The Easiest Sourdough BAGEL Recipe on YouTube

I've made these Sourdough Bagels 5x a year for the last three years. I should really make them more often because they're amazing.
- Get 18 of my favorite straightforward sourdough recipes in my ebook, No-Nonsense Sourdough. Check it out here:
grantbakes.com/ebook
- Make your own sourdough starter in just 6-7 days with my free Sourdough Starter Guide:
grantbakes.com/sourdoughstart...
- Check out the baking tools I use here:
grantbakes.com/recommended-ba...
Sourdough Bagel Recipe:
grantbakes.com/sourdough-bage...
Chapters:
0:00 Sourdough Bagels
00:44 Mixing the Dough
01:57 Kneading the Sourdough Bagel Dough
03:21 Bulk Fermentation (The First Rise)
03:35 Shaping Sourdough Bagels
06:07 Final Proof
07:02 Boiling the Sourdough Bagels
09:03 Baking the Sourdough Bagels
#sourdough #sourdoughbagels #bagels
Legal Notice: The Grant Bakes KZbin channel and website are owned by Farwell Family LLC, an Illinois limited liability company.

[@GrantBakes]

Make your own sourdough starter from scratch in just 6-7 days with my free Sourdough Starter Guide: grantbakes.com/sourdoughstarterguide

[@rosemarynisbet1517]

I have been baking your recipe for bread and just came across this. You make it all so easy and so easy to follow. I will be making these soon. Thank you. I'll be topping with Trader Joe's "Everything Bagel".

[@GrantBakes]

Perfect plan!@@rosemarynisbet1517

[@lainerafie2538]

Hi Grant. I hve never made any sourdough b4 in my life and I am soooo keen to learn how to make the starter. But after going thru the PDF I got many questions. 😊 How big a bottle shud I use, what if I can't get the type of flour you hve recommended to use for the first starter & others 😢. Is the email an avenue to ask questions pls. Sorry for troubling you.

[@jeffreycave8980]

Hi Grant. I been watching you're vids since you started, it's great to watch you get more professional as you grow. I bake just like you, as i see it you take a little from each book on sourdough. You know the books. One thing i have found when i add the salt to the water before i add the starter it's a pain to break up the starter. I add water, starter stir in then add the salt after i stir that in then the flour. Give it a try. Love your vids. Thanks Jeff

[@tiddyt6527]

Hey, Grant. Can we use sourdough discard in place of starter for this bagel recipe? Trying to make use of the discard but am curious to see if that’ll affect the puffiness of the bagels. Thanks!

[@JHuiYi16]

I tried a sourdough bagel recipe last week which required 50g more flour (but has similar water amount as your recipe), it turned out kinda hard to chew. Decided to give bagels another try, and stumbled upon your video. I baked it yesterday and just tried it for breakfast this morning, and they are PERFECTION. Chewy, springy, light. Now I understand the craze over bagels!

[@TheAchordsSing]

I’m a pretty accomplished baker, who has only been messing with sourdough, for about a year. These knocked my socks off! My family is still raving, as well. You do great work on KZbin. I’ve also made your higher hydration sourdough bread with outstanding results. I’m going to buy your e-book, because your work deserves to be supported.

[@SageMamoo]

I made these and they brought tears to my eyes. Never did I imagine I could make bagels. They were so good! And all I hoped for. The recipe was easy to follow and Provided amazing flavor! Thank you a million

[@GrantBakes]

Thanks! Love your review :) Can I please quote you?

[@kristinereynolds4998]

Omg me too!!!! So proud of myself thanks to this recipe!!!

[@adiq6360]

Your channel >>> most mainstream cooking/baking channels. Straight to the point, no bullshit and they turned out lovely! Just baked them and so happy with the results. Regards from Sweden!

[@GrantBakes]

Thank you! All my best from the USA.

[@laurenskee2665]

Just some tips: 1. If you live in the US, you can use All Purpise Flour because it has 11%or more of protein. However, in other countries AP flour does not have enough protein and you must use bread flour. 2. If your house is colder, you can put your starter in the microwave with the microwave light on and it will create a warmer environment.

