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My family always loves making (and eating!) my Easy Homemade Sourdough Bagels, but let’s be honest—sometimes there just isn’t time for a full, slow-fermented sourdough process. That’s where these Sourdough Discard Bagels come in!
Made with sourdough discard and a little commercial yeast, these bagels rise faster while still giving you the option for the sourdough flavor we love (use older discard). Thanks to the classic boil-and-bake method, you get a chewy crust and soft interior, perfect for slathering with cream cheese or stacking into a breakfast sandwich.
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If you are new to sourdough, learn how to make a sourdough starter from scratch and how a sourdough starter works in my Free Sourdough Beginner Guide. Using naturally fermented sourdough will take much longer, but you will love the fermentation benefits and the flavor!
Why You’ll Love Sourdough Discard Bagels
- Discard Recipe – I love making my favorite recipes with sourdough discard! These bagels make for the perfect breakfast. If you’re looking for another special sourdough discard breakfast idea, try these Sourdough Discard Cinnamon Rolls.
- Customizable – This is the master recipe for bagels with sourdough discard, which means you can feel free to add your favorite toppings – everything bagel seasoning, poppy seeds, sesame seeds and cheese are some of our favorites. If you are looking for ideas, check out my Cinnamon Crunch Sourdough Bagels or my Sourdough Pumpkin Bagels for some inspiration. Or try my viral sourdough bagel bread if you want a sliceable sourdough bagel loaf!
- Easy Breakfast – Just like my Sourdough Blueberry Bagels or Cinnamon Raisin Sourdough Bagels, these discard bagels freeze wonderfully, which makes them an easy grab-and-go breakfast option if you make them ahead of time!
Important Ingredients
- Sourdough Discard – Use an active/ripe sourdough starter (doubled in size/bubbly/mild sour aroma) or sourdough discard from the fridge. The “newer” the discard, the less strong sour flavor the dough will have.
- Pure Maple Syrup – I use pure maple syrup to add just a hint of sweetness in these sourdough bagels.
- Diastatic Malt Powder – A small amount of this powder helps encourage fermentation, adds flavor, and gives a caramelization color to the bagels once baked. I like using it in the bagels, but I have made the dough both ways, and leaving it out is also okay.
- Instant Yeast: I love using instant yeast in this recipe (not active dry). If you only have active dry, make sure to activate it/bloom in the warm water first before adding to the dough. Because this is a sourdough discard recipe, it does not rely on the starter for leavening.
- Cornmeal or Semolina: I use this to keep my bagels from sticking while they are proofing. It doesn’t go inside the dough, but acts as a barrier to help the bagels keep their shape.
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities
Substitutions
- Sourdough Starter: You can substitute active sourdough starter for the sourdough discard if you don’t have discard available.
- Diastatic Malt Powder: Substitute bread flour and give a little extra time to rise.
- 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).
Using sourdough discard has some fermentation benefits, just like a 100% sourdough recipe. But those benefits don’t transfer over to the extra flour you are adding to the dough unless you let it undergo a long fermentation. If you want a 100% sourdough version of this recipe, try these Easy Homemade Sourdough Bagels instead.
Sourdough Discard Tip: I keep a jar in my fridge that I continually add sourdough discard to. Discard is a by-product of your sourdough starter, and there is no reason to throw it away. Instead, use it in incredible sourdough discard recipes where it adds moisture and great flavor. I use older, more tangy discard in savory recipes like these sourdough cheddar biscuits and young/fresh discard in sweet recipes like my favorite sourdough snickerdoodle cookies.
How to Make Sourdough Discard Bagels
Mix and Knead the Dough
Step 1: Mix & Knead the Dough. Add sourdough discard, warm water, maple syrup and instant yeast to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook attachment. Let the instant yeast activate and begin to dissolve. Add the salt, diastatic malt powder, and bread flour to the bowl. Knead the dough with a dough hook together for about 5-7 minutes until smooth, tacky to the touch, and not sticky.
