Raspberry Sourdough Bagels (Print Page)

Chewy tangy bagels bursting with fresh raspberries and naturally fermented for depth of flavor

# What You Need:

→ Sourdough Starter

01 - 3.5 oz active sourdough starter, fed and bubbly

→ Dough

02 - 14 oz bread flour
03 - 2.6 oz whole wheat flour
04 - 2 tbsp sugar
05 - 2 tsp fine sea salt
06 - 1 cup plus 2 tbsp lukewarm water
07 - 1 tbsp vegetable oil

→ Filling

08 - 3.5 oz fresh raspberries, frozen works if not thawed

→ Boiling Liquid

09 - 12 cups water
10 - 2 tbsp honey or barley malt syrup
11 - 1 tsp baking soda, optional for extra chewiness

→ Topping

12 - Demerara sugar or poppy seeds, optional

# Directions:

01 - Whisk together the active sourdough starter, lukewarm water, and sugar in a large mixing bowl until the sugar completely dissolves.
02 - Add bread flour, whole wheat flour, and sea salt to the starter mixture. Stir with a wooden spoon or dough whisk until a shaggy, sticky dough forms with no dry flour remaining.
03 - Turn dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 8–10 minutes until smooth and elastic. Drizzle in the vegetable oil during the final minute of kneading.
04 - Gently fold the fresh raspberries into the dough using minimal pressure to keep the berries as whole as possible. The dough will become sticky and take on a marbled appearance.
05 - Place dough in a lightly greased bowl, cover with plastic wrap or a damp towel, and let rise at room temperature for 6–8 hours until doubled in size.
06 - Turn risen dough onto a lightly floured surface. Divide into 8 equal portions using a bench scraper or sharp knife, approximately 4 oz each.
07 - Form each portion into a smooth ball by tucking edges underneath. Poke a hole through the center with your finger and gently stretch to form a 2-inch diameter ring.
08 - Arrange bagels on a parchment-lined baking sheet, cover with a clean towel, and proof for 1–2 hours until puffy. For enhanced flavor, refrigerate overnight for 8–12 hours.
09 - Preheat oven to 425°F with oven rack positioned in the center.
10 - Bring 12 cups of water to a rolling boil in a wide pot. Stir in honey or barley malt syrup and baking soda if using until dissolved.
11 - Working in batches of 2–3, boil bagels for 45–60 seconds per side. Remove with a slotted spoon, allowing excess water to drain, and return to the parchment-lined baking sheet.
12 - Sprinkle the wet bagel tops with Demerara sugar or poppy seeds immediately after boiling while the surface is still sticky.
13 - Bake for 22–25 minutes until bagels are deeply golden brown with a shiny crust. Rotate the baking sheet halfway through for even browning.
14 - Transfer baked bagels to a wire rack and cool for at least 30 minutes before slicing or serving to complete the internal crumb structure.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The sourdough fermentation creates an unmatched depth of flavor that regular yeast bagels simply cannot achieve
  • Fresh raspberries burst during baking, creating little pockets of jammy sweetness throughout each chewy bite
  • These bagels strike that perfect balance between not too sweet and entirely breakfast worthy
02 -
  • Cold fermentation overnight develops exponentially more flavor than a same-day bake
  • Boiling time directly affects chewiness, longer boils yield denser, chewier bagels
  • Raspberries will release juice during mixing, making your dough slightly stickier than expected
03 -
  • Weighing ingredients produces consistently better results than volume measurements
  • A flour-dusted bench scraper helps manage the sticky dough when shaping

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