Easy Overnight Sourdough Bagels Recipe
This easy overnight sourdough bagel recipe is made using an active sourdough starter and a few pantry staples for the ultimate soft and chewy New York-style bagel. After one bite, you’ll agree that these are the best bagels with their thin skin, soft and chewy texture, and irresistible delicious sourdough flavor.
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New to Sourdough?
If you’re new to sourdough baking, these beginner-friendly guides will help you get started with confidence. Learn how to make a Sourdough Starter from Scratch, feed and maintain it with the Complete Sourdough Starter Guide, and bake your first loaf with this Easy Sourdough Bread Recipe. Together, these guides create a solid foundation for your sourdough journey.
From a toasted bagel with cream cheese to making the ultimate bagel sandwich stuffed with deli meats and cheese, the possibilities are endless for a way to enjoy these chewy bagels.
Our favorite is to make these mini pepperoni bagel bites for a delicious lunch. Who knew that making homemade bagels would be this easy? So let’s get started!
Why You’ll Love Sourdough Bagels
- Sourdough Goodness – Long fermenting sourdough breads helps break down the phytic acid found in grains, making it easier to digest.
- Easy – This recipe is mostly hands-off, letting you enjoy delicious bagel shop quality bagels at home.
- Versatile – I love plain bagels, but sometimes you want a little bit more flavor. This recipe is a blank slate waiting for your favorite toppings. From cheese, sesame, jalapeno and cheddar, onion, and everything bagel seasoning, to garlic, you’ll have fun experimenting with so many flavors.
Helpful Tips for Sourdough Bagels
- Use bread flour. I use King Arthur’s Bread Flour with a protein level of 12.7%. Read more about the difference between bread flour and all-purpose flour and when to use them.
- This recipe is easiest using a stand mixer, but you don’t need one to make these bagels. Knead the dough by hand for 10 minutes. The dough is stiff and will require plenty of elbow grease.
- For consistent results, I’d suggest using a kitchen scale to measure ingredients. If you don’t have one, use a spoon to scoop the flour into the measuring cup until its heaping to the top and then level off with the back of a butter knife. If you scoop directly into the flour, you will end up using too much flour.
- Divide the bagel dough into 16 pieces for smaller bagels. Boil the same as in the instructions and bake for 10-15 minutes. Perfect for mini bagel bites or when you want a small snack.
Sourdough Bagels Ingredients
- Sourdough starter – Use an active sourdough starter that’s full of bubbles and activity, and not sourdough discard, as it doesn’t have enough yeast in it.
- Flour – Bread flour give the bagels their chewy texture and help hold their shape during boiling.
- Salt – Flavors the bagels and helps with gluten development
- Water – Use warm water in cooler months to promote fermentation activity.
- Honey – No need to use raw honey in these bagels, as the high baking temperatures negate their benefits. Instead, a basic honey works well.
- Granulated sugar – A bit of sugar in the boiling water gives the bagels their shiny crust. For an authentic sheen, use barley malt syrup instead.
Equipment For Overnight Bagels
- Kitchen scale – A vital tool for measuring sourdough bread dough ingredients. They’re not expensive and will help ensure accurate, consistent measurements.
- 9 x 13 baking pan
- Stand mixer – Makes mixing the dough and incorporating the butter effortless
- Bench scraper
- Large baking sheet
- Digital thermometer – Use to read the bread’s internal temperature to know when the bread is done baking. Great for beginner bakers as they improve their bread-baking skills.
- Cooling rack
- Parchment paper
How to Make Easy Sourdough Bagels
Mix the Sourdough Bagel Dough
Make the autolyze:
Measure the bread flour and warm water into the bowl of your stand mixer. Mix with a dough whisk and let sit for 20 minutes. This allows the flour to hydrate properly.
Next, add the active starter, salt, and honey to the bowl and add the dough hook attachment to the mixer. Mix on low speed for 5-6 minutes. This is a stiff dough.
Bulk Ferment
Shape the bagel dough into a smooth ball and cover the bowl with a plate or a piece of plastic wrap.