Let the Dough Rise
Step 2: First Rise. Place the dough in a container (Image 2) and allow to rise in a warm place for about 1-2 hours until it has doubled in size (Image 3). While waiting for the dough to rise, prepare a baking sheet with parchment paper and sprinkle cornmeal on top.
Shape the Dough into Bagels
Step 3: Shape. Use a bench scraper to divide the dough into 10 equal pieces (Image 4). Form a ball out of each piece of dough by pinching (Image 5) and rolling the ball on the counter (Image 6).
Poke a hole in the middle of each ball of a dough (Image 7) and then use your fingers to widen and stretch the hole in the middle (Images 8 & 9). Place shaped bagels on the prepared baking sheet and cover.
Step 4: Second Rise. Place the shaped bagels in the refrigerator for 12-24 hours to rise. Alternatively, you can let the bagels rise on the counter until doubled in size.
Boil The Bagels
Step 5: Boil. Place a large pot of water on the stove and turn the heat to high. 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 (Images 10 & 11). It should float within the first 10 seconds or so of placing in the water. Boil each bagel for about 40 seconds on each side. Use a slotted spoon to remove the bagels from the boiling water and place on the cooling rack to drip dry for a minute (Images 12 & 13).
Top and Bake the Bagels
Step 6: Top Bagels. Dunk the top of the damp bagel into your favorite bagel toppings, swirling it around so the toppings stick to it. Place on a parchment-lined baking sheet (Images 14 & 15).
Amy’s Tip: If your toppings have trouble sticking, brush with egg white wash before dipping in the toppings – sesame seeds, poppy seeds, shredded cheddar or everything bagel seasoning are some of our favorites.
Step 7: Bake the Bagels. Preheat the oven to 425ºF. Bake bagels for 25–30 minutes until bagels are golden and baked all the way through. Allow to cool for 20-25 minutes before serving.
How to Store Leftovers
Leftover discard bagels can be stored for 12-24 hours at room temperature. After that, place them in a freezer-safe, air-tight container or ziplock bag in the freezer for a few months. I like to slice them before freezing them so that they can be toasted as a quick grab-and-go breakfast or snack.
Amy’s Recipe Tip
Letting the dough rise in the refrigerator overnight gives these bagels more flavor and it makes them easier to work with for the boil and bake steps. This also allows me to boil and bake them first thing in the morning to serve for a weekend breakfast or brunch. You can skip the refrigerated rise if you want your bagels right away and let the dough rise on the counter.
Frequently Asked Questions
This recipe is a great way to use up leftover sourdough discard so you don’t waste it. It also gives these bagels the benefits of sourdough fermentation. The older the discard, the more tang you will taste in this bread. If you use a young discard or bubbly sourdough starter the sour flavor will be minimal.
Diastatic malt powder gives a smoother consistency to the dough, makes the bagels a deeper color, and speeds up the rise just a little bit. Watch carefully that your bagels don’t over-proof when using it. If you don’t want to use it, just substitute bread flour, and the bagels will still turn out delicious.
You definitely can if you want your bagels to taste more pretzel-like (I add baking soda to the boiling water of my sourdough pretzels, and they are delicious). Add about 1 Tablespoon to the boiling water for bagels if you want to try it. I prefer a boil bath without the baking soda, which still gives the classic texture and shine.
Yes! Knead the dough by hand for 8-10 minutes
Sourdough Breakfast Recipes
If you tried these Sourdough Discard 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!
