Easy Sourdough Discard Bagels {Homemade Bagels in 2 Hours!}
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These homemade sourdough discard bagels are chewy, golden brown, and ready in about two hours. They’re traditional bagels because they use commercial yeast, but they’re better than regular ones because they’re made with sourdough.
I love how they fit into a slow weekend without taking over my whole afternoon. No need for the overnight rest my usual sourdough bagels call for. A quick boil in a large pot of water gives them that classic bagel crust. Keep them plain or top them with your favorite savory or sweet toppings.
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Why You’ll Love These Sourdough Discard Bagels
They’re ready in two hours, start to finish:
If I start these at 3 on a lazy Saturday, we’re eating warm, fresh bagels by 5. Commercial yeast gives the dough a quick rise, and I get to skip the overnight rest I usually need with my easy sourdough bagels or even my pumpkin sourdough ones. You don’t need any baking powder or baking soda here. I love having a recipe that doesn’t take the whole weekend. Just mix, shape, boil, and bake. Simple as that.
Dress them up however you like them:
Plain is more than good, but I almost never stop there. I top them with everything from sesame seeds to shredded cheese (yes, both sides), poppy seeds, and that buttery cinnamon crunch topping my kids always grab first. Want both sweet and savory? Just split the batch.
Not flatbread-easy, but still simple to pull off:
These take a little more effort than my sourdough flatbread, but the steps are pretty easy to follow. You mix the dough, shape the bagels, put them in boiling water for a minute, then bake. The instant yeast gets the dough ready real quick. Even if you’re using cold unfed sourdough starter straight from the fridge, you’ll still get great results. If you’re up for a little hands-on time, this recipe delivers delish, chewy bagels every time, fast.
Ingredients & Substitutions
* To find precise measurements, scroll to the bottom of this post to find the recipe card*
- Sourdough Discard- I used fresh, room temperature sourdough discard that’s no older than 2 days. Using discard straight from the fridge will slow down the rise time. By the way, you can swap in the same amount of active starter (grams).
- Instant Yeast – I used instant yeast for this recipe, not active dry yeast. Active dry yeast needs to be dissolved in liquid to activate and takes longer to rise dough. Instant yeast, in contrast , can be added directly to dry ingredients, and it works much faster.
- Bread Flour – You can use all-purpose flour for this recipe, but I suggest making it with bread flour, as it has a higher protein percentage. Its higher protein content makes a stronger dough that can handle a longer rise and gives you that chewy, satisfying bagel texture you’re craving.
- Sugar –I used white sugar for a little sweetness, but you could swap in cane sugar or honey if you want. Use the same amount in grams.
- Honey – Adding a little bit of honey to the boil bath gives your Sourdough Discard Bagels the perfect golden brown, chewy crust once they are baked. This can be substituted with brown sugar or maple syrup.
Baking Time For
|
Time |
Process |
|---|---|
|
3:00 PM |
Mix and knead the dough |
|
3:10 PM |
First Rise |
|
4:30 PM |
Shape & Second Rise |
|
5:00 PM |
Boil & Bake |
How to Make Sourdough Discard Bagels
- To the bowl of a stand mixer, add the discard, water and sugar. Mix until smooth.
- To the wet ingredients, add the flour, instant yeast, and salt. Mix again on low speed until everything is incorporated, then knead the dough on medium speed for 6-8 minutes.
- Remove the dough and place it in a lightly greased bowl. Cover and wait until it doubles in size.
- Once the dough has doubled in size, punch it down to remove all of the air bubbles. Then, place the dough on a lightly floured work surface.
- Using a bench scraper, divide the dough into 8 equal pieces.
- Pull the corners of each piece toward the center, flip, and then roll each piece of dough into a tight, round dough ball. Use your thumb to punch a hole in the middle of the dough ball. Stretch the dough ball with both thumbs, then place each bagel on a baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining pieces of dough.
- Cover the baking sheet with this plastic cover and let the dough rest for its second rise. The final proof is complete when the bagels have grown and look puffy.
- Prepare the boil bath. Boil 2-3 bagels at a time, 30 seconds on each side. Drain and place on a wire rack. Top with your favorite toppings, if desired.
- Bake at 425°F for 20-25 minutes, or until golden brown.
- Cool slightly before slicing. Enjoy!
Topping Ideas We Keep Coming Back To
- Everything Bagel Seasoning-This is a mix of sesame seeds, garlic flakes, onion flakes, poppy seeds, and a little flaky sea salt.
