Homemade Sourdough Pumpkin Bagels Recipe
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My homemade Sourdough Pumpkin Bagels Recipe makes soft, chewy pumpkin sourdough bagels with warm pumpkin pie spice, brown sugar, and a hint of fall flavor.
I serve these homemade sourdough bagels with whipped cream cheese or turn them into a bagel sandwich, and I make The Best Sourdough Bagels when I want a classic version.
Quick Look: Sourdough Pumpkin Bagels
- Prep Time: 1 hour
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Bulk Fermentation: 8 hours
- Total Time: 9 hours 20 minutes
- Servings: 8 bagels
- Calories: ~671 kcals per bagel (based on nutritional panel)
- Cook Method: Boiled, then baked
- Flavor Profile: Chewy crust and soft inside with warm pumpkin flavor, a sweet cinnamon sugar topping, and a dreamy maple pecan cream cheese spread. The ultimate fall breakfast bagel!
- Difficulty: Intermediate — Requires hand kneading and an overnight bulk rise, but the steps are straightforward and so worth it!
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Why You’ll Love This Sourdough Pumpkin Bagels Recipe
- Chewy bagels with a cozy pumpkin profile: Bread flour and the honey water bath give the finished bagels a firm exterior and chewy interior, while pumpkin puree and brown sugar bring fall flavor. For a sweet breakfast variation, try these Sourdough Cinnamon Raisin Bagels.
- A flexible overnight schedule: The bagel dough has a mostly hands-off dough rise, so I can work it around an evening and next morning bake. For a quicker option using sourdough discard and instant yeast, there are Easy Sourdough Discard Bagels.
- Easy to top, store, and repurpose: You can leave the bagels plain, use cinnamon sugar or bagel seasoning, and turn day-old leftovers into Easy Sourdough Bagel Chips.
Ingredients & Substitutions
* To find precise measurements, scroll to the bottom of this post to find the recipe card*
- Sourdough starter: An active and bubbly starter will give you the best rise for these chewy bagels.
- Water: Make sure to use a warm water, not hot. Water any hotter than 120 degrees F can kill your starter, preventing your bagel dough from rising.
- Brown sugar: I love the inclusion of brown sugar for a touch of fall-like sweetness, but you can use substitute sugars like cane or coconut sugar or even honey.
- Pumpkin puree: Make sure to use pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie filling! You may use homemade pumpkin puree but you will need to reduce the added water since homemade purees tend to contain more water content than store-bought.
- Bread flour: You technically can use all-purpose flour for this recipe, but I highly suggest making it with bread flour, as it has a higher protein percentage. This allows the dough to rise at greater lengths for a more chewy and enjoyable Sourdough Bagel.
- Salt – Any unrefined salt will do, but my favorite is Redmond’s unrefined salt for some extra minerals!
- Honey – Adding a little bit of honey to the boil bath gives your Sourdough Bagels the perfect golden brown, chewy crust once they are baked. This can be substituted with brown sugar or maple syrup as well.
- Cinnamon and Sugar– For a stunning and delicious finish to these Sourdough Pumpkin Bagels, top them with a mixture of cinnamon sugar just before baking!
Baking Time For Sourdough Pumpkin Bagels
|
Time |
Process |
|---|---|
|
DAY 1 |
Step |
|
8:00 PM |
Make and knead the dough |
|
9:00 PM |
Knead and rest overnight |
|
DAY 2 |
|
|
7:00 AM |
Shape dough and rest |
|
8:00 AM |
Boil, top, and bake |
Note: Schedule is for a 68–70°F environment. Adjust for temperature.
How to Make Sourdough Pumpkin Bagels
- In a large bowl, add your active starter, warm water, pumpkin puree and brown sugar. Mix by hand (or use a Danish Dough Whisk, one of my favorite sourdough tools!). It will look like a milky, orange liquid. Next, add the bread flour and salt to the dough. Mix until fully incorporated. It’s a pretty shaggy dough at this point, but don’t worry, it will come together with kneading.
- Next is a small labor of love, but it’s all worth it. Knead the dough for 5-6 minutes. I’ve tried using a stand mixer, but my bagels never taste as soft and chewy as when I do it by hand. So it is still my preferred method. If you’d prefer using a stand mixer, you can mix on low with a dough hook for 4-5 minutes to mix and knead the dough.