[@snowbird6855]

LOVE the yellow Kitchen Aid!!

[@yeahyeahyeah2935]

Such a simple fluent and concise video. Subbed.

[@nicolemcfaul7796]

I wish we could put pictures up on KZbin because I want to show you my bagels they came out amazing!! Thank you for the video!!

[@GrantBakes]

You can send them to [e-mail], I’d love to see them!

[@nicolemcfaul7796]

@@GrantBakes I dmed you on Instagram!

[@jeannemcmahon1305]

Made these today- perfect crunch and texture. Another recipe I tried the day before boiled for 3 minutes on each side and those were too chewy. This method resulted in a perfect bagel. Thanks!

[@kayenicole3681]

I almost got discouraged when it wasn’t visibly rising in my bowl… then I went out for 5 hours and couldn’t stare at it and it burst out of the bowl… can’t wait to finish them after the “sit in the fridge” step!

[@nycturks]

I prepped these yesterday and baked this morning. I was disappointed they looked flat after the 3hrs proofing. I put them in the oven with the light on. I may have overproofed them as it was warm in there. Their beauty needs work but all taste great 👍🏼

[@ShelbyDoolin]

Not only are these the best bagels I've ever had, they truly are so easy! Every recipe you put out is the best I've ever had once I make it. I religiously follow only your recipes and its a hit every time!!

[@DuanDao]

I just made these and it’s the second time i tried making bagels and this recipe kills it. The bagels came out amazing. Slight crispy exterior and soft and chewy interior. Thank you

[@vymaruyama6960]

Love love all of your videos ! They are straight to the point, easy to follow, results are awesome ❤️

[@lisaverrico391]

I put min in a bowl to Ferment and double in size and it had a hard crust over the top of the dough in the morning.

[@debralauesen4225]

I cover with damp cloth

[@sprak404]

So glad i found your channel! What a great, well scripted, and informative video. Can't wait to try this recipe! Thanks!

[@debralauesen4225]

Thanks for a delicious, easy to make bagel recipe. I working on my third batch this week.

[@nitashah0]

Best recipe ever! We love this 😀 thank you 😊

[@susanabdallah8020]

Thank you, Grant. Looks fantastic. Great tutorial. God bless.

[@jessicashanker6084]

I made these this morning and they were amazing 🤩. Thank you so much for sharing your recipes with us.

[@chuckbatson595]

These turned out fantastic, THANK YOU!! So delicious, and so easy. I never imagined I'd be able to make bagels!

[@sheisrandom849]

This recipe is great!! Thanks so much!!

[@songbirdmedows]

Thank you I found this recipe yesterday. Last night I feed my starter and this morning I got started on these. I’m looking forward to seeing the end product. Thank you for sharing.

[@kasiaduch3796]

Making it now, will come back and report on the results tomorrow! These are sooooo good. Easy! And came out beautiful! I replaced honey with maple syrup And split the dough into 8 bagels instead! Yum!

[@marialeguizamo5673]

Agree, gonna try making bagel with sourdough starter

[@3977s74]

Dear Grant- I am a beginner bread maker. Happened upon your tutorials and am soooo glad I did. You describe step by step the process. I play your video for sourdough each time I make it!! Thank you very much for your advice and help!

[@mirandacurtis7079]

You made this look so easy!! I’m definitely gonna try!!

[@elizabethflores1718]

I made sourdough bagels using your recipe and wow! It turned out so good. Thanks for sharing.

[@bridgetlamb2875]

My first time trying bagels, and they turned out perfectly. Thanks for the easy to follow instructions, made a huge difference.

