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Real Boiled and Baked Sourdough Bagels!
It took me a good many years to work up the nerve to try my hand a bagels.
![Super Soft and Chewy Sourdough Bagels (1) Super Soft and Chewy Sourdough Bagels (1)](data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==)
I’ll be the first to admit I was always a little intimidated, knowing that the bagels needed special shaping, boiling, and baking. My intimidation was unfounded. The process is so much easier than I expected, and once I started playing around with developing this recipe I realized just exactly what I had been missing out on all these years!
![Super Soft and Chewy Sourdough Bagels (2) Super Soft and Chewy Sourdough Bagels (2)](data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==)
Soft and Chewy Sourdough Bagels
I want to start this post by making it clear that my intention was not to develop a dense and doughy bagel, but instead a soft, light, and fluffy bagel, with the classic chewy texture of sourdough.
If you are looking for a dense and doughy bagel this might not be the recipe for you. Yes, I know that many people prefer a dense bagel, I’m just not one of them. I like the versatility of a softer bagel that can be sliced, toasted, cream cheesed, buttered, used as a bun, as a sandwich, with toppings, without … not to mention I just can’t keep my sourdough starter down. The puff and rise on this recipe is exceptional!
These sourdough bagels come out as soft and lofty as pillowy clouds with a shiny chewy exterior that becomes delightfully crisp when toasted.
![Super Soft and Chewy Sourdough Bagels (3) Super Soft and Chewy Sourdough Bagels (3)](data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==)
Topping Your Sourdough Bagels
My personal favorite is probably the toasty sesame seeds, but I’ve also made onion, plain, yuzu, everything, salt, cheese-stuffed, and even bagel dogs! Some of the more technical recipes like cheese-stuffed, bagel dogs, blueberry, and cinnamon raisin I hope to publish in the future!
![Super Soft and Chewy Sourdough Bagels (4) Super Soft and Chewy Sourdough Bagels (4)](data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==)
![Super Soft and Chewy Sourdough Bagels (5) Super Soft and Chewy Sourdough Bagels (5)](data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==)
![Super Soft and Chewy Sourdough Bagels (6) Super Soft and Chewy Sourdough Bagels (6)](data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==)
Super Soft and Chewy Sourdough Bagels
Yield: 16 Bagels
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour
Additional Time: 1 day
Total Time: 1 day 1 hour 30 minutes
A fluffy, super soft, and chewy sourdough bagel. These fully fermented bagels are boiled and baked for the best crust, taste, and texture possible.
Ingredients
- 1000 grams bread flour
- 600 grams water
- 250 grams sourdough starter
- 60 grams avocado oil or light olive oil
- 40 grams honey or coconut sugar
- 20 grams salt
Boiling Water
- 2 quarts water
- 20 grams (1 tablespoon) honey
- 20 grams (1 heaping tablespoon) baking soda
- 7 grams (1 teaspoon) salt
Instructions
The Night Before
- Using a dough whisk, wooden spoon, or silicone spatula, mix all the bagel ingredients in a large bowl. Once the dough comes together let it rest for 5 minutes.
- Do a few rounds of stretch and fold in the bowl, resting the dough for 5 minutes between each round. Once the dough is smooth and stretchy cover the bowl with a lid or plastic wrap and let it ferment overnight.
The Next Morning
- Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Cut and weigh the dough into 16 equal pieces, about 120 grams each.
- Lay a large sheet of parchment paper off to the side of the work area.
- Preshape each piece of dough into a tight ball the same way you would for buns. Set them seam side down on the parchment.
- Once all the dough is formed into balls, cover them with a damp flour sack towel and let them rest for 1 hour.
Boiling and Baking the Bagels
- Preheat your oven to 400°F with two baking racks evenly spaced in the center.
- Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper. I use the half sheet pan size (18 by 13-inch).
- Have your desired toppings ready.
- In a large pot bring the water and other boiling ingredients to a strong boil. I use my 8-quart stockpot.
- Uncover the dough and drop a large pinch of dry flour on the top and center of each dough ball.
- Working one at a time, push the thumb of your dominant hand down through the center of the flour and dough until it reaches the paper underneath.
- With your thumb against the paper, gently swirl your hand, spinning the dough around your thumb until the hole is fully coated with flour.
- Lift the bagel from the paper, and without deflating it, use your other hand to gently stretch the hole to about 2 inches wide. Rotate the dough during stretching to get an even circle.
- Gently drop the dough into the boiling water with the top side down first. Cook on the first side for 1 minute. If you can work fast enough, add two to three more bagels to the water. This is also dependent on the size of the pot; the bagels should not be touching.
- Use a slotted spoon to flip the bagels starting with the first one in the pot. Cook the bagels on the second side for 1 more minute.
- Remove the bagels from the pot, letting excess water drip off them. Slip them onto the parchment-lined baking sheet with a little room around each one.
- Once all the bagels from that batch have been removed, top the wet bagels with your favorite toppings, or leave them plain.
- Start boiling the next batch of bagels and continue this process until they have all been boiled with toppings added.
- Place the bagels in the oven and set the timer for 10 minutes.
- When the timer goes off, rotate the pans and switch their positions in the oven, allowing for even baking.
- Bake the bagels for 10 more minutes or until golden brown.
- Remove the bagels from the oven and place them on wire racks to cool.
Notes
You can substitute up to 50% whole wheat or heirloom flour in this recipe without a very noticeable change in texture. 100% whole grain will result in a denser bagel and may require 5% (30 grams) more water in the dough.
![Super Soft and Chewy Sourdough Bagels (7) Super Soft and Chewy Sourdough Bagels (7)](data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==)
Want To Learn Everything About Sourdough?
Start with this free guide:
Demystifying Sourdough – Everything You’ve Ever Wanted To Know About Sourdough Starter – Why It’s Better For You – And How To Start One
![Super Soft and Chewy Sourdough Bagels (8) Super Soft and Chewy Sourdough Bagels (8)](data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==)