Sourdough Discard Bagel Recipe
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Equipment
- 2 baking sheets
- pot of water
Ingredients
Sourdough Discard Bagel Dough
- 200 grams sourdough discard, heaping 3/4 cup, see recipe notes
- 300 grams water, warmed (80ishºF) about 1 1/4 cup
- 20 grams maple syrup, about 1 Tablespoon
- 3 grams instant yeast, about 1 teaspoon, see recipe notes
- 12 grams salt, about 2 teaspoons
- 5 grams diastatic malt powder, about 1 teaspoon, see recipe notes
- 600 grams bread flour, about 4 1/3 cups
- semolina or cornmeal, for sprinkling
Boil Bath
- 800 grams water, about 8 cups
- 30 grams brown sugar, about 2 Tablespoons
Toppings as desired
- cheese
- sesame seeds
- everything but the bagel seasoning
- flaky sea salt
Instructions
- Mix the Dough: Set the bowl of a stand mixer on a kitchen scale. Add sourdough discard, water, maple syrup and instant yeast to the bowl. Let the instant yeast activate for a minute. You will notice a yeasty smell and the yeast beginning to dissolve. Add the salt, diastatic malt powder and bread flour 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 sticky. If it is sticky, add a little extra flour to the dough.This dough can also be kneaded by hand for about 8-10 minutes until smooth.
- First Rise: Place the dough in a container and cover with plastic wrap or a kitchen towel. Let the dough rise in a warm place until risen and doubled in size. This should take about 1-2 hours depending on the temperature of your kitchen and dough.
- Prepare 2 baking sheet: Line the pan with parchment paper and sprinkle cornmeal on top to keep the bagels from sticking.
- Shape Bagels: Separate the dough into 10 equal pieces, about 115 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 a baking sheet cover or plastic wrap.
- Refrigerate: Place the covered bagels in the refrigerator for 12-24 hours to rise in the refrigerator. This develops flavor and texture of the bagels and makes it easy for you to boil and bake the bagels in the morning.Note: You can skip the refrigeration step and let the bagels proof on the counter until puffed up and just about doubled in size before boiling and baking. See recipe notes for adding more instant yeast to the dough if you want to boil and bake them the same day.
- Preheat the oven to 425ºF.
- Boiling: Place a 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.
- Topping: Prepare shallow bowls of toppings – sesame seeds, everything but the bagel seasoning and flaky sea salt are our favorites. Dunk the top of the damp bagel into the toppings, swirling it around so the toppings stick to it. Place on a baking sheet, 5 bagels to a baking sheet. This leaves enough room for the bagels to rise while baking. We also love adding a slice of cheese or shredded cheddar on top of the bagels before baking them.
- Bake the Bagels: 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’ve used this recipe a few times before and they worked out well but I usually ended up baking them the same day. This is the first time I let them sit for closer to 18 hours and they looked great and fluffy before I went to bed and now they look like flat mush… what happened:(
It sounds like they overproofed. 18 hours is too long to let a commercial yeast/discard recipe rest. Overproofing results in bread collapsing like you described. I’m sorry they didn’t turn out!
Just made these and the directions were easy to follow! When I was boiling the bagels, they didn’t float up after 40 seconds. They didn’t really float. What does that mean? The bagels still tasted great though!
Glad they still tasted great! If bagels don’t float right away in the boil, it usually means they were a little underproofed. When the dough is fully proofed, enough air has developed inside for them to float quickly. It’s not a big issue though—many still bake up just fine, as you noticed. Next time you could let them proof a little longer before boiling and they should float more easily.
At first read I thought these would be so difficult to make but, nope with a little patience they are pretty easy to prepare and bake. Mine need a little more finesse, but overall I am very pleased with my results.
Thanks for the review! I’m glad they turned out great!
first thank you Amy for all your wonderful recipes. how do I make these bigger? my family loved them but not the size. they dont work well for bfast sandwiches. I want 150-175g bagels. what would the measurement be and how long to bake you think? thank you.
I would just shape them bigger if you want them to be bigger – you can shape them according to your family’s size preferences. You could double the recipe if you don’t want to make fewer bagels when shaping them bigger. Add a few minutes of bake time for bigger bagels.
The best
Thanks for the review! I’m glad it turned out great.
Made the bagels, they look delicious. Can’t wait to dig in.
Easy to follow your instructions, easy to make & bake.
Thanks for the review. Enjoy!
These are delicious! How do I get the bagels softer? Can I reduce the bake time?
I would probably reduce the amount of time in the water before baking. You can also bake at a lower temperature and see if that helps. Happy baking!