Easy Sourdough Bagel Recipe (Soft & Chewy)

After conquering sourdough starter and making your first perfect loaf of sourdough bread, it’s time to experiment with some new sourdough recipes! One of my favorites so far is this easy homemade sourdough bagel recipe.

I know sourdough recipes can feel time-consuming, but I promise these bagels are easier than you think! I usually activate my starter in the morning, make the dough before bed, and let it rise overnight. In the morning, I shape the bagels, let them rise, give them a quick water bath, and bake. Most of the work happens while you sleep!

Easy Homemade Sourdough Bagels | Simple Ingredients

These homemade sourdough bagels are crisp on the outside with that perfectly chewy bagel texture in the middle. They’re made with simple ingredients, rise overnight, and are even better sliced and toasted. Add a thick layer of cream cheese, and you’ll probably be toasting the second one before you even finish the first!

Why You’ll Love This Recipe:

Simple ingredients: You only need a handful of basic ingredients.
Perfect texture: Crisp on the outside and soft and chewy inside.
Overnight recipe: Let the dough do its thing while you sleep!
Easy to customize: Make everything, cinnamon raisin, jalapeño cheddar, and more.
Freezer-friendly: Make a big batch and freeze some for later.

I’ve made these sourdough bagels for local coffee shops, sold them at farmers markets, and baked countless batches for friends and family visiting. There’s something about waking up to the smell of warm sourdough bagels baking in the oven that makes guests never want to leave. I guess that isn’t always a good thing… 😂

Flavors of Sourdough Bagels

Sourdough bagels are delicious on their own, but they’re even better when you add different flavors! Jalapeño cheddar is my absolute favorite, but I’ve also made cinnamon raisin, everything, strawberry, chocolate chip, garlic, and more. In the fall, you also have to try my Pumpkin Spice Sourdough Bagels.

One of my first jobs in high school was actually at a bagel shop! Even though that was a long time ago, I still remember some of the tricks we used to make different bagel flavors, and I’m sharing a few of those secrets in this post.

I even learned how to make all the flavored cream cheeses. My family is a big bagel family, and when my brother graduated from basic training, my mom and I put together a huge spread of bagels and flavored cream cheeses to celebrate. I might need to share those cream cheese recipes on the blog soon!

One of the reasons I started making homemade bagels, besides being a huge bagel fan, was because a few of my close friends had babies around the same time. I remembered those early newborn days when I was constantly hungry between the lack of sleep, feeding the baby, and adjusting to life postpartum.

I thought a tray of homemade bagels with cream cheese would be the perfect thing to drop off. They’re filling, easy to grab for an early-morning or late-night snack, and you can freeze them to have on hand whenever hunger hits. I also love that you can make a mix of sweet and savory flavors with different cream cheeses to go along with them.

While testing this recipe, I also discovered that my son LOVES homemade bagels, especially the jalapeño cheddar! I usually keep a bag in the freezer so I can quickly defrost one whenever we want them.

More Sourdough Recipes You’ll Love

The Best Sourdough Cinnamon Rolls
How to Make Sourdough Starter
The Best Golden Sourdough Bread Recipe
Sourdough Pizza Crust
Pumpkin Spice Sourdough Bagels

Sourdough Bagel Video Tutorial Below

Two Timelines for Making Sourdough Bagels

There are two easy timelines you can follow when making these sourdough bagels:

Option One: Overnight Sourdough Bagels
Activate your starter in the morning → make the dough before bed → let it rise overnight → shape the bagels in the morning → let them rise → water bath → bake.

Option Two: Same-Day Sourdough Bagels
Activate your starter before bed → make the dough in the morning → let it rise throughout the day → shape the bagels in the late afternoon → let them rise → water bath → bake that evening.

I’ve made them both ways, but Option One is the method I use most often. I love letting the dough rise overnight and waking up to fresh sourdough bagels in the morning!

How to Make Sourdough Bagels

Step One: Activate the sourdough starter.
Around 8–10 AM, mix 1/2 cup sourdough starter, 1/2 cup room-temperature water, and 1/2 cup all-purpose flour in a jar. If you need to slow down the activation process, you can use cooler water.

Step Two: Make the bagel dough.
Before bed, around 8–10 PM, add the activated starter, filtered water, honey, and sea salt to the bowl of an electric mixer. Mix until combined, then add the bread flour.

Step Three: Let the dough rest.
Allow the dough to sit for about 10 minutes. Don’t worry if it looks a little flaky or dry at this point.

Step Four: Knead the dough.
Using the dough hook attachment, knead on low speed for about 7 minutes. If you don’t have an electric mixer, knead the dough by hand on a lightly floured surface until it becomes smooth and firm.

Adding flavors? Add mix-ins such as raisins, jalapeños, cheese, or chocolate chips during the final minute of kneading. I have more flavor ideas and instructions below!

Step Five: Let the dough rise overnight.
Cover the dough and let it rise for about 10–12 hours, or until it has roughly doubled in size.

Step Six: Shape the bagels.
Place the dough on a lightly floured surface. Divide the dough into 135-gram portions and form each portion into a ball. Press your thumb through the center of each ball and gently stretch the opening until you have a bagel shape.

This recipe makes approximately 10 large bagels.

Step Seven: Let the shaped bagels rise.
Place the bagels on a parchment-lined baking sheet, cover them, and allow them to rise for about 2 hours.

Step Eight: Give the bagels a water bath.
Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Carefully add 3–4 bagels at a time and boil for 2 minutes per side. Use tongs or a utensil through the center to carefully flip and remove them.

