Blueberry Bagel
When I used to work in a bakery, we made fresh bagels every morning. One of the best selling flavors was the blueberry bagel. That’s why I want to share this recipe of blueberry bagels with sourdough starter.
| Ready in: 18-36 hours | Serves: 8 people |
| Yield: 8 bagels, 110-115g each | Units: US, EU |
Ingredients
Sourdough starter
- 10g sourdough starter
- 50g water
- 50g bread flour
Dough
- 550g bread flour (100%) (+/-50g extra flour if needed)
- 225g water (40%)
- 100g starter (18%)
- 40g sugar(7%)
- 10g salt (2%)
- 100g frozen and thawed blueberries
- 0.5g yeast (optional, to reduce sourness)
Boiling
- You need a wide pot
- 1 gallon of water
Directions
Day 1
Starter
Night before
- Add starter to the water and whisk together, add flour, mix well, cover loosely, let it sit at a room temp 74-78F for about 8-10 hours until starter reaches its peak (at least triples in volume).
Day 2
Dough
Morning
- Mix water, sugar, sourdough starter (100g on its peak, the rest use for future feedings), thawed blueberries, salt and flour in your mixer.
- Mix until dough will come up together and all blueberries will be mixed into the dough.
- Cover and let it rise until it becomes lighter with bubbles on surface, for 3-4 hours , perform a couple folds during that time.
Shaping
- Prepare the baking tray with the parchment paper in it. Place the dough onto a non-floured surface.
- Flatten the dough into a rectangle and divide it into 10 equal pieces, about 100 grams each.
- Round each piece into a ball and let rest for 10-15 min.
- Poke each ball with your finger in the middle and start to stretch the hole with your fingers, until it will get bigger about 2 inches long.
- Set bagels on the prepared baking tray.
- Cover the tray with plastic or wet towel. Let bagels rest for 1-1.5 hour at a room temperature.
Note: If you want to bake bagels the same day, let them proof 1 extra hour and proceed to a boiling stage.
Note: If you want to bake bagels in the morning for breakfast:
- Then transfer the tray to the fridge for 6-18 hours (overnight).
Day 3
Boiling
- Bring a medium pot of water to a boil.
- Preheat your oven to 425F (220C).
- Remove bagels from the fridge add 1-2 bagels into the pot and wait for them to float to the surface, for about 10 seconds (some will float right away).
- Cook for 30 seconds on each side for a thin crust. Using a slotted spoon, remove the bagels from the water, dip the rounded side into seeds (or whatever topping) to coat.
- Place them back on to the sheet-pan covered with parchment paper generously sprayed with oil.
- Bake the bagels for about 20-25 minutes at 425F.
Sourdough Blueberry Bagels
248kcal
Ingredients
Sourdough Starter Levain (Night Before)
- 10 g Sourdough starter
- 50 g Water
- 50 g Bread flour
Stiff Blueberry Dough
- 550 g Bread flour (100%) (+/- 50 g extra flour if needed)
- 225 g Water (40%)
- 100 g Active sourdough starter (18% – from the build above)
- 40 g Sugar (7%)
- 10 g Salt (2%)
- 100 g Frozen blueberries thawed (or blueberry purée)
- 0.5 g Instant yeast optional, to reduce sourness
Boiling Bath & Baking
- 1 gallon Water
- Parchment paper + oil spray
Equipment
- Stand Mixer fitted with dough hook
- Wide Pot for boiling bath
- Baking Sheet & Parchment Paper
- Slotted Spoon
Method
Night Before: Build Levain
- Combine 10 g starter with 50 g water and 50 g bread flour in a glass jar. Cover loosely and let ferment at 74–78°F (23–26°C) for 8–10 hours until peak volume (tripled in size).
Mix & Bulk Ferment Dough
- In your stand mixer bowl, combine 225 g water, 40 g sugar, 100 g peak starter, thawed blueberries, 10 g salt, 550 g bread flour (and optional yeast).
- Mix with dough hook until ingredients come together completely and blueberries are incorporated into the dough matrix.
- Cover and let bulk ferment at room temperature for 3–4 hours until lighter with bubbles on top, performing a couple of folds during the rise.
Divide, Shape & Cold Proof
- Turn dough onto an unfloured work surface. Flatten lightly and divide into 10 equal pieces (~100 g each).
- Round each piece into a smooth, tight ball and let rest 10–15 minutes.
- Poke a hole through the center of each ball with your finger and stretch outward until the center gap measures roughly 2 inches.
- Place shaped pitas onto a parchment-lined baking tray sprayed with oil.
