Sourdough Bagels
Fresh milled sourdough bagels are a stiff (60% hydration) overnight-fermented dough boiled in barley malt water, then baked hot. The result is dense, chewy, deeply flavored bagels with a glossy crust — naturally leavened.
Key Takeaways
- 60% hydration is non-negotiable — bagel dough must be stiff.
- Float test before boiling is the only reliable proof check.
- Boil in malted water for gloss and chew; honey is an acceptable substitute.
- Cold retard 12–24 hours builds the sourdough character and crust color.
- Apply toppings while wet from the boil so they adhere.
About this recipe
A real bagel is stiff, dense, glossy, and almost meaty in the chew — closer to a New York deli bagel than a soft bread roll. Fresh milled sourdough bagels take that traditional recipe and elevate it: the fresh wheat brings nuttiness, the long cold ferment brings depth, and the home-mill flour creates a crumb you cannot get from anything pre-ground. Do not be put off by the boiling step. It takes 5 minutes total and is what gives bagels their signature gloss and chew. Barley malt syrup in the water adds shine and flavor — if you cannot find it, honey works. The dough is intentionally low hydration (60%). It will feel tight, almost cookie-dough stiff. That is correct. A wet bagel dough produces a soft roll instead of a proper bagel. Makes 8 large bagels.
Prep: 60 min
Bake: 24 min
Hydration: 60%
Ingredients
- Freshly milled hard white wheat flour500 g
- Water (85°F / 29°C)260 g
- Active 100% hydration sourdough starter80 g
- Barley malt syrup (or honey)20 g
- Fine sea salt10 g
- For boiling: 2 quarts water + 30 g barley malt syrup
- Toppings: sesame, poppy, everything seasoningas desired
Instructions
- 1
Feed starter 6 hours before mixing.
- 2
Whisk water, starter, and malt syrup in a bowl.
- 3
Add flour and salt. Knead by hand or stand mixer 8–10 minutes. The dough will be stiff — embrace it.
- 4
Bulk ferment at 76°F for 4–5 hours until the dough has risen 50%.
- 5
Divide into 8 equal pieces (about 110 g each). Roll each into a tight ball.
- 6
Shape each ball into a bagel: poke a hole through the center with your thumb, then stretch the hole to about 2 inches by spinning the dough around your fingers.
- 7
Place shaped bagels on parchment-lined sheet pan, cover, and refrigerate 12–24 hours.
- 8
When ready to bake, preheat oven to 475°F (245°C) and bring a wide pot of water + 30 g malt syrup to a rolling boil.
- 9
Test one bagel: drop into water. If it floats within 10 seconds, they are ready. If it sinks, let proof at room temperature 30 minutes and retest.
- 10
Boil bagels 60 seconds per side, working in batches of 2–3. Drain on a wire rack.
- 11
While still wet, sprinkle with seeds or toppings.
- 12
Transfer to a parchment-lined sheet pan and bake 20–24 minutes until deeply browned.
- 13
Cool on a rack at least 30 minutes before slicing.
beginner home milling guide — hydration, gluten development, and grain choice tips that make this recipe work.
Learn about this grain: Hard White Wheat guide — flavor, milling notes, baking tips, and four in-depth guides on hydration, storage, and common mistakes. Or browse more Hard White Wheat recipes.
Learn a technique
All guides →- Bulk Fermentation with Fresh-Milled FlourFresh-milled flour ferments faster than commercial flour. Watch the dough, not the clock, and end bulk fermentation when volume has grown 50–75%.
- Build & Maintain a Fresh-Milled Sourdough StarterA step-by-step guide to creating a robust whole-grain sourdough starter from scratch and maintaining it for weekly baking.
- Cold Retard & Bulk for Fresh-Milled SourdoughHow to time and temperature-manage bulk fermentation and cold retard for fresh-milled sourdough to develop flavor without overproofing.
- How To Build Gluten With Fresh Milled FlourGluten development in fresh-milled flour is a different craft than in commercial white flour. White-flour doughs love aggressive kneading, slap-and-folds, and stand mixers on high — the smooth endosperm forms long uninterrupted gluten strands quickly. Fresh-milled flour cannot work that way because the bran physically interrupts every gluten strand it touches. The bakers who get gorgeous open crumb out of fresh flour all do the same thing: hydrate fully, rest patiently, fold gently, and choose the right grain. This guide walks through the science and the technique.
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Related Techniques
Bulk Fermentation with Fresh-Milled Flour
Fresh-milled flour ferments faster than commercial flour. Watch the dough, not the clock, and end bulk fermentation when volume has grown 50–75%.
Build & Maintain a Fresh-Milled Sourdough Starter
A step-by-step guide to creating a robust whole-grain sourdough starter from scratch and maintaining it for weekly baking.
Cold Retard & Bulk for Fresh-Milled Sourdough
How to time and temperature-manage bulk fermentation and cold retard for fresh-milled sourdough to develop flavor without overproofing.
How To Build Gluten With Fresh Milled Flour
Gluten development in fresh-milled flour is a different craft than in commercial white flour. White-flour doughs love aggressive kneading, slap-and-folds, and stand mixers on high — the smooth endosperm forms long uninterrupted gluten strands quickly. Fresh-milled flour cannot work that way because the bran physically interrupts every gluten strand it touches. The bakers who get gorgeous open crumb out of fresh flour all do the same thing: hydrate fully, rest patiently, fold gently, and choose the right grain. This guide walks through the science and the technique.