Homemade sourdough discard bagels made with sourdough discard have a deliciously chewy texture. The perfect way to start a morning or use it for breakfast sandwiches.
Not to be confused with my homemade sourdough bagel recipe made exclusively with active sourdough starter. These are a little bit of a cheater recipe.
It uses commercial yeast to give them the rise and makes the whole process much quicker, but they still have that classic sourdough tang thanks to the discard.
The only downfall to this recipe is that the grains will not be fermented like most sourdough recipes. But on the other hand, you are only like 2 hours from homemade bagels. Worth it in my opinion.
These are great to make ahead and keep them in the freezer for a quick breakfast or lunch. Bagels are my favorite thing to use for sandwiches, especially if we are on the go or are planning a river day.
Why you will love this recipe:
Fast: Unlike my traditional homemade sourdough bagels that can take at least 11 hours from start to finish, this recipe comes together quickly. You could be biting into a chewy bagel within around 2.5 hours.
Delicious: Just as good, if not better, than any bagel shop.
Customizable: Add your favorite toppings
Great way to use extra discard: I always say… don’t toss the discard when feeding your starter. It can be used in so many recipes. Check out my favorite discard recipes here.
Tips:
- To achieve that typical chewy crust that bagels are known for, boiling is a must. Seems like a silly step, but they just won’t be the same.
- If you are sensitive to baking soda, you can just boil the bagels in sugar.
- The dough may be hard to mix together, but don’t give up. It will come together eventually.
- New to sourdough? Check out how to make a sourdough starter here.
Ingredients:
Active dry yeast- Good ol’ commercial yeast. This is what gives these sourdough discard bagels rise since we are using discard rather than active starter.
Warm water – about 95 degrees. Too hot and you run the risk of killing the active dry yeast.
Sourdough discard: Technically you can use an active starter as well. Discard will give you a more sour flavor.
Honey or maple syrup
Salt
Unbleached all purpose flour: Could also substitute with bread flour.
For boiling the bagels
Water
Baking soda – If you are sensitive to baking soda, you can omit.
Brown sugar
This post contains affiliate links, which means I make a small commission at no extra cost to you. See my full disclosure here.
Tools:
Stand mixer with dough hook attachment
Measuring cups and spoons or kitchen scale
Large pot
Baking sheet
FAQ:
Most likely, they were not allowed to rise enough during the first or second rise.
Yes! You can use sourdough discard in so many recipes. From pancakes, to waffles, muffins, even bread. Find 35+ Discard Recipes here.
How To Make Sourdough Discard Bagels:
Whisk the warm water and yeast together in the bowl of your stand mixer. Cover and allow to sit for 5 minutes. It should get nice and bubbly.
To the bowl of a stand mixer with the dough hook attachment, add the sourdough discard, honey, salt and flour.
Beat on low speed for 2 minutes. This dough is very stiff and will look quite dry since this is a low hydration recipe.
I like to continue kneading it in the mixer, but the smaller models struggle with such a stiff dough. Sometimes I knead for a few minutes on low speed, give the motor a rest and then turn it back on again for a few more minutes.
Knead until it comes together to form a smooth ball. About 5-10 minutes total.
Alternatively, you can turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead the dough by hand for 5-10 minutes.
After the bagel dough sits for a bit and relaxes it will become softer and more pliable.
Place the dough in a lightly greased bowl. Cover the bowl with aluminum foil, a beeswax wrap, plastic wrap, or a wet tea towel. This keeps it from drying out on top.
First Rise
Allow the dough to rise at room temperature for 60-90 minutes, or until doubled in size. The amount of time can depend on how warm your kitchen is.
After rising, divide the dough into 8 equal pieces. These absolutely do not need to be perfect, but they will each be about 137-140 grams
Roll a piece of dough into balls, flatten them down a bit, and poke a hole in the middle with your finger. Stretch the hole a bit to widen.
Cover with a tea towel and place the dough in a warm spot for 30 minutes – 1 hour or until puffy for the second rise.
Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 425 degrees and prepare your water bath. Place parchment paper onto a baking sheet.
Bring a large pot of water to a boil and add the baking soda and sugar. If you are sensitive to baking soda, you can also just use sugar. The reason you add this to the water is to create the perfectly chewy crust that every good bagel has.
Using a slotted spoon, gently add bagels to the boiling water. Boil for one minute, flip, then boil for another minute.
Shake off excess water and dip into desired toppings (optional).
Place boiled bagels on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
Sprinkle with sesame seeds, everything but the bagel seasoning, or even some brown sugar.
Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until golden brown on top.
Move to a wire rack to cool.
Storage:
Store in an airtight container for up to 5-7 days. Freeze for up to 6 months. Allow to cool completely. Transfer the bagels to a freezer safe container or bag and place in the freezer.
My Favorite Bagel Toppings:
Cream cheese
Jam: Find my strawberry and peach recipes here.
Avocado and a fried egg- Add bacon for extra points
Lunch meat
Cream cheese, avocado, and poppy seeds.
“Cheesecake”: This was a staple in my house growing up. My mom would use rice cakes, but it is absolutely delicious on bagels. Spread a thin layer of cream cheese and top with your favorite jam. Personally, I like strawberry.
Fried eggs and bacon.
Peanut butter or the classic PB&J.
Find More Sourdough Discard Recipes:
- Sourdough Pretzels
- My favorite English Muffins
- Same Day Sourdough Bread
- How To Make A Potato Flake Sourdough Starter
- 6+ Sourdough Cookie Recipes
If you try this recipe and love it, I would love it if you gave it 5 stars! Thank you! Tag me on Instagram @farmhouseonboone.
