In Bread, Breakfast, Recipes, Sourdough
Simple homemade sourdough bagels with cinnamon and sugar topping.

Simple Homemade Sourdough Bagels

An easy step by step tutorial for simple homemade sourdough bagels. Add your favorite mix-ins or toppings to create your own…mornings never tasted so good!

There’s nothing like a fresh, hot bagel slathered in cream cheese. Remember when we made homemade cream cheese? Or rather, let the cream cheese make itself? Yeah, that was easy, and so yummy! But I’ve never tasted a store bought bagel as good as these homemade sourdough bagels.

Are you hungry yet? I have such fond memories of my college days, frequenting the local bakery before classes and getting a fresh, hot bagel smothered with cream cheese.

Fond memories or not, I know if I ate those now, my tummy wouldn’t be happy about it. Wanting a better alternative to those dense and chewy circles of joy, I turned to my trusty sourdough starter, Seymore – ya’ll know my deep love for sourdough! I knew there had to be a way to join these two loves together in marital bliss. Because sourdough bagels and cream cheese will live happily ever after in holy matrimony!

Sourdough eBook Thumbnail

This recipe is featured in our Sourdough eBook! If you love easy and delicious sourdough recipes (including gluten-free options!)click here!

If you’re new to sourdough, start here. If your sourdough starter “kitchen pet” is growing like crazy and you’re continually looking for delicious ways to bake up something special, then check out our eBook: Everyday Sourdough: Easy Recipes for the Everyday Baker.

HOMEMADE SOURDOUGH BAGELS - Time to feed your starter and learn how to make this easy, homemade sourdough bagel recipe. Use your King Arthur flour and enjoy these bagels spread with your favorite cream cheeses! We might even like them better than our sourdough english muffins! #sourdough #bagel #bagels #recipe #easy

Making Bagels

There’s nothing like a fresh, hot bagel slathered in cream cheese. Remember when we made homemade cream cheese? Or rather, let the cream cheese make itself? Yeah, that was easy, and so yummy! But I’ve never tasted a store bought bagel as good as these homemade sourdough bagels.

Are you hungry yet? I have such fond memories of my college days, frequenting the local bakery before classes and getting a fresh, hot bagel smothered with cream cheese.

Fond memories or not, I know if I ate those now, my tummy wouldn’t be happy about it. Wanting a better alternative to those dense and chewy circles of joy, I turned to my trusty sourdough starter, Seymore – ya’ll know my deep love for sourdough! I knew there had to be a way to join these two loves together in marital bliss. Because sourdough bagels and cream cheese will live happily ever after in holy matrimony!

Easy Bagel Recipe

I was shocked just how easy this bagel recipe is…true, it’s time consuming, but most of that time is hands-off (as is the case with many sourdough recipes…it’s just the nature of sourdough). Now, gather your supplies and ingredients and lets get started with these simple homemade sourdough bagels.

The first thing you’re going to want to do is to make sure your sourdough starter is VERY ACTIVE. A sluggish or hungry starter won’t work for this recipe, so be sure your starter is nice and bubbly and doubles in size within a few hours of feeding. For more tips on how to get a healthy sourdough starter, read this post.

Gluten Free Sourdough Starter with lots of bubbles

Once you have a happy starter, you can mix your dough together. This dough will be a much stiffer dough than you’re used to and will give your mixer quite the workout. Don’t worry, this is what you want!

Sourdough bagel dough mixing in the bowl of a kitchen aid mixer.

When your dough begins to get smooth and slightly elastic, that means the glutens have been properly activated and you’re ready to let your dough rest. Place it in a lightly greased bowl and cover with plastic wrap or a damp tea towel. Let it sit for 4-6 hours. If this doesn’t leave you enough time to finish making bagels, you can leave the dough at room temperature for 4 hours, then place it in the refrigerator overnight. Remove from fridge and allow it to come back to room temperature before moving to the next step. (Letting the dough sit overnight in the refrigerator actually gives your bagels a slightly more “sour” tang!)

Sourdough bagel dough formed into a ball sitting in a bowl ready for souring time.

After dough has risen, turn out onto a lightly floured surface (or tea towel dusted with flour) and flatten out a bit. Using a pizza cutter (or sharp knife) cut dough into 12-18 equal portions. Don’t spend too much time being precise, you can always pinch a little dough off a larger piece and add it to the smaller corners. 

Sourdough bagel dough turned out onto a lightly floured tea towel, then pressed flat and cut into 14 equal portions to form into bagels.

Grab a portion of your dough and, using the palms of your hands, roll into a ball. Then pinch through the center of the ball using your thumb and middle finger. Make a hole and begin to stretch the hole out until it’s the size of a 50 cent piece (or about 1.5-2 inches). Place bagels onto a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper and continue until all bagels have been formed and stretched.

Sourdough bagel dough formed into a bagel in the palm of a hand.

Arrange bagels onto a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper and cover with a slightly damp tea towel. Let rise until doubled in size (about 1 hour). 

Sourdough bagel dough arranged on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper and covered with a damp tea towel to rise.

Once bagels have risen and doubled in size, boil a large pot of water (filled 2/3 full) and add baking soda. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 450 degrees F. Carefully drop bagels into the pot, as many as will fit without over crowding, and boil for one minute, flipping bagels over half way through cooking. Remove bagels and allow excess water to drip off before placing them back on the baking sheet. (I like to remove the parchment paper from the baking sheet as I find it tends to stick to the wet bagels during baking. Instead, I lightly grease the pan with a touch of avocado oil to keep the bagels from sticking during baking.) Continue until all bagels have been boiled.

Sourdough bagels boiling in a pot of water.

Brush the bagels with egg wash and top with desired topping, or a combination of toppings (see our favorites below). Place bagels in the oven and bake for 15-20 minutes, or until bagels are cooked through and no longer doughy (you may need to rotate the pan halfway through baking).

UPDATE: Remember to remove the parchment paper before this step! Many readers reported the parchment paper sticking to the bagels, so we now recommend using a bit of avocado oil on the pan to keep bagels from sticking.

Brushing boiled sourdough bagels with egg wash before adding toppings and baking in the oven.

Congratulations! You now have incredibly delicious, better-than-store-bought, healthier than store bought bagels for you and your family! Look at these beauties! Jalapeno-cheddar bagels are my weakness…my mouth salivates just looking at this picture! Which flavor will you choose? Share your awesome flavor combinations with us in the comments, we always love more inspiration!

