a medium pot of water to a boil. Add the honey and whisk well to dissolve. Preheat your oven to 425°F (220°C). Add the seeds to a rimmed tray or shallow bowl.
- Boil the bagels: Add 2 to 3 bagels into the pot and simmer for 30 seconds on each side for a thin crust. Note: if using cold dough from the fridge, the bagels might not float to the surface right away. Give them a nudge after 30 seconds or so and be patient. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the bagels back to the sheet pan you used earlier, placing them rounded side up.
- Once slightly cool but still wet, dip the rounded side of the bagels into the seeds to coat. Place back onto the sheet pan and finish boiling the rest of the bagels.
- Bake: Place your sheet pan on the center rack. Bake the bagels for about 20 to 25 minutes. Flip them over to briefly cook the bottom side, about 1 to 2 minutes or less. When ready, your bagels will be puffed up, light golden brown, and feel light to the touch. Transfer to a wire rack to cool, but indulge yourself and eat one (or two) warm.
The chewy texture of bagels is best enjoyed when made fresh. Store in a plastic bag at room temperature for up to 2 days. Bagels also freeze well; freeze them whole or sliced, covered in plastic wrap and a layer of foil, for up to 3 months.
Comments
Geritji says
Thanks alot for the recipe .Very helpful indeed 👌 👍 😌
Samantha says
Hello! Thank you so much for sharing this recipe! I am having issues with my bagels coming out gummy in the middle around the hole. Do you know why that could be?
Emily says
I had the same issue! Not sure where I went wrong… Otherwise they turned out great.
antonella says
I am not understading one thing, am i supposed to let it rise for 12 hours at room temp and then another 12 in the fridge?
Nancy says
I’m wondering the same thing
Susan says
I just let it rise on counter overnight, soaked out perfect.
rhea says
I let mine rise on the counter for two hours then into the fridge for 15-18 hours. I shape them cold, then boil when puffy and soft. they come out great.
Leona says
My family loves these bagels! I make traditional bagels every week and they freeze amazingly well. No adjustments needed and we live at 10,500 ft.
Lately I’ve also been using this recipe to make “stuffed” bagels for hubby to take as an easy breakfast. Last week the stuffing consisted of chorizo sausage, shredded veggies from the garden and a little cream cheese. I made 12 stuffed bagels and he ate them all in under a week! I’m working on a new batch today, using bacon and cheddar cheese.
Such a great recipe. We will never go back to store bought!
Nicole S says
I’m making these now, they are in their final rise stage! So excited for them! My son loves blueberry bagels, and I would love to find a way to incorporate them in this recipe, any ideas, tips or suggestions would be greatly appreciated!
Diana says
These are by far not only the best bagels I’ve made, but also the best I’ve eaten. They’re that good!
Sophie coker says
Very good
Jeninne says
Perfect bagels every time! And so easy! We make these into chocolate, everything, and jalapeño cheddar. Double batch and always gone in a day or two. Honestly, such a great recipe!!
Melanie says
This recipe is extremely forgiving! I forgot about the dough on the counter for 16 hours. Got up in the morning, shaped the bagels. Waited for the water to boil and then boiled and baked right away. They were still great! Can’t wait to try them after following the recipe correctly. lol!
Laura says
When do you add the raisins after soaking? I see the same question below that hasn’t been answered at least not in these comments.
Grace says
I added in the raisins when I shaped the dough into bagels, but my guess is that they could be added after the first hour of rest. But it still turned out good for me!
Susie says
Hello,
If I’m making the cinnamon raisin, when do I add the soaked raisins?
Pete Notman says
Best recipe ever (only one I have used). My sourdough bagels are not quite as pretty as yours, but they taste good and freeze well … my new go too with left over starter. Thanks for sharing
Michele says
Fantastic recipe!!
If I were to double it, can it be made in a spiral mixer?
Hien says
This recipe is amazing! Thank you so much for sharing it. I’ve made bagels countless times and have failed with a beautiful rise and chew and this restored my faith in my ability to bake bagels :) I can’t go back to buying them anymore!
Would it be easy to make a blueberry variation? I’m conscious that using cooked frozen berries would mean a higher content of liquid which would mean reducing the amount of water to cover that? Would that be the case?
Thank you again!