- First, I keep the dough in the bowl – less mess. Praise! Next, pull a small section of bagel dough above the rest, fold it over on top, and push into the dough with the heel of your hand. Repeat this motion while turning the bowl of dough clockwise for 5-6 minutes.
- As you knead, you’ll notice that the dough will become pretty stiff and a little bumpy looking – this will be a stiff dough, so totally normal. After your mini arm workout, cover the dough and let it rest for 60 minutes to allow the gluten to rest.
- After 1 hour of resting, repeat the same “stretch, fold and push” routine with the heel of your hand for 30 seconds. If you’d like, you could add a 1 cup of chocolate chips to the dough and knead them in at this point for Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Sourdough Bagels. Maple chips would be divine as well!
- You’ll notice that the dough is a little less stiff and now the dough ball is smoother. Cover the bowl with a reusable shower cap and place the dough in a warm place to rise.
- Leave the dough to at least double in size. In my 69 degree kitchen, this typically takes anywhere from 8-12 hours. If your kitchen is warmer, it will take less time and the opposite is true if it is colder.
- Once the dough has at least doubled in size, gently remove the sourdough bagel dough from the bowl and place it in your work surface – no flour dusting needed.
- Stretch and shape the dough into a large rectangle, about 1/2 of an inch high. Now, with a bench scraper or a sharp knife, cut the dough into 8 equal triangle pieces. (I cut it like I would a pizza.)
- You can weigh the pieces of dough on a kitchen scale to verify that they are all equal ( about 120g), otherwise, just eyeball it and call it a day!
- To shape, grab one piece of dough and pull the corners of the triangles towards the center. Then roll the dough until formed into a smooth ball. Repeat with the remaining pieces of dough.
- One at a time, use your thumb to punch a hole in the middle of the dough ball. Stretch the dough ball with both thumbs, about 2 inches. The dough will shrink back a bit, but that’s okay.
- SECOND RISE: Place your shaped bagels on a parchment-lined baking sheet and cover them fully with a damp tea towel or this plastic lid that fits my baking sheets perfectly so they don’t dry out.
- Let them rest until puffed up in a warm place, about 20-60 minutes.
- While your bagels are rising, preheat your oven to 425 degrees F. Fill a large pot of water. Add honey and whisk until well mixed. Bring the water to a boil.
- Once the bagels have risen, it’s time to set up your station. I like to place a kitchen towel on the counter and a cooling rack on top to help for minimal cleanup later.
- Carefully drop 2-3 bagels into the boiling water and boil for 30 seconds on each side.
- Using a slotted spoon, scoop the bagels and place them on the cooling rack. Repeat until all bagels have been boiled.
- After all the bagels have been boiled, it’s time to talk about toppings! Eating these homemade Sourdough Pumpkin Bagels plain is heavenly, but adding a cinnamon sugar topping brings a touch of extra autumn-like sweetness.
- In a small bowl, melt the butter. Brush the melted butter on top of the boiled bagels. To the remaining butter, mix in both sugars and ground cinnamon until combined.
- Top each boiled pumpkin bagel with an even amount of the sugar mixture.
- Bake the Sourdough Pumpkin Bagels for 20-25 minutes, or until golden brown.
- Remove the bagels from the oven and allow them to cool on a wire rack
- Once they are cool enough to handle, I highly recommend slicing into one while it is still warm and spreading my maple pecan cream cheese on top. It’s fall in a bite!
Maple Pecan Cream Cheese
- In a medium bowl, mix together the softened cream cheese, maple syrup with a hand mixer. Once smooth, stir in the chopped pecans by hand.
McKenna’s Helpful Tips
- Keep the pumpkin puree measured and the dough firm: Use pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie filling, and resist adding extra liquid to the low hydration dough. I follow the same principle with Sourdough Pumpkin Quick Bread.
- Shape evenly for an even bake: Use a kitchen scale to portion equal dough balls, then stretch the bagel hole wide enough that it stays open through the second rise. The same portioning habit features in my Sourdough Blueberry Bagels.
- Use the water bath for chew and color: Boil the bagels in a large pot of boiling water with honey, lift them with a slotted spoon, and let the water drain before baking. For another pumpkin breakfast to make for the same fall spread, try these Pumpkin Butter Sourdough Cinnamon Rolls.
How to Store
To keep your sourdough pumpkin bagels soft and fresh, wrap them up in a brown paper bag and leave them at room temperature for 1-2 days.