Jalapeno cheddar sourdough bagels.
Homemade Sourdough Bagels Recipe

Simple Homemade Sourdough Bagels

Chewy and soft sourdough bagels make the perfect sandwiches for breakfast and lunch. Follow this easy step by step tutorial for simple homemade sourdough bagels. Add your favorite mix-ins or toppings to create your own circles of joy.
4.55 from 11 votes
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Course: Breakfast, Lunch, Snack
Cuisine: American
Keyword: Bagels, Bread, Sourdough, Sourdough Bagels
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Souring Stage: 8 hours
Total Time: 8 hours 40 minutes
Servings: 12 bagels
Calories: 243kcal
Author: Kelsey Steffen

Ingredients

  • 2 cups sourdough starter
  • 1 1/4 cup filtered water
  • 1 Tbs avocado oil plus more for coating the bowl
  • 5 cups flour I use organic white all purpose flour
  • 1 Tbs sea salt
  • 1 Tbs baking soda for boiling
  • 1 egg mixed with 1 Tbs water (for glazing)

Instructions

  • Starting with active sourdough starter (be sure your starter has been fed within 4-8 hours), combine sourdough starter, water, oil, and salt
  • Using the dough hook on your stand mixer, mix these ingredients together on low speed until just combined.
  • Slowly add in the flour, 1 cup at a time, while mixer is running. Once all flour is added, let your mixer run for about a minute. Turn mixer off and let sit for 10 minutes to allow the flour to absorb the liquid.
  • Turn mixer back on low and let it knead the dough until smooth and elastic (about 4-5 minutes). NOTE: This is a very dense dough and your mixer may struggle to knead it well. Alternatively, you can remove from the mixing bowl and knead by hand.
  • Add about 1 Tbs avocado oil to a clean bowl, drop dough into the bowl and roll around until all sides are coated with oil. Cover with plastic wrap or a damp tea towel for 8 hours (or overnight).
  • Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface. (If you're having problems with your dough sticking to the counter, you can lightly flour a tea towel and continue working on that.) 
  • Using a knife (or pizza cutter!) divide the dough into 12 equal portions.
  • Roll each portion into a ball, then pinch through the center with your thumb and pointer finger. Gently stretch the dough into a bagel shape. (I found over stretching them was important as the dough tends to want to shrink back. I aimed to have a hole about the size of a 50 cent piece.)
  • Place bagels onto a cookie sheet lined with a silpat mat (can use parchment paper, however I've had problems with my bagels sticking to them once adding the egg wash).
  • Cover the bagels with a damp tea towel and let rise for one hour. (Bagels may not appear much larger after an hour, that's OK!)
  • Preheat the oven to 450℉. Fill a large pot 2/3 full with water and bring to a rolling boil. Add 1 tablespoon baking soda.
  • Working in batches, drop as many bagels as will fit into your pot without overcrowding and let cook for 30 seconds. Flip each bagel and cook for 30 more seconds. Remove bagels and place on a lightly greased baking sheet. Continue until all bagels have been boiled.
  • In a small bowl, combine egg and 1 Tbs water to create an egg wash. Brush the bagels with egg wash and add additional toppings, if using. (See our favorites below).
  • Bake for 15-20 minutes, or until bagels are cooked through and no longer doughy (you may need to rotate the pan halfway through baking).

Notes

  • I starter is about 100% hydration, meaning when I feed it, I use equal parts starter to flour to water by weight.
  • Be sure to "read your dough". Every kitchen is different, and even your own kitchen will vary depending on the weather. Adapt as needed.
  • This recipe makes one dozen VERY LARGE bagels (bagel shop/bakery size), or 16 regular sized bagels.
  • Using a silicone baking mat is preferrable over parchment paper, but if parchment paper is all you have, try not to let the egg wash run down the sides of the bagel. It will cause them to stick to the paper and is very difficult to remove.
  • I found using all-purpose flour to be more favorable than whole wheat flours. If you're wanting to use whole wheat, I would recommend Spelt flour, as it is much lighter than other whole wheat varieties.
  • This recipe is extremely flexible. If you run out of time, just stick the dough in the refrigerator to hit "pause". When ready, remove dough, allow it to come back to room temperature and continue on with the recipe.

Topping Options: 

  • Cinnamon & Sugar
  • Cinnamon & Raisin (mix the raisins into the batter)
  • Dried Onion
  • Poppyseeds
  • Jalapenos & Cheese
  • Sesame Seeds
  • Blueberry (mix them into the batter)
  • Everything bagel: 

Nutrition

Serving: 1bagel | Calories: 243kcal | Carbohydrates: 48g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 2g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 14mg | Sodium: 863mg | Potassium: 61mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 20IU | Calcium: 10mg | Iron: 2mg
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Showing 144 comments
  • Avatar
    Juliana Benner
    Reply

    AMAZING! So good so simple! I can’t wait to make another batch!!!

  • Avatar
    Danica
    Reply

    Quick question. Can you leave the dough out overnight? You said to put in the fridge overnight to halt the souring but we ring mine the extra tang! We love these and have them all the time but when I put in the fridge overnight it takes forever to come to room temperature so I was just wondering if leaving out overnight would affect the rise? Thank you!

    • Avatar
      Danica
      Reply

      *don’t mind* lol darn autocorrect fail!

    • Kelsey Steffen
      Kelsey Steffen
      Reply

      Great question Danica! You can try leaving the bagels out overnight, but I’ve found in my kitchen (which is usually around 68-72 degrees at night, and around 65 by morning) they tend to over-rise. If you shape them just before bed they might be just fine!

      Alternatively, you could just leave the dough out over night and shape the bagels in the morning and let them do a second rise.

      You’ll just have to experiment as sourdough will act differently in every kitchen/climate!

      So glad you enjoy the recipe!

  • Avatar
    Debbie
    Reply

    5 stars
    Love this recipe!

  • Avatar
    Hilary
    Reply

    Hi, I love this recipe and am trying it for the first time. I have a vegan in the house so I’m wondering if the egg wash is necessary and if there is a substitute? Can i just throw some spices over top and call it a day? I am looking forward to my picky eating household to try these!! Thanks!

    • Kelsey Steffen
      Kelsey Steffen
      Reply

      Hi Hilary! YES! You can absolutely leave the egg wash off. It just gives the bagels that nice glossy finish. You can skip it, or brush them with a bit of water or oil! Enjoy! And if you love them, we’d love for you to come back and leave a star review on the recipe card! It really helps us out! THANKS!

  • Avatar
    Wendy B
    Reply

    I love all your recipes, but especially the bagels! I bought the e book, which is great btw. Wondering if you have any recipes for pretzels?

