Raspberry Sourdough Bagels (Printable Format)
Tangy sourdough bagels with juicy raspberries, perfect for breakfast or sweet snacks with golden, chewy texture.
# What You Need:
→ Sourdough Starter
01 - 3.5 ounces active sourdough starter, fed and bubbly
→ Dough
02 - 3.5 cups bread flour
03 - 2/3 cup whole wheat flour
04 - 2 tablespoons sugar
05 - 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
06 - 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons lukewarm water
07 - 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
→ Filling
08 - 3.5 ounces fresh raspberries or frozen, not thawed
→ Boiling Liquid
09 - 3 quarts water
10 - 2 tablespoons honey or barley malt syrup
11 - 1 teaspoon baking soda, optional for chewiness
→ Topping
12 - Demerara sugar or poppy seeds, optional
# How-To Steps:
01 - Combine active sourdough starter, lukewarm water, and sugar in a large mixing bowl. Stir continuously until sugar completely dissolves and mixture is uniform.
02 - Add bread flour, whole wheat flour, and sea salt to the starter mixture. Mix with a wooden spoon until shaggy dough forms and no dry flour remains visible.
03 - Turn dough onto lightly floured surface. Knead for 8 to 10 minutes until smooth and elastic. Drizzle vegetable oil onto dough during final minute of kneading and work until fully incorporated.
04 - Gently fold fresh raspberries into dough, taking care to keep berries whole. Dough will appear sticky and show raspberry marbling throughout.
05 - Transfer dough to a lightly greased bowl. Cover with plastic wrap or damp towel. Let rise at room temperature for 6 to 8 hours until doubled in volume.
06 - Turn risen dough onto lightly floured surface. Using a dough scraper or knife, divide dough into 8 equal pieces, approximately 4 ounces each.
07 - Roll each portion into a smooth ball. Press thumb through center of each ball to create a hole. Gently stretch and rotate dough to form bagel shape with 2-inch diameter opening.
08 - Arrange shaped bagels on parchment-lined baking sheet. Cover with clean kitchen towel. Let proof at room temperature for 1 to 2 hours. For enhanced flavor development, refrigerate overnight.
09 - Set oven to 425°F. Ensure oven rack is positioned in center of oven.
10 - Bring 3 quarts water to rolling boil in wide pot. Stir in honey or barley malt syrup. Add baking soda now if using for extra chewiness.
11 - Working in batches of 2 to 3, carefully lower bagels into boiling water. Boil for 45 to 60 seconds per side. Remove using slotted spoon, allowing excess water to drain, then return to parchment-lined baking sheet.
12 - Immediately sprinkle tops of wet bagels with Demerara sugar or poppy seeds if desired. Topping adheres best while bagels are still damp from boiling.
13 - Place baking sheet in preheated oven. Bake for 22 to 25 minutes until bagels develop deep golden brown color and shiny crust. Rotate baking sheet halfway through baking for even browning.
14 - Transfer baked bagels to wire rack. Cool completely for at least 30 minutes before slicing or serving. This completes texture development.
# Expert Suggestions:
01 -
- The tang from sourdough balances beautifully with sweet bursts of raspberry
- These freeze exceptionally well making weekday mornings feel special
02 -
- The dough will feel sticky and that is exactly right do not keep adding flour
- Boiling is what separates bagels from bread so do not skip this step
03 -
- Use frozen raspberries straight from the bag for less bleeding
- A little lemon zest in the dough makes everything sing