These Sourdough Discard Strawberry Bagels are packed with fresh strawberries and perfect for a spring or summer breakfast! This recipe uses fresh strawberries as well as freeze-dried strawberries (optional) for maximum strawberry flavor. Top these bagels with cream cheese or your favorite spreads, and you'll have a delicious breakfast!
This recipe is a variation of my classic Sourdough Discard Bagels recipe.
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Why you'll love this recipe
- These Sourdough Discard Strawberry Bagels are easy to make and they freeze well. So enjoy some now and freeze the rest for later!
- This recipe is packed with fresh strawberries (a pound of berries) and freeze-dried strawberries for maximum flavor.
- Looking for other strawberry recipes? Try this Sourdough Discard Strawberry Cake and this Sourdough Discard Strawberry Galette.
- This recipe uses sourdough discard, but you can make an easy modification to use active sourdough starter if you prefer.
- Looking for other sourdough discard brunch recipes? Try these Sourdough Discard Waffles and these Sourdough Lemon Blueberry Scones.
Ingredients
There are only a few key ingredients you'll need to bring these bagels together.
- Fresh strawberries: Fresh berries will give you the most flavor, but frozen berries can work, too!
- In a strawberry mood? Try these Strawberry Marshmallows, too!
- Sourdough discard: The 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 make adjustments to the recipe.
- Learn more about how to make a sourdough starter.
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 want to make this recipe with active starter, you can! To do so, omit the yeast and replace the sourdough discard with active starter (200g). You will also need to increase the rise times.
- Use different berries - You can easily use different berries in place of the strawberries! Try raspberries, blackberries, and more.
- Try my Sourdough Discard Blueberry Bagels, too!
- Looking for other sourdough discard bagel recipes? Try my classic Sourdough Discard Bagels, Sourdough Discard Cinnamon Raisin Bagels, and these Sourdough Discard Stuffed Bagels.
How to Make Sourdough Discard Strawberry Bagels
These Sourdough Discard Strawberry Bagels come together in just a few easy steps! The full recipe with detailed directions is at the bottom of this post.
- Step 1: Trim and dice your strawberries.
- Step 2: Combine the strawberries, lemon juice, and sugar in a skillet or sauté pan. Bring the mixture to a boil and let simmer for 10 minutes.
- Step 3: The berries will break down while simmering. Let the berry mixture cool for 10 minutes before mixing with your dough ingredients.
- Step 4: Combine all dough ingredients, then knead until you have a smooth, soft dough. It may be slightly tacky. Place in a large, oiled bowl. Cover and let rise for 90 minutes.
- Step 5: Divide the dough into 8 equal-sized pieces. Roll each piece into a ball in the palm of your hand using one of your palms for friction.
- Step 6: Press your thumbs through the center of the ball to make a hole.
- Step 7: Stretch the hole to be larger than you think it should be. Place on your prepared baking sheet and let rise while you prepare the next step.
- Step 8: Boil the bagels for 15-30 seconds on each side. Transfer to a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and bake until lightly browned.
Expert Baking Tips
- Make sure to knead the dough long enough. The dough should be completely smooth and soft before the first rise. It may be a bit sticky, but that's ok! The freeze-dried berries will soak up some of that moisture.
- The freeze-dried berries are optional, but I highly recommend using them! They add some great concentrated strawberry flavor.
- You may be able to find freeze-dried strawberries at your local grocery store (in the dried fruit aisle), or you can order them online or get them at stores like Target or Walmart.
- When shaping, make the center hole larger than you think it should be. The bagels will expand quite a bit during the boiling and baking processes, so make it a bigger hole than you think!
- The bagels are going to take a few seconds to float, but don't worry. Bagels should "pass the float test" when boiling, but these are going to take a few seconds (and may need a nudge) to get them floating. That's ok!
- Ready for more berry-forward recipes? Try these Sourdough Discard Blueberry Muffins and this Sourdough Lemon Blackberry Cake.
Passing the Float Test
During the boiling step, it's important that the bagels "pass the float test." This means that they float when they're added to the water! These bagels are going to be heavy compared to my classic Sourdough Discard Bagels. It may take a few seconds (10-15 seconds), and they may even need a nudge to get them floating. This is ok!
When you add them to the boiling water, you might see a few different things:
- If the bagels float immediately, this is passing the float test! Continue with the recipe as written.
- If the bagels sink to the bottom, then float (even if you need to give them a nudge), this counts! You've passed the float test and can continue with the recipe as written.
- If the bagels sink and don't float at all (even after giving them a bit of time), cover the unboiled bagels with plastic wrap and let rise for an additional 10 minutes, then try again.
