sourdough bagels

Yields: 8 large bagels
Prep Time: 30 minutes (plus 8-12 hours fermenting)
Cook Time: 20-25 minutes
Total Time: 9-13 hours (mostly hands-off)
Difficulty: Intermediate (Requires an active sourdough starter and some baking experience)

Table of Contents

Ingredients

For the Bagel Dough:

150g (about ⅔ cup) active, bubbly sourdough starter
360g (1 ½ cups) warm water
500g (4 cups + 2 tbsp) bread flour
15g (2 ½ tsp) fine sea salt
30g (2 tbsp) barley malt syrup or honey

For the Poaching Liquid:

2 quarts (8 cups) water
2 tbsp barley malt syrup (or honey or brown sugar)
1 tbsp baking soda

For Topping (Optional):

Everything Bagel Seasoning
Sesame seeds
Poppy seeds
Flaky sea salt

Equipment

Stand mixer with dough hook (or a strong arm for hand mixing)
Kitchen scale (highly recommended for accuracy)
Large bowl
Bench scraper
Large pot or Dutch oven
Slotted spoon or spider strainer
Parchment-lined baking sheet

Instructions

Day 1: Evening – Mixing & Bulk Fermentation

Combine Ingredients: In the bowl of your stand mixer, combine the warm water and active sourdough starter. Whisk until the starter is mostly dissolved. Add the bread flour, salt, and barley malt syrup.
Knead the Dough: Using the dough hook attachment, mix on low speed for 2-3 minutes until a shaggy dough forms. Increase the speed to medium and knead for 8-10 minutes. The dough will be quite stiff and should become smooth and pull away from the sides of the bowl. It should pass the “windowpane test” – you should be able to stretch a small piece thinly enough to see light through it without it tearing easily.
Bulk Ferment: Place the dough into a lightly oiled large bowl. Cover with a damp cloth or plastic wrap and let it rest at room temperature (70-75°F / 21-24°C) for 8-12 hours, or overnight. The dough is ready when it has roughly doubled in size and is full of air pockets. This long, slow fermentation is key to developing the signature sourdough flavor.

Day 2: Morning – Shaping & Proofing

Divide the Dough: Turn the dough out onto a very lightly floured surface. Using your bench scraper, divide the dough into 8 equal pieces (about 115-120g each).
Pre-shape: Gently form each piece into a tight ball by pulling the edges down and pinching them together at the bottom. Cover with a towel and let them rest for 15-20 minutes. This relaxes the gluten, making shaping easier.
Shape the Bagels: To shape, poke a floured finger through the center of each dough ball. Gently stretch and rotate the dough around your fingers to widen the hole to about 2 inches—it will shrink back as it proofs. Place the shaped bagels on your parchment-lined baking sheet.
Second Proof: Cover the shaped bagels with a damp towel or plastic wrap and let them proof for 1-2 hours at room temperature. They won’t double in size, but they should look a little puffy. To test if they’re ready, use the “float test”: drop a bagel into a glass of room-temperature water. If it floats within 10 seconds, it’s ready to boil and bake. If it sinks, let it proof a little longer and test again.

Boiling & Baking

Preheat and Prepare: About 30 minutes before the end of the proof, preheat your oven to 425°F (220°C). Bring the 2 quarts of water, barley malt syrup, and baking soda to a rolling boil in a large, wide pot.
Poach the Bagels: Gently drop 2-3 bagels at a time into the boiling water (don’t overcrowd the pot). They should float immediately. Poach for 30 seconds, flip them over, and poach for another 30 seconds. A shorter poach (30-60 seconds total) gives a thinner, chewier crust. A longer poach (1-2 minutes per side) gives a thicker, denser crust.
Add Toppings: Using your slotted spoon, remove the bagels from the water, letting excess water drip off. Place them back on the parchment-lined baking sheet. While they are still wet and sticky, sprinkle generously with your desired toppings.
Bake to Perfection: Bake for 20-25 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through, until the bagels are deeply golden brown, blistered, and firm to the touch.
Cool: Transfer the baked bagels to a wire cooling rack. Resist the urge to cut into one immediately! Let them cool for at least 30-60 minutes to allow the crumb to set properly. This is crucial for the perfect chewy texture.

Baker’s Notes & Tips

Starter Vitality: Your starter must be active and recently fed (peaking 4-8 hours after feeding) for this recipe to work. A weak starter will lead to dense bagels.
Dough Stiffness: This is a stiff, low-hydration dough. Don’t be tempted to add more water; the stiffness is what creates the classic dense, chewy bagel crumb.
The Baking Soda Bath: The baking soda in the poaching liquid is non-negotiable. It creates an alkaline environment that is responsible for the classic bagel crust—browning beautifully and developing that distinctive “bagel” flavor.
Storage: Once completely cool, store bagels in a paper bag at room temperature for 2-3 days. For longer storage, slice and freeze them for up to 3 months. Toast directly from frozen.

Nutrition Information

Serving Size: 1 plain bagel (without toppings)
Calories: ~265
Total Fat: 1g
Saturated Fat: 0g
Cholesterol: 0mg
Sodium: 590mg
Total Carbohydrates: 55g
Dietary Fiber: 2g
Sugars: 2g
Protein: 9g

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