Sourdough Onion Bagels (Print Version)

Chewy sourdough bagels enriched with golden sautéed onions for a flavorful bite.

# What You'll 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

# How to Make It:

01 - Heat olive oil or butter in a skillet over medium heat. Add chopped onions and 0.25 teaspoon salt. Sauté for 8-10 minutes until softened and golden brown. Transfer to a plate and allow to cool completely.
02 - In a large mixing bowl, combine sourdough starter, bread flour, whole wheat flour, salt, sugar, and lukewarm water. Stir until a shaggy dough forms with no dry flour visible.
03 - Knead the dough for 8-10 minutes until smooth and elastic. Cover the bowl and rest at room temperature for 4 hours. Perform two stretch-and-folds during the first 2 hours, working every 30 minutes.
04 - Cover the dough and refrigerate for 8-12 hours overnight. This extended fermentation develops the characteristic tangy sourdough flavor.
05 - Divide chilled dough into 8 equal portions. Form each piece into a ball, then pierce the center and stretch to create a bagel shape with approximately 2-inch center hole.
06 - Place shaped bagels on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Cover and allow to rise at room temperature for 1-2 hours until slightly puffy.
07 - Preheat oven to 425°F. Bring water, barley malt syrup or honey, and baking soda to a rolling boil in a large pot. Boil bagels in batches of 1-2, allowing 1 minute per side. Remove with a slotted spoon and return to the baking sheet.
08 - While bagels are still damp, press sautéed onions firmly onto the top surface of each bagel. Bake for 20-25 minutes until deep golden brown and cooked through.
09 - Transfer bagels to a wire cooling rack. Allow to cool completely before slicing and serving.

# Additional Tips::

01 -
  • That tangy sourdough bite paired with sweet, golden onions is the kind of flavor combination that makes you stop talking mid-breakfast to appreciate what's in your mouth.
  • One batch fills your kitchen with the smell of boiling bagels and caramelized onions—a smell that somehow says both comfort and celebration.
  • They're sturdy enough for sandwiches but special enough that eating one plain with just butter feels like a treat.
02 -
  • The overnight cold fermentation isn't optional—it's what transforms these from decent bagels into ones with real sourdough character and tangy flavor depth.
  • Your boiling water temperature and that 1 minute per side timing is non-negotiable; bagels that boil too long become dense and gummy, while under-boiled ones won't develop that chewy crust.
  • Don't skip cooling the caramelized onions before topping; they'll slide right off warm, wet dough, but once cooled they grip beautifully.
03 -
  • If you want extra texture and flavor, press a mixture of the caramelized onions with poppy seeds or sesame seeds onto the wet bagels right after boiling—the combination of sweet onion with nutty seeds is genuinely incredible.
  • Score the top of each bagel lightly with a sharp knife before boiling if you want them to look more bakery-style; it creates those little ridges that catch the onions beautifully and make them look intentional.
Go Back