    • Kelsey Steffen
      Kelsey Steffen
      Reply

      Thanks Wendy! So glad you’re loving all the sourdough recipes. I haven’t tried a sourdough pretzel recipe yet. I’ve played around with a yeasted version, so I may convert that recipe into sourdough for fun! I just need to find the time, LOL! For now, my good friend has just updated her whole wheat sourdough pretzel recipe with step by step photos that you could try! Hope that’s helpful!

  • Avatar
    Jennifer
    Reply

    5 stars
    Amazing bagels! And so easy! I made pizza bagels by brushing on some pizza sauce and sprinkling with mozzarella before baking. Awesome!

    • Kelsey Steffen
      Kelsey Steffen
      Reply

      Oooh, pizza bagels sound amazing, thanks for sharing! Glad you enjoyed them Jennifer! 🙂

  • Avatar
    Kimber
    Reply

    Love the ease of this recipe! Only issue I have is that they did not rise any once I formed them into the bagel shape. I feel like the dough rose really well in the 4+ hour wait before I shaping them. So while tasty, they bagels were very thin 🙁 Perhaps they need more than an hours to rise after being formed? Or is there something else I should consider? Thanks!

    • Kelsey Steffen
      Kelsey Steffen
      Reply

      Hey Kimber, that second rise can be so tricky as it depends on so many factors (the temperature of the room, the humidity in the air, how active your sourdough starter was before trying this recipe, how well you got the gluten to form during the mixing stage, etc.).

      If they didn’t rise, see what you can do to troubleshoot the problem, remembering that sourdough likes temperatures between 70-85 degrees. The colder the room, the longer it will take to rise. When mixing the dough during the first stage, make sure to get it until it’s nice and smooth and very elastic, this will mean the gluten has formed and the dough will rise much easier.

      You can also try placing your tray (with your rising bagels) into the oven with a pot of boiling water. Don’t turn the oven on, just let the steam from the pot warm the oven a little bit. That humid, warm air should help your bagels along.

      I hope you’ll try again! And, if you haven’t already, we’d love a 5-star review on the recipe card! Thanks so much!

  • Avatar
    Lee Ratzlaff
    Reply

    5 stars
    I’ve made this recipe four times, and each batch has been a success! Thank you so much for such a simple recipe!

    • Kelsey Steffen
      Kelsey Steffen
      Reply

      Thanks for the great rating Lee! We’re so glad you’re enjoying this recipe. 🙂

  • Avatar
    Fiona Luna
    Reply

    Hi, I’ve used some of your recipes before but I have two questions. First, can you freeze them and if so at what stage do you recommend I do this?

    My second question – I’m wanting to make mini versions for the baby to hold and eat herself. How would I adjust the cooking times?

    • Kelsey Steffen
      Kelsey Steffen
      Reply

      Hi Fiona, these bagels freeze well once baked and cooled completely. I haven’t tried freezing them in uncooked dough form, but if I was going to try, I’d do it just after forming the bagels, but before the final rise time. Then, let them come to room temperature and rise until doubled before continuing. I’m not certain this will work, but if you give it a try please come back and let us know!

      As to answer your second question, YES! You can make these whatever size you’d like. You’ll want to boil them the same amount of time, but they’ll likely take a few minutes less to bake through.

  • Avatar
    Michele
    Reply

    5 stars
    Delicious! I had some issues with the bagels sticking to the parchment paper when I tried to remove them to place them into the boiling water. Quickly resorted to cutting up the parchment paper and holding the bagel over the steaming water so the bagel quickly released from the paper and slid nicely into the water. Lesson learned.

    • Kelsey Steffen
      Kelsey Steffen
      Reply

      Great tip Michele! Thank you! I am actually in the process of updating this post to reflect just that. I now use my silpat silicone baking mats for these bagels because there are zero issues with sticking, both during the rise stage, and after baking.

  • Avatar
    Lesley
    Reply

    I absolutely love your recipe but for some reason they look so beautiful when I form them and then they stick to the parchment paper when it’s time to hit the water. I’ve read through the comments and will try for a dryer dough. The taste is fantastic so I’m not giving up on getting them perfect!

    • Kelsey Steffen
      Kelsey Steffen
      Reply

      Yes! I actually just updated this recipe to recommend using a silicone baking mat instead of parchment paper. Because the hydration level of everyone’s sourdough starter can vary, it’s very difficult to know exactly how much flour to add (I tend to keep a thicker starter, so need less flour for this recipe). If you continue to have this problem, and you don’t have a silicone baking mat, I’d recommend sprinkling some cornmeal on your parchment paper before the rise portion. That should help the bagels come loose. You’ll likely lose all the cornmeal during boiling, but at least you’ve eliminated your problem.

      I also updated the recipe because my bagels would tend to stick to the parchment after baking (because of the egg wash “gluing” them down), so I use my Silpat mat and it works like a charm!

  • Avatar
    Emily
    Reply

    Hello! I love this recipe but I am wondering if you have any tips on how to get a smoother crust on the bagels?? Mine looked smooth until I boiled them and then they got sort of bumpy.

    • Kelsey Steffen
      Kelsey Steffen
      Reply

      It’s so hard to know without seeing your bagels, Emily, but I’m wondering if you allowed the dough to knead long enough? Whenever I rush this recipe I get “ugly” bagels (still delicious, but definitely rough, bumpy and sometimes they don’t hold their circle shape). There’s a fine line between enough kneading to activate the gluten (which gives you a smooth finish) and OVER-kneading which will make your bagels tough. Next time you make them, try extending the kneading time, hopefully that will help them stay smooth. I hope this helps!

  • Avatar
    Kristina M
    Reply

    Thank you for this amazing recipe! I made them yesterday and today LOL my family NEEDED more after the first attempt. They are delicious, thank you again. With sourdough I like to measure by weight and I saw in an earlier comment you said you were trying to add the weighted measurements to your sourdough recipes. I did things by weight this second time and could share what I did, although I’m not a professional by any means.

    I also had the sinking problem with my first batch of bagels as someone else said above, but this second time I shaped them and let them prove 90 minutes instead of 60 minutes and that fixed my problem (I also have a cooler kitchen which probably has a lot to do with my rise times). They were fluffy and bagel-y and just super delicious <3 this recipe will definitely remain a favorite and a constant go-to!

    • Kelsey Steffen
      Kelsey Steffen
      Reply

      Yes! Thanks Kristina, I would love for you to share your measurements. I’m definitely getting around to updating our sourdough posts, but I can only do so much, lol! Feel free to email me directly ([email protected]). Thanks so much!

    • Avatar
      Kim
      Reply

      Would it hurt if I used baking stones but and corn meal instead of pans?

