If you are making (or maintaining) a sourdough starter, you likely have a lot of sourdough discard. You can either throw it away (literally, discard it), or you can use it in bread-related recipes like these Sourdough Discard Bagels. Homemade bagels are a great way to use some of that discard and have a delicious baked good to come out of it!
Looking for a few other sourdough discard recipes? Try these Sourdough Discard Pretzels, these Sourdough Discard Cinnamon Rolls, and this Rosemary Sourdough Focaccia. If you're looking for a different bagel flavor, try these Cinnamon Raisin Sourdough Discard Bagels!
If you're new to working with sourdough, check out these in-depth posts on how to feed sourdough starter, and how to use sourdough discard.
Jump to:
Why you'll love this recipe
- Easy weekend bake! Once you make homemade bagels once, you'll realize how easy they are you may never run out to the store for bagels on the weekend again!
- This is a same-day recipe with one rise and you'll have fresh bagels to enjoy in just a few hours.
- Less than 30 minutes of prep! Most of the time making this recipe is rise time; there is actually less than 30 minutes of prep to make these Sourdough Discard Bagels.
- They freeze well so it's great to make a batch and then freeze the bagels to enjoy throughout the week.
- You can modify the toppings to suit your taste! Try sesame seeds, poppy seeds, everything bagel seasoning, or flaky sea salt!
Ingredients
As long as you have sourdough discard, the other ingredients are pantry staples you likely already have at home.
- Warm water: The temperature of your water really does matter. This should be a little warmer than bathwater (but not burning at all - still comfortable on the skin).
- Sourdough discard: You'll want your discard to be at room temperature so that it doesn't deactivate the yeast in the dough. This recipe is written for discard with a 1:1 ratio (1 part flour, 1 part water).
- Instant yeast: Since we're using instant yeast, you don't need to let it bloom, but again, making sure things are warm (i.e. room temperature sourdough discard and warm water) is important to make sure it activates correctly.
- Granulated sugar: You'll only need a bit to feed the yeast, and then we'll use a little more to boil the bagels.
- Bread flour: Bread flour gives these a really nice texture, but you could also use all-purpose flour.
- Toppings: These are optional, but you can top your bagel with anything you like. Sesame seeds, poppy seeds, and everything bagel seasoning are all great options!
See full recipe below for detailed instructions.
Substitutions & Variations
This is an easy recipe to adapt and you can easily add mix-ins of your choice. A few ideas to get you started:
- Change up the toppings! You can easily make these bagels different by changing your choice of toppings. These bagels are great with sesame seeds, poppy seeds, everything bagel seasoning, flaky sea salt, and more! Feel free to get creative here with whatever sounds good to you.
- Cinnamon Raisin Sourdough Discard Bagels: Check out this variation of the recipe for Cinnamon Raisin Sourdough Discard Bagels. You can even double this recipe and add cinnamon and raisins to half the batch!
- Rosemary Sourdough Discard Bagels: Add 2 Tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary while you're making the dough (when you add the flour). You could also add 2 teaspoons of ground black pepper for an extra kick. Top your bagels with some flaky sea salt.
- Blueberry Sourdough Discard Bagels: Fresh blueberries are a great addition to a bagel. They do contain quite a bit of water, so the recipe needs a few modifications. Check out this recipe for Sourdough Discard Blueberry Bagels.
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 bagels
These Sourdough Discard Bagels only need one rise, and the recipe is pretty forgiving. Keep in mind that you may need to adjust the amounts of water and flour in your recipe, depending on your sourdough starter.
Combine all ingredients in a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook. Mix until a smooth ball forms, kneading on a work surface if needed. Transfer to an oiled bowl and cover with plastic wrap to rise for 90 minutes.
After the dough rises, turn it out onto a flat surface and divide it into 8-10 equal pieces. 8 pieces will give you larger bagels compared to 10 pieces.
Roll each piece into a ball using the base of your palm to create friction and form the seal of the dough (this will be the bottom, "ugly" side of the bagel).
Push your thumb through the center of each ball and stretch the hole to form your bagel shape. Cover the bagels with a clean kitchen towel and let rest for 20 minutes.
Boil each bagel for 15-30 seconds on each side. They should float in the water. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the bagels to the prepared baking sheet.
