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Sourdough discard bagels in a basket lined with a ticking striped tea towel showing off the bagel toppings of everything bagel seasoning and cheddar cheese

Sourdough Discard Bagels

Kyrie | Healthfully Rooted Home
These sourdough discard bagels are fluffy and flavorful, use up your sourdough discard, and can be made the same day!
5 from 2 votes
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Rising time 2 hours
Total Time 2 hours 45 minutes
Course Appetizer, Breakfast, Main Course, Snack
Cuisine American
Servings 10 sourdough discard bagels
Calories 300 kcal

Ingredients
  

Bagel Dough

  • 2 tsp yeast
  • 1 1/2 cups warm water
  • 1/2 cup sourdough discard
  • 2 tbs coconut sugar
  • 2 tsp sea salt
  • 4 cups flour
  • coconut oil for greasing the bowl

Water Bath

  • 10 cups filtered water
  • 1 tbs coconut sugar
  • 1 tbs baking soda

Bagel Toppings

  • Favorite seasoning to taste

Instructions
 

  • Whisk warm water and yeast in the bowl of a stand mixer and let sit for 5 minutes.
  • Add the rest of the dough ingredients (minus flour and salt) and whisk until combined.
  • Add 2 cups flour and knead with the dough hook attachment for 2 minutes until incorporated.
  • Let sit for 15 minutes.
  • Add the rest of the flour and salt then knead for 5-10 minutes on low speed.
  • Transfer the dough to a greased bowl and let it rest for about 1-2 hours until doubled.
  • Prep a baking sheet with parchment paper, turn dough out onto a floured work surface and divide into about 8-10 pieces.
  • Shape bagels: Take each piece and shape it into a ball by gathering up the sides and pinching them together in the center. Turn the dough over so that the seam side is down on the work surface and gently form a smooth ball. This helps to develop the gluten structure.Then, using your thumb to poke a hole in the middle rotate your dough around your thumb as you smooth and shape the ring. The hole will need to be bigger than you think since it will shrink as the dough performs its second rise.
  • Place bagels on the parchment-lined baking sheet, evenly spaced, cover with a tea towel and let rise again while you prep the water bath.
  • Boil a large pot of water and preheat your oven to 425 degrees F.
  • Once your water has come to a boil add your baking soda and coconut sugar.
  • Place bagels into the boiling water (only about 3 at a time) and boil for 1-2 minutes on each side.
  • Remove the bagels from the water and place on a parchment-lined baking sheet and sprinkle toppings overtop.
  • Once all bagels have been boiled and topped, bake them for about 15-20 minutes until golden brown.
  • Remove from oven, let cool, and serve.

Video

Notes

How to Store Sourdough Discard Bagels

Just like any bread, these sourdough discard bagels are best day of, however, they can be stored and refreshed using the methods below.

Room temperature

Store leftover sourdough bagels in an airtight container, or bread box, for up to 3 days.

How to freeze sourdough discard bagels

To freeze sourdough discard bagels, simply let them cool completely and place them in a plastic bag and freeze for up to 3 months.
Pull them out as needed and let them defrost at room temperature, then place in a 200-degree oven until heated to your liking.

In a Pinch Ideas

To make sourdough discard bagels in a pinch, you'll want to make a batch and freeze them for later so you can easily pull them out of the freezer whenever you want one!
By using 2 full tsp of yeast, you'll be able to make these bagels same-day. However, if you just use a pinch of yeast, you'll need to let them rise longer.

Sourdough Discard Bagel Tips

  1. Big holes - Make the holes bigger than you think you need to make them when you’re shaping your bagel dough. The hole will shrink as they start to puff up and if it isn’t big enough your hole will completely disappear.
  2. Boil the bagels - The boiling step helps the outside of the bagels to cook quickly enough to help the bagels hold their shape during the baking step. Secondly, it helps the seasoning to stick better. Lastly, it gives the bagel a shiny and crisp coating making them absolutely delicious and gorgeous.
  3. Don’t skip the baking soda and sugar in the boiling water – this is used to increase surface gelatinization by breaking down some starch in the bagel dough, and also gives the bagels a “pretzely” taste. 
  4. Rest before adding salt - Be sure to let the dough rest for 15 minutes before adding the salt. If not, the salt will kill the yeast before it has a chance to activate. 
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