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 sourdough discard recipes like these Sourdough Discard Bagels. Homemade bagels are delicious and surprisingly easy to make - these might just become a staple recipe for you!
If you're looking for a version of this recipe that does not use sourdough, try these Homemade Everything Bagels. And if you'd like a high-protein version of this recipe, try these Sourdough Discard Protein Bagels!
I make these bagels multiple times per week and they are gone within minutes of coming out of the oven!
- Kennedy
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.
- You can also make these bagels with active sourdough starter.
- 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 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! In a savory mood? Try these Sourdough Discard Rosemary Salt Bagels, too!
Jump to:
Ingredients
As long as you have sourdough discard, the other ingredients are pantry staples you likely already have at home.
- Sourdough discard: The sourdough discard should be unfed and at room temperature for this recipe. This recipe is designed for discard with 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 ingredients in this recipe.
- Learn more about making a homemade sourdough starter.
- Interested in making a loaf of bread with your sourdough discard? Try this easy Sourdough Discard Bread recipe!
- 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 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 to make sourdough bagels, you can! To do so, omit the yeast and replace the sourdough discard with active sourdough starter (200g). You will also need to adjust the rise times.
- Make mini bagels: Perfect for little hands or a cute appetizer or snack, you can make these into mini bagels! To do so, divide the dough into 24 equal-sized pieces (instead of only 8 full-size bagels). For me, that was about 46g per bagel. Continue with the directions as written.
- 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!
- Make stuffed bagels: Try these Sourdough Discard Stuffed Bagels, too!
- If you're in the mood for a Fall flavor, try these Sourdough Discard Pumpkin Bagels.
How to Make Sourdough Discard Bagels
These Sourdough Discard Bagels only need one rise, and the recipe is pretty forgiving. The full recipe with detailed directions is at the bottom of this post.
- Step 1: 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.
- Step 2: 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.
- Step 3: 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).
- Step 4: 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.
- Step 5: Boil each bagel for 15-30 seconds on each side. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the bagels to the prepared baking sheet.
- Step 6: Brush each bagel with egg wash, then dip or sprinkle with your desired toppings (optional).
- Step 7: Bake the bagels until they are golden brown. Let cool, then slice and serve!
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 smooth and soft, 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.
- Change up the toppings! This is a great base bagel recipe that you can top with your favorite toppings like everything bagel seasoning, poppy seeds, sesame seeds, cinnamon sugar and more!
- Looking for more sourdough discard breakfast recipes? Try these Sourdough Discard Cinnamon Rolls and Sourdough Discard Scones.
What is "passing the float test"?
When you put your bagels in the boiling water, they should float (which is called "passing the float test." This is the same process you would use if you were making Sourdough Discard Pretzels.
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! And 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!
- A bagel is considered "passing the float test" if it floats right away, or even if it sinks to the bottom, then slowly floats back up to the top. Both of these options pass!
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 again.
Storage
Room Temperature Storage: Homemade 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: These bagels freeze well! Once fully cooled, transfer the bagels to a freezer-safe plastic bag or container and freeze for up to 3 months. I like to freeze them in individual plastic bags so I can reheat just one bagel whenever I like. Reheat frozen bagels in the microwave for about 60 seconds until warm and soft again.
Recipe FAQs
There are a few things that could cause this. First, make sure to shake off the excess water after boiling the bagels. Excess water can make the bagels sticky.
If you have excess egg wash pooling beneath the bagels, this can also make them sticky. You only need to use enough egg wash for the toppings to stick to the bagels.
Check the type of parchment paper you're using. Some are not designed for higher baking temperatures (and we're baking at a high temperature for this recipe!). I recommend using this parchment paper or a silicone baking mat (such as a Silpat mat).
Lastly, some ovens (like mine) heat unevenly and are hotter on the top or the bottom. Make sure to flip and rotate your pans (top to bottom and front to back) while baking so the bagels on each pan bake evenly!
