When my jar of sourdough discard is full, these sourdough discard bagels are the first thing I make. The recipe uses yeast, so you can bake them the same day, and you can mix the dough by hand, no mixer needed.
If love sourdough discard breads because they’re simple, reliable, and satisfying, you’re going to want to make these too!
5-STAR REVIEW
I made this recipe last night and I was SO impressed! It was my first time making bagels (a novice baker overall) and it came out perfectly. Followed the recipe exactly. My husband has already asked me to make more!
Elizabeth Palmer
Making bagels takes a few extra steps, so I wanted to make sure the effort would be worth it. I tested this recipe multiple times so you can nail it on the first try. These bagels look store-bought but taste even better with a chewy texture and a perfectly shiny crust.
These sourdough discard bagels become part of my weekly meal prep, and just like my sourdough discard English muffins, they freeze well, so we can just throw them in the toaster and have something yummy for breakfast, even on busy mornings.
This recipe is another fun collab with my baking bestie, Mimi Council from Mimi’s Organic Eats! If you've been following me for a while, you'd know that we love to put a creative sourdough twist on our favorite bakes. We’ve tackled everything from nostalgic treats like strawberry sourdough pop tarts and peanut butter sourdough sandwich cookies (inspired by Do-si-dos®) to creative flavor combinations like lemon lavender bundt cake. This month, we went with a classic—sourdough bagels!
I was obsessed with getting this one right, and having Mimi as a second tester was so helpful. I knew if she could get great results with her own sourdough starter in her home kitchen, you could too.
Ingredients and substitutions
You’ll want to invest in some bread flour for this recipe. The higher protein content is what gives bagels their signature chewy texture. If you swap in all-purpose flour, your bagels will still taste good, but they’ll lean more toward soft bread rolls than classic, chewy bagels.
These bagels are made with yeast and sourdough discard so they are quick and easy. You don't need to activate your starter to make these and you can use it straight from the fridge. If you'd prefer a naturally-leavened version, make my sourdough bagels instead!
Step-by-step Instructions
STEP 1: Make the dough
Bloom the yeast. Fold the remaining ingredients in. Mix until a cohesive dough forms. Knead the dough until it looks completely smooth.
STEP 2: Divide the dough
Divide the dough into 8 or 10 portions (depending on how large you want your bagels). Round each portion of dough into a tight ball.
STEP 3: Shape the bagels
There are two methods for shaping bagels.
Method 1: Poke a hole in the center of each dough ball. Use your fingertips to widen the hole.
Method 2: Roll the dough into a 10-inch rope. Wrap the rope around your palm, and pinch the seam closed.
STEP 4: Boil the dough
Bring a large pot of water with baking soda and brown sugar to a boil. Boil bagels for 1 minute, flip halfway through boiling. Transfer to a wire rack.
STEP 5: Bake
Dust a parchment-lined baking sheet with cornmeal. Top with toppings of choice. Bake at 420 F for 25 to 30 minutes.
Tips from Hannah's test kitchen
Here are a few tricky things I ran into during testing. I told you I was going for that store-bought look with homemade flavor—and this is how you get it:
Knead—and then knead some more.
I had to knead the dough for 10 to 15 minutes to get it smooth and elastic. It takes effort, but it’s key for that shiny, smooth crust.
Let the dough rest if needed.
If your dough isn’t coming together, give it a 15-minute rest. This lets the gluten relax, which makes the dough easier to work with and helps the dough appear smoother naturally.
Don’t overproof.
The rise time may seem short, but that’s intentional. Over proofed bagels bake up too chewy (think jaw workout) and lose their shine.
Make the holes bigger than you think.
Bagels puff up in the oven, and the holes shrink as they bake. Stretch the dough out and make them larger otherwise they will bake up into rolls instead of bagels.
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Sourdough Discard Bagel Recipe
Equipment
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Ingredients
Dough
- 28 grams brown sugar sub. honey
- 7 grams active-dry yeast
- 310 grams water
- 113 grams sourdough discard
- 600 grams bread flour
- 12 grams salt
Baking Soda Bath
- 96 oz water
- 14 grams brown sugar
- 28 grams baking soda
Toppings
- 10 grams cornmeal
- sesame seeds
- everything bagel seasoning
- poppy seeds
Click US Customary to view volume measurements
Instructions
- Bloom the yeast: Whisk brown sugar, yeast and water together in a large bowl. Cover and let the yeast bloom until foamy, about 15 minutes.28 grams brown sugar, 7 grams active-dry yeast, 310 grams water
- Make the dough: Add sourdough discard into the yeast mixture and stir until dissolved. Fold the remaining dough ingredients in until no traces of dry flour remain. You may need to switch to your hands to ensure the dough comes together.113 grams sourdough discard, 600 grams bread flour, 12 grams salt
- Working in the bowl, continue to knead until a cohesive dough forms. The dough should feel stiff and it may feel difficult to incorporate all of the flour in, but continue working it until most of the flour is incorporated. Add up to 1 tablespoon of water only if absolutely necessary, you want your dough to be pretty stiff.
