The Best Sourdough Blueberry Bagel Recipe (Fresh or Frozen!)
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Once you make these Sourdough Blueberry Bagels, you’ll have a hard time going back to anything from the grocery store. These bagels are chewy, slightly sweet, and vibrantly purple — made with fresh or frozen blueberries and a handful of dried blueberries for an extra punch of flavor.
This is one of my favorite ways to use an active sourdough starter in something a little more unexpected. If you’re short on time, my Sourdough Discard Blueberry Bagels are ready in just 2.5 hours and just as delicious.
Quick Look: Sourdough Blueberry Bagels
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Fermentation Time: 10 hours
- Bake Time: 20 minutes
- Total Time: 10 hours 50 minutes
- Servings: 9-inch focaccia, about 12 slices
- Calories: ~333 kcal per serving (based on nutrition panel)
- Cook Method: Boiled, then baked
- Flavor Profile: Chewy and slightly sweet with a vibrant purple color from fresh blueberries. Add dried blueberries for an even more intense blueberry flavor in every bite.
- Difficulty: Intermediate — Simple ingredients and mostly hands-off with an overnight rise, plus a boiling step before baking.
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Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Stunning color, incredible flavor. The juice from the blueberries gives these bagels a striking purple hue that’s just as impressive as the taste. Each bite has a subtle sweetness that makes them perfect for breakfast or weekend brunch — spread with cream cheese or peanut butter, they’re a big hit with the whole family. And if you love blueberry bakes, my Sourdough Lemon Blueberry Focaccia and Sourdough Discard Lemon Blueberry Sweet Rolls are worth adding to your list, too.
- Fresh or frozen, year-round. You can make these bagels any time of year because they work beautifully with either fresh or frozen blueberries. Frozen blueberries actually give you a deeper, richer purple color, so don’t hesitate to grab a bag from the freezer.
- Better ingredients than anything at the store. These homemade sourdough bagels are made with clean ingredients and naturally leavened with wild yeast through sourdough fermentation — no commercial yeast or additives. That long, slow fermentation also helps break down phytic acid, which makes the nutrition of our dough easier for your body to absorb. If you’re brand new to sourdough, start with my guide on how to make a sourdough starter before diving in.
Ingredients & Substitutions
* To find precise measurements, scroll to the bottom of this post to find the recipe card*
- Blueberries: Fresh or frozen both work well here. Frozen blueberries tend to produce a deeper, more vibrant purple color because of how the juice releases during cooking.
- Active Sourdough Starter: Make sure your starter is fed and active before mixing the dough. This is what gives the bagels their rise and that subtle tangy depth of flavor.
- Bread Flour: I highly recommend bread flour over all-purpose here. The higher protein content gives you that chewy, fluffy bagel bite and a better rise.
- Dried Blueberries: Don’t skip these! They add extra texture and a concentrated blueberry flavor that fresh or frozen blueberries alone can’t quite replicate.
- Honey (for the boil bath): Honey helps give the bagels that shiny, chewy crust. Brown sugar or maple syrup work just as well as substitutes.
- Salt: Any unrefined salt works here. I like using Redmond’s Real Salt for the extra minerals.
Baking Time For Sourdough Bagels
|
Time |
Process |
|---|---|
|
8:00 AM |
Mix and knead the dough |
|
9:00 PM |
First rise |
|
7:00 AM |
Shape bagels & second rise |
|
8:00 AM |
Boil & bake |
How to Make Sourdough Blueberry Bagels
Prepare the blueberries
- Add fresh or frozen blueberries to a small saucepan over medium-low heat. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the berries soften and release their juice.
- Turn off the heat and mash the blueberries with a fork. Add 200g of water to the saucepan, stir to combine, and allow the mixture to cool until it’s just above room temperature. If the liquid is too hot (above 120°F), it can harm your starter.
Make the dough:
- In a large bowl, combine the sourdough starter, blueberry-water mixture, and sugar. Mix until combined — it will look like a blue, milky liquid.
- Add the bread flour and salt. Mix until fully incorporated. The dough will look shaggy at first, and that’s completely normal.