More Sourdough Discard Bagel Recipes
If you tried these Sourdough Discard Bagels or any other recipe on my website, please leave a ⭐ star rating and let me know how it went in the comments below. I'd love to hear from you! Happy Baking!
Sourdough Discard Bagels
Ingredients
For the Bagels
- 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 cups warm water
For Topping
- 1 egg white for egg wash
- 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 or a silicone baking mat 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.
- Whisk together the egg white 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 fully before slicing and serving.
Rachel says
Absolutely LOVE your recipes and this recipe does not disappoint! Have you added holiday flavors such as fresh cranberries, if so how did you include them? Directly in the beginning or towards the end. Or would you have to use dried? I am a fan of using fresh :). Thank you again for the great recipes!
Jessica Vogl says
I'm working on a cranberry bagels recipe now! To be frank, it's using dried cranberries (similar to my cinnamon raisin bagels recipe). I haven't tried with fresh cranberries yet!
Yolanda says
I'm new at everything sourdough. One of my family members mentioned sourdough bagels and I've never heard of it. Looked it up and came across this recipe. These bagels were delicious and relatively easy to make. I used everything seasoning and it was perfect texture and taste. I'm making a 2nd batch tonight. Thank you so much sharing your recipe.
Kerri DesJardins says
When my starter failed, I had a lot of discard! This was the perfect recipe to try. I didn’t waste all my time and effort trying to get my starter good! Finance is drooling!!
Lauren says
I made these, and for my topping I used a salad style parm, reg, and asiago cheese blend! My only wish was that I had mixed the cheese topping into the dough too, and it would have been a total Panera bagel dupe. These were so incredibly easy, filling, and bagel-y delicious! My family is begging me to do a cinnamon crunch topping next time!
Chicago Sue says
Unbelievably delicious! Though there are a lot of steps, the recipe is pretty straightforward. I had originally started with another recipe that left me with dough crumbles in the mixing bowl, which I knew must be wrong, and luckily found Jess’ recipe and corrected the measurements and they came out perfectly! Disaster averted! This dough is so beautiful to shape and work with! Could I make dinner rolls using this recipe? Thank you Jess!
Jessica Vogl says
Hi Sue! So glad you liked them! If you want to make dinner rolls, I'd suggest my Sourdough Discard Rolls recipe: https://www.thisjess.com/sourdough-discard-rolls/
Caryn Clark says
I finally have found something that I LOVE doing with my discard! I have made this recipe 3 times the past couple weeks, and I am making a double batch for the weekend. Best bagels ever.
Morgan S says
Great use of discard! It's now made on the weekly. Nice chew and flavor
Carol Margolis says
First time making bagels (of any kind) and these are really great!!! Much easier than I had always thought making bagels would be. Good directions!
How would some adding some small percentage of whole wheat or rye flour change directions
Jessica Vogl says
So glad you loved them! A small percentage of a different type of flour (less than 50% of the flour by weight) shouldn't be an issue. For the whole wheat flour, you may find that you need to add some extra water (ww flour soaks up more water) and the rise time may be slightly longer. Rye flour isn't something I've worked with, but I'd start with replacing 10-20% of the white flour with rye flour. Again, you may need to add some extra water (rye soaks up more water). Definitely worth experimenting with!
Sally O. says
Amazing! I used trad yeast so had to wait longer for it to double. 2c. 00 Durham, 1c sifted spelt, 1c unbleached white. My 100% whole grain spelt starter discard.
Yes. It was a lot for my kitchen aid stand muxer. I used the 3 hole attachent to mix the flour dry and added the water. Then switchd to the dough hook to mix in the discard. Yes. Very sturdy dough! Honey instead of sugsr in the water. Loved how they rose up and puffed up in the water. They baked up on 1 tray and are gorgeous.
Sandy says
Loved this recipe, the bagel texture was perfectly chewy and the dough got a great rise. I will definitely use this recipe again!
Kaitlyn says
This is the best bagel recipe I have found yet. I'm new to the baking world so I'm not sure if this is a silly question, but is there a step in here at which I could freeze the bagels to bake another day? (ex. after the first proof and shaping, freeze, and then when ready to bake taking them out to thaw/second proof before baking?) These are best within a day or so of baking and I love them fresh out of the oven!
