Sourdough Bagels

Flour • Water • Starter • Honey • Salt

A naturally leavened bagel with depth, chew, and character — fermented overnight at room temperature for fuller flavor and gentle acidity.

No commercial yeast. No shortcuts. Just time.

Ingredients

Makes 12 small bagels

840 g Bread flour (high protein, 12–13%)

425 g water (room temperature)

227 g active sourdough starter (100% hydration, lively)

63g honey

20 g fine sea salt

For Boiling

2 liters ( 2000g) of water

1 tbsp honey

Toppings

  • Sesame seeds

  • Poppy seeds

  • Flaky sea salt

  • Caraway

  • Everything blend

Method

1. Mix

Combine water, starter, and honey. Add flour and salt.
Mix until a stiff dough forms — bagel dough should be firm, not soft.

2. Knead

Knead 8–10 minutes by hand (or 5–6 minutes in a mixer) until smooth and elastic.

3. Bulk Ferment – Overnight

Place in a lightly oiled bowl. Cover and ferment at cool room temperature (68–70°F / 20–21°C) overnight (8–10 hours).

The dough should rise but remain dense — this is not a high-hydration bread.

4. Shape

Divide into 12 equal pieces (about 130 g each).
Shape into tight balls. Rest 30 minutes.
Poke a hole through the center and gently stretch into rings.

5. Proof

Place on parchment. Cover lightly.
Proof 30–60 minutes at room temperature until slightly puffy but still firm. Poike them, if the hole bounces back, it still needs some time

6. Boil

Bring water and honey to a gentle boil.
Boil bagels 30 seconds per side. I flip them using a slotted fish spatula
Remove, add toppings immediately. Place on lined sheet pans. If you want to bake the bagels with cornmeal, place cornmeal directly on the lined sheet pan, then lay the bagels on top.

7. Bake

Bake at 475°F (245°C) for 18–22 minutes until deep golden.

Cool at least 30 minutes before slicing.

Chef’s Notes

  • The overnight room-temp fermentation develops acidity and structure without over-proofing.

  • If your kitchen runs warm, shorten fermentation slightly.

  • For a deeper flavor, reduce the starter to 80 g and extend fermentation to 12 hours.

  • Bagels freeze beautifully once baked.