- Knead the dough for 5–6 minutes by hand. Keep the dough in the bowl to reduce mess — pull a section of dough up and over itself, then press down with the heel of your hand. Turn the bowl a quarter turn and repeat. The dough will feel stiff and look a little bumpy, but stick with it.
- Cover with a damp towel or reusable shower cap and let rest for 60 minutes.
Stretch and fold:
- After the rest, knead the dough again for just 30 seconds using the same motion.
- If using dried blueberries, add them now — pour them on top and they’ll incorporate as you knead.
- Cover again and let the dough rise overnight.
Bulk rise
- Allow the dough to rise until it has at least doubled in size, about 8–12 hours, depending on the temperature of your kitchen. A warmer kitchen speeds things up; a cooler one slows them down.
Shape
- Gently turn the dough out onto a work surface and stretch it into a rectangle about ½ inch thick. Using a bench scraper or sharp knife, cut the dough into 8 equal pieces (like cutting a pizza into triangles). Each piece should weigh about 115g if you want to be precise.
- Grab the corners of each triangle and pinch them toward the center, then roll into a smooth ball.
- Press your thumb through the center of each ball to create a hole, then stretch with both thumbs to about 2 inches wide. The dough will spring back a little — that’s expected.
Second rise
- Place the shaped bagels on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Cover with a slightly damp kitchen towel and let rest for 20–60 minutes, until puffed. Not ready to bake? Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for up to 24 hours. Pull them out when ready and continue with the recipe as normal.
Boil bath:
- While the bagels are rising, preheat the oven to 425°F. Fill a large pot with water, add honey, and bring to a boil.
- Carefully drop 2–3 bagels at a time into the boiling water and boil for 30 seconds per side. Use a slotted spoon to transfer them to a cooling rack. Repeat with the remaining bagels.
Bake
- Bake for 20–25 minutes, or until deeply golden brown. Transfer to a cooling rack and let cool slightly before slicing.
McKenna’s Helpful Tips
- Use frozen blueberries for the best color. If getting that deep, striking purple is a priority, go with frozen. The way the juice releases during cooking gives you a more vibrant result than fresh blueberries alone.
- Don’t skip the dried blueberries. Fresh or frozen blueberries bring moisture and color, but the dried blueberries are where the concentrated blueberry flavor comes from. They also add a nice texture contrast in every bite.
- Knead by hand, not with a stand mixer. I’ve tried both, and hand-kneading gives you a noticeably softer, chewier bagel. It only takes 5–6 minutes and makes a real difference in the final texture.
- Don’t skip the boil. It might seem like an extra step, but boiling is what gives bagels their signature chewy crust. Thirty seconds per side is all it takes — and it’s completely worth it.
How to Store
These bagels are best stored in a plastic bag or an airtight container at room temperature for 2–3 days. They also freeze beautifully — store them whole or sliced in a gallon-sized zip bag for up to 3 months. To reheat, warm in the microwave for 10 seconds, or leave at room temperature until thawed.
Sourdough Blueberry Bagels FAQs
Can I use all-purpose flour instead of bread flour?
You can use all-purpose flour in a pinch, but I don’t recommend it as your first choice. High-protein flour, like bread flour, gives you a much chewier, fluffier bagel and better rise. If you want to explore flour options further, my Sourdough Whole Wheat Bagels post goes into great detail on how different flours affect texture.
Do I have to boil the bagels before baking?
Yes, and it’s completely worth heating up that large pot of water! Boiling is what gives you that chewy, shiny, thin crust that makes homemade sourdough bagels so much better than anything from the grocery store. It only takes a couple of minutes total.
What makes sourdough bagels different from regular bagels?
The biggest difference is the leavening agent. These blueberry sourdough bagels rise using wild yeast and l.a.b bacteria from your sourdough starter, while most store-bought bagels use commercial yeast. The sourdough fermentation also helps break down phytic acid in the flour, improving how your body absorbs the nutrition of our dough. It’s why homemade sourdough bagels taste more complex and are generally considered easier to digest than grocery store versions.
If you tried this Sourdough Blueberry 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 Blueberry Bagels Recipe
Yield: 8 bagels
This easy-to-make Sourdough Blueberry Bagels recipe is not only deliciously chewy, but slightly sweet and vibrantly purple with the inclusion of fresh or frozen blueberries! Make the dough the night before and enjoy homemade bagels the next morning!
