Sourdough Discard Bagel Bites are fun for an on-the-go treat or tasty brunch! They're a great finger food for a brunch party (very cute in these wood party cones), or you can bake a batch for a fun breakfast at home with the kids. These are delicious dipped into your favorite cream cheese, or with any other toppings you would normally serve with bagels.
If you're looking for other bagel options, check out my recipe for Sourdough Discard Bagels (full bagels rather than bites!), Sourdough Discard Cinnamon Raisin Bagels, and these Sourdough Discard Blueberry Bagels.
And if you're new to working with sourdough discard, check out these in-depth posts on how to feed sourdough starter, how to use sourdough discard, and tips for struggling sourdough starter.
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Why you'll love this recipe
- Top these bagel bites with your favorite toppings, such as poppy seeds, sesame seeds, and everything bagel seasoning!
- Serve them with your favorite cream cheese or other favorite bagel toppings (lox and cream cheese sounds pretty great!).
- These are a great finger food for snacking on-the-go or enjoying with kids.
- This is a very easy and forgiving recipe that is great for beginners just starting to work with sourdough, and even for baking with kids.
- They freeze well so you can always store some for later!
Ingredients
There are only a few key ingredients you'll need to make these Sourdough Discard Bagel Bites.
- Bread flour: This is the base of these bagel bites. If you're in a pinch, you can also use all-purpose flour for a softer, less crusty bagel.
- Granulated sugar: There is a bit of sugar in the dough to feed the yeast, then 2 Tablespoons are used in the boiling water to boil the bagel bites.
- Instant yeast: Even though we're using sourdough discard, we still need to use some yeast for this recipe.
- Sourdough discard: The sourdough discard should be unfed and at room temperature for this recipe. This recipe is designed for a sourdough starter that has a 1:1 ratio (when you feed your starter, it's with 1 part flour and 1 part water). If your starter uses a different ratio, you may need to adjust some of the measurements in this recipe.
- Egg white: This recipe uses an egg wash to help the toppings stick to the bagel bites. If you don't want to bake with eggs, you can also use melted butter or water in place of the egg wash.
- Toppings: These are great topped with sesame seeds, poppy seeds, and everything bagel seasoning. Feel free to experiment with any toppings that sound good to you!
See full recipe below for detailed directions.
These were delicious! My kids love them as well.
- Rebecca
Substitutions & Variations
This is a very adaptable recipe and below are a few easy substitutions and variations you can try.
- Use active sourdough starter - If you'd like to use active sourdough starter instead of sourdough discard, you can. To do so, omit the yeast and replace the discard with active starter (1:1 substitute).
- Change up the toppings - Modify the toppings to suit your taste! I recommend sesame seeds, poppy seeds, or everything bagel seasoning.
- Omit the eggs - If you'd rather not use eggs, you can omit the egg wash and use melted butter or water as a substitute. It's only needed to help the toppings stick to the bagel bites!
- Try a few other bagel variations:
I have not tested this recipe with other variations, but if you do, let us know how it turns out in the comments! I always love to hear how you're adapting these recipes and use those as ideas for future recipes as well!
How to Make Sourdough Discard Bagel Bites
These bagel bites come together in a few easy steps. There is a bit more work when it comes to shaping them (there are a lot of bites!), but that can be a great place to get others involved and make it fun! The full recipe with detailed directions is at the bottom of this post.
Combine the dry ingredients in the bowl of a stand mixer or large mixing bowl.
Add wet ingredients and mix until a shaggy dough forms.
Transfer to a work surface and knead until a smooth dough forms, about 4-5 minutes.
Place the dough in a large, oiled bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Let rise for 90 minutes or until doubled in size.
Turn the dough onto a work surface and divide into 8 roughly equal-sized pieces.
Roll each piece into a rope about 12 inches long.
Use a knife to cut the rope into segments about 1 - 1 ½ inches long. These will become the bagel bites. Each rope should make about 7-8 bagel bites.
Use the palm of your hand for friction and roll each piece of dough into a ball. Place on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet and cover with a clean kitchen towel to rise for 20 minutes.
Boil the bagel bites for about 30 seconds.
Brush each piece with egg wash.
Sprinkle with your chosen toppings (I used everything bagel seasoning here).
Bake until golden brown. Let cool slightly, then enjoy!
Expert Baking Tips
- Make sure to knead the dough long enough! The key to great bagel bites is a smooth dough that is sturdy, but not sticky.
- Let the dough rise long enough. In order to pass the float test, the bagel bites need to have risen for the appropriate amount of time. If they're not floating when you add them to the boiling water, let them rise for another 10 minutes.
- Rise times will vary based on your room temperature. If your room is warmer, you may have shorter rise times. If your room is colder, the rise may take longer.
- Consider the size of your bagel bites! You want these to be something you can eat in 1-2 bites, so make sure you're keeping that in mind as you're shaping the dough.
- Modify the toppings to suit your tastes. I recommend sesame seeds, poppy seeds, and everything bagel seasoning!
Shaping the Bagel Bites
There are a few things to keep in mind while shaping the bagel bites:
Size: When dividing the dough, I recommend making the piece for each bagel bite between the size of a quarter and a ping pong ball.