- Poppy seeds– For crunch. They’re great on their own or mixed in with Everything Seasoning.
- Sesame seeds-Toasty, nutty, and always good-looking after baking. Use white, black, or a mix of both, whatever you have on hand.
- Garlic or onion flakes-Super flavorful, especially if you like a savory bagel with cream cheese or egg.
- Shredded cheese-I love Asiago cheese. I press it into the top and bottom of the bagel so it bakes up extra crispy and golden.
- Cinnamon crunch– This one’s my kid’s favorite, and honestly, I haven’t met a kid who doesn’t love it. I mix brown sugar, white sugar, sparkling sugar, cinnamon, a little flour, vanilla, and butter for a sweet, crunchy topping that bakes up golden and irresistible.
How to Store
These delish sourdough bagels vanish the same day they come out of the oven. At least, that’s their fate at our house. But if you manage to hide a few for later, here’s how to keep them fresh:
Short-term storage: For room-temperature storage, pop the cooled bagels into a plastic bag and leave them on the counter. They’ll stay soft and chewy for about 2–3 days.
Freezing leftover bagels: Toss whole or sliced bagels into a gallon-size freezer bag and freeze for 2 to 3 months. I like to pre-slice them so I can pull one out and pop it straight into the toaster.
Reheating: Microwave them for about 10 seconds to soften them up, or just let them sit on the counter until thawed. If they’re already sliced, slice and toast like usual. Mine are always warm, crispy, and just as good as fresh.
FAQs
Yes, you can! Substitute it for the same amount in grams.
Poppy seeds, sesame, garlic flakes, onion flakes, you name it. I like shredded Asiago too, and each bagel gets it on both the top and bottom so it crisps up great. For a sweet batch, I mix brown sugar, white sugar, coarse sugar, cinnamon, flour, butter, and vanilla for a crunchy cinnamon topping. You want to press toppings on while the bagels are still damp from the water bath so they actually stick.
Boiling sets the outside of the dough before baking, which gives bagels their chewy crust and helps them hold their shape. It also keeps the shaped bagels from puffing up too much in the oven, so you get that dense, bagel-like bite instead of a fluffy bread texture.
They were likely overproofed. If the dough gets too puffy before boiling, it can collapse in the water and wrinkle. This often happens when using the poke-a-hole method and letting the dough sit too long. Wrinkles can also come from dough that’s too wet. Bagel dough should be firm, around 60% hydration or less. Sticky, high-hydration dough is harder to shape and more likely to puff and collapse in the boil.
Sourdough Discard Bagels Recipe
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Equipment
- Large Pot
Ingredients
Sourdough Discard Bagels
- 100 grams sourdough discard, room temperature 1/3 cup
- 250 grams water, warm 1 cup + 1 Tablespoon
- 500 grams bread flour 3 1/2 cups
- 40 grams sugar 3 Tablespoons
- 11 grams salt 1 1/2 teaspoons
- 7 grams instant yeast 2 teaspoons
Boil Bath
- 24 grams honey 1 Tablespoon
Instructions
Make Dough
- To the bowl of a stand mixer, add all of the ingredients and mix again on low speed for 5-6 minutes. The dough should be smooth and tacky to the touch.My water was 110 degrees F. The water shouldn't be hotter than 120 degrees F – otherwise this can kill the instant yeast.100 grams sourdough discard, room temperature, 250 grams water, warm, 500 grams bread flour, 40 grams sugar, 11 grams salt, 7 grams instant yeast
- Remove the dough and knead until smooth. Do so by folding a portion of the dough towards the center and pressing down with the heel of your hand. Repeat about 20 times, then place it in a lightly greased, straight-edged bowl. Cover and wait until it doubles in size, typically 1-1½ hours, depending on the temperature of your dough and environment.
- Once the dough has doubled in size, punch it down to remove all of the air bubbles. Then, place the dough on a clean work surface.
- Using a bench scraper, divide the dough into 8 equal pieces, about 112 grams each.
- Pull the corners of each piece toward the center, flip, and then roll each piece of dough into a tight, round dough ball. Use your thumb to punch a hole in the middle of the dough ball. Stretch the dough ball with both thumbs about 2 inches, then place each bagel on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Repeat with the remaining pieces of dough.
- Cover the baking sheet with this plastic cover and let the dough rest for its second rise, about 30-45 minutes. The final proof is complete when the bagels have grown and look puffy.
