Sourdough Recipe · Intermediate

Sourdough Bagels — Chewy, Boiled & Baked

How to make sourdough bagels at home — a stiff, low-hydration dough, boiled in malt water and baked until chewy and glossy. Overnight cold proof for the best flavour.

Read the guide Sourdough hub
Glossy plain and sesame sourdough bagels with one sliced open

Updated September 2026 · 10 min read

New · Featured tool

Sourdough Starter Manager

Log each feed, watch your starter rise in a 3D jar and record when it peaks. After two feeds it learns your own starter’s timing, so you know when it will be ready.

  • See the rise against the clock
  • Learns your starter’s peak time
  • Free, no account needed
Open the starter manager

Good bagels are dense, chewy, and glossy — nothing like the soft, bready rounds most supermarkets sell. Sourdough takes them further with an overnight cold proof that builds the kind of flavour commercial yeast never achieves. The process is straightforward: mix a stiff dough, shape rings, cold-proof overnight, boil in malty water, and bake hot.

Ingredients (makes 8)

500g Bread flour
275g Water
100g Active starter
10g Salt
20g Barley malt syrup

For the boiling water: 3 litres water, 1 tbsp barley malt syrup (or honey), 1 tsp salt.

Toppings (optional): everything bagel seasoning, sesame seeds, poppy seeds, dried onion flakes, coarse salt.

Method

  1. 1
    Mix the dough Combine flour, water, starter, salt, and malt syrup. Mix until no dry flour remains, then knead for 10–12 minutes until the dough is smooth, firm, and not sticky. This is a stiff dough — it takes more effort than bread dough.
  2. 2
    Bulk ferment Cover and let rise at room temperature for 3–4 hours, with one set of stretch and folds at the 1-hour mark. The dough should be noticeably puffy but not necessarily doubled.
  3. 3
    Divide and shape Divide into 8 equal pieces (about 110g each). Shape each into a smooth ball, then poke a hole through the centre with your thumb and stretch to about 6–7cm diameter. The hole shrinks during proofing and baking, so make it larger than you think.
  4. 4
    Float test and cold proof Place shaped bagels on a lined baking tray. Cover tightly and refrigerate overnight (8–16 hours). In the morning, drop one bagel into a bowl of room-temperature water — if it floats within 10 seconds, they are ready. If it sinks, leave them at room temperature for 30–60 minutes and test again.
  5. 5
    Boil Bring the malt water to a rolling boil. Drop 2–3 bagels in at a time. Boil 45–60 seconds per side, then lift out with a slotted spoon onto a wire rack. If using toppings, press them onto the wet surface immediately.
  6. 6
    Bake Place boiled bagels on a lined baking tray. Bake at 220°C (425°F) for 18–22 minutes, rotating the tray halfway through, until deep golden brown.
Flour, water, salt and starter portioned beside a kitchen scale

Related calculator

Baker's Percentage Calculator

Turn your flour weight and ingredient percentages into exact grams for water, salt, starter, fat, and sugar — and scale any recipe.

Open calculator

Two ways to shape bagels

Poke method (easier) Form a tight ball, poke your thumb through the centre, and stretch the hole by rotating the dough around two fingers. Gives a smooth, even ring. Best for beginners.
Rope method (traditional) Roll each piece into a 25cm rope, wrap it around your hand, and seal the overlap by rolling it against the counter. Gives a slightly uneven, more rustic look with a visible seam.

Keys to great sourdough bagels

Use high-protein bread flour 12%+ protein gives the chew bagels need. All-purpose flour makes softer, breadier bagels.
Keep the hydration low 55–58% is the sweet spot. If the dough feels sticky, it is too wet for bagels.
Do not skip the boil it is what creates the glossy crust and dense texture. 45–60 seconds per side — longer makes them too chewy.
Make the hole bigger than you think it closes up significantly during proofing and baking. A 6–7cm hole before proofing becomes a 3–4cm hole after baking.
Bake immediately after boiling do not let them sit — the surface dries out and they lose the glossy finish.

Watch for

  • Do not overboil — more than 90 seconds total makes bagels tough and rubbery.
  • Do not under-knead — the stiff dough needs a full 10–12 minutes to develop enough gluten for proper chew.

FAQ

Frequently asked questions

Why are sourdough bagels better than yeasted?
The overnight sourdough fermentation develops a complex, slightly tangy flavour that commercial yeast cannot match. The long cold proof also improves the texture — the gluten relaxes slowly, giving a chewier, more tender bite. Many bagel shops use a long cold retard for the same reason, even with commercial yeast.
What hydration should sourdough bagel dough be?
Around 55–58% hydration. Bagel dough is deliberately stiff — much drier than a standard bread dough. This low water content is what gives bagels their dense, chewy texture. The dough should feel firm and smooth, not sticky. If it is too wet the bagels will be bready rather than chewy.
Do I have to boil bagels?
Yes. Boiling is what makes a bagel a bagel. The brief boil in malt water gelatinises the starch on the surface, creating the glossy, slightly chewy crust. Without it you just have a bread roll with a hole.
What do I put in the boiling water?
Barley malt syrup is traditional — about 1 tablespoon per litre of water. It gives the crust its characteristic malty sweetness and deep colour. If you cannot find barley malt syrup, honey or brown sugar work as substitutes, though the flavour is slightly different.
Why are my sourdough bagels flat?
Usually underproofing or weak starter. The dough needs to be noticeably puffy before shaping, and the shaped bagels need a second proof until they float in water (the float test). Also make sure you are not over-boiling — more than 60 seconds per side deflates them.
Can I make sourdough bagels same-day?
Yes, but the overnight method is better. For same-day, mix in the morning, bulk ferment 4–5 hours at room temperature until doubled, shape, proof 1–2 hours until they pass the float test, then boil and bake. The flavour will not be as complex as overnight, but the texture will still be good.
How do I store sourdough bagels?
Room temperature in a paper bag for 1–2 days. For longer storage, slice in half and freeze — they toast perfectly from frozen. Do not refrigerate; it makes them stale faster.
Ads.txt