Set in a warm place on the counter to let the dough rest at room temperature for 8-12 hours. I like to do this step over night.
Divide and Shape Sourdough Bagels
The next morning, the dough will have doubled in size. (If your kitchen is cool, this might take longer.) Turn out onto a clean work surface and divide into 8 equal pieces using a bench scraper.
Shape each piece of dough into balls. Using your index finger and thumb, poke a hole in the center of the dough balls and slightly stretch them to widen the hole.
Place the shaped bagels onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. I cut the parchment paper into pieces to make it easier to transfer into the boiling water.
If the dough is resistant, let the dough rest for 10 minutes and continue stretching. As you work the dough, the gluten tightens and makes it harder to stretch. Letting it rest for a few minutes helps it to relax and makes it easier to shape.
Second Rise | Proof
Cover the shaped bagels with a tea towel and leave them at room temperature. Let the dough proof for an hour, or until they are puffy, and feels light when pressed with your finger. (This may take longer if your kitchen is cool. Let the dough, and not the clock, determine when to move to the next step)
While the dough is rising, preheat the oven to 425°F/218°C and prepare a large pot of water with 6 cups of water and 1 tbsp of sugar.
Boil Bagels
Once the water comes to a boil, pick the bagel up using the parchment paper and gently place it into the boiling water. Use tongs to grab the parchment paper from the water.
Boil bagels for 1 minute and then flip over and boil for another minute. Remove them using a slotted spoon and place them onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
Optional Step: Add your favorite toppings.
Let the bagels cool enough to handle. For seeds and seasonings, add to a small dish and lay the top of the bagel into the seasonings. For larger toppings, like grated cheese, sprinkle over the tops.
Place back onto a baking sheet.
The bagels should float right away. If they sink to the bottom, they are likely under-proofed and need more time.
Bake Bagels
Bake for 25-30 minutes or until the tops are golden brown and the internal temperature reads 200°F/94°C with a digital thermometer.
How to Store and Freeze Bagels
Like all baked goods, the bagels are best the day they’re baked. Store any remaining bagels in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a week.
To freeze cooked bagels, place them in a plastic freezer bag and remove as much air as possible. Label the bag with the name and date, and place it in the freezer for up to 3 months.
To reheat, let the bagels thaw at room temperature before slicing and toasting in a toaster or toaster oven.
Sample Overnight Sourdough Bagels Recipe Schedule
| Day 1: | |
| 2:00 pm | Feed the starter |
| 8:30 pm | Autolyse the flour and mix the dough |
| 9:00 pm | Bulk ferment the dough |
| Day 2: | |
| 8:00 am | Shape the bagels |
| 8:15 am | Second rise (proof) |
| 9:15 am | Boil and bake the bagels |
Topping Suggestions
- Dried onion flakes
- Sesame seeds
- Shredded cheese-sprinkle
- Everything bagel seasoning
- Poppy seeds
- Cinnamon and sugar
- Salt-sprinkle, do not dip!
FAQs About Easy Homemade Sourdough Bagels
Do I Need to Use a Kitchen Scale?
I know that buying a kitchen scale seems like one more thing, however, measuring by weight instead of volume ensures consistent sourdough bread doughs. Investing in an inexpensive scale is a great idea if you plan to bake sourdough bread regularly.
Why are the Bagels Boiled Before Baking?
Boiling starts to cook the outside and helps the bagels to hold their shape while baking. The outside of the bagels become a bit gooey which help make the seasonings adhere better.
I’d love to hear from you! If you made this Sourdough Bagel recipe and loved it, I would love it if you gave it 5 stars! Happy Baking!
