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There’s something about the smell of cinnamon and freshly baked bread that feels like home. These Cinnamon Raisin Sourdough Bagels are golden brown on the outside, soft and chewy on the inside—everything you love about a cinnamon raisin sourdough loaf, in bagel form.
Made with 100% sourdough and based on my Easy Homemade Sourdough Bagels Recipe, they’re flavorful, freezer-friendly, and perfect for a grab-and-go breakfast.
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Table of Contents
Why You’ll Love Cinnamon Raisin Sourdough Bagels
- 100% Sourdough – This recipe uses starter/levain instead of commercial yeast, making it 100% sourdough, which means it takes longer to rise, so they take a little longer to rise—but the flavor and sourdough benefits are totally worth it. Want a quicker option? Try my Sourdough Discard Bagels instead.
- Freezer-Friendly Breakfast– These cinnamon raisin bagels freeze beautifully, making them perfect for a grab-and-go breakfast. Want to mix things up? My Sourdough Blueberry Bagels are another great option.
- All the Cinnamon Flavor – The cozy cinnamon raisin combo makes these an extra special bake. Want even more cinnamon? Check out my Cinnamon Crunch Sourdough Bagels next!
Important Ingredients
- Ripe Sourdough Starter – Use an active/ripe sourdough starter (doubled in size/bubbly/mild sour aroma) to mix the levain.
- Pure Maple Syrup – Barley Malt Syrup is traditionally used in bagels, but it’s not an ingredient I often have on hand. I use pure maple syrup instead with great results.
- Diastatic Malt Powder – A small amount of this powder helps encourage fermentation, impart flavor and gives a caramelization color to the bagel dough. If you want to make bagels without it, you can leave it out.
- Ground Cinnamon- Cinnamon has antimicrobial properties which means it can slow down fermentation a little bit. This recipe doesn’t call for very much cinnamon, but it may take a little longer for the dough to rise.
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities
Substitutions
- Levain: Substitute ripe, bubbly, active sourdough starter for the levain in this recipe.
- Pure Maple Syrup: Substitute honey or sugar if desired. Do not use pancake syrup.
- Diastatic Malt Powder: Leave it out if you don’t have it. The dough will take a little longer to go through the fermentation process.
- Mix-Ins: If you don’t like raisins, you could try substituting chocolate chips instead. You can also check out one of my other bagel recipes for other inclusion ideas (like these Sourdough Pumpkin Bagels)
- Bread Flour: Bread flour is important in this recipe. If you don’t have bread flour, you can use all-purpose flour but will want to add some vital wheat gluten to the dough (about 3-5 grams per 140 grams of flour).
Sourdough Baker’s Timeline
Bread made with 100% natural yeast takes extra time. Because of this I like to start my sourdough recipes with a sample schedule so I can get an idea for what the timing looks like for making this bread.
Please note that sourdough is very temperature-dependent. This sample schedule assumes you are using a ripe/active sourdough starter and keeping your dough at a temperature of 78-80º Fahrenheit.
Note that cinnamon can impact the fermentation time, so if your dough is not rising – give it a little more time.
| Day 1 | Levain/Mix/Bulk Ferment/Cold Ferment |
| 8:00 AM | Mix Levain |
| 12:00 PM | Mix Bagel Dough |
| 12:00 PM – 6:00 PM | Bulk Fermentation |
| 6:00 PM – 8:00 PM | Shape and Proof |
| 8:00 PM | Refrigerate (or let finish rising and boil and bake) |
| Day 2 | Boil and Bake |
| 8:00 AM | Boil and Bake |
How to Make Cinnamon Raisin Sourdough Bagels
Mix the Levain
Step 1: Mix Levain. Combine ripe sourdough starter with equal parts flour and water (Image 1). Cover and let rise for about 3-4 hours until peaked, active and bubbly (Image 2).
Mix Dough & Bulk Fermentation
Step 2: Mix Dough. In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine ripe levain, water, maple syrup, brown sugar, salt, bread flour, ground cinnamon and diastatic malt powder. Knead the dough for about 5-7 minutes until the dough is smooth and tacky, but not overly sticky (Image 3). Add raisins and knead for another minute until incorporated (Image 4).
Step 3: Bulk Fermentation. Place the dough in a container and cover (Image 5 & 6). This dough will rise best if kept at 78-80ºF during the bulk fermentation period. I recommend this bread proofer to control the temperature. Let dough rise for 6-7 hours until the sourdough bagel dough has doubled in size (Image 7 & 8).
Note: Temperature plays a huge role in how quickly this dough will rise. If you keep your dough at a constant 78-80ºF, it should rise within about 6 hours. Cinnamon can slow down the rise a little bit, so if you add extra cinnamon to your dough, prepare for a slower rise time.
Shape the Dough
Step 5: Shape Bagels. Use a bench knife to divide the dough into 8 equal pieces, about 150 grams each (Image 9). Pinch the sides of each piece of dough to form a ball. Roll each ball on the counter by using your hand in a cupping shape to create tension and seal each ball (Image 10). Make the bagel shape by using your finger to press into the center of each ball of dough to create a hole (Image 11). Gently widen the hole with your fingers, stretching the dough in a circle as you stretch it (Image 12). Place each bagel on a baking sheet prepared with parchment paper and cornmeal to keep the bagels from sticking.