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Equipment
- Large Pot
Ingredients
- 150 grams fresh or frozen blueberries 1 cup
- 150-200 grams water, see notes in directions 1/2 cup + 2 Tablespoons – 3/4 cup + 2 Tablespoons
- 150 grams active sourdough starter 3/4 cup
- 40 grams sugar 3 Tablespoons
- 500 grams bread flour 3 1/2 cups
- 10 grams salt 1 1/2 teaspoons
- 120 grams dried blueberries, optional optional
- 20 grams honey for boil bath
Instructions
Prepare Blueberries
- To a small saucepan, add the fresh or frozen blueberries over medium-low heat. Cook the blueberries for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.150 grams fresh or frozen blueberries
- Turn off the heat and mash the blueberries well with a fork. The frozen blueberries will become juicy while they cook, while the fresh blueberries will become juicy when mashed.
- Place a fine mesh strainer over a small bowl, then pour the warm blueberries into the strainer. Continue to press the blueberries well with the fork to extract all of the extra liquid into the bowl.
- Once all of the liquid has been extracted from the blueberries, add enough water to the blueberry juice in the bowl to equal 250g in total. (This weight is only from the blueberry juice and water)150-200 grams water, see notes in directions
- Then add the leftover mashed blueberries into the blueberry/water mixture. This will increase the weight by 50g or so. Equaling roughly 300g in total.
MAKE THE DOUGH :
- In a straight-edge bowl, add the sourdough starter, the blueberry/water mixture, and sugar. Mix with a Danish dough whisk or by hand. It will look like a blue, milky liquid. I love using a straight-edge bowl because it allows me to clearly see when the dough has doubled in size.150 grams active sourdough starter, 40 grams sugar
- Next, add the bread flour and salt to the dough. Mix until fully incorporated. The dough will be shaggy looking.500 grams bread flour, 10 grams salt
- Next is a small labor of love, but trust me when I say, it is 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.However, you can knead the dough on low in a stand mixer for 5-6 minutes.
- 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 will notice the dough will become pretty stiff and a little bumpy looking – totally normal. After your mini arm workout, cover the dough with a damp towel, or what I use, a and let rest for 60 minutes.
STRETCH AND FOLD :
- After 1 hour of resting, we’re back for another round of kneading. But don’t fret! This is only for 30 seconds. Do the same “stretch, fold and push” routine with the heel of your hand for 30 seconds. If you have dried blueberries, add them now! Pour the dried blueberries on top of the bagel dough. The berries will mix while you knead the dough. For a more intense blueberry flavor, I highly recommend adding the dried blueberries.120 grams dried blueberries, optional
- You’ll notice the dough is a little less stiff and now the dough ball is smoother. Cover and let rest.
BULK RISE :
- Allow the dough to rise until it has at least doubled in size. In my 70 degree F kitchen, this can take about 8-10 hours, which is why I prefer an overnight rise. If your kitchen is warmer, it will take less time. The opposite is true for cooler kitchens.
SHAPE :
- Gently remove the bagel dough from the bowl and place dough on the work surface. Stretch and shape the dough into a big rectangle, about 1/2 of an inch high. 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. I usually want each to weigh about 115g (130g if you added dried blueberries). Otherwise, just eyeball it and call it a day!
- Now to shape them into that classic bagel look. Grab the corners of the triangles and pinch them toward the center. Then roll until formed into a dough ball.
- One at a time, use your thumb to punch a hole in the center of each ball. Stretch the dough ball with both thumbs, about 2 inches. The dough will shrink back a bit, but that’s totally okay.
SECOND RISE :
- Grab a large baking sheet and line it with parchment paper.
- Place your shaped bagels on the baking sheet and cover them fully with plastic wrap or my favorite plastic cover so they don’t dry out.
- Let them rest until puffed up (about 20-60 minutes).
- Not ready to bake? Cover the shaped bagels with plastic wrap and place them in the fridge for up to 24 hours. Pull them out of the fridge when ready to bake, and continue with the recipe as normal. Know that the second rise will take longer since the dough is cold.