Brush each bagel with egg wash, then dip or sprinkle with your desired toppings (optional).
The bagels are then ready to bake! They're finished when they are golden brown and nicely crusty on the outside. Let them cool fully on a cooling rack before slicing and serving.
Expert baking tips
- Make sure to knead the dough long enough. The dough should be completely smooth, not shaggy.
- Once kneaded, the dough will be fairly sturdy and should not be sticky as it goes into the first rise.
- Every sourdough starter (and therefore every sourdough discard) is different. You may need to add some additional flour or water to reach the desired dough consistency. If your dough seems too dry, add more water, 1 Tablespoon at a time. If your dough seems too sticky (wet), add more flour, 1 Tablespoon at a time.
- Make your bagels more or less chewy to suit your taste by boiling them for a shorter or longer amount of time. Boiling for less time will create a less chewy crust. Boiling for longer will create a chewier crust. I like to boil mine for about 30 seconds on each side for a thinner crust.
What is the float test?
When you put your bagels in the boiling water, they should float. I recommend doing this with one test bagel first, so you can adjust if needed. If the bagel floats, it has passed the float test! If the bagel does not float, then they're not yet ready to boil and need to take a bit more time to rise.
If the bagels float: This indicates that the dough has risen enough and the bagels will be light and airy once they're baked. Go ahead and boil and bake the bagels as directed!
If the bagels do not float: This indicates that the dough is too dense. If you boil and bake them now, your final bagels will be too dense and chewy. Cover the unboiled bagels with a clean kitchen towel again, and let sit for 10 more minutes to let the dough rise more. Then, try the float test again.
What is sourdough discard?
Sourdough discard is what you have left over after you have fed your sourdough starter. So let's break that down. When you are making a sourdough starter (here is an example sourdough starter recipe), part of the process is that you need to feed the starter. To do so, you take out a certain amount, then "discard" what is left over (this is normally about half the volume).
The amount that you took out gets fed, which means you add fresh flour and water to the mixture to let it sit. The discard, or the leftover part, can be used for recipes, or it can be thrown away (literally discarded). It has a few interesting properties, which can make it fun to bake with. It has started fermenting, so you'll get a bit of the sour tang that you would in sourdough bread. Also, as part of the fermenting process, you'll get a bit of lift from the natural yeast that has formed. You'll still need to use yeast in a sourdough discard recipe, but you can either use less or accept that your recipe will be extra fluffy with the addition of the discard.
To note, sourdough discard doesn't last forever. You should store it in the refrigerator (whereas your starter is stored at room temperature while it's active), and only keep it for up to a week. If you keep it longer than that, the fermenting process gets pretty far along and may start growing bad bacteria that you don't want to be eating. If your discard is discoloring (pink or grey streaks), it's time to throw it away.
If you're looking for more information on working with sourdough starter, check out these in-depth posts on how to feed sourdough starter and how to use sourdough discard.
Equipment
You only need a few things to make these Sourdough Discard Bagels. I recommend using a stand mixer (I use a KitchenAid 5 Quart Stand Mixer), but you can also mix these by hand with a large mixing bowl and a wooden spoon. Use a kitchen scale to measure the sourdough discard.
To boil the bagels, you'll need a large pot (such as this Staub Cocotte), a slotted spoon or spatula, and two half-sheet baking pans lined with parchment paper or Silpat mats.
Do I need to use a stand mixer?
I like to use a stand mixer to start the dough, but you don't have to! You can also easily mix the dough in a large bowl with a wooden spoon, then knead by hand.
Kneading by hand allows you more control over the dough, and you can really feel it when it is smooth and reaches the texture you're looking for. Even if I start with the stand mixer, I always do some kneading by hand as well!
Storage
Room Temperature Storage: These bagels are best fresh, of course! Once cooled, they can be stored in a sealed plastic bag at room temperature for up to three days. Reheat the bagels in the microwave for about 30 seconds to make them warm and soft again.
Freezer Storage: Once fully cooled, you can also freeze these bagels in a freezer-safe plastic bag or container for up to 3 months. Reheat frozen bagels in the microwave for about 60 seconds until warm and soft again.
Recipe FAQ
For this recipe, yes! If you have a sourdough starter, you have sourdough discard, and this recipe is a great way to use it.