Transfer the boiled bagels to a parchment-lined baking sheet. If you’re adding toppings such as everything seasoning, sesame seeds, or cheese, add them after the water bath while the outside of the bagel is still damp.

Step Nine: Bake the sourdough bagels.
Preheat the oven to 400°F. Arrange the bagels on a parchment-lined baking sheet and bake for 22–26 minutes, or until golden brown.

My favorite trick: Pour a thin layer of uncooked rice underneath the parchment paper before adding the bagels. This creates a little buffer between the bagels and the hot baking sheet and helps prevent the bottoms from getting too dark.

How Do I Add Flavors to Sourdough Bagels?

There are two ways to add flavor to your sourdough bagels: mix-ins can be added to the dough during kneading, while toppings are added after the water bath. Some flavors, like jalapeño cheddar, use both!

For cinnamon raisin, honey oat, blueberry, pumpkin, jalapeño cheddar, strawberry, and chocolate chip bagels, add the mix-ins during the final minute of kneading.

For toppings like everything seasoning, herbs, seeds, or cheese, place them on a plate and gently dip the bagel into the topping while it’s still damp from the water bath. This helps everything stick before baking.

My 8 Favorite Sourdough Bagel Flavors

1. Jalapeño Cheddar
My personal favorite! Add diced jalapeños and shredded cheddar during the final minute of kneading, then top with extra cheddar and jalapeño slices after the water bath.

2. Everything
Keep the dough plain, then dip the damp bagels into everything bagel seasoning after the water bath.

3. Cinnamon Raisin
Add raisins and cinnamon during the final minute of kneading. I like to make sure the raisins are evenly distributed throughout the dough.

4. Blueberry
Add blueberries during the final minute of kneading, being careful not to overmix and crush them.

5. Chocolate Chip
Add chocolate chips during the final minute of kneading for an easy sweeter bagel.

6. Honey Oat
Add a little extra honey to the dough and top the damp bagels with oats before baking.

7. Pumpkin Spice
For a full fall version, try my Pumpkin Spice Sourdough Bagels recipe.

8. Plain
Sometimes nothing beats a classic sourdough bagel! Leave them completely plain and serve toasted with butter or cream cheese.

What Do I Need to Make Sourdough Bagels?

You don’t need any fancy equipment to make homemade sourdough bagels, but a few tools make the process much easier.

• Electric Mixer with Dough Hook (optional) — Makes kneading the stiff bagel dough much easier, but you can also knead by hand.
• Kitchen Scale — I highly recommend using one so each bagel is approximately 135 grams and bakes evenly.
• Silicone Baking Mat (optional) — Helpful for working with and shaping the dough.
• Parchment Paper — Keeps the bagels from sticking while baking.
• Large Pot — For boiling the bagels before baking.
• Baking Sheet
• Tongs — Makes flipping and removing the bagels from the water bath easier.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I make sourdough bagels the same day?
Yes! I usually make the dough before bed and let it rise overnight, but you can also activate your starter before bed, make the dough in the morning, and bake the bagels that evening.

Why do you boil sourdough bagels before baking?
The water bath helps create that classic bagel exterior and chewy texture. It also gives you a damp surface for toppings like everything seasoning, sesame seeds, or cheese to stick to before baking.

Can I make sourdough bagels without a stand mixer?
Yes. A stand mixer makes kneading the stiff dough easier, but you can knead it by hand on a lightly floured surface until the dough becomes smooth and firm.

How do I know when my sourdough starter is ready to use?
I use my starter once it’s active, bubbly, and has noticeably risen after feeding. (If you normally use the “doubles in size” test, we can add that too.)

Why didn’t my sourdough bagels rise?
A sluggish starter, cooler room temperature, or not allowing enough fermentation time can all slow the rise. Sourdough works on its own schedule, so I pay more attention to how the dough looks than the clock.

Can I add different flavors to this sourdough bagel recipe?
Yes! Jalapeño cheddar is my favorite, but you can make everything, cinnamon raisin, chocolate chip, blueberry, sesame, and many other variations. I have all of my favorite flavor ideas above.

Can I add different flavors to this sourdough bagel recipe?
Yes! These sourdough bagels can easily be made vegan. Instead of honey, use maple syrup, agave, cane sugar, or brown sugar.

If you’re making the jalapeño cheddar version, simply swap the regular cheese for your favorite vegan cheese.

How to Serve Sourdough Bagels

The best way to eat these sourdough bagels is sliced and toasted. There’s just something about toasting a bagel that makes it 10x better! They’re delicious with cream cheese, butter, or cream cheese and lox, and they also make the perfect base for breakfast or lunch sandwiches.

You can even turn them into bagel pizzas, which is always a fun option!

How Do You Store Sourdough Bagels?

If I know we won’t eat all of the bagels within a few days, I store them in a freezer-safe bag and freeze them. When we’re ready for one, I let it defrost at room temperature, then slice and toast it. They’re so good toasted!

If we’re going to eat them within a few days or have guests visiting, I keep the bagels at room temperature in an airtight bag or container.

Tip: You can also slice the bagels before freezing them so they’re ready to pop right into the toaster.

I always joke with my husband (but I’m kind of serious 😂) that I’d love to own a bed and breakfast one day and serve homemade sourdough bagels, cinnamon rolls, and other freshly baked treats in the morning!

I hope you love these homemade sourdough bagels as much as we do! They’ve become one of my favorite sourdough recipes to make, especially when we have friends or family visiting. If you make them, have fun experimenting with different flavors and toppings, and let me know which one is your favorite! And don’t forget, the best way to eat one is warm and toasted with plenty of cream cheese.