BOIL BATH :
- While your bagels are rising, preheat your oven to 425 degrees F.
- Fill a large pot with water. Add the honey and whisk until well mixed. Bring the water to a boil.20 grams honey
- Before boiling the Sourdough Blueberry Bagels, 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 boiled bagels and place them on the cooling rack. Repeat with the rest of the bagels.
BAKE :
- Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until golden brown. Remove the Sourdough Blueberry Bagels from the oven and move them onto a cooling rack.
- Once they are cool enough to handle, I highly recommend slicing them into one while it is still warm and spreading a slab of butter. That chewy, buttery bite will be out of this world. Enjoy!
Notes
This recipe card was updated on March 4th, 2026.
SAMPLE BAKING SCHEDULE
8 pm: Make and knead the dough. Cover the bowl and let rest for 1 hour. 9 pm: Knead bagel dough for 30 seconds, cover, and let rest overnight for 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 middle, 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. Bake for 20-25 minutes at 425 degrees.How to Store
If you are like my family, these homemade Sourdough Blueberry Bagels won’t make it to see the next day! They are that good! But if you do find yourself with a few bagels left over, they are best stored in a plastic bag or airtight container at room temperature for 2-3 days. These bagels also freeze really well! Place them in a gallon-sized plastic bag either sliced or whole for up to 3 months. To reheat, warm the bagel up for 10 seconds in the microwave or leave them on the counter to thaw until room temperature.FAQs:
WHY DO YOU HAVE TO BOIL SOURDOUGH BLUEBERRY BAGELS BEFORE YOU BAKE THEM?
It may seem like a hassle to bring a whole pot of water to a boil for such a short cooking time but trust me, you won’t want to skip this step! Boiling the bagels helps to achieve that chewy exterior we love about homemade bagels so much. Believe me, once you bite into these Sourdough Blueberry Bagels, it will all be worth it!Why don’t my Sourdough Blueberry Bagels taste like blueberries?
Don’t skip adding the dried blueberries to this bagel dough. Though the blueberry juice and mashed blueberries will give you the most beautiful purple bagels, it doesn’t offer an intense blueberry flavor. However, adding dried blueberries give you a delicious blueberry flavor and texture to the bagels.Nutrition
Calories: 333kcal | Carbohydrates: 70g | Protein: 8g | Fat: 2g | Saturated Fat: 0.2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.5g | Monounsaturated Fat: 0.1g | Sodium: 491mg | Potassium: 191mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 17g | Vitamin A: 11IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 19mg | Iron: 1mg
Tried this recipe?Please leave a comment on the blog or share a photo on Instagram!
Have you tried cutting the recipe in half? I want to try these but don’t need 8 bagels for just me!
You can absolutely cut the recipe in half! It should work just fine and is a great option if you don’t need a full batch.
Hi! I’m planning to make these bagels this weekend and I was wondering if there is a difference in using dried vs freeze-dried for the extra blueberries?
Great question! You’ll want to use dried blueberries, not freeze-dried for this recipe. Dried blueberries hold their texture better in the dough and won’t absorb as much moisture. Hope you love this recipe!
Disappointed. I did 20 mins @425 F. The bottoms are too crisp. The flavor is not there- I used frozen blueberries but I will try again and next time I’ll add the “optional” dry berries as well. They were simple and fun to make and the texture is great- but alas I have to try these another time to see if it can be improved.
Thank you for giving them a try and for sharing such thoughtful feedback — I really appreciate that! A couple things that may help for next time: baking at 425°F for 20 minutes can definitely lead to a crisper bottom, so you could try reducing the bake time slightly or lowering the temp by 10–15°F, or even placing a second baking sheet underneath to help insulate the bottoms. And you’re absolutely right—adding dried blueberries will boost the flavor quite a bit! I’m so glad you enjoyed the texture and had fun making them—I’d love to hear how your next batch turns out!
Made them today and they’re hard to wrangle without using extra flour very sticky but they were delicious – I used honey and diastatic malt in the boil-baked for 20 min
So glad you enjoyed them—that makes me happy to hear! Blueberry bagel dough can definitely be a bit stickier, especially with the added moisture from the berries, so thats why I always encourage using a kitchen scale for the most precise measurements. I love that you used honey and diastatic malt in the boil—that sounds delicious! Thanks so much for sharing!
