Raspberry Sourdough Bagels (Printable)
Tangy sourdough bagels with juicy raspberries, perfect for breakfast or sweet snacking.
# What You’ll Need:
→ Sourdough Starter
01 - 1/3 cup active sourdough starter (fed and bubbly)
→ Dough
02 - 3 1/4 cups bread flour
03 - 1/2 cup whole wheat flour
04 - 2 tablespoons sugar
05 - 1 1/4 teaspoons fine sea salt
06 - 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons lukewarm water
07 - 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
→ Filling
08 - 3/4 cup fresh raspberries (or frozen, not thawed)
→ Boiling Liquid
09 - 12 cups 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 Make:
01 - In a large bowl, combine the active sourdough starter, lukewarm water, and sugar. Stir vigorously until the sugar completely dissolves and the mixture is uniform.
02 - Add bread flour, whole wheat flour, and fine sea salt to the starter mixture. Mix with a wooden spoon or your hands until a shaggy, rough dough forms and no dry flour remains visible.
03 - Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 8–10 minutes. During the final 2 minutes, work in the vegetable oil until the dough becomes smooth, elastic, and slightly tacky but not sticky.
04 - Gently fold the fresh or frozen raspberries into the dough, handling minimally to keep berries as whole as possible. The dough will appear sticky and develop a pink marbled appearance.
05 - Transfer the dough to 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 the risen dough onto a lightly floured surface. Divide into 8 equal portions using a bench scraper or knife, weighing approximately 100g 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 and rotate to create an even ring with a 2-inch center opening.
08 - Place shaped bagels on a parchment-lined baking sheet, cover with a clean towel, and let proof for 1–2 hours at room temperature. Alternatively, refrigerate overnight for deeper sourdough flavor development.
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 fully dissolved.
11 - Working in batches of 2–3, carefully lower bagels into the boiling water. Cook for 45–60 seconds per side, then remove with a slotted spoon, allowing excess water to drain before returning to the baking sheet.
12 - Immediately sprinkle boiled bagels with Demerara sugar or poppy seeds while surfaces are still damp for better adhesion.
13 - Bake for 22–25 minutes until bagels achieve a deep golden brown color and sound hollow when tapped on the bottom. Rotate the baking sheet halfway through for even browning.
14 - Transfer baked bagels to a wire rack and let cool completely for at least 30 minutes before slicing or serving to prevent gummy texture.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- The sourdough tang plays so beautifully against sweet bursts of raspberry
- These freeze beautifully and toaster-oven straight from frozen is basically magic
- That overnight fermentation develops deep flavor you cant fake
02 -
- Dough becomes sticky once berries are added keep your hands lightly floured while shaping
- The water boil is non negotiable it creates that chewy bagel texture plain bread cant replicate
- Overnight refrigeration before step 9 makes these taste professionally complex
03 -
- Add lemon zest to the dough for brightness that cuts through the richness
- Use barley malt syrup instead of honey for that authentic bakery flavor