      • Kelsey Steffen
        Kelsey Steffen
        Reply

        Not at all Kim! You’ll just want to be careful with your baking stone because the bagels are wet once they come out of the boiling step. You may want to drop them on a tray to air dry before transferring to your stone for the baking step.

  • Avatar
    Vanessa Z
    Reply

    Any chance you’ve weighed you flour? I know flour can vary greatly depending on how we scoop flour into a measuring cup. I’m very curious to see this recipe using weight vs volume. My dough feels sooo stiff.

    • Kelsey Steffen
      Kelsey Steffen
      Reply

      Sorry Vanessa, I haven’t weighed my flour, this is something I’m working on updating for all my sourdough posts for exactly this reason. If it helps, I’ve had both very stiff dough, and dense pliable dough for this recipe and have found they both work, but the denser dough held up better while the bagels were boiling. So if your dough seems dense that’s likely just fine!

  • Avatar
    Pat Tackaberry
    Reply

    Here is one for the books. I forgot to put the dough in the fridge after 4 hours and when I got up this morning it had risen way beyond the large bowl and over onto the counter. At that point I decided to proceed with make the bagels anyway, according to the remainder of the directions and they turned out Marvelous! Thanks for the recipe. I’ll definitely try them again (and hopefully remember to put them in the fridge overnight).

    • Kelsey Steffen
      Kelsey Steffen
      Reply

      Yes Pat! Most of my sourdough recipes are very forgiving and very flexible! That’s the beauty of using sourdough starter instead of store bought yeast! Glad they turned out well! And now you know, for next time, you can make the recipe fit your schedule!

  • Avatar
    Alex
    Reply

    I’ve made this recipe 4 or 5 times now, and it’s great. I always make the dough the afternoon before and put it in the fridge overnight. Is there any reason I couldn’t shape the bagels before putting them in the fridge and then just let them come to room temperature in the morning before boiling and baking?

    • Kelsey Steffen
      Kelsey Steffen
      Reply

      Hi Alex, so glad you like them! I think that would work just fine! I imagine they’ll be softer and fluffier this way. Sourdough is so flexible! Let us know how they turn out if you try it!

      • Avatar
        Alex
        Reply

        I will give it a shot and let you know! It’s hard to wait for the dough to warm up, then shape the bagels, then wait another hour, to have bagels in the morning. Shaping them the night before would mean bagels a lot sooner in the morning!

  • Avatar
    Sona Keuroglian
    Reply

    Hi Kelsey,
    This recipe looks great! can I make it with spelt flour or Tipo 00 flour?

    • Kelsey Steffen
      Kelsey Steffen
      Reply

      Hi Sona, the 00 flour should work fine as I frequently use all-purpose flour (and they’re similar enough I think you’ll be fine). If you want to use spelt flour, the measurements will be different. Unfortunately, I haven’t experimented with any other flours for this specific recipe so I can’t give guidance. If you give it a whirl, do come back and let us know how it turned out!

      • Avatar
        Sona Keuroglian
        Reply

        Thank you for your reply. I will use the 00 flour for now and will let you know how it tuns out. Have a wonderful day!

        • Avatar
          Sona Keuroglian
          Reply

          I made the bagels with 00 flour and it was total success. Next I will make my bagels with spelt flour and see how it goes!

          • Kelsey Steffen
            Kelsey Steffen

            Awesome! Thanks for the update on the 00 flour Sona… hoping it works well with Spelt, too! Try to keep in mind the consistency of the dough with the 00 flour and mimick that with the spelt. Personally I would start with about 1/2-1 cup LESS flour (knowing it takes longer for the moisture to fully absorb) and give the mixing stage a bit longer!

          • Kelsey Steffen
            Kelsey Steffen

            Thanks for the update, Sona!! Looking forward to how it works with Spelt. Whenever I try adding whole wheat, the dough doesn’t rise as well, so I’m still trouble shooting before I write up a new recipe!

  • Avatar
    Samantha Ariens
    Reply

    We live in Sicily Italy, and have been in lockdown more days than a girl can count. I’d already had a sourdough starter (Carrie Fisher is her name) from January and have been pushing myself to try new things with her. I came across your recipe/helpful hints and went for it.
    My husband decided to help in the ball rolling and bathing part. I did make small/med/large sizes for a variety for us. The recipe was very easy to follow. I don’t have a KitchenAid, so it was all hand/arm force in kneading. It all baked up lovely and tasted just as good. Grazie Mille (Thank you)

    • Kelsey Steffen
      Kelsey Steffen
      Reply

      I’m so glad this recipe came at a helpful time Samantha! It’s one of our favorites and we really can’t make it often enough! I love that our sourdough starters can bring us a little bit of an escape from this time of separation from the world!

  • Avatar
    Susan
    Reply

    I’ve read through almost all the comments; very helpful. Nor sure if this is a silly idea, but is it possible to take them to completing the boiling stage and then have them ready to pop into the oven for quick fresh baked bagels in the morning? Wondering if this would affect the final bake negatively. Thanks

    • Kelsey Steffen
      Kelsey Steffen
      Reply

      Hi Susan, what a great thought! Honestly, I have no idea. I imagine as long as you allowed them to dry completely before wrapping up to store in the refrigerator this might just work. If you do try it, please come back and let me know how it worked out! A fresh baked bagel is 100x better than a day-old bagel! In fact, you may have just inspired me to get another batch of bagels going, just so I can try this with one of them!

  • Avatar
    Mary
    Reply

    Thank you for this east to follow recipe. I halved the recipe because I didn’t have enough starter and now I have 6 beautiful big bagels! Your website was also pleasant to look at, not too distracting. Thank you for that.

    • Kelsey Steffen
      Kelsey Steffen
      Reply

      Thanks for your kind words Mary! I’m so glad this recipe worked well for you, and great to know that halving the recipe works out!

  • Avatar
    Dorothy
    Reply

    Can you use olive oil instead of avocado oil?

    • Kelsey Steffen
      Kelsey Steffen
      Reply

      Dorothy, you absolutely can! The flavor of the olive oil may be present, instead of using a mild oil like avocado oil, but it should work great.

      • Avatar
        Marie Yates
        Reply

        I used coconut oil in a batch that I also put in some fresh chopped jalapeno and some chopped sweetened coconut. They turned our divine but I’ll cut down on the jalapenos for my next batch.

        • Kelsey Steffen
          Kelsey Steffen
          Reply

          That sounds HEAVENLY Marie! I’m glad you enjoyed the recipe and thanks for sharing your variation!

  • Avatar
    Deborah Nemitz
    Reply

    I made these today and added 1 tbsp each cinnamon and brown sugar, 2 cups of oatmeal with the 6 cups bread flour and 1 1/2 cup dries cranberries. To the sada water bath I added one tbsp honey.
    OMG! They are fantastic!
    Thank you for this recipe!

