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I’ve reached my goal of making overnight sourdough bagels simple, delicious, and effortlessly chewy. You’ll love how painless it is to make cafe-worthy bagels from home.

Baked bagels with different topping.

My love for sourdough is unexplainable. Sourdough bread, sourdough bagels, sourdough cookies, the list goes on! So many people get overwhelmed with the idea of sourdough, but my goal is to make it easy and approachable, especially for beginners! We’re all beginners at one point or another, right?

Bagels, and especially sourdough bagels are sometimes overlooked by home cooks, thinking they’re too hard and too laborious to make. But, I wanted to make the bagel-making process not just “easy”, but “crazy easy!”. And — I made it! I’ve hit the mark with the best sourdough bagel recipe I know. These overnight bagels have a fluffy and slightly chewy texture inside and crisp outside. They also have that perfect mild sourdough flavor we all love.

Note: For this recipe, you’ll need a sourdough starter. You can get one from a friend, make one yourself (this book is a great resource), or purchase a live sourdough starter online. Then, read my complete guide on how to care for it.

Ingredients for overnight sourdough bagles

How to Make Easy Sourdough Bagels

The main ingredient for this easy sourdough bagels recipe is quiet patience. There are a few “rise and rest” phases, but they require no effort on your part. I told you, my goal is to make it crazy easy for you!

Schedule tip: I recommend feeding your starter around noon, then beginning this recipe in the evening/nighttime. The bagels will be ready late the next morning.

Prepare the Dough (Evening Day 1)

  • Combine the wet ingredients: In the bowl of a stand mixer, whisk the starter, sugar, and water together.
  • Add in the dry ingredients: Next, add the bread flour and salt into the wet ingredient mixture. Use a dough hook attachment to knead the ingredients together on low speed. Let the dough rest for 30 minutes, then knead it for another 5 minutes.
  • Rest the dough overnight (first dough rise): Cover the dough with plastic wrap and let it rest at room temperature for 9-13 hours. Keep in mind, the dough may look dry, but that is normal!
Sourdough starter with water in a bowl.
Bagles dough in a mixing bowl.

Shape the Bagels (Morning Day 2)

  • Divide the bagel dough: The next day, remove the dough from the bowl and divide it into 10-12 equal pieces of dough. Shape each dough piece into a ball, cover the balls with a towel, and let them rest for 10 minutes (second rise).
  • Shape the bagels: In each piece of dough, poke a hole in the center and straight through. As you pull the center apart, shape the dough around your thumb or index fingers in a circular motion.
  • Give the bagels a rest: Place the shaped bagels on a parchment paper lined baking sheet, cover them with a towel, and let them rise for 20-25 minutes (third rise).
Dough divided on a baking sheet.
Bagels shaped on a baking sheet.

Cook the Bagels (Morning Day 2)

  • Prepare the boiling water: Bring a large pot of water to boil and stir in a drizzle of honey.
  • Boil bagels: Add 1-2 bagels into the boiling water and allow them to simmer for about 30 seconds on each side.
  • Season the bagels (or don’t!): As soon as you remove a bagel from the hot water, dip it into your favorite seasoning or keep it plain.
Bagels on a plate with topping.
Boiling bagels in a pot.

Day 2 (Morning): Bake the Bagels

  • Bake the bagels: Assemble the homemade bagels on a sheet pan and bake them in the oven at 425°F for about 20 minutes or until they are golden brown.
  • Cool: Lastly, let the bagels cool on a wire rack before serving. Slice, smear, and enjoy your homemade sourdough bagels!

Serving suggestions: I love making a classic lox bagel sandwich with cream cheese, cold smoked salmon, red onion, tomatoes, capers, and fresh dill. Or, make it a classic breakfast bacon and egg sandwich.

Bagels on baking sheet.
Baked bagels on a baking sheet.

Tips to Perfect Your Sourdough Bagels

My goal is to make delicious bagels something easy for the home cook. Bakeries and cafés have good bagels – now you can, too!

  • Use active starter if possible: I prefer to use active starter, but I have successfully used sourdough discard, too. Keep in mind that the older the discard, the more sour the flavor. In general, I’ve only used discard that is a maximum of two days old when kept in the refrigerator.
  • Add in your favorite mix-ins (optional): Chocolate chips, raisins, blueberries, and cranberries are all wonderful mix-ins options if you want to add a little more oomph. If you like savory bagels, you can even add shredded cheddar and jalapeños into the dough.
  • Make the bagel holes large: As the bagels rise during the cooking process, the holes inevitably shrink. It’s crucial to make the hole as large as possible without breaking the bagel in the initial shaping.
  • Boiling is essential – don’t skip it: Many bagels you find in the grocery store and elsewhere actually don’t undergo a boil and are simply baked. That’s why they taste more like bread and less like proper bagels!
  • Avoid over-proofing: Watch out for over-proofing. If the bagels become too airy, they will fall flat during the boiling process.

