My favorite way to start the morning is with one of these sourdough discard blueberry bagels topped with cream cheese and paired with a hot cup of coffee. Fresh blueberries give them a burst of flavor and a beautiful natural purple hue. They're made with sourdough discard, so you can use up a lot of excess starter while adding a delicious tang and depth of flavor. Since it's made with commercial yeast the recipe comes together in just a few hours perfect for an afternoon baking project.
If you'd rather bake with an active starter, you might enjoy my sourdough bagel recipe instead.
I'm marathon training right now and in the Arizona heat, I'm often up by 4 a.m. to get my miles in before the sun becomes unbearable. Having these bagels ready means I can quickly toast one, and fuel up before heading out for my runs. They freeze beautifully, so I can prep a batch ahead and always have a satisfying breakfast ready.
If you've been following my blog for a while, you know blueberries are one of my favorite ingredients, whether they're baked into my sourdough discard blueberry muffins, tucked inside blueberry turnovers, or layered into my sourdough jam bars. Since blueberries are available year-round, you can make these bagels anytime, but they're especially good in the summer when berries are at their sweetest.
5-Star Review
They turned out fabulous! Next time I may add more berries. Yum!
Dee Ann
Ingredients and Substitutions
This hybrid dough uses sourdough discard for flavor and a boost of commercial yeast for a faster rise, giving you bakery-style bagels without spending two days on the process.
You'll want to invest in bread flour for this recipe, it's what gives bagels their chewy texture. If you use all-purpose flour your bagels will have a dinner roll-like texture.
I used fresh blueberries for this recipe, but frozen blueberries will work just fine. You can even substitute an equal amount of raspberries or blackberries. If you prefer plain bagels, try my recipes for Sourdough Discard Bagel or Sourdough Discard Egg Bagel.
Baking soda is essential for bagels, but not in the dough! It's added to the water bath, where it helps create that signature flavor along with a shiny, chewy crust.
Step-by-step Instructions
Make the dough
Microwave the blueberries until they break down, about 2 minutes. Make the dough.
Shape the dough
Knead the dough until smooth, let it rest for 15 minutes. Divide the dough in 12 portions and shape.
Bake the bagels
Boil the bagels for 1 minute. Bake at 420 F for 25 to 30 minutes.
Notes from Hannah's Test Kitchen
- Take a little extra time to get the dough nice and smooth. It's a sign of strong gluten development, and will give your bagels a smoother, shinier crust.
- What seems like regular proofing time for bread is too long for bagel dough. Letting bagels proof too long can lead to a wrinkly crust and an overly tough texture that feels like a workout for your jaw.
- When shaping, make the center hole larger than you think you should. The bagels will puff up as they bake, and the hole will naturally shrink.
How to Store and Freeze Bagels
I love freezer-friendly breads, like my sourdough discard English muffins, and homemade bagels are no exception. They freeze beautifully, so you can make a batch ahead of time and enjoy fresh-tasting bagels anytime.
- Let them cool completely.
- Slice in half before storing.
- Store in a ziplock bag in the freezer for up to 1 month.
When you're ready to eat, just pop one in the toaster and it will taste like it came straight out of the oven.
Did this recipe rise to the occasion?
★★★★★
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Sourdough Discard Blueberry Bagel Recipe
Equipment
- stand mixer MAKEITDOUGH20 for 20% off
- Large Baking Sheet
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Ingredients
Dough
- 190 grams blueberries
- 7 grams active-dry yeast
- 28 grams honey
- 300 grams water
- 113 grams sourdough discard
- 750 grams bread flour
- 12 grams kosher salt
Water Bath
- 10 grams baking soda
Release
- 30 grams cornmeal
Click US Customary to view volume measurements
Instructions
- Cook the blueberries: In a microwave safe bowl, microwave the blueberries for 2 minutes, stirring every 30 seconds to ensure they don't overflow. Set aside and let the blueberries cool completely.190 grams blueberries
- Bloom the yeast: Whisk the yeast, water and honey together. Cover and let the yeast activate for 15 minutes until foamy and bubbly.7 grams active-dry yeast, 28 grams honey, 300 grams water
- Make the dough: In the bowl of your stand mixer, combine the remaining ingredients with the cooled blueberry mixture and yeast mixture.113 grams sourdough discard, 750 grams bread flour, 12 grams kosher salt
- Using a dough hook, mix the dough on low speed until cohesive and elastic, about 5 minutes. Pause and scrape the sides down as needed. (See notes for hand-mixing instructions).
- Gather the dough into a tight ball and cover the bowl with plastic wrap. Let the dough rest for 15 minutes.
- Knead the dough: Turn the dough out onto a clean work surface. Knead the dough until smooth, about 5 to 10 minutes.
- Pre shape the dough: Divide the dough into 12 portions (about 110 grams each). Keep the dough covered in plastic wrap to prevent it from drying out.
- Working with one piece at a time, fold the edges toward the center and pinch to seal. Place seam-side down on your work surface and gently round to close the seam. Set aside and repeat with the remaining pieces of dough.
- Prep: Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Preheat the oven to 425 F. Bring a large pot of water to a boil.
- Shape the dough: Working with the first piece of dough you pre shaped, use your finger to poke a hole through the center. Gently expand the hole to about 2 to 3 inches in diameter. Make the hole slightly larger than you think it should be because it will close slightly as your bagels bake.
- Set the shaped portion on the lined baking sheet and repeat with the remaining portions of dough.
- Boil the bagels: Add baking soda to the boiling water. Add bagels to the water 2 or 3 at a time (depending on the size of your pot). Boil the bagels for 1 minute. Using a spider or a slotted spoon to flip the bagels halfway through. Transfer the boiled bagels to a wire rack. Repeat with the remaining bagels.10 grams baking soda
- Bake the bagels: Dust the parchment paper with cornmeal. Arrange the bagels on the baking sheet about an inch apart. They can be quite close together since they won't puff up too much as they bake.30 grams cornmeal
- Bake the bagels for 25 to 30 minutes or until browned and the bagels register at least 200 F when probed with an instant-read thermometer.
- Transfer the bagels to a wire rack to cool for at least 15 minutes before serving.
- Long-term storage: Slice the bagels and store in a ziplock bag. Store the bagels in the freezer for up to 1 month. Reheat in a toaster or toaster oven until lightly browned and heated through.
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
Nutrition
I am not a nutritionist or dietitian, any nutrition information provided is an estimate.
Dee Ann says
They turned out fabulous! Next time I may add more berries. Yum!
Hannah Dela Cruz says
Thanks for trying this recipe out! So happy you loved them.