    • Kelsey Steffen
      Kelsey Steffen
      Reply

      Wow Deborah, that sounds DELICIOUS! Thanks for sharing your variation of the recipe!

    • Avatar
      Susan
      Reply

      You used rolled oats (flour/quick/large flake?) or added oatmeal?

  • Avatar
    Cheryl
    Reply

    I don’t have a mixer so making it by hand. Making it with einhorn flour as my starter is einhorn also.

    • Kelsey Steffen
      Kelsey Steffen
      Reply

      Oh my! I’ll bet that was an arm workout! Cheryl, I’d love to hear how your bagels turned out. I know einkorn flour behaves MUCH differently than all purpose flour, so I’d love to know any alterations you had to make!

  • Avatar
    Howtogetridofstarter
    Reply

    How long did it take you for your dough to go to room temp, I have left mine out for almost an hour and they are still cold

    • Kelsey Steffen
      Kelsey Steffen
      Reply

      It can take a few hours for sure. It really depends on how warm your kitchen is. If you’re in a hurry, you can turn your oven on, let it heat up to about 100 degrees, then place the pan in there to warm up. That should cut the time significantly! Hope this helps! ENJOY!

      • Avatar
        Howtogetridofstarter
        Reply

        Yea it took three hours, and thanks.

  • Avatar
    Annisha Rousseaux-Bridle
    Reply

    Hi there

    I’m making these with 100% stone ground whole wheat flour.

    Any tips?

    • Kelsey Steffen
      Kelsey Steffen
      Reply

      I haven’t tried this myself, so I may not be too much help here. But many times, with whole wheat, the moisture absorbs more slowly and may end up giving you a dry/crumbly result. Start with less flour and let it sit, fully hydrating before deciding if you need to add more flour. It’s probably better to err on the side of a stickier dough as well. I hope they turn out!

  • Avatar
    Chris
    Reply

    Mixing flavors into the dough will change the outcome. I made 2 batches using the same batch of starter.

    First batch – mixed nothing in – the rise was great – however 50% of them split or cracked during baking phase ( I use 400 degrees and 30 minutes)

    Second batch – mixed in 1/4 cup of onion powder – rise was great. I divided that dough into 2 smaller batches.
    One I left alone – the other I mixed in 7 pieces of crumbled bacon. Splitting and/or cracking during baking was almost non-existent.

    The onion ones rose and puffed – the bacon ones remained flatter.

    I am making a third batch now with a combination of unbleached flour and bread flour.

    • Kelsey Steffen
      Kelsey Steffen
      Reply

      Wow! Thanks for this info Chris! Bacon bagels sound AMAZING!!!

  • Avatar
    Rachel Fishbein
    Reply

    Hi Raia,

    Question before I try this recipe. I’ve attempted a couple of sourdough bagel recipes before, and every time during the proving period the surface dried out, so they did not actually rise and they sank in the pot of water. How can I avoid this and actually get my bagels to stay moist as they prove?

    Thanks!
    Rachel

    • Avatar
      Rachel Fishbein
      Reply

      I apologize for getting your name wrong. So sorry Kelsey!

      • Kelsey Steffen
        Kelsey Steffen
        Reply

        ???? No problem at all!

    • Kelsey Steffen
      Kelsey Steffen
      Reply

      Hey Rachel! Great question, and an issue we’ve run into before as well. What worked for us was two options. The first, loosely cover your bagels in saran/plastic wrap instead of draping with a tea towel. Be sure to wrap loosely so the bagels have room to expand, but be sure the plastic is sealed around the edges of the pan so no air can get in. If you’re not fond of using saran wrap, you can also dampen your tea towel with a little bit of water before covering your bagels. This will help keep them moist. My third tip is to make sure your towel is lightweight. Different towels have different weights, but if your towel is too heavy, it might make it harder for your bagels to rise. And finally, be sure your starter is SUPER active before starting this recipe. Sluggish sourdough starter will make it hard for these to rise. Since this is a very dense dough, you want very active starter! Hope this helps! – Kelsey

      • Avatar
        Rachel Fishbein
        Reply

        Thanks, Kelsey. It looks like this recipe uses a lot more active starter for the amount of flour that others I’ve tried, so that should help.

  • Avatar
    Brenda
    Reply

    I’m not sure if you’ll respond since the post is older, but I’m just wondering about the nutrition info. Two part question, first is the info for a dozen? Second, how do you calculate the caloric and nutrition info for the starter? It seems tricky. Anyway I’m hoping to delve into this as a sourdough and bagel lover!

    • Kelsey Steffen
      Kelsey Steffen
      Reply

      Great question Brenda. Yes, the nutrition info is calculated for 12 bagels. I calculate the starter based on 100% hydration. So I added 1 extra cup flour for the nutrition info (since my starter is basically 50% water and 50% flour by weight). If you make smaller or larger bagels, you’ll want to recalculate nutrition facts based on how many bagels one batch makes. It’s not a perfect science as everyone’s sourdough starter is slightly different and you may need more or less flour to make your dough. But it’s a good estimate. Enjoy!

  • Avatar
    Laure
    Reply

    Wooo! Cannot wait to try this recipe. I have been looking for more “sourdough staples” to add to me repertoire! Glad that i found your blog, might even download the e-book!

    • Kelsey Steffen
      Kelsey Steffen
      Reply

      Thanks Laure! We’re glad you’re here! Sourdough recipes are among our favorites, so we’re always experimenting! Make sure to check out our Sourdough Sweet Potato Cinnamon Rolls…that’s our favorite experiment yet!

  • Avatar
    Rose
    Reply

    Couple questions but a compliment first! We make these literally every single weekend they are so awesome (sometimes more often lol)! Not sure how I missed it (probably rushing and reading too fast!), but I’ve been using bread flour just assuming that was what to use, would there be a difference using all purpose? Curious in case I should switch for even better results…My other question is for the blueberry option you mentioned. The dough is so stiff I was wondering if you had any advice on how to incorporate the blueberries in without them smooshing and bursting? Thanks in advance!

    • Kelsey Steffen
      Kelsey Steffen
      Reply

      Rose, sorry for the tardy reply…but first, THANK YOU! I’m so glad you’re enjoying these bagels! They’re a family favorite for us, too! To answer your questions, yes…using bread flour should be just fine! And as for the blueberries, you can always add a bit more water to get your dough a little wetter, but you’ll likely burst the blueberries anyway when mixing them in. Bagel dough is just a stiff dough. I’m not sure I’ve ever seen a blueberry bagel that’s not slightly purple throughout from the juice incorporating into the dough. I think it makes for a prettier bagel! 😉 Keep on enjoying them!