There are many recipes that share how to make a sourdough starter. You'll need sourdough discard in order to make this Sourdough Discard Bagels recipe.
Basically, anything that sounds good to you! Sesame seeds, poppy seeds, and other seed mixes (like everything bagel seasoning) all work well. You can also never go wrong with flaky sea salt!
If you're seeing yeast granules in your dough, that means it hasn't activated fully. Temperature is very important when working with yeast. Make sure the water you're using is truly warm (warmer than bath water, but not so hot that it's uncomfortable on your skin). Your sourdough discard should also be at room temperature. If you cool down the dough too much, the yeast won't activate.
No! Irregular shapes are part of the charm of homemade bagels. The only thing you'll want to watch out for is that your bagels are all about the same size. That way they will all bake for the same amount of time (if you have one bagel that is overly large, it may take more time to bake fully).
Sourdough Discard Bagels
Ingredients
- 3 ¾ 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
- 1 egg white plus 1 Tablespoon water, for egg wash
- Toppings (optional)
Instructions
- Combine flour, 1 Tablespoon granulated sugar, instant yeast and salt in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook attachment. Mix to combine. On low speed, add the sourdough discard and water until combined. Increase speed to medium and knead for 4-5 minutes until a smooth ball forms*. This will be a fairly sturdy dough 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.
- Grease a large bowl, transfer the dough to the bowl, and cover with plastic wrap. Let the dough rise for 90 minutes or until doubled in size.
- Turn the dough out onto a smooth surface and divide into 8-10 equal pieces. 8 pieces will give you 8 large bagels; 10 pieces will give you 10 smaller bagels. Roll each piece in your palm to form a smooth ball, then use your thumb to press through the center of each ball, stretching the hole to form your bagel. Cover the bagels with a clean kitchen towel and let rest for 20 minutes while you prepare the next step.
- Preheat oven to 425°F. Prepare 2 baking sheets lined with parchment paper and set aside. Bring a pot with 2 quarts of water and 2 Tablespoons granulated sugar to boil.
- Place your bagels in the boiling water for 15-30 seconds on each side**. The bagels should float (if not, see notes below). You can likely fit 2-3 bagels in the pot at a time, just make sure there is enough room for them to float openly as they will expand. Remove from the boiling water using a slotted spoon and transfer to the prepared baking sheets. If needed, you can reshape the bagels a little after they've cooled.
- Lightly brush the bagels with egg wash, then dip the top into your chosen toppings, if using (such as sesame seeds, poppy seeds, or everything bagel seasoning). You can also sprinkle the toppings onto each bagel.
- Bake for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown. Let cool fully before slicing and serving.
Max says
LOVE THIS RECIPE! Can I sub some of the bread flour for whole wheat flour or whole white wheat flour? Would I need to change any of the mixing times/kneading times if I do so?
Jessica Vogl says
Amazing! So glad you love it! You should be able to make that substitution with no issues!
Erin says
Best bagel recipe out there. I’ve had more than a few different people say this is the best bagel they’ve ever had.
Side note, do you have calorie information on these?
Jessica Vogl says
That's amazing, thank you so much! Unfortunately I don't have calorie information at the moment.
Amanda says
Just made these today and they are delicious! My 10year old daughter eats store bought bagels for breakfast everyday, and she approved of these!
Colleen says
I’m an experienced baker, including with bagels (I worked in a bagel shop for years) and I struggled a bit with this. Not with the dough - that was very simple, and the dough itself seemed perfect. My trouble started after I’d shaped the bagels and left them to rest while heating the oven and boiling the water. In other recipes I’ve used I’ve never had to grease or otherwise prepare the surface on which the formed bagels would be resting, so I didn’t. The result was proofed bagels which stuck like glue to the parchment they were resting on. I ended up having to scrape them off with a kitchen knife, which resulted in the dough getting kind of misshapen. Then, when baked, they puffed up to the point that they look more like bread softballs than bagels. That may have been because of how I had to manhandle them, or it may have been my discard (I’ve never used sourdough starter for bagels, and I notice in your pictures they’re also pretty puffy - maybe that’s normal?). They smell great, and I’m sure they’ll be delicious, but I wanted to share my experience in case anyone experiences anything g similar.
Jessica Vogl says
Thanks for your feedback!