- Cover with plastic wrap and rest for 1–1.5 hours at room temperature, then transfer tray to the refrigerator for 6–18 hours overnight cold retard.
Boil & Bake
- Preheat oven to 425°F (220°C). Bring 1 gallon of water to a steady boil in a wide pot.
- Drop 1–2 cold bagels into boiling water. Boil for 30 seconds on each side (bagels will float within 10 seconds).
- Remove with a slotted spoon, place back onto the oiled parchment-lined sheet pan, and add desired seed/sugar toppings.
- Bake for 20–25 minutes at 425°F until deep golden brown. Cool on a wire rack before slicing.
Nutrition
Calories248kcalCarbohydrates51gProtein8gFat1gSaturated Fat0.1gPolyunsaturated Fat0.5gMonounsaturated Fat0.1gSodium409mgPotassium68mgFiber2gSugar5gVitamin A7IUVitamin C1mgCalcium22mgIron1mg
Notes
- The Fresh vs. Dried Blueberry Dynamic: If you choose to use fresh blueberries, they will naturally release moisture and burst slightly during the mechanical mixing stage, coloring your dough a lovely purple color. If you prefer a cleaner, uncolored dough matrix with intact fruit pockets, simply substitute the fresh berries dynamic-for-dynamic with 80g of plump dried blueberries instead.
- The Float Test Guardrail: If you are worried your bagels didn’t proof enough during their cold night in the fridge, drop one shaped ring into a bowl of cold water before starting your boiling process. If it floats instantly to the surface, your yeast is perfectly active and ready to go. If it sinks like a stone, let the tray sit on your warm kitchen counter for 30 to 45 minutes to wake up before boiling.
- Why the Boiling Bath is Essential: Dropping the proofed rings into boiling water with baking soda and honey serves a vital chemical purpose. The intense heat instantly gelatinizes the starches on the exterior surface of the dough, locking the ring shape in place and preventing further expansion. This process ensures your bagels develop a thick, satisfyingly chewy outer shell rather than expanding into a soft, airy roll.
- Handling Low-Hydration Stiff Doughs: Do not be tempted to add extra splash streams of water during step 4 if the dough matrix looks incredibly dry or takes a while to clean the bowl. Authentic bagels demand a low-hydration structure to maintain their dense texture. Trust your stand mixer hook to steadily compress and smooth the ingredients together on low speed.
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Great recipe! I used fresh blueberries and it worked out great. My husband’s fav so I’ll def be making again!
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Natalya, thank you for your generosity of posting detailed recipes. I’ve made your white sandwich loaf and blueberry bagels yesterday and both were terrific. The only thing I can add to the recipe that after thawing blueberries – don’t add that liquid. I didn’t – and it was perfect .Thank you.
All’s, thank you do much for your feedback and suggestion not to add water.
I should try it too 🙏
Hi, looking forward to trying this! It says it makes 8 bagels, but your directions say to divide into 10 pieces?
Sorry it was a typo. You will get 10 bagels from the recipe 🙏
Happy good morning,
Thank you for the detailed recipe. You mentioned “ Place them back on to the sheet-pan covered with parchment paper generously sprayed with oil.”
Does this mean that I spray the pan before putting the parchment sheet or I spray the papper on top before putting the bagels?
Hi!
You need to spray the paper with oil, because otherwise bagels will stick to the paper during baking.
Hello Natasha, I have same question as Patricia. Boil bagel straight from fridge or need to give time for rise up at room temperature. Thank you for your patience.
Both ways will work great! Good luck 🙏
Thank you.
Hello Natasha, I have a quick question about the Bakers Percentage in this formula.
Shall I add 40g sugar as the recipe or 17g sugar instead to follow 3% BP?
I’m looking forward to trying it tomorrow, so I’m gonna prepare the starter tonight. Thank you.
Sorry it is my typo, definitely 40g (7%)
Hi Natasha, This is related to next day bake where CR in frudge. You mentioned “Remove bagels from the fridge add 1-2 bagels into the pot and wait for them to float to the surface, for about 10 seconds (some will float right away).”. Meaning straight from fridge to pot of boiling water? Or do I need to leave it at room temperature for it to proof first. Thank you.
You can let them rest at room temperature before boiling them, or something I just boil them right away, and they are still great.
Thank you. Have a great day.
Hello, Natasha
Thank you for your amazing detailed recipes, I’m so happy that I found your profile and subscribed to you on Instagram.
My question about this recipe is – can I use fresh blueberries, or I should freeze it first?
Thank you in advance
Iryna, thank you for your kind feedback! I would suggest frozen blueberries, or you can make a purée from fresh berries.