If the bagels are not floating at all, this is a sign that the dough has not risen long enough. If you bake them without letting them rise longer, they may be a bit dense and not as fluffy on the inside!
Storage
Room Temperature Storage: Once cooled, store bagels 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: This is my favorite way to store these bagels, unless I'm eating them immediately! 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
Passing the float test indicates that your bagels have risen long enough. If they are not floating (even after you give them 10-15 seconds and nudge them with a spoon or spatula), then cover them with plastic wrap and let rise for another 10 minutes. Then, try again.
These bagels will have the strongest strawberry flavor if you use the fresh strawberries plus the freeze-dried strawberries. You can make this recipe without the freeze-dried strawberries, but you can expect the flavor to be more subtle.
Serve these Sourdough Discard Strawberry Bagels with your favorite cream cheese or jam! I find they are best with a slightly sweeter topping.
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!
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.
More Sourdough Discard Bagel Recipes
If you tried these Sourdough Discard Strawberry 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 Strawberry Bagels
Equipment
- Sautée pan or skillet
Ingredients
- 1 pound fresh strawberries trimmed and diced
- 5 Tablespoons granulated sugar divided
- 2 teaspoons lemon juice
- 4 cups bread flour
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon instant yeast
- 200 grams (about ¾ cup) sourdough discard unfed, at room temperature
- ½ cup freeze-dried strawberries optional
Instructions
- In a skillet over medium-high heat, combine the diced strawberries, 3 Tablespoons sugar, and lemon juice. Stir until the sugar dissolves. When the mixture boils, reduce heat to low and simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occassionally and mashing up the berries. Set the berries aside and let cool for 10 minutes before combining with the dough ingredients.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook attachment*, combine the (now slightly cooled) strawberry mixture, bread flour, salt, yeast, sourdough discard, and freeze-dried strawberries (optional). Mix until a shaggy dough forms.
- Transfer the dough to a smooth work surface and knead for 4-5 minutes until a smooth dough forms. The dough will be slightly tacky. If the dough feels too sticky, add more flour (1 Tablespoon at a time) to reach your desired consistency.
- Transfer the dough to a large, oiled bowl. Cover and let rise for 90 minutes or until doubled in size.
- Turn the dough out onto a smooth surface and divide into 8 equal-sized pieces. For me, each portion was about 153g. Using the palm of your hand, roll each piece into a smooth ball. Use your thumb to press through the center of each ball, stretching the hole to form your bagel shape. Make this hole larger than you think it should be - the dough will expand quite a bit while boiling and baking. Lightly cover the bagels with a clean dish towel or plastic wrap to rest for 20-30 minutes while you prepare the next step.
- Preheat the oven to 425°F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside. Bring a pot with 2 quarts of water and 2 Tablespoons of granulated sugar to boil.
- Place each bagel in the boiling water for 15-30 seconds on each side*. You can likely fit 2-3 bagels in the pot at a time, but make sure there is enough room for them to float openly. The bagels should float, but it may take a few seconds, and you may need to nudge them off the bottom of the pot. Remove the bagels from the boiling water using a slotted spoon or spatula, let excess water drip off, and transfer to the prepared baking sheets. If needed, you can reshape the bagels a little after they've cooled.
- Bake for 18-22 minutes or until golden brown. Let cool fully before slicing and serving.
Lauren says
You forgot to add how much water to use for the ingredients
Jessica Vogl says
There is no added water in this recipe! We've replaced the water with the strawberry compote mixture. A previous version of this recipe (updated this spring) did have some added water, in case you're seeing a comment that is confusing.
Sam Gonzalez says
Are you able to prep these overnight?
Jessica Vogl says
You could do the first rise in the fridge overnight, then shape / boil / bake the next day.
Lydia Lin says
Great recipe. Yes the berry is a subtle taste.
Chandler says
I combined blueberries & strawberries to this recipe & they turned out so well and were such a pretty purple color. I also used active starter & failed to float test a few times but after an extra hour of rise time they were perfect. Curious to know if you could add honey somewhere in this recipe to make it even sweeter? Thanks for the inspo!
Jessica Vogl says
So glad you loved them! I haven't tried it, but I imagine you could increase the sugar slightly (or use honey, if you'd rather). I wouldn't go past a few Tbsp though, and if needed, you can always add more liquid if the dough is feeling too dry while kneading.
Heather says
I followed the recipe to the letter, and everything looked great. But when I cut the bagel, all the strawberry is GONE! The flavor is gone. It's like the strawberry evaporated. I am going to try again, but add strawberry when I shape.
Jessica Vogl says
You could also try adding strawberry extract if you would like more strawberry flavor.
Jessica Vogl says
These have a subtle sweetness and the strawberry flavor (and smell) is wonderful! The perfect brunch bagel!