Sourdough Bagels

These sourdough bagels are chewy, savory and absolutely addictive! This recipe requires no kneading and can be made with unfed sourdough starter.

There is nothing much better than a soft and chewy bagel right out of the toaster oven. These sourdough bagels are my new favorite because I can use up my starter and make any flavor I want! There are so many flavor possibilities such as: everything, sesame, cinnamon raisin and poppy seed. Sourdough bagels have so much more flavor than store bought bagels and none of the artificial ingredients or preservatives.

Store the bagels in an air tight container or plastic bag at room temperature for up to a week. I suggest making a big batch so you can freeze the rest to have fresh bagels ready to eat throughout the week.

Equipment

mixing bowl
measuring cups and spoons
large dutch oven or pot ( this is the one I have)
baking sheet
parchment paper
kitchen scale (optional)

Ingredients

550g bread flour (approximately 3 ⅔ cups)
2 tsp fine salt
2 Tbs white sugar
2 Tbs unfed starter from fridge
1 ¼ cup water + 1-2 extra Tbs to help the dough come together
1 tbs sugar for boiling water

Egg wash

1 egg white

How to make sourdough bagels

In the morning add the flour, salt, and sugar together in a large mixing bowl then add the starter and water. Mix until all the dry ingredients are incorporated and a dough in formed.

Cover the dough and leave on the counter at room temperature to rest for an hour. After the hour has passed do one stretch and fold.

Do a stretch and fold about every 3 hours until right before you are ready to go to bed, then place the dough in an air tight container and leave in the fridge overnight.

When you wake up take the dough out of the fridge and cut into 8 equal pieces. (about 120 grams a piece) Roll them into balls then make a hole in the center of the ball with your thumb. Make the hole about 2-3 inches wide then place them on a floured baking sheet and let them rise while you bring the water up to a boil.

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees and bring a pot of water to a boil. Add a tablespoon of sugar to the water and place one a bagel at a time into the pot of boiling water.

Boil each bagel for 1 minuet on each side then place onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Once all the bagels are boiled, brush with egg white then top with your choice of topping or leave plain.

Place the bagels in the oven and bake for 35-40 minuets or until golden brown. Once the bagels have baked remove them from the oven and place them on a cooling rack.

Let them cool for about 30 minuets then enjoy with your favorite spread or eat just as is!

What is a stretch and fold?

A stretch and fold means to simply stretch one side of the dough to the other side. Stretching the dough builds up the gluten and will give your bread and bagels a nice chewy texture. This replaces the “kneading” in no knead recipes.

Why do we boil bagels?

Boiling the bagels before baking causes the starch on the exterior of the bread to gel and create a barrier from the interior dough. This is what gives bagels there distinctive chewy texture.