If you top the bagels with the cinnamon sugar, do not store them in a plastic bag, like a Ziploc bag. Trust me. The cinnamon sugar mixture becomes wet and the bagel get slimy. It is best to eat them fresh on the day of or to store in a brown paper bag.
These Sourdough Pumpkin Bagels with the topping do not freeze well.
However, plain Sourdough Pumpkin Bagels can be stored in a large Ziplock and they freeze well! When ready to enjoy, allow them to thaw at room temperature or pop them in the microwave until soft and then toast until crispy!
Sourdough Pumpkin Bagels FAQs
What if I want Sourdough Pumpkin Bagels to be a two-day process? How should I adjust the recipe instructions?
Once the bagel dough has completed bulk fermentation, you can cover it and place it in the refrigerator overnight, then shape it the following day. You can also shape the bagels first, cover and refrigerate them overnight, then allow the dough to come to room temperature and complete its second rise before you boil and bake; for another bagel dough with a flexible overnight option, I often make Sourdough Chocolate Chip Bagels.
Can I use less starter and more pumpkin puree to create a stronger pumpkin flavor in Sourdough Pumpkin Bagels?
I would not simply reduce the starter and increase the pumpkin puree because either change can affect the dough’s hydration, fermentation, and structure. Pumpkin has a mild flavor, so increase the pumpkin pie spices first when you want a more pronounced pumpkin flavor; for another warmly spiced pumpkin recipe, you can try Sourdough Pumpkin Scones with Maple Glaze.
Can I use a stand mixer with a dough hook for Sourdough Pumpkin Bagels?
Yes. Use a stand mixer with a dough hook on low speed for about four to five minutes when you want less hands on kneading, and stop when the stiff dough is smooth and cohesive. For a bagel recipe that also uses a stand mixer option, I have this Sourdough Discard Blueberry Bagels recipe.
If you tried this Sourdough Pumpkin Bagels recipe or any other recipe on my blog, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the📝 comments below. Thanks for visiting!
Sourdough Pumpkin Bagels Recipe
Yield: 8 pumpkin bagels
Homemade Sourdough Pumpkin Bagels are the perfect fall treat with a chewy crust, soft inside, and an easy-to-follow recipe. Made with active sourdough starter, pumpkin puree and a cinnamon sugar topping, it's a super delicious autumn breakfast.
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Ingredients
- 150 grams active sourdough starter 3/4 cup
- 100 grams warm water 1/3 cup + 1 1/2 Tablespoons
- 200 grams pumpkin puree 3/4 cup + 2 Tablespoons
- 40 grams light brown sugar 3 Tablespoons
- 500 grams bread flour 3 1/2 cups
- 9 grams salt 1 1/2 teaspoons
- 180 grams chocolate chips, optional 1 cup
- 24 grams honey, for boil bath 2 Tablespoons
Cinnamon Sugar Topping
- 50 grams white sugar 1/4 cup
- 110 grams light brown sugar 1/2 cup
- 8 grams ground cinnamon 1 Tablespoon
- 56 grams unsalted butter, melted & divided 4 Tablespoons
Maple Pecan Cream Cheese
- 226 grams cream cheese, softened 8 ounces
- 50 grams maple syrup 4 Tablespoons
- 40 grams pecans, chopped 1/3 cup
Instructions
Make the Dough
- In a straight-edge bowl, add your active starter, warm water, pumpkin puree and brown sugar. Mix by hand or with a Danish dough whisk. It will look like a milky, orange liquid. I love using a straight-edge bowl because it allows me to clearly see when the dough is done rising.150 grams active sourdough starter, 100 grams warm water, 200 grams pumpkin puree, 40 grams light brown sugar
- Next, add the bread flour and salt to the dough. Mix until fully incorporated. It's a pretty shaggy dough at this point, but don’t worry, it will come together with kneading.500 grams bread flour, 9 grams salt
- Next is a small labor of love, but it's all worth it. Knead the dough for 5-6 minutes. I’ve tried using a stand mixer, but my bagels never taste as soft and chewy as when I do it by hand. So it is still my preferred method. If you’d prefer using a stand mixer, you can mix on low with a dough hook for 4-5 minutes to mix and knead the dough.
- First, I keep the dough in the bowl – less mess. Praise! Next, pull a small section of bagel dough above the rest, fold it over on top, and push into the dough with the heel of your hand. Repeat this motion while turning the bowl of dough clockwise for 5-6 minutes.
- As you knead, you'll notice that the dough will become pretty stiff and a little bumpy looking – this will be a stiff dough, so totally normal. After your mini arm workout, cover the dough and let it rest for 60 minutes to allow the gluten to rest.