Cold Ferment and Proofing
Step 6: Proof. Cover the baking sheet and let cinnamon raisin bagels rise for about 2 hours until they are puffed up (Image 13). Place bagels in the refrigerator to ferment overnight for more flavor, or boil and bake them right away.
Same Day Bagels: These bagels turn out delicious even if you boil and bake them the same day you mix the dough. For a deeper flavor and chewier texture, I do recommend refrigerating them overnight—but I’ve made them both ways, and they’re always a hit.
Boil & Bake
Step 7: Boil. Bring a pot of water to a boil (Image 14) and add brown sugar to the water. Gently place bagels into the water, being careful to allow each bagel to float and have a little bit of space (Image 15). Boil each bagel for about 40 seconds on each side. Use a slotted spoon to remove the bagels from the boiling water and place them on a cooling rack to drip dry for a minute before proceeding (Images 16-17).
Step 8: Bake. Place boiled bagels on a parchment lined baking sheet (Image 18). Bake sourdough cinnamon raisin bagels for 25– 30 minutes at 425ºF until bagels are golden and baked all the way through (Image 19). Let bagels cool for 20-25 minutes before serving.
How to Store Leftovers
Cinnamon Raisin Sourdough Bagels can be stored at room temperature for 12–24 hours. After that, freeze any extras in an airtight container to keep them fresh. I like to toast them straight from the freezer—they’re just as good!
Amy’s Recipe Tip
I kept the cinnamon light on purpose—cinnamon has antimicrobial properties that can slow down fermentation. If you want more cinnamon flavor, you can leave it out of the dough, let it rise first, then roll the dough into a 12×18-inch rectangle. Sprinkle cinnamon over the top, roll it up, and shape into bagels. It’s a little trickier, but it boosts the flavor without messing with the rise.
Frequently Asked Questions
This can be a sign that your dough is underproofed—it needed more time to rise. Make sure your bagel dough feels soft and puffy before putting it in the fridge for the cold bulk fermentation. Also, bagels that are really cold might sink at first when you boil them, but they should float as they cook. If one sinks, let it continue boiling to see if it will float. If it never floats, give the rest of the bagels a little bit more time to rise before boiling and baking.
You don’t have to—but I like to. It gives the dough a smoother texture, helps the bagels brown, and slightly speeds up fermentation. Just keep an eye out so they don’t overproof. If you’d rather skip it, swap in bread flour—your bagels will still turn out grea
You can add more raisins, up to a cup would work well!
Yes! You can divide the dough into 10 bagels instead of 8—each will be about 125 grams. You’ll need two baking sheets, with 5 bagels per sheet for best spacing.
Sourdough Bagel Recipes
If you tried these Cinnamon Raisin Sourdough Bagels or any other recipe on my website leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the comments below. Happy Baking!
Cinnamon Raisin Sourdough Bagels
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Equipment
- medium pot for water bath
- cooling rack
- slotted spoon
Ingredients
Levain (1:1:1, about 3-4 hours at 78ºF)
- 55 grams sourdough starter ripe and active, scant 1/4 cup
- 55 grams all-purpose or bread flour, scant 1/2 cup
- 55 grams water, scant 1/4 cup
Cinnamon Raisin Sourdough Bagels
- 150 grams levain, ripe and active, heaping ½ cup, see recipe notes
- 300 grams water, about 1 ¼ cup
- 60 grams maple syrup, about 3 Tablespoons, see recipe notes
- 30 grams brown sugar, about 2 Tablespoons
- 12 grams salt , about 2 teaspoons
- 4 grams ground cinnamon, about 2 teaspoons
- 625 grams bread flour, about 4 ½ cups
- 5 grams diastatic malt powder, see recipe notes, about 1 teaspoon
- 90 grams raisins , reserved for the end of kneading, about 2/3 cup
- cornmeal for baking sheet
Boil Bath:
- 1800 grams water, about 8 cups
- 30 grams brown sugar, about 2 Tablespoons
Instructions
Levain (1:1:1, about 3-4 hours at 78ºF)
- Mix together 55 grams ripe active sourdough starter with 55 grams water and 55 grams flour. Cover and set in a warm place to rise. Once peaked, active and bubbly, it is ready to use.Note: Ripe, bubbly, active sourdough starter can be replaced with the levain in this recipe if desired.
Cinnamon Raisin Sourdough Bagels
- Mix the Dough: Set the bowl of a stand mixer on a kitchen scale. Add ripe levain, water, maple syrup, brown sugar, salt, ground cinnamon, bread flour and diastatic malt powder to the bowl. Start the mixer and knead the dough together for about 5-7 minutes until smooth. The dough should feel smooth, tacky to the touch and not overly sticky. After the doughhas been kneaded, add the raisins to the dough and knead again for about 1 minute until incorporated. This dough can also be kneaded by hand for about 8-10 minutes until smooth.