Colleen says
In the end they were delicious - just looked a little funny! I’ll be using the recipe again ☺️
Megan says
I’ve made this 5 times and it’s by far my favorite recipe!! This is the first time I’m making it with active dry yeast instead of instant. How much do you think I should use of the active in correlation with instant? The same amount?
Jessica Vogl says
Love to hear it!
You can use the same amount of active dry yeast (1:1 substitute), but you'll need to let the yeast bloom on top of the warm water for a few minutes (until foamy) before adding it to the dough mixture. If you don't let the yeast bloom, it won't activate correctly.
Lauren Roberts says
what if you wanted to make blueberry bagels? I’m making these Thursday!
Jessica Vogl says
I have a recipe for Sourdough Discard Blueberry Bagels too! https://www.thisjess.com/blueberry-bagels/
Melanie Thompson says
I am looking to try this tonight. I am curious - is it possible to freeze the bagels after boiling, then defrost and bake? I saw that they could be frozen after baking. Thanks for sharing this recipe!
Jessica Vogl says
I’d recommend freezing after baking! I haven’t tried freezing before baking.
Colleen says
I used to work in a bagel shop where all bagels were made and baked fresh in-store. Freeze the dough after shaping but before baking if you absolutely must freeze them. I’d definitely recommend just baking them though.
Nicole says
Outstanding! 10/10 would recommend. I am new to baking with sourdough. This recipe was easy to follow and came out perfection. Thanks!!!
Stephanie says
When do you add the other two tablespoons of sugar or am I missing something? I think the first time I made this I put in all three tablespoons in the beginning instead of just the one like it says in the directions and it still came out fine
Jessica Vogl says
That's ok and glad it worked out! There is 1 Tbsp sugar in the dough, and then 2 Tbsp sugar mixed with the water for boiling the bagels.
Amani Hughes says
I made these today & not only was I SHOCKED by how fast it took to make, it was very easy to follow as well. I will definetly be making again!
Jessica Vogl says
Soooo good! Love to hear it!
Vikki says
Excited to try this! If I don’t have a stand mixer, can I hand mix this? Will that impact the recipe?
Jessica Vogl says
Yes, that will work and won’t impact the recipe!
Gayla says
I haven’t made your recipe yet but I am about to. I don’t keep fast rising yeast on hand anymore, just the regular. I should be able to substitute the yeast and just watch the dough once it doubles correct?
Jessica Vogl says
You’ll need to bloom active dry yeast on the water for at least 5 minutes until foamy before continuing with the recipe. But it should work!
Jesse says
Can you sub all purpose flour for the bread flour?
Jessica Vogl says
Yes! The bagels will be a slightly different texture (AP flour will make softer, chewier bagels, and bread flour will make more crusty bagels) but it will work!
Gabriells says
Literally the best bagel recipe I have EVER tried. I boiled for 60 seconds, omitted the egg wash, and used everything seasoning as soon as they came out of the water. I will ONLY be using this recipe moving forward
Jessica Vogl says
Yayyyyy! So glad to hear it! Thank you so much for sharing and for trying this recipe!
Skylar T says
Is there a way to do this recipe in the bread machine? On the dough setting?
Jessica Vogl says
I haven't tried it, so unfortunately I'm not sure!
Michelle says
Loved this recipe! My first time making bagels and they turned out great. My kids loved them too- "best bagels ever!"
Jessica Vogl says
Amazing! So glad you liked them!
Gabriella says
Just made it tonight as my first recipe working with my sourdough starter and was a success! Thanks so much for the recipe! ❤️
Jessica Vogl says
Amazing!! So glad you liked it!
Trystan Cameron says
Okay so for the instant yeast…. Do I just put it in the flour dry or do I add the water and make the instant yeast first and then add it to the flour. I’m such a noob!
Jessica Vogl says
Just mix it in dry with the flour! It's instant yeast, so you don't need to mix it with water first.
Erin Rhodes says
Great recipe, huge hit with the family!
Jessica Vogl says
Amazing, so great to hear!
Katie Rich says
Is there a way to use your recipe without the yeast?
Jessica Vogl says
Hi Katie! Unfortunately, that is not something I've tried, so I really can't say. I would imagine it can be done, but would have a much longer rise time (similar to when you're making sourdough bread).