[@BiancaICMarques]

Definitely will be making those bagels this weekend! I already made your cinnamon rolls and it was a huge sucess. Thank youu, your recipes are really easy to follow!❤

[@JETLFC]

My first time making homemade sourdough bagels, giving your method a go. Dough is bulking now. Enjoying the proces so far. Looking forward to the end result. Great video Grant, thanks

[@gloriachambers2342]

😁Im so glad i found your channel. I wish i would have found it sooner. 2 wks ago) before I started trying to make a sourdough starter(wasted a lot of flour)🙄. It would had made my life easier. Your instructions are uncomplicated and easy to follow. I'm using my starter for the second time and I'm making your bagel recipe. They're baking right now and they look beautiful. I also like the method of keeping just a little starter and feeding it what i will need for the recipe. I'm will be buying your ebook. Thank you ❤

[@carriedalton9495]

ohmygosh --- these came out FANTASTIC! They are beautiful, I wish I could upload a picture. Do you think it would be ok to add in blueberries? I'm going to have to order your e-book for sure, I am so impressed with how these came out!

[@AussieAngeS]

Absolutely wonderful sourdough bagels. Thank you so much. Subbed !

[@youngamoney1992]

Great video! You do a nice job explaining everything and keep things short and simple. Love it! Keep up the great job and amazing videos.

[@GrantBakes]

Thank you so much! I'll definitely keep them coming.

[@noonw.9173]

I made them yesterday. It's so good. Thank you for the recipe and easy to follow clip. I've sent you some picture as well 😊

[@bentrabi3a]

Merci beaucoup la recette est incroyable

[@ceydacakr9199]

It took two days for me to make but this bagel is delicioso 👌 thank you for the recipe 👍

[@mikewurlitzer5217]

For the 1st time I used a stiff starter [2:1 Flour/Water] and modified the flour/water in the recipe to reflect that change in the starter. EXACTLY what I was looking for. A chewy crust and soft interior with very little sour flavor. I'll try this again after repeated stiff starter refreshments which should reduce that very slight sour flavor even more. Honey in the main dough and Barley Malt Syrup in the boiling water. Thanks for the recipe!

[@hippoboannie]

Can’t wait to try this!

[@GrantBakes]

I can't wait for you to try it!

[@thavylor]

Thank you

[@oliverg6864]

Now I need to make bagels! What hydration level would you suggest for making whole wheat bagels, 60%?

[@marianjunkman9120]

I did what you did, put them in the fridge with a dry towel. While they taste good, the bagels had a hard crusty top. Next time I would definitely in close them in plastic wrap or use a damp towel.

[@alfontana6242]

Thanks Grant you make it look too easy. I have a jar of Barley Malt Syrup I will use for sweetness.

[@lenlenlen228]

Hello. Can i put it in the fridge for fermentation / doubling? Thankyou

[@gailfarca1818]

Easy and great recipe! Any advice on making cinnamon raisin sourdough bagels?

[@vivianmathew1548]

By the way I made your bagel recipe today and they were the best I’ve made so far! It’s just hard for me to do so much kneading by hand.

[@ihus9950]

Wow, Thanks Grant 👍🏻

[@GrantBakes]

Thanks for the comment!

[@Rexyspride]

Made these and OMG were they incredible! I don't think I let the rise go long enough before putting in the fridge (2hrs instead of 3) but it was midnight and I needed sleep! They were still awesome though.

[@BiancaICMarques]

These bagels are currently on my fridge for the slow cold fermentation and I will bake tomorrow, I hope it will came out yammy 😅

[@Dollcan]

Trying these today 😊

[@GrantBakes]

Best of luck!

[@Made2Trip]

Would you recommend or opt out of using organic flour or would that hinder the process?

[@karenj5899]

Trying this, this weekend! 😊

[@GrantBakes]

Hope you like it!

[@karenj5899]

@GrantBakes I've had great success with your other recipes so I'm sure I will! 😉

[@karenj5899]

​@@GrantBakessuccess! Best bagels ever!

[@bluebunny5500]

This is an amazing recipe. Used this for my first time doing bagels. How would I add some blueberries

[@meliaguadarrama3013]

Hi there how many grams was each bagel? Do you always store your starter in the fridge or on the counter?

[@chickadeeacres3864]

I prefer your weight measurements as opposed to cups and tbsp in a recipe I’m in the middle of doing. I think my bagels are too dry. They are proofing right now but I don’t know if they’ll puff up much more….. If not, I’ll try your recipe next.

[@rangerrussell]

What size glass bowl is that?