  • Avatar
    Lenore
    Reply

    These look great, just wanting to know Is the two cups of starter stir down or bubbly?

    • Kelsey Steffen
      Kelsey Steffen
      Reply

      Good question Lenore! Sorry for the delay in answering…I like to make this recipe at the height of my starters activity, so I measure it bubbly. Because all sourdough starters are different, you’ll want to pay attention to the dough consistency. So add your flour slowly. You may not need all the flour called for, or you may need a bit more! But you’re looking for a nice foldable dough, a little stiffer than regular bread, but not so dry the dough won’t stick to itself when folded over. Hope this helps!

  • Avatar
    Kelly
    Reply

    Thanks, besides reducing flour, suggestions for rounding?

    • Kelsey Steffen
      Kelsey Steffen
      Reply

      I think if your dough is a bit stickier, you won’t have issues rolling into a ball. I just grab off a piece of dough and roll it between my hands (like playdough!). When it’s dry, it doesn’t like to stick to itself, so creating a ball is more difficult.

  • Avatar
    Kelly
    Reply

    Can’t believe I made bagels! Thank you! Delicious and gone too quick. Must double batch next time so I can have extra to freeze and share with friends.

    Any tricks on rounding the balls? I struggled. Tried wetting my hands, but that didn’t work. With such stiff and dry dough, they came out awesome, but ugly. Not a big deal, but I’d love to improve this step and am looking for tips. Going to try 5 cups of flour next time, but what are your thoughts?

    • Kelsey Steffen
      Kelsey Steffen
      Reply

      Awesome Kelly! Yep, I’ve had some batches where the dough is a bit more stiff. You can definitely reduce the flour, or add a bit more water. And yes, a double batch is definitely key! 😉

    • Avatar
      Jan Kniestedt
      Reply

      After forming the bagels and letting them rise I gently picked them up to put them in the boiling water and they deflated????. Any suggestions or thoughts?

      • Kelsey Steffen
        Kelsey Steffen
        Reply

        Oh no! Sorry to hear that Jan. Without being able to see your dough first hand, it’s hard to troubleshoot why this happened. Was your dough really stiff during the first mixing? I find if I don’t add the full amount of flour (even more than seems necessary), my dough gets a bit too soft to hold up to the boiling stage. Also, your starter needs to be very active. My last thought is, how long did you let them rise? Sometimes if I let my dough rise in a cooler kitchen and it takes them longer to rise, the dough gets softer than I like. I hope you’ll try again! Sometimes with bread products it can be as simple as the weather outside that changes the outcome!

  • Avatar
    Michael
    Reply

    I tried using this dough recipe for a bagel dog. I used Eckrich cheese and jalapeno sausages. They were incredible. I had extra dough and made a few bagels per the recipe as well. My only issue was the bottoms of a few were just short of being burned. I either needed to turn down temp on oven a little, or use a lighter color or air bake pan. I used an old pizza pan which has darkened with age. I will be making these often. Thank you for the recipe!

    • Kelsey Steffen
      Kelsey Steffen
      Reply

      Oh wow! What an awesome idea Michael…now I’m craving a bagel dog! You can also try doubling up your pan in the oven, or making sure you’re cooking on the top rack. If they’re still too dark, try lowering your oven temp! Glad you’re happy with the recipe…it’s our favorite, too!

  • Avatar
    Johnna
    Reply

    These were beautiful when baked–I used a mixture of black and white sesame seeds, but I thought mine were a little blah tasting. I fed my dormant started for about a day and a half. One cup flour to 1/2 cup water each 12 hour feeding. Am I doing something wrong or am I just expecting it to be more sour than it should be? I am a newby.

    • Kelsey Steffen
      Kelsey Steffen
      Reply

      It doesn’t sound like you’re doing anything wrong Johnna. And welcome to the world of sourdough! 🙂 You’re not alone in your search for a more “sour” finished product. In order to get that sour flavor, you’ll need an extremely long soak (fermentation) time, which usually means doing a bulk fermentation in the refrigerator for 24-48 hours, then bringing back to room temperature to continue fermenting before baking. For me, this is more work/time than I’m willing to do, just for the sour flavor, and I haven’t found a bagel recipe that calls for this kind of fermenting time. We’re just into sourdough for the gut health, not necessarily the sour flavor, so we stick to the simple, everyday recipes that work for our family! I hope you find a recipe that’s more to your liking! And if you find a recipe for an extra sour sourdough bagel, come back and drop the link in the comments, I’m sure others will appreciate it! Happy baking!

  • Avatar
    Koty
    Reply

    These are amazing ! Followed the recipe and everything was perfect! I added fresh thyme and Parmesan cheese

    • Kelsey Steffen
      Kelsey Steffen
      Reply

      YUM! Sounds like an awesome flavor combination Koty! Glad you enjoyed them!

  • Avatar
    Bobbi Jo
    Reply

    I’m not sure what I am doing wrong. My bagels are hard to pick-up off my silpat which is what I let them rest on before boiling. Am I not putting enough flour in when I make the dough?

    • Kelsey Steffen
      Kelsey Steffen
      Reply

      Oh no! I’m sorry to hear your bagels are sticking Bobbi Jo. It could be that your dough is too sticky/wet, but it also may be that the dough doesn’t want to let go of the silpat (I haven’t tried using one to make bagels)? When working with the dough to form the bagels, it shouldn’t stick to your hands at all. If it’s even the littlest bit sticky, it’s too dry. And try laying your bagels on parchment paper, that’s what we use without problems. You could also try using a spatula to help lift them, but if they’re falling apart when you lift them up, they may not hold up well in the boiling water either. Hope this helps and that your next batch turns out fantastic!

      • Avatar
        Bobbi Jo
        Reply

        Thanks for getting back to me. I think the problem is my dough is too sticky/wet. I do have a problem with the dough sticking to my hands when making them. I did try the parchment paper and it was even worse. They do boil up ok, they just don’t have a hole in the middle. Looks more like a roll than a bagel. They do taste good though. Just want them to look like a bagel. Do I just add more flour than it calls for in the recipe or us less water. I do use the whole 6 cups of flour.

