Sourdough Blueberry Bagels

These sourdough blueberry bagels are chewy, lightly sweet, and packed with real blueberries. Made with active sourdough starter,r maple syrup, and plenty of berries, they have a gorgeous naturally purple color and little pockets of blueberry throughout.

While homemade bagels might sound like one of those projects that requires an entire weekend and a degree in bread science, they really aren’t. The dough mixes up the night before, ferments while you sleep, and then gets shaped, boiled, and baked the next day.

The result is batch of chewy, homemade blueberry bagels that are pretty enough to make breakfast feel special without making sourdough unnecessarily complicated.

Why you’ll love this recipe

• Real blueberry flavor – Mashed blueberries flavor and color the dough while whole berries create little pockets of blueberry throughout, plus add a gorgeous natural purple color to the dough.
• Easy overnight schedule – Mix the dough before bed, let your starter do its thing, and finish the bagels the next day.
• Classic bagel texture – Boiling the bagels before baking gives them their chewy exterior an soft crumb.

Love homemade bagels? Don’t stop at blueberry! Also try these discard pumpkin bagels and these everything bagel sourdough bagels!

Making blueberry sourdough bagels

Here is a brief overview of how to make these bagels so you know what to expect before you start. For the full set of written directions, please make sure you scroll down to the recipe card below.

Step One: Prepare the blueberries

Thaw the frozen blueberries, and then mash them with a fork or potato masher.

Don’t drain away any of the juice, the mashed berries and their juice become part of the liquid in the dough and give the blueberries their coloring

Step Two: Mix the dough

Add the mashed berries, active starter, 190 grams water, maple syrup, flour, salt, whole blueberries and sugar to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook.

Mix on low speed for 5-10 minutes, until a smooth, strong dough forms.

Add in the remaining water a little at a time as the dough mixes. You may not need all of it! Blueberries contain a lot of moisture, and exactly how much they release can vary from batch to batch. The finished dough should feel firm and just slightly tacky. Bagel dough isn’t supposed to be loose and sticky like some other sourdough doughs.

If the dough is too sticky, add a little more flour (like a Tablespoon at a time), until it becomes easier to handle.

Step Three: Let the dough rise overnight

Cover the bowl and allow it to rest on the counter overnight, about 8-12 hours.

By morning, it should look noticeably puffier and be close to doubled in size.

Step Four: Shape the bagels

Divide the dough Ito 12 equal pieces. Mine were about 126 grams each.

Roll each portion into a smooth ball. Poke your finger through the center, then gently stretch the opening to create the bagel shape.

Note: Go ahead and make the hole a little bigger than you think it needs to be. The dogs will spring back after shaping and puff during the final proof and boiling. If you start with a tiny hole, you may end up with a bun instead of a bagel. Aim for an opening about 1.5″ wide.

Place each shaped bagel onto a small square of parchment paper. This makes them easier to transfer into the boiling water without deflating them.

Step Five: let the bagels rise

Cover the shaped bagels and let them rise for about 4-6 hours, or until they look noticeable puffy.

Step Six: Boil the bagels

Preheat the oven to 425F.

Bring a large pot of water to boil and stir in the sugar.

Working with only a few at a time, carefully lower the bagels into the boiling water. Boil for 1 minute, flip, and boil for another minute on the second side. Don’t crowd the pot. The bagel needs enough room to float freely, and adding too many at once can drop the temperature of the water.

Note: A properly proofed bagel should float when it hits the water. If it sinks immediately, carefully remove it, return it to the tray, and give the remaining bagels more time to rise.

Step Seven: Bake

Transfer the boiled bagels to a baking sheet and bake for 15-20 minutes until lightly browned. If you are checking them with an instant-read thermometer, the centers should reach about 205-210F.

Allow them to cool completely before slicing. Cutting into them while hot can compress the crumb and make the inside seem gummy.

Baker’s Schedule

Day One:

• Morning: Feed the sourdough starter and allow it to become bubbly and active.
• Evening: Prepare blueberries, mix and knead the dough, and let it rest for 30 minutes. Bulk Ferment overnight for 8-12 hours.

Day Two:

• Morning: Divide and shape the bagels, then allow them to proof for 4-6 hours.
• Afternoon: Boil and bake the bagels

Remember to watch the dough and not the clock! The timing of this recipe can vary depending on the temperature and humidity of your kitchen.

Storage Info

These homemade bagels are best the day they are baked, but they will keep well for several days.

Once completely cooled, store them in an airtight container or resealable bag at room temperature for up to 3 days.

You can also freeze the bagels for up to 3 months. I recommend slicing them before freezing, and then place in a freezer safe storage bag, pressing out as much air as possible before freezing in a single layer.