- Bulk Fermentation: Place the dough in a container and cover. Do your best to keep the temperature of the dough at 78-80ºF. I use a bread proofer in the winter to help the dough develop at the right temperature. The entire bulk fermentation will take about 6-7 hours. At the end of that time, the dough will have just about doubled in size. If the dough has not risen, move it to a warmer place and leave it to rise for a little bit longer.
- Prepare a baking sheet with parchment paper. Sprinkle cornmeal on the baking sheet to keep the bagels from sticking.
- Shape Bagels: Separate the dough into 8 equal pieces, about 150 grams each. Take each piece of dough and pull/pinch up the sides until it forms a ball. Roll the ball on the counter using your hand in a cupping shape (see video here) to seal the balls and create tension. Let the balls rest for a minute on the countertop before shaping into bagels. To make the bagel shape, take your finger and press directly into the center of the ball of dough until it goes through to the other side, creating a hole. Use your fingers to widen the center hole, moving the dough around in a circle as you stretch it. Let the dough relax and repeat with the next bagel. The dough will spread back out a little and the hole will close up a bit, don't worry. You will have a chance to widen it again before boiling and baking. Place the bagels on the baking sheet and cover with plastic wrap, a kitchen towel or a sheet pan cover.
- Proof Bagels: Let the bagels rise on the baking sheet for about 2 hours at 78-80ºF. After about 2 hours the bagels will be puffed up and risen. They won't look completely doubled, but will be puffed up. If they don't look this way, let them continue rising for another 30 minutes to an hour and check again.
- Refrigerate: Place the covered bagels in the refrigerator overnight for a cold fermentation. This develops flavor and makes it easy for you to boil and bake them in the morning. Be careful going over 12-16 hours in the refrigerator as they can more easily over-proof.Note -Same Day Baking: If you prefer to boil and bake the bagels the same day, let the bagels rise until just about doubled. Skip the refrigeration and proceed with boiling and baking the bagels right away.
- Preheat the oven to 425ºF.
- Boiling: Place a small to medium-sized pot filled with 8 cups water on the stove and turn the heat to high. Have a slotted spoon and a cooling rack ready. As soon as the water comes to a boil, add brown sugar to the water. Gently widen the hole of the bagel again and place it into the boiling water. It should float within the first 10 seconds or so of placing in the water. Add as many bagels to the pot of water as you can without stacking bagels on top of each other (they should each have a little personal space in the water). Boil for about 40 seconds and then flip. Boil for 40 seconds on the other side. Using the slotted spoon, remove the bagels from the boiling water and place on the cooling rack to drip dry for a minute before placing back on the parchment-lined baking sheet.
- Baking: Bake for 25– 30 minutes until bagels are golden and baked all the way through. If your bagels are too dark on the bottom, place a baking stone or baking sheet on the rack underneath the bagels to help.
- Cool: Let bagels cool for about 20-25 minutes before serving. Bagels can be stored for 12-24 hours at room temperature and then frozen. Enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
I love your plain bagel recipe. I especially like making the levain the night before. Is there a way to do that with this cinnamon raisin bagel recipe?
Thank you in advance!
Yes! You would want to mix a levain with a 1:10:10 ratio (10 grams starter, 100 grams flour, 100 grams water) for it to be ready to use within 10-12 hours (overnight).
Just made these today and they taste amazing! I didn’t have malt powder so I just left it out. I needed a longer rise time anyways. Every recipe of Amy’s I have tried turns out great!
Thanks for the review! I’m glad they turned out great!
Followed the recipe exactly. OMG the bagels are perfect and taste really good. Thank you for the perfect bagel and directions.
There’s nothing better than a fresh bagel. Enjoy!
I followed the recipe exactly as written, and these turned out amazing! Thanks for another great sourdough recipe, Amy!
Thanks for the review! I’m glad your bagels turned out great.
Thank you for the recipe! I love your easy to follow recipes and comments along the way. I made these and thought all went as expected. Delicious. I added the cinnamon right before forming the bagels.
Thanks for the review! Happy baking.
I have been using and love your discard bagel recipe. Can I follow that recipe and incorporate the cinnamon and raisins? Thanks!!
Yes! That should work well!
love your recipes but the bagels make no sense to me.. You take an active starter and feed it
to make more starter and call it levain…. Just use your active starter
I always call for a levain in my recipes. It puts everyone on an equal playing field, ensuring they really do have an active starter, so the recipe will turn out as written. If you have a well maintained, active starter, then you can definitely substitute it for levain in the recipe if you prefer. You can read more about why I use a levain method here: https://amybakesbread.com/beginner-guide-sourdough-starter-and-levain/
These were delicious and so really mostly a hands off recipe. Everything came together easily and fermentation took 6.5 hrs. The only thing I did didn’t was not having the malt powder so I used 60gr of spelt flour and increased the cinnamon to 1 tablespoon. They turned out great with a nice chew and flavor. I love your recipes! Thanks so much!
I’m so glad you loved this recipe! Thanks for sharing.