- If they're too small, the bagel bites will be very crusty and hard once they're baked (think about it: lots of surface area for crust, but not much room for soft bagel insides).
- If they're too large, this isn't necessarily bad, but it becomes harder to eat within 1-2 bites, which is really the goal with these bagel bites!
Shape: Once shaped, the bagel bites should be smooth and round with the small "seam" where the dough comes together on the bottom of the bagel bite. If they're a bit irregularly shaped, that's ok! They'll still be delicious!
Passing the Float Test
When you add the bagel bites to the boiling water, they should float. It's ok if they sink a bit and then come back up to the surface (or you may notice they float right away).
If they float: The dough has risen enough, and this will make light and fluffy bagel bites. Continue following the recipe as written.
If they do not float: The dough has not risen enough. Cover the dough with a clean kitchen towel and let them rise for another 10 minutes, then try again. This normally does the trick!
Equipment
I like to make the dough in a KitchenAid 5-Quart Stand Mixer, but this is optional. You can also make the dough in a large mixing bowl with a wooden spoon, then knead by hand. I recommend using a kitchen scale to measure the sourdough discard.
You'll also need a large pot (I use a Staub Cocotte) to boil the bagel bites, as well as a slotted spoon or spatula, a silicone brush for the egg wash, and two baking sheets lined with parchment paper.
kitchen essentials
My Favorite Baking Pans
Perfect for bagels, pretzels, pizza night, and more!
Storage
Room Temperature Storage: These bagel bites are best eaten fresh! If you're planning to eat within 1-2 days, store these at room temperature in an airtight container. You can reheat them in the microwave for 30 seconds to make them soft and warm again.
Freezer Storage: If you want to keep these for later, let the bagel bites cool fully, then store in a freezer-safe bag or container and freeze for up to 3 months. To reheat, warm them in the microwave for 30-60 seconds until soft and warm again.
Recipe FAQ
I recommend shaping the dough for each bagel bite to be between the size of a quarter and a ping pong ball. If they're too small, they'll become very crusty, and if they're bigger, they won't be something you can eat in just 1-2 bites.
These are very customizable, but I recommend using sesame seeds, poppy seeds or everything bagel seasoning!
Yes! Let the bagel bites cool fully, then store them in a freezer-safe bag or container and freeze for up to 3 months. To reheat, warm them in the microwave for 30-60 seconds until soft and warm again.
Sourdough Discard Bagel Bites
Ingredients
For the Bagel Bites
- 4 cups bread flour
- 3 Tablespoons granulated sugar divided
- 1 teaspoon instant yeast
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 200 grams (about ¾ cup) sourdough discard unfed, at room temperature
- 1 ¼ cup warm water
For Topping
- 1 egg white for egg wash
- 1 Tablespoon water for egg wash
- Toppings (such as sesame seeds, poppy seeds, or everything bagel seasoning)
Instructions
- Combine flour, 1 Tablespoon granulated sugar, instant yeast, and salt in the bowl of a stand mixer* fitted with the dough hook attachment. Stir to combine. With the mixer on low speed, add the sourdough discard and water. Increase speed to medium or knead by hand for 4-5 minutes until a smooth ball forms. The dough will be fairly sturdy and should not be sticky. You may need to add more water or more flour (1 Tablespoon at a time), depending on your sourdough discard, to reach the right dough consistency.
- Transfer the dough to a large, greased bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Let the dough rise for 90 minutes or until doubled in size. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.
- Turn the dough onto a work surface and divide into 8 roughly equal-sized pieces. Roll each piece into a 12-inch rope. Use a sharp knife to cut each rope into approximately 8 pieces (about 1 -1 ½ inches each). These will become the bagel bites.
- Using the palm of your hand for friction, roll each individual dough piece into a smooth ball. Place the bagel bites on the prepared baking sheets. Cover with a clean kitchen towel and let rest for 20 minutes while you prepare the next step.
- Preheat oven to 425°F. Bring a pot with 2 quarts of water and 2 Tablespoons granulated sugar to boil.
- Place the bagel bites in the boiling water for about 30 seconds**. The bagel bites should float (if not, see notes below). You can boil several bagel bites in the pot at a time, just make sure there is enough room for them to float openly in the water. Remove from the boiling water using a slotted spoon or spatula and spread them on the baking sheets with space between each.
- Whisk together the egg white and 1 Tablespoon water to create the egg wash. Lightly brush the bagels with egg wash, then sprinkle with your chosen toppings, if using (such as sesame seeds, poppy seeds, or everything bagel seasoning). You can also dip the bagels into the toppings if you prefer.
- Bake for 18-22 minutes or until golden brown. Let cool slightly, then enjoy!
Amy Klare says
I found your recipe through a google search for sourdough discard recipes. I’ve made these several times since and they’re always a hit! I add some baking soda to the boiling water to give a bit of a pretzel feel. Thank you for developing this terrific recipe!
Marina says
Love love LOVE these bagel bites. They are easy and sooo delicious. Dough is a bit tough if you knead by hand but still not too bad. Also a great way to get rid of discard when it piles up. Served with cream cheese they are a perfect party snack or quick breakfast.
Jamie says
I made them with gluten free bread flour and had to squirrel them away from my family
Rebecca says
These were delicious! My starter wasn't completely dead and they still came out a great consistency. My kids love them as well.