Jess says
I made these today after playing safe with loaves for a couple of months. Really nice recipe, although I don’t have a stand mixer so had to go by hand for 10 or 12 mins. Also used baking soda in the boiling water rather than honey for the pretzel style crust. Only problem I found was not being sure how to shape once the dough was a rectangle. I did long strips then kind of rolled them up? Might not have been right but the look fab!
Cindy C says
This is my favorite bagel recipe, I currently have a batch in the oven. From the rectangle stage, I roll them into a ball, rise, then poke my finger in the middle and spin them around my finger to get the bagel shape.
Samara says
Okay so I made these twice. First time, my starter sucked and it was cold in my house. No rise on the dough – trashed. Second time, starter was beautiful, house was warm… dough still didn’t rise. Kept faith and still shaped boiled baked them. Pretty good despite their shortcomings.
Amy says
These are so easy and oh my goodness – addictive delicious. I made my first batch and immediately followed with a double batch 2 days later. Less than a week on and I’m at it again. I love that they use a nice lot of active starter too which is great when it starts to build up. I think I’ll be making these more often than a traditional loaf. Who knew bagels could be so good.
Thanks Emilie – another great recipe. Pancakes are also a total winner.. my waist line may not thank you in a few weeks – this sourdough malarkey is becoming obsessive :-)
Jennifer Pieper says
Any idea what the calorie count is for a plain bagel?
Sourdough Novice says
I’m excited to try these but am wondering if I could sub in whole wheat flour? I love wheat bagels but I know it’s not a 1:1 sub ratio. And am wondering if it would require any other changes to keep the good texture?
Debbie S. says
I just made today using a little over half whole wheat (I used part golden wheat and part regular whole wheat) and we all loved them.
Cara says
Can I use Maple Syrup for the boil instead of honey? I do not tolerate honey. Thank you!
Emilie Raffa says
Hi there! I haven’t tried it, but I don’t see why not. Let us know how it goes!
Tammy Neitch says
I used maple syrup instead of honey, and it worked perfectly. This is my favorite bagel/sourdough recipe. It was so much easier than I imagined and they taste so good!
Laurie says
I was short on white flour and added some white whole wheat. The bagels came out great, with the added bonus of whole wheat flour being better for us than white. It was a ratio of about 3:1 white flour/whole wheat flour. It was just plain supermarket brand white whole wheat. I also use it to feed my starter, as it’s about half the price of quality white flour. The starter loves it.
Deb hodgson says
Why does this cough not need stretch and folds prior to bulk ferment ?
Kristen says
Hi! Would it be possible after it’s bulk fermented on the counter, to shape and then put in the fridge over night, then pull them out an hour before boiling and baking?
Julie Barash says
How long after the bulk rise when you out in the fridge can it stay in there before baking?
Ashley says
I am curious about rising time for the first bulk. My house is a little more chilly than most, we keep it around 66-69. It took my dough almost 24 hours to double in size. Is it more important for the dough to rise in 10-12 hours or more important for the rise to be double? So far, this has been the most successful bagel recipe ive tried.
Gayle says
I really like thus bagel recipe. They are great tasting. Another recipe i use, they stick to the pan, any ideas to not stick.
Emilie Raffa says
Hi there! Thank you! Coat your parchment paper in non-stick spray. This will help.
AlexD says
Just made my first batch of cinnamon and raisin, absolutely delicious. Great recipe, easy to follow and produces top results. The only downside is that I can’t bring myself to buy store bought again.
Caroline says
I’ve tried 3 or more different recipes and this is the only like that always works and tastes wonderful. We never buy bagels anymore. Thank you for this wonderful recipe
Christine says
I’m just relearning..BETTER…how to make sourdough bread.
Came upon this well-written bagel recipe! Have made it twice in the past 3 days; I’m experimenting. 2nd batch I put in fridge at night cuz it’s getting warm here (was rising too quickly). I didn’t think they were going to be ok in the bagel-forming stage etc. I’m going to have another cooled down one!! I think I’m going to be coming back saying THESE ARE MARVELOUS! (NewYorker here).
I’m so impressed with myself that I’m making a delicious bagel 😆 (so is my family)
Emilie Raffa says
Yay! Well done Christine! Huge congrats from one New Yorker to another!🥰
Abbey says
Hi there! Do you think doubling this recipe is a bad idea? Trying to get more bagels out of one batch but don’t want to mess anything up :-)
Shannon says
I have gone as afar as tripling the recipe and it still turns out wonderful!