Sourdough Discard Bagels
Ingredients
- 3 teaspoons active dry yeast, 9 grams
- 1 cup warm water, 236 grams
- 1 cup sourdough discard, 285 grams
- 2 tablespoons honey or maple syrup, 42 grams
- 2 teaspoons salt, 14 grams
- 4 cups unbleached all purpose flour, 560 grams
For boiling the bagels
- 2 quarts water
- 1 tablespoon baking soda
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
Instructions
- Whisk the warm water and yeast together in the bowl of your stand mixer. Cover and allow to sit for 5 minutes. It should get nice and bubbly
- To the bowl of a stand mixer with the dough hook attachment, add the sourdough discard, honey, salt and flour. Beat on low speed for 2 minutes.
- Continue kneading it in the mixer until it comes together to form a smooth ball. About 5-10 minutes total. Smaller models struggle with such a stiff dough. Sometimes I knead for a few minutes on low speed, give the motor a rest, and then turn it back on for a few minutes. Alternatively, you can turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead the dough by hand for 5-10 minutes.
- Place the dough in a lightly greased bowl. Cover the bowl with aluminum foil, a beeswax wrap, plastic wrap, or a wet tea towel. This keeps it from drying out on top.
- Allow the dough to rise at room temperature for 60-90 minutes, or until doubled in size. The amount of time can depend on how warm your kitchen is.
- After rising, divide the dough into 8 equal pieces. These absolutely do not need to be perfect, but they will each be about 137-140 grams.
- Roll each piece of dough into balls, flatten them down a bit, and poke a hole in the middle with your finger. Stretch the hole a bit to widen. Cover with a tea towel and place the dough in a warm spot for 30 minutes- 1 hour, or until puffy.
- Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 425 degrees and prepare your water bath and place parchment paper onto a baking sheet.
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil and add the baking soda and sugar.
- Using a slotted spoon, gently add bagels to the boiling water. Boil for one minute, flip, then boil for another minute.
- Shake off excess water and dip into desired toppings (optional). Place boiled bagels on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
- Sprinkle with sesame seeds, everything but the bagel seasoning, or even some brown sugar.
- Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until golden brown on top. Move to a wire rack to cool.
Notes
- To achieve that typical chewy crust that bagels are known for, boiling is a must. Seems like a silly step, but they just won't be the same.
- If you are sensitive to baking soda, you can just boil the bagels in sugar.
- The dough may be hard to mix together, but don't give up. It will come together eventually.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
I made these today and are so excited to eat my finished bagels–only to find the parchment paper stuck to the bottom of all the bagels. I thought I followed all your directions exactly. Help?!
Hey! I think your parchment paper may not be able to handle the high heat. Some are only able to handle up to 400 degrees. I made discard crackers and that’s what happened to mine and it’s because the parchment paper wasn’t able to handle the heat. Hope that helps!
I think the recipe forgets to mention adding the yeast/water mixture unless I misread!
No, it’s steo 1 and 2, mix in the bowl of a stand mixer. It’s just a weird way of writing it
You add the warm water and dry yeast to the bowl of your stand mixer and let it rest for five minutes. Then you add all the rest of the ingredients to that same bowl and then mix it. Hope that helps!
I put the yeast and water in the mixer bowl, and let the yeasts activate while I measure out the rest of the ingredients
Hi, I think we have found our favorite bagel recipe! We made a batch yesterday and now are making another this evening I love blueberries or raspberries in my bagel could I mix some frozen ones in at some point?
So glad you love it. I’ve tried this before. Adding wet fruit is a little challenging. I’ve made a sourdough blueberry recipe, but it is not discard: https://www.farmhouseonboone.com/blueberry-sourdough-bagels but you could probably add some yeast to it to make it a discard recipe.
Always delicious!
Because I didn’t reread the commentary and just clicked on “Jump to Recipe” this time, I noticed that the recipe card doesn’t mention kneading in the mixer. It only says to beat on low speed for two minutes, then follows with the alternate kneading by hand.
After beating on low speed, I generally knead in the mixer for an additional 10 minutes or so. That step might have inadvertently been omitted from the recipe card.
Thank you for all of your wonderful recipes!
Thanks for pointing this out! Fixed!
I have made these bagels twice now and they are very good, but my question is this: How do you get the tops so nice and smooth? As I am trying to transfer the bagels to the boiling water they stick to the parchment and then get all wrinkly while boiling. What am I doing wrong?
I make the tops of the bagels the ones not touching parchment paper when rising if that makes sense. They are not always perfect, but still delicious.
Hi Lisa
Is the water bath really necessary in the oven?
How do I do the water bath
Hello,
I made this bagels
They are easy and delicious
Thank You for the recipe ☀️
Did you ever try to bake without the hole in the middle ?
Would that be ok?
I used my food processor to mix the dough. It worked really well. Thank you for all your delicious recipes 😋.
Nice! So glad you enjoyed the recipe! Have a great day!
First time making these. After the first rise the dough was still very tacky. Did I over proof (60 mins), not add enough flour (just shy of the 4 cups), or not knead long enough (2 mins on low in mixer with dough hook)? Any advice for next time would be great! I’m hoping to perfect these 🙂
This should be a fairly stiff dough and will look dry. Was it tacky before it started proofing? I’d suggest kneading longer. I like to continue kneading it in the mixer, but the smaller models struggle with such a stiff dough. Sometimes I knead for a few minutes on low speed, give the motor a rest and then turn it back on again for a few more minutes.
Knead until it comes together to form a smooth ball. About 5-10 minutes total.
Alternatively, you can turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead the dough by hand for 5-10 minutes.
Hi,
I new to sourdough baking and loving it and loving your site! I’m curios about why your carb measurements are in mg instead of g. Does this mean these bagels are super low carb?!
Thanks!
Rhonda
The carbs are in grams, it is sodium and cholesterol that are in mg. They are not low carb. Sorry