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!
- Try these Sourdough Discard Blueberry Bagels and Sourdough Discard Cinnamon Raisin Bagels, too!
- 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!
- If you're in the mood for a Fall flavor, try these Sourdough Discard Pumpkin Bagels.
- Egg Substitute: If you're not baking with eggs, you can use water or melted butter in place of the egg wash. The purpose is to help the toppings stick to the bagel, so this is easy to replace!
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. 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 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.
- 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.
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!
Recipe FAQs
Yes, 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.
Sourdough discard is what you have leftover after feeding your sourdough starter. You can either make your own sourdough starter (be prepared, this is a process that can take 2+ weeks), buy a sourdough starter, or get one from a friend who already has a starter!
You can use any toppings that sound 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!
Sourdough Discard Bagels are best fresh within 1-2 days. If you'd like to store longer, I recommend freezing!
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.
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!
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.
Tracy Cheesman says
I make several of your discard recipes and today I got confused and added baking soda instead of sugar to the boiling water. I was making cheddar jalapeño so didn’t do the egg wash. They came out a nice golden colour after 18 mins. I flipped the pans and bottoms didn’t burn this time. Gonna call them Jalapeño Cheddar Pretzel Bagels. Thanks for another great discard recipe!
Charity says
Great recipe! The whole family gives it two thumbs up....and five stars!
Allie says
If you use active discard, is it just a longer rise time anticipated? Is it a big difference? Just curious, I cannot wait to try this recipe! Born and raised in New Jersey and now living in South Carolina and the bagels here just do NOT compare!
Jessica Vogl says
Yes, the rises will definitely take longer than the recipe as written (with yeast), but the time will depend on how active your starter is.
Micha says
i had made bagels once before and they were nice but THIS recipe right here was soooo good. i did everything bagel seasoning and cinnamon sugar and couldnt decide which one was the best .both sensational. thank you for a straight forward recipe. they rose, they floated, the doubled in size in the oven. my go yo bagel recipe from now on
Jessica Vogl says
Love that! So glad these were a hit for you!
Breanna Sanchez says
Not sure why but with this recipe the bottoms always burn and only this one 🙁 any suggestions?
Jessica Vogl says
It could be that your oven heats unevenly (mine does!). I recommend flipping and rotating the pans halfway through baking (top to bottom, front to back). Not sure why it would only be with this recipe, though!
Mariah says
First time baker here! Wasn’t paying attention and added too much water (wanted to cut down to 4 bagels instead of 8). I ended up adding a little bit more flour until it wasn’t sticky. Though I am worried that there isn’t enough yeast/starter to make this salvageable… Just have to wait the 90min to find out
Bri L. says
Can you use all purpose flour for this instead of bread four? The all purpose flour I use still has an 11.5% protein content in it - but was wondering if it would change anything?
Jessica Vogl says
AP flour will make a softer bagel (less crusty, less chewy). It will still be good, but will likely not have as much of that classic bagel texture.
Sarah says
I got lazy and let it sit on counter overnight when it was doubling in size, can I continue as normal? Or did I screw up and should just start over?
Jessica Vogl says
I might be late to responding here, but I'd be tempted to start over. If you're going to let your dough rise overnight, it should be in the refrigerator. I would guess that the dough has overproofed and fallen.
Sarah says
I attempted to bake. Dough never fell it stayed large just had a strong sour smell. Read somewhere that it’ll make the bagels just more sour but it’s not bad. So they look good so far just waiting for them to cool and I’ll report back on how they taste!!!
Deb P says
These bagels are the absolute best. They out every single time I make them. Thank you!!!
Jesnie says
The best! We don’t have a bakery in my town, and I don’t like store-bought bagels, but now that I’ve made these, who cares?!? Perfect texture - crisp and chewy exterior with a fluffy interior. I topped a few with Gruyère, and the rest with poppyseeds and sesame. The cheese ones were spectacular. A great way to use up starter. My starter was cold, but it didn’t matter. Took a little longer to double on that first rise.
Robin L. says
Hi! My bagels are resting now. Ive(sort of) shaped them, but they’re sticky. Not sure what I did wrong. I’m hoping they pass the float test!
Jessica Vogl says
It sounds like the dough was a bit too wet. Hopefully they turned out!
Senia says
LOVE this recipe! We have such a good bagel shop near us but after this recipe I don’t know how often I’ll be going back!! Can I make these overnight and cook them in the morning so I can have the “fresh” bagels by breakfast time but not wake up so early?
Jessica Vogl says
Love to hear it! I'd recommend letting the first rise happen in the fridge overnight, and then shaping / boiling / baking in the morning!
Mackenzie Parsons says
Hi Jess! What a great recipe, thanks for sharing. I’ve recently noticed my bagels have been turning out different than when I started making them about a year or so ago. I see in a previous comment that you had made changes to this recipe from 3 3/4 cups flour to 4 cups. Is there anything else that was altered? Just trying to find the recipe that works best for me and my oven! Thanks!
Jessica Vogl says
Hi Mackenzie! Nothing has changed with this recipe in the past year (and yes, you see that note that more than a year ago, the flour amount changed). Nothing changed other than that. Has anything changed about your oven? If it's heating unevenly (mine does!), flipping and rotating the pans halfway through baking can really help.
Jackie says
I do this recipe all the time but this time my dough didn’t rise at all. What could I have done wrong?
Jessica Vogl says
I'm not sure - nothing changed with the recipe! Did you use warm water? Is your house cooler (fall months), which could be impacting rise times?
Merle says
Hi Jess
Wandering as I have so much discard of I can make the dough and then freeze ? Or is it best to cook the bagels and freeze ?
Jessica Vogl says
I would recommend baking the bagels and then freezing. I do this all the time and then you can pull out a bagel and reheat in the microwave whenever you want one!
Cheraldine Warner says
I made these using sourdough starter and 1/4 tsp of yeast for a boost as my starter was in the fridge. I was surprised at how quickly it came together and my dough was quite soft, but smooth. Rolling the bagels was pretty quick and after resting they floated nicely. I forgot to glaze them, but they still turned a lovely golden brown colour. Wish we could share pictures
Kris says
made the bagels today and love them.
won't be buying bagels anymore!
Cheraldine Warner says
I made these today such a fun process, don't know why I wasn't making them before!
Elisabeth says
Hi why does the recipe call for 3 tablespoons of sugar, but the directions only say 1 tablespoon?
Jessica Vogl says
There is 1 Tbsp of sugar in the dough, and the remaining 2 Tbsp of sugar are used in the boiling water step.
Paul Bagby says
Made these twice now.
The absolute BOMB!
Easy, a great way to use discard and I have fresh bagels that are better than my local deli’s
Christina says
Excellent bagels! The recipe was easy, and relatively quick. Meaning, I thought about having a fresh sourdough flavored bagel this morning, and was eating a hot, fresh bagel by afternoon. Super easy and tasty. There’s a nice chew to it, but I’m not having to gnaw at; it’s perfect. The crumb was nice. I think the bread flour makes a big difference. For toppings I only had sesame seeds, so made 3 with sesame, 3 plain, and brushed an egg wash (egg yolk and splash of water) on the last two, they came out just fine. We’re having them for breakfast tomorrow, and I will make this recipe again. Thanks.