Deb says
I absolutely LOVE these. I make them at least once a week. They freeze well and I give them to friends, too. I have been experimenting with adding other flours to the basic recipe and have yet to be disappointed. Try subbing 100 of the bread flour with King Arthur 10 Grain. Or rye flour and mix in some dill and caraway. Yum! Thank you again, Emilie.
Jean says
These were so chewy and delicious. I think my family is tired of me asking for honest feedback. I made a previous batch following another recipe and they were just bagel-shaped bread. These, however, I may have to continue to make on a weekly basis. I am wondering if anyone has modified this recipe to make egg bagels, which are my absolute favorite.
Linda Burnette says
The best ever, I’m from NJ and hubby NY, absolutely fantastic bagel recipe ! New to sourdough baking but the instructions were on point and results amazing. Thank you, will check out your other recipes.
Monica says
Super clear recipe, with great results!
Nique says
My family loves these! I’m a beginner sourdough and this was super simple to make. ☺️🥰 Definitely a favorite for my family.
Valinda says
I just made these. LOVE THEM
Charlene L Whitman says
Good morning! I LOVE this bagel recipe and make it often! It’s become a big hit with friends and family. People are now giving me orders!😄 My question is, can you please send me directions for a par-bake? How long do I do the initial bake? Then, if I freeze them, how long to bake off, and should I bake off frozen or thawed? Thank you! Also… been loving your cookbook!
Mary Schorr says
Easy 5-star rating!!!! The bagel recipe is easy to follow and the photos keep me on visual track. The result is exactly as you describe – soft, chewy, easy! I also love the timeline of this recipe and your other recipes as well. Thank you!
Liza says
These are amazing and I have made this recipe three times in the last two weeks. These are chewy and so yummy!
Briana says
Works great! I live at 9200 ft and don’t need to adapt this recipe at all. I also have ran out of starter when making these and used about half what the recipe recommended and all turned out beautifully :)
Dana Brunner says
So the bulk rise is 10-12 hours and it says to put in fridge after it doubles in size . Does that mean it will double like 4-5 hours into the bulk rise then put in fridge after? All in one night?
Elizabeth says
This was our first time making bagels and this recipe turned out perfectly! My kids made some with a cinnamon sugar topping that was to die for with peanut butter. Thanks for the great recipe!
Keisha Schier says
Thanks for breaking this down in such an easy-to-understand way. Looking forward to similiar posts.
Ra says
Hello!
I have made these twice, however even with a longer cooking time, when I cut into them they are a little gummy in the middle. What do you recommended?
Diana P says
Wow! These NY-style sourdough bagels are absolutely phenomenal! I can’t believe how perfectly they turned out—crisp on the outside, chewy on the inside, and packed with that authentic, tangy flavor. I was a little intimidated at first, but your detailed instructions made the whole process so approachable. My family couldn’t get enough of them, and I can’t wait to make them again. Thank you for sharing such an incredible recipe—I’m officially hooked
Brooke says
This recipe is literally perfect, no notes. I made the best cheddar bagels of my life. Trying not to eat the whole batch as we speak.
Monica says
Excellent recipe! First time bagel maker here; explanations and quantities (I used metric) were perfect! 🤩
Olga says
I’m pretty new to sourdough. I found and bought Emilie’s book on Amazon and have been baking from that book. These bagels are amazing. My family keeps asking for them. I made them like four times already. It sounds challenging, but it’s not, it’s pretty easy. I made everything bagel and sesame. My kids also love cheese bagels, so I put lots of cheese on top, which turned out delicious. Thanks, Emilie, for the amazing recipe.
Caspar Wakely says
Hi,I’ve just done these bagels and they were delicious but I was thinking I would add jalapeño.How would you recommend doing that?
Katie Ross says
Hi Casper, I have made jalapeño bagels a few times with shredded cheese. I topped the bagels with slices of jalapeño and then the shredded cheese then baked. My kids loved them. Last week my husband was making an omelet and had extra sautéed onion and pepper with bacon. I threw that on top then added cheese… oh my lord! So delicious!
Ann says
So easy and delicious! I’ve never had a freshly baked bagel with this wonderful chew. What great texture! So easy to prepare without a lot of fuss. Need to make bigger rings next time so the holes don’t close, but these were so worth the effort. Did half plain, half everything bagel. Thank you for this homemade addition to our morning menu!