There are few things better in life than a fresh, warm bagel. I recently decided to try my hand at homemade bagels and was pleasantly surprised at how easy they really are. This recipe uses your sourdough starter as a leavening agent and adds a depth of flavor that is hard to match. I can promise that once you try these, you’ll have a hard time going back to any others.
Fresh Homemade Sourdough Bagels
- 4-5 cups flour
- 2 1/2 cups water
- 1 cup active sourdough starter
- 1/2 cup coconut oil
- 2 tbsp honey
- 1 tsp salt
- Water Bath:
- 2 quarts water
- 1 tbsp baking soda
- 1 tsp salt
- Toppings of choice (I made cinnamon sugar, everything bagel seasoning, parm-cheddar, and plain).
Start by making your dough. Mix 3 cups flour, salt, starter, oil, honey, and water. Add more flour until a soft dough is formed. Knead lightly until flour is incorporated. Cover with a damp towel and let rise for 10-12 hours.
Move dough onto a countertop and separate into 8-10 pieces. Shape each piece into a tight bun/roll. Let rest on parchment lined baking sheets for 1 hour.
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Bring water to a boil, then and salt and soda. Using your thumb, poke a hole through the middle of one of the dough balls, slowly stretching and spinning the dough ball for the center hole to be about 1 inch wide.
Place in boiling water, boiling for 1 min, then flipping for an additional minute. Repeat with each bagel. Add desired toppings, then place in the oven and bake for 10 minutes. Rotate the pan and bake for an additional 10 minutes.
Remove immediately from pan and let cool on a wire rack.
Enjoy the bagels topped with cream cheese, jam, or made into a delicious, fresh sandwich!
What is your favorite bagel flavor?