[@alicewallin6690]

Hi! Tried this recipe twice. First time I had flat bagels. I know that I overproofed the dough. Tried them again and they were a little better they were nowhere near what yours are like. I followed your recipe exactly! Any ideas on what could be the problem?

[@Jess_Bishop]

Can I add caramelized onions to the dough to make onion bagels? Or will that mess up with the dough itself?

[@nitashah0]

I have seen some people add baking soda to water, can we do this or would you avoid?

[@loriwhalen5238]

If i want to make blueberry bagels, do i just incorporate the berries into the dough? At what point?

[@naswaffo]

Grant, what is your opinion on freezing the bagel dough after shaping? Thank you.

[@laurenskee2665]

I know you can't freeze biscuit dough, but I froze the cooked bagel dough. I hope they're still good.

[@anakc1025]

Will they be ok if I put them in the fridge tonight before proofing for the 2nd time and let them rise until double tomorrow, then boil and bake? Thanks for the help.

[@GrantBakes]

Yep!

[@jocerod123]

I tried this recipe , bagels floated but I didn’t get the rise in the bagel I wanted they somewhat flat. A bit chewy. But the taste is great… maybe i should have proofed longer than 3 1/2 hours. I live in FL so kitchen is very warm.

[@robingirven4570]

Where’s the LOVE button? Thank you Grant. I’ll be trying these bagels soon.

[@GrantBakes]

Thanks! They are a must try recipe.

[@mirandacurtis7079]

I have a question, been making these for about a month now and my whole family loves them. So I have to make my sister my mom my dad and myself some every week 😂 but my mom wants them whole wheat, can I use this same recipe but swap the bread flour for whole wheat ap flour?? Thanks for the help!

[@GrantBakes]

You can try that but you might need to add a little extra water to get the dough to feel the same. I’ve never done whole wheat bagels before and I’m sure they would take some getting used to.

[@danac7242]

It's late, I'm about to mix my night-before mix, but realize I'm short on bread flour for the morning, however, I have plenty of King Arthur all purpose. I realize the 11.7% isn't as high as their bread flour, but would it work or should I run to the store first thing?

[@GrantBakes]

It will work!

[@Rye_d_baker]

Hi Grant. I used to bake bagels with instant yeast, but this time I’ve decided to do your recipe. I’ve just shaped them and set them for final proof. I’ve really enjoyed working with the dough so interesting. I’ve just posted the shaped bagels in my instagram, tagging of course your page. Thank you so much , and will notify you with the final result

[@barbarahimes9353]

Made these for the second time today. They looks pretty good, but I'm finding that 20 minutes on the bottom rack (or middle) is resulting in burnt bottoms. Any advice?

[@GrantBakes]

Add a metal sheet pan on the bottom rack and bake the bagels on a sheet pan on the middle rack. The pan on the lower rack should help keep the bagels from burning.

[@vivianmathew1548]

Hi Grant, I would love to purchase a bread mixing machine like the one you use for your bagels. Could you tell me what kind it us please!

[@kasiaduch3796]

Looks like a kitchenaid!

[@aceee4386]

Hi Grant or anybody who sees this, so you're doing two double rising? One is the first rise and then once they6re shaped you let them double again? Won't they overproof that way?

[@quick9smitty511]

You let the ball of dough rise, and when you "disturb" that rise by handling the dough to shape the bagels, you have to let it rise again. i.e. "resume" rising. Because you are working with sourdough (natural yeast) instead of commercial yeast, the rising process is much longer. Then the overnight time in fridge developes the sourdough flavor.Hope that makes sense.

[@Atlantas_finest]

Do you know if it would be possible (since I started too late in the day) to refridgerate after first rise and shaping and then take them out tomorrow morning and do the second rise and bake the next day? Or does it not work like that 😅

[@KOHart25]

You can do that. It is just more difficult to remove the warm shaped bagels to boil them. I would actually do what you did then put them back on the fridge to cool so they are easier to handle. I actually refrigerate after the bulk fermentation then shape the next day, rise then back in the fridge until cold.

