Sourdough Onion Bagels (Printer Friendly)

Chewy sourdough bagels topped with flavorful sautéed onions, ideal for breakfast or sandwiches.

# What You Need:

→ Sourdough Starter

01 - 3.5 oz active sourdough starter (100% hydration)

→ Dough

02 - 14.1 oz bread flour
03 - 1.8 oz whole wheat flour
04 - 0.35 oz sea salt
05 - 0.9 oz granulated sugar
06 - 8.1 fl oz lukewarm water

→ Onion Topping

07 - 1 large yellow onion, finely chopped
08 - 1 tablespoon olive oil or unsalted butter
09 - 0.25 teaspoon sea salt

→ Boiling

10 - 67.6 fl oz water
11 - 1 tablespoon barley malt syrup or honey
12 - 1 teaspoon baking soda

# Directions:

01 - Heat olive oil or butter in a skillet over medium heat. Add chopped onions and salt, sautéing for 8–10 minutes until soft and golden brown. Set aside to cool completely.
02 - In a large mixing bowl, combine sourdough starter, bread flour, whole wheat flour, sea salt, granulated sugar, and lukewarm water, stirring until a shaggy dough forms.
03 - Knead dough for 8–10 minutes until smooth and elastic. Cover and rest at room temperature for 4 hours, performing two stretch-and-fold turns during the first 2 hours at 30-minute intervals.
04 - Cover dough and refrigerate overnight for 8–12 hours to develop complex sourdough flavor and manageable texture.
05 - Divide dough into 8 equal pieces. Roll each into a ball, poke a hole in the center with your thumb, and gently stretch to form a bagel shape with approximately 2-inch diameter opening.
06 - Place shaped bagels on parchment-lined baking sheet, cover with cloth, and allow to rise for 1–2 hours at room temperature until slightly puffy.
07 - Preheat oven to 425°F. Bring water, barley malt syrup, and baking soda to rolling boil in a large pot. Working in batches, boil 1–2 bagels at a time for 1 minute per side. Remove with slotted spoon and return to baking sheet.
08 - While bagels are still damp, press sautéed onions firmly onto the tops of each bagel. Bake for 20–25 minutes until deep golden brown and cooked through.
09 - Transfer bagels to a wire rack and cool to room temperature before slicing and serving.

# Pro Advice:

01 -
  • The sourdough tang is real and deep—you're not faking it with vinegar or shortcuts, just patience and good starter.
  • Sautéed onions become this glossy, sweet topping that somehow feels both humble and luxurious.
  • Once you nail the shaping, the whole process feels less intimidating than you'd think.
  • These freeze beautifully, so you can have fresh bagels on demand without the rush-hour bakery stress.
02 -
  • The boiling step is non-negotiable and takes barely any time, but it's what transforms your bread dough into an actual bagel with that signature chewy exterior and dense crumb.
  • If your onions look dark and burnt instead of golden, your heat was too high; caramelization is slow and gentle, not rushed.
  • Under-proofed bagels will be dense and heavy; over-proofed bagels will collapse in the boiling water—that 1–2 hour window is your sweet spot.
03 -
  • If you don't have barley malt syrup, honey works, but the flavor and color will be subtly different—keep this in mind if you're aiming for that classic bagel shop taste.
  • Don't skip the stretch-and-folds in the first few hours; they build gluten structure without aggressive kneading and actually make the dough easier to shape later.
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