        • Kelsey Steffen
          Kelsey Steffen
          Reply

          Funny enough, I just made more bagels today! Your dough shouldn’t stick to your hands at all. My dough is dry enough that I have a hard time getting it to stick into a ball when rolling each bagel. You can either add more flour, or use less water, or a combination of both. Before you let the dough sit for 4 hours it should be VERY stiff and dry (not wanting to stick to your hands at all). If you’ve made our sourdough bread recipe, it’ll be even dryer than that. The measurements will vary based on the hydration level of your sourdough starter. I keep my starter at 100% hydration. It’s like biscuit dough when I’m feeding it and like waffle batter when it’s active and ready to use. Hope your next batch looks like bagels! Oh, and you can always try stretching the hole larger when forming your bagels if they’re wanting to close back up! I make mine like a silver dollar or 50 cent piece in size (sometimes larger!).

          • Avatar
            Bobbi Jo

            I finally got everything figured out and everyone loves my bagels. I’m wanting to make some cinnamon raisin ones and was wondering when do I put the cinnamon and raisins in and how much do I use of each one. Also, my bagels split on top when I bake them. Is it something I’m doing wrong. I brush them with milk then put ground Himalayan pink salt on top.

          • Kelsey Steffen
            Kelsey Steffen

            YAY! So glad your bagels turned out Bobbi Jo! They’re hard to resist, aren’t they? For cinnamon raisin bagels you’ll want to add those ingredients in at the end of the mixing, just before your dough rests for 4 hours. The amount is purely preferential. There’s no magic number for this…however I wouldn’t go too heavy on the raisins or it may affect the bagels ability to hold together when boiling. As for the splitting on top, only occasionally have we had this happen and I have a feeling it’s when I rush the rising time after having formed the bagels. However, we don’t brush ours with milk or salt them…we only use an egg wash (and sometimes top with other goodies). Try letting them rise just a bit longer and see if that helps at all? You could also try letting them boil just a little bit longer before baking. The more times you do it, you’ll start to figure out what your starter prefers and what works for your climate/oven! If you make the cinnamon raisin, be sure to post a pic to our facebook page! 🙂

  • Avatar
    Emily
    Reply

    These were great! The first time I made them the dough was too wet/soft and the bagels had a hard time holding their round shape-but still tasted great. The second time I added more flour for a very firm dough and then bagels turned out perfect! I added dried chopped onions for an onion bagel. Super great! Thanks!

    • Kelsey Steffen
      Kelsey Steffen
      Reply

      I’m so glad you gave them a second try Emily! The hard part about sourdough recipes is they’re so dependent on the hydration of each person’s sourdough starter! So the measurements that work for mine may differ…I think I’ll adjust this recipe to explain that! That’s why I try to do lots of pictures to show the consistency of the dough. Chopped onions sound SO YUMMY! I love onion bagels! Did you add the onions in the dough, or just as a topping? Both would be good, too! Can you have too many onions? 😉

  • Avatar
    Kathy Keeley
    Reply

    Is there a substitute for the avocado oil or is that a must? Just checking before I go get some! Thank you!

    • Kelsey Steffen
      Kelsey Steffen
      Reply

      Hi Kathy! Avocado oil isn’t a must, coconut oil, olive oil or other cooking oils will work just fine!

    • Avatar
      Kathy Keeley
      Reply

      Thank you Kelsey! I was reading your article on oil and decided to give the avocado oil a try! They were a little dense but not bad for a first try. I used 5 cups of whole wheat flour. Did you have a flour you recommend? If I stick with the whole wheat, next time I may use less and see if that helps.

      • Kelsey Steffen
        Kelsey Steffen
        Reply

        Hey Kathy, I use organic, unbleached white flour for our bagels. It’s what I’m currently feeding my sourdough starter with, too. It does make lighter bagels than whole wheat. You could always do a 50/50 mix of the flours to lighten it up a bit!

  • Avatar
    Dawn
    Reply

    Should I put an egg wash in bagels that are meant to be plain or that already have mix-ins rather than toppings?

    • Avatar
      Dawn
      Reply

      Of course, I’m asking as the dough is in its final hour of rest time. Nothing like thinking ahead ????

      • Kelsey Steffen
        Kelsey Steffen
        Reply

        Haha! Hopefully I got back to you in time! 😉

    • Kelsey Steffen
      Kelsey Steffen
      Reply

      That’s up to you, Dawn! I would because the egg wash gives the bagels a nice sheen that just looks pretty! But, since you’re not adding anything on top that needs to stick, it’s not necessary. Enjoy! 🙂

  • Avatar
    Jennifer
    Reply

    My husband is allergic to most strands of yeast. It is a very uncommon allergy according to his doctors and there is no treatment but to not eat it or be near it because even airborne can cause him to have huge rashes. However, I did a lot of research and we decided to try a from scratch sourdough starter. He had no reaction to the starter so we decided to move forward with making something. So I found your recipe after one failed attempt with another recipe that just disintegrated in the boiling water. I want to thank you, because my husband has been unable to eat any type of bread with yeast in it…ie everything but tortillas…for over 10 years. He cried…and not just a little swelling of the eyes, but a full on ugly cry. Thank you for inspiring me to try again. It may just be bread, but my husband is so very greatful I found your site. We will definitely be using it for many times to come.

    • Kelsey Steffen
      Kelsey Steffen
      Reply

      Wow Jennifer! That’s so great he can tolerate sourdough. I’m glad the bagels were a success. We love sourdough everything, so be sure to check out our other recipes! 🙂

  • Avatar
    Morgan Hayward
    Reply

    Just made these. So very good! I left my dough out on the counter overnight, rather than 4 hours. They may have been a little flatter than if I’d done it properly, but they were still so yummy. Crisp crust and chewy interior. Thanks for the recipe!

    • Kelsey Steffen
      Kelsey Steffen
      Reply

      Awesome Morgan! You can also let your dough rest out on the counter for a bit, then stick it in the fridge overnight and bring it back to room temp before proceeding to the next step! I’ve successfully done that before, too! Glad you liked them! Curious how you flavored yours?

  • Avatar
    Rachelle Dueck
    Reply

    Made these yesterday and they tasted great, but when I put them into the boiling water they kind of flattened. Any suggestions about what might have gone wrong? Thanks!

    • Kelsey Steffen
      Kelsey Steffen
      Reply

      Oh no, what a bummer Rachelle! Glad they tasted great, but a flat bagel is a drag. When it comes to sourdough there can be so many factors. Did you remember to add the baking soda to the water? How long did you let the bagels rise? How recently had you fed your sourdough starter? How humid was the air? Were you super gentle while picking the bagels up to put in the water? Etc. Without watching your entire process it’s hard to troubleshoot. But if you loved the taste and are willing to give it another shot, I’d say go for it and hopefully the next batch will turn out better! I’ve had many “failed” loaves of sourdough bread and other sourdough recipes, and each “fail” was usually for different reasons. BUT, the best part about sourdough is that even the “failures” usually taste delicious! 😉 Best of luck on your next attempt!