I made these with discard and 7g of yeast (like the discard bagel recipe) and it worked out great! I love these!
That’s awesome — thank you for sharing! I love that you tried them with discard and a little yeast and that they still turned out great. Such a helpful tip for anyone wanting a quicker option. So glad you loved them!
These are delicious! I was wondering if you could use more blueberry juice to reach the 250g amount of liquid instead of adding water? Then just add 50g or so of pulp to get to 300grams. I am hoping for more blueberry flavour so was wondering if that would still work? Thank you
I’m so glad you enjoyed them — thank you! I haven’t personally tested increasing the blueberry juice, so I can’t guarantee results, but in theory it should work! Using more juice in place of water may make the dough slightly stickier and could slow fermentation a bit because of the natural sugars. If you experiment, I’d love to hear how they turn out!
I’ve tried your recipe before and they came out great! I was wondering if I could substitute blackberries instead of blueberries or if you’ve ever tried that before?
That’s wonderful to hear — I’m so glad you loved the recipe! I haven’t personally tried blackberries, but they should work just fine. If you try it, I’d love to hear how they turn out!
Hi, I just did the 2nd S and F of 30 secs and now they are on to the BF process. Can I put them in the fridge (it’s 5pm here) as I feel I started too late in the day and I don’t want them to overproof!
Yes, absolutely! You can pop the dough into the fridge after your last stretch and fold. Just make sure it’s in a covered, lightly greased bowl to prevent drying out. Chilling will slow fermentation and give you more flexibility with timing. In the morning, let the dough come to room temp if needed before shaping. Hope you enjoy them!
Would this recipie work to replace the blueberries with strawberries?
Yes, you can use the same method with strawberries! Just cook down 150g of chopped strawberries on the stove for about 5–7 minutes until they release their juices and soften. Then strain the mixture and add enough water to bring the total liquid to 250g, just like you would with blueberries.
Keep in mind that strawberry juice is a bit milder and less tart than blueberry, so the flavor may be more subtle—but still delicious! Let me know if you give it a try—I’d love to hear how they turn out!
I have no clue what to do after kneading, the directions make zero sense and there are no pictures to help guide you. The dough is so sticky so I have zero hope that these will turn out good.
Hi Whitney, thank you so much for your feedback — I’m really sorry the instructions weren’t clear and that you’re feeling frustrated. Sourdough bagel dough can definitely be sticky at first, but it usually becomes easier to work with after the first rise and shaping. I’d love to help troubleshoot with you! After kneading, the dough should go through its bulk fermentation (first rise), and then be shaped into bagels before the final proof. I’ll also make a note to update the post with step-by-step photos to make it easier to follow in the future. If you’d like, feel free to send me a message and I can walk you through it in more detail!
I never learn. Second batch I overproofed. First was jeshas bagel recipe. I tell myself not to start mixing dough by 6-8 pm. These look beautiful even they are overproofed i will still bake them for science lol
Totally been there, Alli! But like you said, these bagels are still delicious, even if they are a touch over proofed. If your kitchen is on the warmer side, I would reduce your bulk fermentation. Hope you give this recipe another go. It’s our favorite!
I’m new to sourdough and was happy to find this recipe. You’ve laid out the steps clearly, it was easy to follow the method, and the end result was darn near perfect bagels! I used frozen blueberries and think these bagels could have packed more of a blueberry punch, but the texture was perfect. Will absolutely be making again!
Hi Summer! I’m so glad you found this recipe to be easy to follow and delicious! We can’t get enough of these bagels ourselves. Thanks!
Can I use my sourdough discard for this recipe instead of active starter?
Hi Kelsey! This recipe works best with active sourdough starter to help the bagels rise properly and develop their chewy texture. If you use discard, the bagels may turn out denser since discard isn’t as active. If you’d like to try it, you could add a little commercial yeast to help with the rise. Let me know if you give it a go!
do we have to use sugar or is there a healthier alternative, what sugar would you recommend if there is not another alternative
Hi PB, honey is a great substitute! I use the same amount in grams.