[@Atlantas_finest]

@@KOHart25 that makes sense!! Thank you 😊

[@mikethesieve7790]

Really good recipe. Made 6 this weekend. My only critique is that the 450 bake temp was a bit high as it burned some of the Everything seasoning on top. I’m going to try 425 for 30 minutes for my next batch. Otherwise, I highly recommend this recipe!!

[@GrantBakes]

Yeah, I don't love everything bagel seasoning for that reason. The garlic always seems to burn. Turning down the temp to 425 or 400 sounds like a good idea, I would do the same.

[@edonazejneli5649]

If I double the recipe for these bagels, do I have to add 200 g of starter or does the starter stay the same?

[@trangvuong6438]

You should double every ingredient in the recipe.

[@GrantBakes]

Agreed, double every ingredient in the recipe. The starter will take a little longer to rise so give it 12 hours or so.

[@SimpleMommyLife]

When would u put toppings like cheese or jalapeños ? Same as seasonings?

[@5fespino]

I usually do them after the first rise, but it does make the dough difficult to work with as the jalapenos are moist and the cheese makes voids. It gets easier with trial and error.

[@ter8330]

Ok young man, I will be trying this recipe! I will let you know how it goes! You have a good one for english muffins???

[@GrantBakes]

Give it a try! English muffins coming soon :)

[@ter8330]

Ok! I have a great recipe for english muffins that I use and am still pefecting THE muffin however, if you have a better one, I am all in!

[@windzeitwolfzeit]

Bagels turned out very tasty BUT they puffed up sideways instead of going up. 😂 is there anything I can do to prevent it? I followed all steps and they looked perfect until I put them in to the boiling water. Had giant flat bagels at the end. 😅

[@nitashah0]

Do you add baking soda to water when boiling?

[@GrantBakes]

Not for bagels, just honey. I know some people do that though.

[@nitashah0]

Made this recipe today and my family loved it! I did Cheddar jalapeno and Asiago. They said it was better than Einstein bagels

[@melanycyr782]

I just made these bagels. My shaping technique definitely needs improvement as the look like softballs.. but, the flavour is excellent. I found my oven was too hot at 450 F, my seeds burnt and the crust if very dark, so next time I’ll lower the temp and add 5 minutes or something. I burnt my hands eating the first one because I just couldn’t wait haha!

[@GrantBakes]

Thanks for the comment! Sounds like you're planning to make some good adjustments.

[@jbb8261]

After trying and failing at bagels several times, this is the recipe I’m going to use forever

[@GrantBakes]

You rock! Thanks for making the recipe.

[@stunvidss]

I have no idea how these don't stick to your pan, I used cornmeal for the barrier and they were absolutely glued to the baking sheet. Horrible. Will definitely go back to using parchment for sourdough bagels.

[@3eromosele]

my dough isn’t rising - what should i do? 😢

[@taniaallan5702]

This looks great! I’ve screen shotted the ingredients, but is there somewhere we can get the directions as well? I realise it’s in the video but just looking to not have to watch it over and over 😊

[@GrantBakes]

I'll make a blog post for it ASAP.

[@taniaallan5702]

@@GrantBakes Oh I’ll keep an eye out, thanks! I wrote it all down but that would be much nicer lol, rather than my messy note :)

[@taniaallan5702]

@@GrantBakes question regarding your starter/feeding…is there a reason you do 25g starter and 50g each water and flour? I normally do 1:1:1. Should I not for this recipe?

[@GrantBakes]

1:1:1 is fine. I just usually keep that amount in my fridge and I need 100g starter for the recipe. As long as you get 100g of starter, you're fine :) @@taniaallan5702

[@taniaallan5702]

@@GrantBakes perfect, thanks so much!

[@jocerod123]

I took out my starter from fridge feed it and in the morning was still the same it did not grow. 🤷‍♀️

[@wendystone9591]

I mathed wrong ( I must have used the wrong g measure on my scale) and have way more than what is shown on the video. I'll still try to fudge it in the morning if my starter doubles.

[@GrantBakes]

Better luck next time - I hate making those calculation errors! Haha

[@katharineschroeder7421]

I've followed your directions to the letter and twice my bagels are flat and tough. I'm so discouraged. They puff up nicely during proofing, but somewhere in the process, they deflate.