  • Avatar
    Jen
    Reply

    Made these today. I added a tablespoon non-diastic malt and a tablespoon pure maple sugar to the dough. Similarly, boiled in water with 4 tablespoon malt, 2 maple sugar. They came out perfectly. Thanks for sharing your recipe!

    • Kelsey Steffen
      Kelsey Steffen
      Reply

      Awesome Jen! If you want to snap a picture and share it to our Facebook page that would be awesome! We LOVE IT when people take our recipes and make them their own! Great tips on the maple sugar and malt syrup! I’ll have to try it this way sometime! 🙂

  • Avatar
    Pam
    Reply

    What is the easiest and safest way to start a sour dough starter. I have been reluctant to start one as I cannot smell and I am afraid I might mess it up or worse sicken my family. I’ve looked at different ones and see too many variables. I need one from a bread maker preferably. I make bread all the time so that part I’ve got down real well. Just need a starter. Thank you to anyone who can help me get started.

    • Kelsey Steffen
      Kelsey Steffen
      Reply

      It’d be my recommendation to find a local baker who is willing to sell you a cup. Once you have an active starter, with regular feedings, it’s hard to mess up! We’ve also purchased this starter culture and had great success! Best of luck!

      • Avatar
        Darcy Soard
        Reply

        Hey Kelsey. Where are you located? There might be someone local who would share their starter with you… I’m in East Tennessee

        • Kelsey Steffen
          Kelsey Steffen
          Reply

          YES! Sourdough buddies are amazing Darcy! We have a great “sourdough community” as more and more people fall in love with sourdough! It’s always great to have friends who will gift you starter when needed! We also have a local bakery who will sell me a cup if ever needed! Thanks for sharing that tip!

  • Avatar
    Jeanie
    Reply

    New to sourdough, but not to bread making. Is it necessary to have the mixer or can this be done by hand?

    • Jason Steffen
      Jason Steffen
      Reply

      Hi Jeanie…not at all! You’re welcome to mix this by hand! Consider it “arm day”! You’ll just want to make sure you knead it enough that you get a smooth, elastic consistency! Please let us know how it turns out!

  • Avatar
    Laura
    Reply

    In the process right now of letting dough rest for 4 hours, can’t wait to try the bagels.

    • Kelsey Steffen
      Kelsey Steffen
      Reply

      Awesome! Let us know how they turn out!

  • Avatar
    Emily
    Reply

    Is the sourdough starter listed in this recipe “active” starter or “dormant” starter?

    • Kelsey Steffen
      Kelsey Steffen
      Reply

      Great question Emily! It should be ACTIVE sourdough starter (fed within 4-12 hours). Best of luck!

  • Avatar
    Theresa
    Reply

    I made these and sorry to say we ate a dozen bagels in 2 days! They are the best! Better than any local bakery around me. Even my friend’s very picky little boy devoured one and asked for more. I made a slight change. I used unfed sourdough starter so added 1.5 tsp yeast. They rose perfectly.

    • Kelsey Steffen
      Kelsey Steffen
      Reply

      That’s awesome Theresa! Thanks for the feedback on the yeast, great tip for those “neglected starter” days! 😉 They’re the best, hot out of the oven…now you have me wanting to make another batch!

  • Avatar
    Carol Little R.H.
    Reply

    These look delicious! Love that there are so many variations possible. All yummy, I bet.

    • Kelsey Steffen
      Kelsey Steffen
      Reply

      Thanks Carol! All SO yummy!

  • Avatar
    Megan Stevens
    Reply

    Wow,so impressive and yummy. Love all those photos!

    • Kelsey Steffen
      Kelsey Steffen
      Reply

      Thanks Megan! I’m a visual learner…hence the photos! 😉

  • Avatar
    Elaina
    Reply

    I wish you could come over and make a batch for me right now! I used to work at a bagel shop in my late teens/early 20s and ate sooooooo many bagels back then, yet I’ve never had a sourdough one, which I’m sure my belly would love.

    • Kelsey Steffen
      Kelsey Steffen
      Reply

      I think bagels are a typical college staple! But yes, these sourdough bagels are a lot better for our tummies! And amazingly, taste better than the bagel shops (well, in my opinion anyway!).

  • Avatar
    Reply

    Wow! These look amazing!!! I have never made bagels before, but I can imagine they are so good hot and fresh out of the oven. YUM!

    • Kelsey Steffen
      Kelsey Steffen
      Reply

      YES! That’s when they’re the absolute best…but they’re also so great toasted!

  • Avatar
    linda spiker
    Reply

    These looks fabulous. You make me want to get the butter!

    • Kelsey Steffen
      Kelsey Steffen
      Reply

      Right? There’s not much better than a hot bagel slathered with butter!

  • Avatar
    The Food Hunter
    Reply

    Bagels are fun to make and eat.

    • Kelsey Steffen
      Kelsey Steffen
      Reply

      They really are! 🙂

  • Avatar
    Anna@GreenTalk
    Reply

    That is so cool. I want to try this.

    • Kelsey Steffen
      Kelsey Steffen
      Reply

      Let us know how they turn out if you do Anna! 🙂

      • Avatar
        Laura
        Reply

        How do you know they are baked all the way thru? What signs for the doneness of the bake? They feel pretty heavy. But bottoms are nicely browned. Your recipe was awesome. I can’t wait to try my first one.

        • Kelsey Steffen
          Kelsey Steffen
          Reply

          Laura, honestly I’ve tested this recipe on my own oven so many times I just know when they’ll be done… but a good flick on the bagel can help. They should sound hollow and have a firm exterior (but not burned!). Since different ovens are calibrated differently, it’s nearly impossible to come up with one cook time that works perfectly for everyone! My rule of thumb is to start with a cook time of about 5 minutes less than the recipe calls for and keep checking on them until they seem finished!

  • Avatar
    Raia Todd
    Reply

    Those look absolutely delicious. My family is going to love these!

    • Kelsey Steffen
      Kelsey Steffen
      Reply

      Thanks Raia! They’re a hit with family and company!

      • Avatar
        Beth Amendola
        Reply

        Can I add chopped jalapeños and cheddar to the sourdough bagel dough?
        Thank you

        • Kelsey Steffen
          Kelsey Steffen
          Reply

          Absolutely Beth! I’ve used both fresh and jarred jalapenos. Mixing them into the dough is great, and I’ve also kept the bagels plain, but added cheese and sliced jalapenos on top (see the photos above). Both are incredible, but I will say if you’re using raw jalapenos in the dough, it will be spicier as they don’t cook down as much as when they’re on the top. Enjoy!

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