Knead
- After one hour of resting, repeat the same “stretch, fold and push” routine with the heel of your hand for 30 seconds.
- If you’d like, you could add chocolate chips to the dough and knead them in at this point for Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Sourdough Bagels. Maple chips would be divine as well!180 grams chocolate chips, optional
- You’ll notice that the dough is a little less stiff and now the dough ball is smoother. Cover the bowl again and place the dough in a warm place to rise.
Bulk Rise
- Leave the dough to at least double in size. In my 70 degree kitchen, this typically takes anywhere from 8-12 hours. If your kitchen is warmer, it will take less time and the opposite is true if it is colder.
Shape
- Once the dough has at least doubled in size, gently remove the sourdough bagel dough from the bowl and place it in your work surface – no flour dusting needed.
- Stretch and shape the dough into a large rectangle, about 1/2 of an inch high. Now, with a bench scraper or a sharp knife, cut the dough into 8 equal triangle pieces. (I cut it like I would a pizza.)
- You can weigh the pieces of dough on a kitchen scale to verify that they are all equal (about 120g), otherwise, just eyeball it and call it a day!
- To shape, grab one piece of dough and pull the corners of the triangles towards the center. Then roll the dough until formed into a smooth ball. Repeat with the remaining pieces of dough.
- One at a time, use your thumb to punch a hole in the middle of the dough ball. Stretch the dough ball with both thumbs, about 2 inches. The dough will shrink back a bit, but that’s okay.
Second Rise
- Place your shaped bagels on a parchment-lined baking sheet and cover them fully with plastic wrap or this plastic lid that fits my baking sheets perfectly so they don’t dry out.
- Let them rest until puffed up in a warm place, about 20-60 minutes.
Boil Bath
- While your bagels are rising, preheat your oven to 425 degrees F.
- Fill a large pot of water. Add honey and whisk until well mixed. Bring the water to a boil.24 grams honey, for boil bath
- Once the bagels have risen, it’s time to set up your station. I like to place a kitchen towel on the counter and a cooling rack on top to help for minimal cleanup later.
- Carefully drop 2-3 bagels into the boiling water and boil for 30 seconds on each side.
- Using a slotted spoon, scoop the bagels and place them on the cooling rack. Repeat until all bagels have been boiled.
Topping
- After all the bagels have been boiled, it’s time to talk about toppings! Eating these homemade Sourdough Pumpkin Bagels plain is heavenly, but adding a cinnamon sugar topping brings a touch of extra autumn-like sweetness.
- In a small bowl, melt the butter. Brush 14 grams (1 Tablespoon) worth of the melted butter on top of the boiled bagels. To the remaining butter, mix in both sugars and ground cinnamon until combined.50 grams white sugar, 110 grams light brown sugar, 56 grams unsalted butter, melted & divided, 8 grams ground cinnamon
- Top each boiled pumpkin bagel with an even amount of the sugar mixture.
Bake
- Bake the Sourdough Pumpkin Bagels for 20-25 minutes, or until golden brown.
- Remove the bagels from the oven and allow them to cool on a wire rack
- Once they are cool enough to handle, I highly recommend slicing into one while it is still warm and spreading my maple pecan cream cheese on top. It's fall in a bite!
Maple Pecan Cream Cheese
- In a medium bowl, mix together the softened cream cheese, maple syrup with a hand mixer. Once smooth, stir in the chopped pecans by hand.226 grams cream cheese, softened, 50 grams maple syrup, 40 grams pecans, chopped
Notes
Simple Baking Schedule
8 pm: Make and knead the dough. Cover the bowl and let the dough rest for 1 hour. 9 pm: Knead dough for 30 seconds, cover, and let rest overnight until it doubles in size, about 8-12 hours. 7 am: Remove dough from bowl and cut into 8 equal pieces. Roll and shape them into small dough balls, poke holes in the center of each dough ball, and stretch them to shape. Cover and let them rest for 20-60 mins until puffed up. 8 am: Boil bagels for 30 seconds on each side. Top with cinnamon/sugar mixture, if desired. Bake for 20-25 minutes at 425 degrees F. This schedule is made for a 68-70 degree F environment. Higher temperatures will quicken the process. Lower will lengthen the process. This recipe card was update on 03/10/26.Nutrition
Serving: 1bagel | Calories: 671kcal | Carbohydrates: 100g | Protein: 11g | Fat: 27g | Saturated Fat: 14g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 44mg | Sodium: 535mg | Potassium: 283mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 46g | Vitamin A: 4452IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 98mg | Iron: 1mg
Tried this recipe?Please leave a comment on the blog or share a photo on Instagram!