- Knead the dough: Turn the dough out on a clean surface (you shouldn’t need to use any flour). Knead the dough for 15 to 20 minutes or until the dough is tight and a little bumpy (this is an indication that gluten is forming).
- Bench rest: Return the dough to the bowl and let it rest for 15 minutes. Knead the dough for another 3 to 5 minutes until it looks completely smooth.
- Prep: Preheat the oven to 420 F and line an 18 by 13-inch baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Shape: Divide the dough into 10 even portions (about 100 grams each). Round each portion of dough into a tight ball, don’t use any bench flour or your dough will not be able to adhere to itself or hold its shape.
- Easy shaping: Starting with the first portion of dough you shaped, poke a hole in the center and stretch it out into a large hole. Make the hole larger than you think you need to (about 2 inches). Place the shaped dough on the prepared baking sheet. Continue with the remaining portions.
- New York Style shaping: Roll one ball of dough into a 10-inch rope. Wrap the rope around your palm, and pinch the seam closed.
- Poach the bagels: Boil water in a large pot. Whisk brown sugar and baking soda in.14 grams brown sugar, 28 grams baking soda, 96 oz water
- Once the water gets to a rolling boil, drop 3 bagels into the water. Cook for 30 seconds and flip. Transfer poached bagels to a wire rack. Repeat with remaining portions.
- Dust prepared baking sheet with cornmeal. Return the poached bagels to the baking sheet. Top with sesame seeds or everything bagel seasoning (if using).10 grams cornmeal, sesame seeds, everything bagel seasoning, poppy seeds
- Bake: Bake bagels for 25 to 30 minutes or until golden brown.
- Transfer to a wire rack and allow the bagels to cool for 15 minutes. Enjoy!
Tips
These recipes were developed and tested using grams for precise measurements. To increase your chances of success, I recommend investing in a kitchen scale. I've included rough volume estimates (in tablespoons and cups), but they might not be totally accurate.
Remember all ovens are unique, these recipes were tested in my oven which runs cooler than others. You might need to lower the temperature if your bake appears to be browning too quickly. Monitor your bake closely and make adjustments if needed.
Notes
- Both sourdough discard and active sourdough starter will work for this recipe.
- Don’t let your dough overproof. Letting your dough rise too much will result in dull, overly chewy, and lumpy bagels.
- The best way to determine whether your bread is baked is with a digital thermometer. The internal temperature of the bread should be between 190 to 200 F.
- The best way to keep these bagels fresh is to freeze them. Split bagels in half, wrap in plastic wrap and freeze for up to 1 month. Simply toast frozen bagels to enjoy.
Nutrition
I am not a nutritionist or dietitian, any nutrition information provided is an estimate.
Kopi_itam says
Love the recipe. Minimal kneading needed. It even works with my low pantry stock (i somehow had to used 5g of yeast and 2g of salt) i just used plain flour and it worked. Tq for this recipe...
Hannah Dela Cruz says
These are my absolute favorite! I make them almost every week. I'm so glad you loved them as well.
Lauren Kelly says
This recipe was so clear and easy to follow! I've built up a huge vat of sourdough discard that I'm trying to work through lol, and this was a perfect way to start making a dent. It was my first time making bagels with commercial yeast (as opposed to only from active starter), and they turned out DELISH 🙂
Hannah Dela Cruz says
Lauren!!! I love it when people try my favorite recipes and this one is definitely at the top for me. I'm glad it worked out for you too.
Elizabeth Palmer says
I made this recipe last night and I was SO impressed! It was my first time making bagels (a novice baker overall) and it came out perfectly. Followed the recipe exactly. My oven runs hot so it was done baking prior to the predicted time but they were golden brown and delicious. My husband has already asked me to make more!
Hannah Dela Cruz says
Thank you for trying the recipe, Elizabeth! I'm so glad you had a great bake and that hubby loved it as well.