[@GrantBakes]

Sorry about that! At what point in the process do they deflate on you? During final proof, during boiling?

[@katharineschroeder7421]

They puff up nicely during the final proof (after shaping them) and slowly start to deflate. Any advice?

[@GrantBakes]

@@katharineschroeder7421 Ah ok. In that case it seems like the final proof is too long. Could be your kitchen temperature, environment, or some other factor. Try cutting the final proof off once you notice the bagels start to get a little bit puffy. Boil them and then bake them after a shorter final proof. This should keep them from deflating, in theory. Best of luck!

[@olgaweddle1316]

Same thing happened to mine. All nice an puffy, into the fridge overnight, slip them (struggling a bit) into the boil and down they go, all fingerprints and no more roundness. Baked anyway, no change. @@GrantBakes

[@sashaastapova7245]

Yes, same happened to me too. They deflated after the overnight proof in the fridge.

[@Karen-et2bv]

My sourdough is not 'sour' enough... suggestions, please... Thank you

[@SageMamoo]

I have done a few things to get my starter more sour. 1. Allow starter to sit without feeding it until I smell the sourness I want, then feed it and once doubled, use it. 2. Feed starter, leave it out until it just starts to rise, then refrigerate. Cooler Temps = more lacto Warmer Temps = more yeasty. In recipes, fermentation in the fridge helps develop more flavor so that helps as well

[@Karen-et2bv]

Thank you@@SageMamoo

[@clb707]

You didn’t mention how many grams each bagel should weigh if we wanted to weigh them…

[@GrantBakes]

67.08 grams each 👍🏻

[@clb707]

Thank you 🙏🏽

[@clb707]

When I weighed mine the exact weight and even a little over, they were really small compared to how yours looked. Any reason why that might be? I used Costco organic AP flour.

[@perseverance6630]

Make the starter in just six or seven days?! Next

[@HsoSha]

it didn't work,😓😖 i did every thing like you said and it's rock sold . and i made it three times with starter and one time with yeast . 😕 i think i'll buy it next time. 😔

[@micheleh614]

First time making sourdough bagels and they turned out great, but....the whole process took three days to make six bagels. Just not worth it. How do people have time for this? How do bagels cost so little when they take decades to make?????

[@GrantBakes]

Welcome to homemade food. The good news is you can easily double or triple the recipe to make 12 or 18 in one go. Also, store bought bagels are not made with sourdough so they don’t taste as long to make. The ones in good bagel shops are produced at scale so I’m sure they’re cheaper because of that. Homemade bread definitely takes more time than store bought, so I think the value is in knowing what you’re putting into your body, knowing where your food comes from, appreciating the process and what it takes to make something, being more self-sufficient. Homemade bread often tastes way better than what you get at the store anyway. Not always but often.

[@debralauesen4225]

Plus the bagels you buy in the store aren’t sourdough. If they say sourdough I would guess that they are flavored with sourdough and rise from other ingredients, like baking powder.

[@kerncountyrd5263]

DAD JOKE QUESTION: Why do Seagulls fly over the sea? ANSWER: Because if they flew over the Bay they’d be called Baygulls. 🥯 ********************************* Has anyone made Blueberry Bagels with this recipe? If yes, does the added juice have a negative effect on the dough?

[@GrantBakes]

Nice! Haha. I haven’t done blueberries, but I’m guessing you should try to use dried blueberries if you can find them. Or dehydrate them yourself. If you treat them like raisins it will probably work well for bagels 😊

[@kerncountyrd5263]

Thanks for the reply! @@GrantBakes

[@kerncountyrd5263]

Mental Note to self: No matter how moist Craisins are, you still need to hydrate or you will experience dry spots in your dough and it will be difficult to shape. On a scale of 1 to 10, the Bagels came out at about a solid 5. That's not a bad thing considering this is my first attempt. They can only get better. There's always room for improvement! Thanks Grant! 😉 @@GrantBakes

[@kerncountyrd5263]

I looked up Blueberries last night in preparation. There's an estimated 85% water ratio by volume. I'm going to have fun trying to account for that! 🤔🤔