- Once the second rise is almost complete, prepare the boil bath. Once the water is boiling, add the honey and stir until it is dissolved. Boil 2-3 bagels at a time, 30 seconds on each side. Use a slotted spoon to remove each bagel and place them on a wire rack. Immediately top with any toppings while they are still damp, if desired. Press firmly so the topping adheres to the bagel dough. Repeat with the remaining bagels.24 grams honey
- Once all of the Sourdough Discard Bagels have been boiled, place them on a parchment paper lined baking sheet. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
- Bake the bagels for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown.
- Cool slightly before slicing. Enjoy!
Notes
Topping Ideas We Keep Coming Back To
- Everything Bagel Seasoning-This is a mix of sesame seeds, garlic flakes, onion flakes, poppy seeds, and a little flaky sea salt.
- Poppy seeds– For crunch. They’re great on their own or mixed in with Everything Seasoning.
- Sesame seeds-Toasty, nutty, and always good-looking after baking. Use white, black, or a mix of both, whatever you have on hand.
- Garlic or onion flakes-Super flavorful, especially if you like a savory bagel with cream cheese or egg.
- Shredded cheese-I love Asiago cheese. I press it into the top and bottom of the bagel so it bakes up extra crispy and golden.
- Cinnamon crunch– This one’s my kid’s favorite, and honestly, I haven’t met a kid who doesn’t love it. I share the recipe & step-by-step process on my Sourdough Pumpkin Bagels recipe.
Ingredients & Substitutions
- Sourdough Discard- I used fresh, room temperature sourdough discard that’s no older than 2 days. Using discard straight from the fridge will slow down the rise time. By the way, you can swap in the same amount of active starter (grams).
- Instant Yeast – I used instant yeast for this recipe, not active dry yeast. Active dry yeast needs to be dissolved in liquid to activate and takes longer to rise dough. Instant yeast, in contrast , can be added directly to dry ingredients, and it works much faster.
- Bread Flour – You can use all-purpose flour for this recipe, but I suggest making it with bread flour, as it has a higher protein percentage. Its higher protein content makes a stronger dough that can handle a longer rise and gives you that chewy, satisfying bagel texture you’re craving.
- Sugar –I used white sugar for a little sweetness, but you could swap in cane sugar or honey if you want. Use the same amount in grams.
- Honey – Adding a little bit of honey to the boil bath gives your Sourdough Discard Bagels the perfect golden brown, chewy crust once they are baked. This can be substituted with brown sugar or maple syrup.
These are soo yummy, I’ve made them twice now. I ended up doing 10 slightly smaller bagels and shortening the bake time to about 18 minutes. Perfection!
I’d love to double the recipe since these do not last long in my house. Is it a simple doubling of the recipe amounts or would you make any adjustments?
Oh, I love this! Yes, you can absolutely double the recipe as-is with no major changes. The only thing to keep in mind is that a larger batch of dough may take a little longer to mix and knead. Other than that, everything else stays the same—just keep an eye on fermentation and you’ll be all set. Enjoy!
These were delicious! But my bagels were burned on the bottom. Do you have any suggestions? Or was it anything I could have done wrong? 😭 The bagels looked delicious from the top and tasted fine! I did Asiago and Everything and both were black underneath 😭
Thank you for sharing that—and I’m so glad they still tasted good, even with the darker bottoms.
This usually comes down to heat coming from the bottom of the oven. A few things that can cause it are darker baking sheets, ovens running hot, or the pan sitting too close to the bottom heating element. I’d suggest getting an oven thermometer to confirm that your oven temperature is correct.
For next time, I’d recommend:
-Using a light-colored baking sheet lined with parchment
-Baking on a middle or upper rack
-Placing a second empty baking sheet underneath to help insulate the bottoms
That usually solves it. I’m glad the flavor was still there, and I appreciate you sharing your experience.
First time sourdough girl here made your bagel love them. Have a question, is there a way to make cinnamon raisin out of this? If so, could you please let me know?
Thank you so much! I’m so glad everything worked out perfectly for you. And that’s a great tip about blooming the active dry yeast with the recipe water — very helpful for others who might only have that on hand. So happy it’s going to be on repeat in your kitchen!
What a wonderful recipe! The bagels were delicious—so soft with that perfect chewy bite. Yum! This is officially my go-to for those times I forget to start my sourdough bagels the night before. 😄🥯
Thank you so much — that makes me so happy to hear! I love that they’re your new go-to. Thanks for taking the time to leave such a kind comment.