Easy Overnight Sourdough Bagels Recipe
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Equipment
- stand mixer
- kitchen scale
- parchment paper
- slotted spoon
- bench scraper
- large baking sheet
Ingredients
Sourdough Bagel Dough
- 100 g active sourdough starter 100 g ⅓ cup + 1½ tsp
- 250 g warm water 1 cup
- 2 tsp salt
- 500 g bread flour 4 cups
- 40 g honey 2 tbsp
Water Bath
- 1½ quarts water 6 cups
- 1 tbsp granulated sugar
Instructions
Autolyse
- Measure 500 g (4 cups) bread flour and 250 g (1 cup) warm water into the bowl of your stand mixer. Mix until the flour is completely incorporated with the water. Rest for 30 minutes to allow the flour to hydrate properly.
Mix the Dough
- Add the 100 g (â…“ cup + 1 tbsp) active starter, 2 tsp salt, and 40 g (2 tbsp) honey and mix by hand to combine the ingredients. Add the dough hook and mix on low speed for 5-6 minutes. This is a stiff dough.
Bulk Ferment
- Shape the bagel dough into a smooth ball and cover the bowl with a plate or a piece of plastic wrap. Set in a warm place on the counter to let the dough rest at room temperature for 8-12 hours. I like to do this step overnight.
Divide and Shape
- The next morning, the dough will have doubled in size. (If your kitchen is cool, this might take longer.) Turn out onto a clean work surface and divide into 8 equal pieces using a bench scraper. Shape each piece of dough into balls. Using your index finger and thumb, poke a hole in the center of the dough balls and slightly stretch them to widen the hole.Place the shaped bagels onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. I cut the parchment paper into pieces to make it easier to transfer into the boiling water.If the dough is resistant, let the dough rest for 10 minutes and continue stretching. As you work the dough, the gluten tightens and makes it harder to stretch. Letting it rest for a few minutes helps it to relax and makes it easier to shape.
Second Rise
- Cover the shaped bagels with a tea towel and leave them at room temperature. Let the dough proof for an hour, or until they are puffy, and feels light when pressed with your finger. (This may take longer if your kitchen is cool. Let the dough, and not the clock, determine when to move to the next step) While the dough is rising, preheat the oven to 425°F/218°C and prepare a large pot of water with 6 cups of water and 1 tbsp of sugar.
Boil Bagels
- Once the water comes to a boil, pick the bagel up using the parchment paper and gently place it into the boiling water. Use tongs to grab the parchment paper from the water. Boil bagels for 1 minute and then flip over and boil for another minute. Remove them using a slotted spoon and place them onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. The bagels should float right away. If they sink to the bottom, they are likely under-proofed and need more time. Optional step: Add your favorite toppings. Let the bagels cool enough to handle. For seeds and seasonings, add to a small dish and lay the top of the bagel into the seasonings. For larger toppings, like grated cheese, sprinkle over the tops.Place back onto a baking sheet.Â
Bake
- Bake for 25-30 minutes or until the tops are golden brown and the internal temperature reads 200°F/94°C with a digital thermometer.Â
Notes
How to Store and Freeze Bagels
Store any remaining bagels in an airtight container for up to a week, but will have the best flavor and texture if eaten within 3 days. To freeze cooked bagels place them in a plastic freezer bag and then remove as much air as possible and place them in the freezer for up to 3 months. To reheat, let them thaw at room temperature, slice in half, and toast in a toaster or toaster oven.ÂTips
- Use bread flour. I use King Arthur’s Bread Flour with a protein level of 12.7%. Read more about the difference between bread flour and all-purpose flour and when to use them.
- This recipe is easiest using a stand mixer, but you don’t need one to make these bagels. Knead the dough by hand for 10 minutes. The dough is stiff and will require plenty of elbow grease.
- For consistent results, I’d suggest using a kitchen scale to measure ingredients. If you don’t have one, use a spoon to scoop the flour into the measuring cup until it’s heaping to the top and then level off with the back of a butter knife. If you scoop directly into the flour, you will end up using too much flour.
- Divide the bagel dough into 16 pieces for smaller bagels. Boil the same as above and bake for 10-15 minutes. Perfect for mini bagel bites or when you want a small snack.
My oldest son lived off bagels and butter for breakfast for most of his childhood, and this recipe has his stamp of approval! I look forward to hearing your questions and comments after you try them!