Sourdough Bagels: Recipe and Topping Ideas
Written by MasterClass
Last updated: May 17, 2022 • 5 min read
Transport your taste buds to New York with these chewy bagels made with a tangy sourdough starter. Learn how to make sourdough bagels.
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What Are Sourdough Bagels?
A sourdough bagel is a dense, ring-shaped bread made from naturally leavened dough featuring a tangy sourdough starter (a key ingredient in sourdough bread baking). Bakers briefly boil the dough rounds and then bake them to achieve a chewy texture and shiny crust. Compared to traditional bagels, sourdough bagels have an airy texture infused with a slightly acidic flavor because of the sourdough ferment.
5 Tips for Making Sourdough Bagels
Whether it’s your first time baking sourdough bagels or you’re a pro, follow these tips to make the most of this classic dish:
- 1. Use a bubbly, active starter. A highly active starter is key to making soft bagels with a light and airy crumb. Plan on feeding your refrigerated starter about three times before baking. To test your sourdough discard’s readiness, drop a spoonful of it into a cup of room-temperature water: If it floats, it’s ready to bake.
- 2. Experiment with additions. Customize your sourdough bagels with toppings and mix-ins like sesame seeds, everything bagel seasoning, dehydrated garlic and onion, poppyseeds, Asiago cheese, cinnamon and raisins, brown sugar, and more.
- 3. Be gentle with the dough. Handle your dough as gently as possible during the mixing and shaping process to preserve the air pockets. Kneading the dough will destroy these air pockets and result in a denser crumb.
- 4. Boil your bagels briefly. Boiling is important because it helps form the shape of the bagel, preventing it from rising too high and closing the hole in the center. Keep in mind that you don’t need to boil the bagel for very long—about 60 seconds should be enough.
- 5. Store in an airtight bag. Leftover sourdough bagels will keep well in an airtight bag on the counter for up to 3 days. For long-term storage, wrap the bagels in plastic wrap and store them in a freezer-proof bag in the freezer for up to 3 months. When you’re ready to eat your frozen bagels, simply pop them in a toaster or oven until they are warmed through.
6 Topping Ideas for Sourdough Bagels
Many sweet and savory toppings will complement your homemade sourdough bagels. Popular sourdough bagel toppings include:
- 1. Avocado: For a twist on your average avocado toast, crisp up your halved sourdough bagel in the oven and top it with sliced or mashed avocado. Learn how to make avocado toast at home.
- 2. Cinnamon sugar: Halve your bagels, cover each half with butter and cinnamon sugar, and toast them in the toaster oven to create a golden, caramelized crust.
- 3. Cream cheese: Top your sourdough bagel with different flavors of cream cheese, like garlic and herb, honey and walnuts, or smoked cream cheese.
- 4. Lox or smoked salmon: Dress up your sourdough bagels with a layer of lox or smoked salmon, capers, tomatoes, and red onion for a traditional Jewish brunch delicacy.
- 5. Pizza toppings: Make a sourdough pizza bagel by topping your sliced bagel with pizza sauce, mozzarella cheese, and your favorite toppings. Toast the bagel in an oven until the cheese is melty and golden brown.
- 6. Sandwich ingredients: Craft a classic breakfast sandwich by topping your bagel with bacon or turkey bacon, a fried egg, and your favorite sliced cheese. For lunch, pile your bagel high with cold cuts, produce, cheese, and condiments to make a hearty sandwich.
Homemade Sourdough Bagel Recipe
makes
6 bagelsprep time
30 mintotal time
50 mincook time
20 minIngredients
Note: The total time does not include up to 10 hours and 30 minutes of inactive time.
- 1
In a large bowl, whisk together the sourdough starter, water, and sugar (or honey).
- 2
Add the flour and salt to the wet ingredients. Using your clean hands, stir the mixture until a rough, stiff dough forms, about 3 minutes. Alternatively, use a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook on low speed for this process.
- 3
Cover the dough with a damp towel and let it rest in a warm place for 1 hour.
- 4
After the first rest, gently knead the dough until a smooth ball forms.
- 5
Place the ball of dough inside of a lightly oiled mixing bowl and cover it with plastic wrap. Place the dough in a warm place to rise until it doubles in size, anywhere from 8–12 hours, depending on the temperature and humidity of your home.
- 6
Line a large sheet pan with lightly oiled parchment paper or a nonstick silicone mat.
- 7
Turn the bagel dough out onto a clean, un-floured work surface and divide it into 6 equal pieces. Gently roll each portion of dough into a loose ball.
- 8
Poke a hole through the center of one of the dough balls. Holding the ball with both thumbs inside the hole, rotate the dough while gently stretching it until the hole widens to roughly 1½ inches in diameter. Place the shaped bagel on the prepared baking sheet and repeat this process with the remaining balls of dough.
- 9
Cover the sheet pan with a clean kitchen towel and let the bagels rest at room temperature for 1 hour.
- 10
While the bagels are resting, prepare your poaching liquid. Fill a large pot with 3–4 inches of water and bring it to a boil.
- 11
Reduce the boiling water to a simmer and add the malt syrup (or honey), baking soda, and salt, stirring until the salt and syrup dissolve.
- 12
As the poaching liquid heats up, preheat the oven to 500 degrees Fahrenheit.
- 13
Working in 2 or 3 batches, use a slotted spoon to gently lower as many bagels into the pot as you can fit comfortably. After 15 seconds, the bagels should float to the surface. Flip the bagels and continue poaching them until the dough puffs up, about 30–60 seconds.
- 14
Transfer the boiled bagels back to the prepared sheet pan to cool slightly. Repeat this process with the remaining bagels.
- 15
Add the bagel seasoning to a shallow dish.
- 16
When the bagels are cool to the touch, dip the top of each bagel into the seasoning mixture and return them to the baking sheet.
- 17
Transfer the bagels to the oven and bake until golden brown, about 15–18 minutes.
- 18
Flip the bagels over and cook the bottoms for an additional 1–2 minutes.
- 19
Remove the sheet pan from the oven and transfer the bagels to a wire rack to cool for a minimum of 30 minutes before serving.
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