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A cooling rack with sourdough bagels.

Chewy Sourdough Bagels (easy discard recipe)

Sourdough bagels are made in three simple steps: forming the dough, boiling the bagels in baking soda water and baking the bagels in the oven.
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Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Rest time 1 hour
Total Time 2 hours
Course Breakfast
Cuisine American
Servings 8 bagels
Calories 217 kcal

Equipment

  • large pot
  • baking sheet
  • cooling rack
  • stand mixer

Ingredients
  

  • 227 grams sourdough starter fed or discard
  • 360 grams bread flour
  • 170 grams whole milk
  • 1 tablespoon sugar
  • 2 teaspoons instant yeast
  • 1½ teaspoon salt

Instructions
 

  1. Add the hungry or active starter, bread flour, whole milk, yeast, sugar and salt to the mixing bowl. I use the tare button between each addition to measure directly into the bowl. 
  2. Knead the dough in the bowl of your stand mixer with the dough hook attachment for about five minutes, or until the stiff dough clings to the sides and feels soft and only slightly sticky to the touch.
  3. Leave the dough in the mixing bowl, cover it with a tea towel or plastic wrap and place it somewhere warm to bulk rise for an hour for the first rise. I turn my oven on to preheat for a few minutes, then shut it off to create a proofing box of sorts or boil a cup of water in the microwave and then store it in my modified proofing box.
  4. After the dough has warmly rested for an hour, it will feel soft and pillowy. On a clean work surface remove it from the mixing bowl and divide the dough into eight equal pieces using either a knife for pastry scraper.
  5. Form each piece of dough into smooth balls and then gently flatten them into bagel shape discs. Using a donut hole cutter or a thumb, press a hole into the center of the bagel. 
  6. Let the bagel dough rest on the counter for the second rise, covered by a tea towel, while a large pot of water comes to a boil.
  7. Once the water reaches a boil, add the baking soda.
  8. Once the boiling water is ready, add 2-4 bagels to the pot. The shaped bagels SHOULD NOT TOUCH EACH OTHER. Set a timer for one minute and let the bagels boil.
  9. After one minute, flip the bagel over with a slotted spoon and boil the other side for one minute more. Remove the bagels from the water and let any excess water drip off before setting them on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
  10. Brush the bagel tops with the egg wash and sprinkle with a pinch of flaked sea salt. Bake the bagels at 350° for about 20-25 minutes.
  11. Once the bagels are golden brown and cooked through (check for an internal temperature between 195-205℉, let them cool on a wire rack.

Notes

HOW LONG DO THE SOURDOUGH BAGELS STAY FRESH?

The sourdough bagels can be stored in a plastic bag or airtight container for up to two days on the counter or two months in the freezer.

VARIATIONS FOR THIS SOURDOUGH BAGEL RECIPE

This recipe can be made so many different ways!
  1. For cheesy Italian bagels, before baking the bagels, brush them with egg wash and sprinkle with shredded mozzarella cheese, parmesan cheese, Italian seasoning and sea salt. Once it has baked, serve the bagels with warm marinara sauce.
  2. When I am craving the flavorful punch of Everything But the Bagel seasoning, I make my plain bagels and sprinkle them generously with the seasonings after the egg wash and before baking. They are so tasty when served with softened cream cheese.
  3. If you love dried fruit, try my Sourdough Bagels with Dried Fruit! Dried cherries, cranberries, raisins, apricots... the sky is the limit! I do like to coarsely chop the fruit into tiny pieces to help keep the texture more constant. Try serving it with cinnamon cream cheese. To make this, add 8 ounces of room temperature cream cheese, 2 tablespoons of sugar, 1 teaspoon of cinnamon and 2 tablespoons of butter into the bowl of a stand mixer. Mix it for several minutes until smooth and fluffy using the whisk attachment.
  4. Is there anything more satisfying than biting into a Panera cinnamon crunch bagel? The crispy brown sugar and cinnamon crust, then a soft and chewy bagel dough inside slathered with cinnamon cream cheese. What if i told you it IS possible to skip the bagel shop drive through line and make these heavenly breakfast bagels at home! Let me show you how to make these Sourdough Cinnamon Crunch Bagels at home!

Nutrition

Calories: 217kcalCarbohydrates: 42gProtein: 8gFat: 2gSaturated Fat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.4gMonounsaturated Fat: 0.3gCholesterol: 3mgSodium: 447mgPotassium: 106mgFiber: 2gSugar: 3gVitamin A: 35IUVitamin C: 0.01mgCalcium: 34mgIron: 0.5mg
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