Sourdough Discard Pretzel Bagels

I love a good mashup recipe and these Sourdough Discard Pretzel Bagels are the perfect combination of two favorites! My Sourdough Discard Bagels and Sourdough Discard Pretzels are two all-time favorites, so it's a match made in heaven! They have the soft interior and shape of a bagel, and the crusty, salty exterior of a soft pretzel.

If you're looking for other sourdough discard recipes, check out these Sourdough Discard Rolls, this Sourdough Discard Focaccia, and these Sourdough Discard Pretzel Buns.

If you're new to working with sourdough starter, check out these in-depth posts on how to feed sourdough starter, how to use sourdough discard, and tips for struggling sourdough starter.

Ingredients

There are just a few pantry staples that you'll need to bring these bagels together!

• Bread flour: Bread flour is the base of these bagels, and will give us a more crusty exterior than using all-purpose flour.
• Instant yeast: Even though we are using sourdough discard, we still need to use a leavening agent (in this case, yeast), to ensure the dough rises predictably.
• Sourdough discard: The sourdough discard should be unfed and at room temperature for this recipe. This recipe is designed for a sourdough starter 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.
• Baking soda: You will use ⅔ cup of baking soda in the boiling step. Yes, this is a lot of baking soda. No, this is not a typo! This boiling step and the baking soda is what gives the bagels their classic pretzel exterior, so don't skip this!
• Egg wash: You will make an egg wash that is 1 egg yolk beaten with 1 Tablespoon of water. This will help the flaky sea salt stick to the bagels, and also helps with some of the dough's final baked color. If you're not baking with eggs, there are some substitutions listed in the section below.
• Flaky sea salt: I like to use Maldon Sea Salt to finish the pretzel bagels. You could also use pretzel salt, but I do not recommend using regular table salt (the granules are too small).

See full recipe below for detailed directions.

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 rather use active sourdough starter instead of discard, you can! To do so, omit the yeast and replace the sourdough discard with active sourdough starter (1:1 substitute). You will also need to adjust the rise times.
• Egg alternatives - If you're not baking with eggs and want to avoid the egg wash, you can use melted butter or even water in place of the egg wash. You could also use a liquid vegan egg substitute (like Just Egg). The point of the egg wash is to help the salt stick to the dough, so anything that will achieve the same purpose will work well!
• Make the Pretzel Bagels larger or smaller - This recipe makes 8 large bagels, but you could easily divide the dough into more pieces (16 or even 24 pieces) to make mini Sourdough Discard Pretzel 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 Pretzel Bagels

There are just a few easy steps to bring this recipe together! For the first half, think of the recipe like you're making bagels. For the second half, think of it like you're making pretzels, if that helps!

1. Step 1: Combine all ingredients in the bowl of a stand mixer (or a large mixing bowl) until you have a shaggy dough.

2. Step 2: Knead by hand until a smooth, soft dough forms. Transfer to a large, oiled bowl and let rise for 90 minutes, or until doubled in size.

3. Step 3: Divide the dough into 10 equal-size pieces. I recommend using a kitchen scale to measure each piece.

4. Step 4: Using the palm of your hand for friction, roll each piece of dough into a ball (seam-side down).

5. Step 5: Use your thumb to press a hole in the center of the bagel. Stretch this hole using two fingers, until it's larger than you think it needs to be. The bagels will rise and expand a lot during boiling and baking.

6. Step 6: Boil the bagels in a pot of water with baking soda for 1 minute on each side. This is what gives the bagels their classic pretzel exterior.

7. Step 7: Lightly brush the bagels with egg wash.

8. Step 8: Sprinkle with flaky sea salt, then bake until golden brown (like a pretzel!). Let cool, then slice and serve.

What is sourdough discard?

Sourdough discard is what is leftover after you feed your sourdough starter. You can either literally discard it (in the trash or compost), or you can use it to make sourdough discard recipes like this one!

This recipe is designed for a sourdough starter 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.

If you're new to working with sourdough starter, check out these in-depth posts on how to feed sourdough starter, how to use sourdough discard, and tips for struggling sourdough starter.

Passing the Float Test

When you put your bagels in the boiling water, they should float (which is called "passing the float test"). 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 ready to boil and need 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: If the bagels sink to the bottom and say there, this indicates that the dough is too dense. If you boil and bake them now, your final bagels will be 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 a little more. Then, try again.

How to Serve Sourdough Discard Pretzel Bagels

Think of these like a pretzel bun. They're delicious with eggs, to make a sandwich, spread with cream cheese or butter, and more. You could also treat them like a soft pretzel and tear pieces to eat with Honey Mustard Dipping Sauce!

Storage

Room Temperature Storage: These Sourdough Discard Pretzel Bagels are best fresh, of course! If you're going to eat them quickly (the next day or so), keep them in a paper bag at room temperature. Reheat the bagels in the microwave for about 30 seconds to make them warm and soft again.

Freezer Storage: These Pretzel Bagels also 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.

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