Loved this recipe! They turned out perfect!
I’m so glad you loved them! Thank you so much for trying the recipe and taking the time to leave a review!
Absolutely love this bagel recipe. The bagels turned out soft and chewy impaired perfectly with the cream cheese that was suggested.
I’m so happy you loved them! Thank you so much for trying the recipe and taking the time to leave a review!
I’ve been making sourdough for about two years now and have tried SO many different recipes, I can honestly say Simplicity and a Starter is one of my absolute favorites! Her recipes consistently turn out amazing. The instructions are clear, the ingredients are simple, and the results are always beautiful, delicious sourdough. I find myself coming back to her recipes over and over again because I know I can count on them to turn out perfectly. You have become part of my Saturday morning routine. Thank you!
This truly means so much to me. I’m so happy the recipes have become ones you can count on! Thank you for coming back to bake with me again and again, and for taking the time to leave such a thoughtful review!
Thank you for the recipe! The bagel dough was great – why did my topping melt immediately all over the bagel?
I’m so glad the bagel dough turned out well! The cinnamon sugar topping does contain melted butter, so some melting and spreading in the oven is normal. If it melted completely off the bagels right away, the topping may have been a little too warm or loose when it was added. Next time, I’d let the melted butter cool slightly before mixing it with the sugars and cinnamon, then spoon the mixture onto the bagels. Hope that helps!
Holy moly, these are INCREDIBLE! I’m not usually one to leave reviews, but I just had to this time. There aren’t enough stars for how amazing these are. I love how simple your recipes are to follow too, they turn out every time. *chef’s kiss*
This absolutely made my day! I’m so glad you loved them and that you trust my recipes. Means so much! Thank you for taking the time to leave such a sweet review!
Thank you for the recipe! It was simple and easy to follow. The texture was perfect. My only comment is they tasted more like plain sourdough rather than pumpkin. Would I be able to adjust the starter to a little less and the pumpkin to a little more?
I’m so glad you enjoyed the texture! I wouldn’t recommend simply decreasing the starter and increasing the pumpkin, since both changes can affect the dough’s hydration, fermentation, and structure. Pumpkin itself actually has a fairly mild flavor, so if you’d like a stronger pumpkin flavor, I’d first try increasing the pumpkin pie spices! Hope this helps!
Very good, however the topping overpowered the pumpkin flavor. Next time I’ll use half the topping recipe and add some pumpkin pie spice to the dough.
Thank you so much for trying the recipe and for the helpful feedback! The topping is definitely customizable, and cutting it in half + adding pumpkin pie spice to the dough sounds like a delicious adjustment. I’m so glad you enjoyed them and hope your next batch is even more perfect!
DELICIOUS! They have a nice chewy texture. I made them today. 8 hrs start to finish using the proof setting on my oven. I whipped some maple syrup into whipped cream cheese. I left out the pecans. I will definitely make again.
Yay! So glad you loved them. Using the oven proof setting is such a smart trick for a quicker rise! Maple cream cheese sounds like the perfect pairing—definitely a winner even without the pecans!
Hi! I’m making these now. Question – if I don’t put the cinnamon sugar topping on some of them, should I still put butter on top of the ones without topping or no?
Nope! If you’re skipping the cinnamon sugar topping, you can also skip the butter—those bagels will still bake up beautifully on their own. The butter is mainly for helping the topping stick and adding a bit of shine.
What if we want this to be a 2 day process? How would we adjust the recipe instructions?
Great question! Once the bagel dough has completed the bulk fermentation, you can place the covered dough in the fridge overnight and shape them the following day. Or you can shape the bagels, cover and place them in the fridge overnight. The next day, allow the dough to come to room temperature and completes its second rise before boiling and baking. Can’t wait to hear how you love this recipe!
How do you heat them up after baked with cinnamon sugar on top? I don’t think you could out them in the toaster since there is butter in the mix.
Hi Nicole! I like to reheat them in the oven at 300°F for about 5–10 minutes—just until warm. You’re right that the toaster can get messy with the cinnamon sugar topping and butter, so a quick warm-up in the oven (or even air fryer!) works perfectly without melting off all that goodness. Hope this helps!