Jessica Vogl says
I don't recommend freezing yeasted bakes (which this is) before baking. But they do freeze really well after baking! I often make a batch, eat 1 or 2, and then freeze the rest in individual plastic bags. Then I just pull one out, pop it in the microwave for about 60 seconds, and have a homemade bagel any time!
Anna Garcia says
Wow! Perfect texture and taste. Finally I can use my sourdough discard and actually enjoy the result. Not the usual pancakes or crackers that I don’t care for…Thank you for sharing!!
Gina says
When using discard, do you still put the yeast or substitute it for the yeast? I could not understand it in the recipe.
Jessica Vogl says
If you're using discard, you'll still also use yeast. If you're using active starter, you would not use yeast.
Trevor says
If I were to add fruit or cinnamon/sugar to these, when would be the best time to add this?
Jessica Vogl says
That depends on a few things! First, I do have recipes for Sourdough Discard Cinnamon Raisin Bagels and Sourdough Discard Blueberry Bagels, in case those help you. With dry mix-ins (like cinnamon, or nuts, etc.) you can fold those in as you're adding the other dough ingredients, or while kneading. With fruits, those have a high water content, so depending on the type of fruit, you may need to reduce the amount of water in the dough. The two recipes I linked should hopefully be good guides for you!
Linda Bradshaw says
Can I place bagels in fridge after shaping for couple hours?
Jessica Vogl says
That should be fine! Let them come to room temperature again before boiling and baking.
Teresa says
These bagels turned out fantastic. Everyone loved them. I'm hoping to make them again very soon. It's a great recipe to use up that discard.
Jasmine says
This recipe is loved by all my friends and family. I get perfect bagels everytime with it. I make a double batch every week to give away, and keep for myself! Thank you for sharing!
Amanda says
First time making bagels, using my sourdough discard and as the first well rated recipe I came across to use, I have no reason to try any other. They came out perfect and great as burger bun alertanute. Thank you so much, mama from England!
Haley says
Very new to sourdough and sourdough discard! My initial mix is SO sticky. How do I know when to add more water vs flour to unstick it?
Jessica Vogl says
If it's super sticky, you'll want to add more flour (do this as you're kneading). If your dough is dry, then you would add more flour. I'd also highly recommend using the metric measurements (at least for the flour and discard) - there can be such huge variations in measuring cup size that is misleading!
Audrey says
Wow these bagels were a HIT! Incredible flavor and texture my family ate them all in a day.
They froze well too, made a double batch and froze half the dough after shaping so I could have fresh bagels on the weekend. Took them out of freezer and put in fridge the night before, then let them set at room temp for the second proof before boiling and baking the next morning.
Topped mine with black and white sesame seeds, everything bagel seasoning (which were a fan fav), and flaky sea salt. The toppings tend to fall off especially if they’re small seeds so I really pressed them into the dough after egg washing for best retention.
Next I will try the blueberry and cinnamon raisin bagel recipes, YUM!
TL says
Do you have to use bread flour? Can I use the unbleached flour I use in my starter?
Jessica Vogl says
You could use AP flour instead of bread flour, it will work! Bread flour gives you a crustier / chewier bagel.
Debbie says
Is there a difference in the cooking time if making mini bagels?
Jessica Vogl says
There shouldn't be any change (unless you're making teeny-tiny bagels). When I make mini bagels, I divide this recipe into 24 pieces rather than 8 (for full-size bagels). For that, the baking time doesn't change.
Stacey says
can I cold proof the dough overnight in the fridge before I shape them?
Jessica Vogl says
Yes, that should work!
Kathy S says
can I shape them and THEN leave them in the fridge overnight to boil and bake in the morning?
Jessica Vogl says
I haven't tried that, but my worry is that they will overproof and may sink / fall flat when you bake them (that rise after they're shaped is only 20 minutes, so replacing that with an overnight rise is a major change).