Hot tip: If you’re making these bagels for kids, I suggest keeping them plain. Kids love the plain and you don’t have to worry about them making a mess with the toppings!

Topping the Easy Sourdough Bagel (Tips)

Sometimes adding toppings to your bagel is a process in and of itself, so here’s three quick topping tips I’ve learned over time.

  • Keep it simple: Poppy seeds, sesame seeds, and everything bagel seasoning is always the most well-received and versatile. The flavors are neutral enough that they won’t overpower the other ingredients, yet they add such a nice pop of flavor. That said, if you have something else in mind (like sharp cheddar cheese) – go for it!
  • Dip the bagel into topping right away: Right after you pull the bagel out of the boiling water, dunk it immediately in the topping. This helps the seasoning stick better throughout the baking and eating process.
  • Use a shallow bowl for dipping: For the best results, add a small amount of seasoning to a very shallow bowl. This makes it easier to dip your bagel (sprinkling the topping on can sometimes be a pain!), but it also ensures you don’t damage the bagel’s integrity.

Make it a pizza bagel: To make a ‘pizza’ bagel, lay the halves open-face on a baking sheet. Top with homemade marinara, mozzarella, roasted garlic, and pepperoni. Yum!

Storing a New York Style Bagel

Sourdough bagels are best fresh, but can be stored at room temperature for up to three days or a week in the fridge. To prevent them from going stale, store them wrapped individually in plastic wrap.

Freezing tip: If you don’t plan to eat them within three days, freeze the bagels in a plastic storage bag for up to three months. Thaw individually on the counter as needed. Use the toaster to get the crisp back!

More Sourdough Recipes

Recipe

Baked bagels with different topping.

Overnight Sourdough Bagels – Crazy Easy

Print Pin
Servings
12 bagels
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Resting Time 9 hours
Total Time 9 hours 35 minutes
Recipe contributed by: Natalya Drozhzhin
I've reached my goal of making easy sourdough bagels simple, delicious, and effortlessly chewy. You'll love how painless it is to make cafe-worthy bagels from home.

Ingredients

US Units – Metric

Instructions

  • In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the starter, sugar, and water.
    Sourdough starter with water in a bowl.
  • Add the flour and salt into the wet ingredients. Use a dough hook attachment to knead the ingredients together on low speed (don't worry – the dough will look a bit dry, but overnight it will become fluffy).
    Flour added to the other ingredients in a bowl.
  • Let the dough rest for 30 minutes, then knead it for 5 minutes. Cover the dough with plastic wrap and let it rest at room temperature for 9-13 hours.
    Bagles dough in a mixing bowl.
  • The following day, remove the dough from the bowl and divide it into 10-12 equal-sized pieces (about 90 grams in weight each). Shape each dough piece into a ball, cover the balls with a towel, and let them rest for 10 minutes.
    Dough divided on a baking sheet.
  • In each ball, poke a hole in the center and straight through with your finger. Pulling the center apart, move the dough in a circular motion around your fingers. Place the shaped bagels on a lined baking sheet. Cover them with a towel and let them rise for 20 minutes.
    Bagels shaped on a baking sheet.
  • Bring a large pot of water to boil. Add honey to the pot and stir until it's fully dissolved. Add 1-2 bagels into the boiling water as "testers". Allow them to simmer for about 30 seconds on each side.
    Boiling bagels in a pot.
  • Straight out of the hot bath, dip the bagels into your favorite seasoning or leave them plain.
    Bagels on baking sheet.
  • Assemble the bagels on a baking sheet, leaving space between each one. Bake them at 425°F for about 20 minutes or until they are golden brown.
    Baked bagels on a baking sheet.
  • Let them cool on a wire rack before serving. Enjoy!
    Baked bagels with different topping.
Nutrition Facts
Overnight Sourdough Bagels – Crazy Easy
Amount Per Serving
Calories 183 Calories from Fat 9
% Daily Value*
Fat 1g2%
Saturated Fat 1g5%
Polyunsaturated Fat 1g
Monounsaturated Fat 1g
Sodium 293mg12%
Potassium 44mg1%
Carbohydrates 38g13%
Fiber 1g4%
Sugar 5g6%
Protein 5g10%
Vitamin A 1IU0%
Vitamin C 1mg1%
Calcium 7mg1%
Iron 1mg6%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Updated April 15, 2026

About Author

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Natalya founded Momsdish to demonstrate that placing a homemade meal on the table is not hard at all. Natalya makes cooking easier and approachable, by simplifying the ingredients, while still producing the same great taste.