Why you will love this recipe:
Because these aren’t the sad, squishy blueberry bagels you’ve been tricked into buying at the grocery store. These are chewy, blistered, tangy, fruit-packed units that prove breakfast carbs should be taken seriously. You get the depth of a long sourdough ferment, the pop of real blueberries, and that signature bagel bite—the kind that gently fights back before it gives in. Plus, you made them. From scratch. Like an absolute champion.
Tips:
Use a strong starter. Not just alive—thriving. Don’t skip the cold ferment, unless you enjoy mediocrity. Blueberries? Use them frozen if you must, but fold them gently or your dough will look like it lost a bar fight. Boil your bagels. This is non-negotiable. That crust? That chew? It doesn’t happen in an air fryer, folks.
Recipe Card
- Recipe name: Blueberry Sourdough Bagels
- Summary: Wildly chewy sourdough bagels layered with juicy blueberry bursts and baked to golden, blistered perfection. Breakfast = fixed.
- Prep time: 30 minutes hands-on
- Cook time: 25 minutes
- Additional time: 1 hour rise + 12–18 hour cold proof
- Total time: About 14 hours (but worth every second)
- Servings: 8 bagels
- Diet: Vegetarian
- Method: Sourdough → Shape → Boil → Bake
Ingredients:
- 300g bread flour
- 180g water (room temp)
- 100g active sourdough starter (fed and bubbly)
- 10g sugar
- 6g sea salt
- 150g fresh or frozen blueberries
- Optional: 1 tablespoon honey or sugar for boiling water
- Optional toppings: raw sugar, oats, seeds
How to Make Sourdough Blueberry Bagels
- In a mixing bowl, combine flour, water, starter, sugar, and salt. Mix into a shaggy dough. Knead for 8–10 minutes until smooth, elastic, and springy. If your forearms aren’t mildly offended, you didn’t knead long enough.
- Gently fold in the blueberries. This is a light fold, not a berry massacre. You want speckled dough, not purple soup.
- Cover and let the dough rest for 1 hour at room temperature. It won’t double—this is sourdough, not a yeast rocket.
- Divide dough into 8 equal pieces (~85g each). Roll into tight balls. Let them rest 10 minutes.
- Poke a hole in the center of each dough ball and stretch it into a ring. Think “bagel,” not “donut.” Place on parchment-lined tray. Cover and cold-proof in the fridge overnight (12–18 hours).
- Preheat oven to 425°F. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add a tablespoon of sugar or honey to the water for a golden, glossy crust.
- Boil bagels 1 minute per side. No skipping. This is the transformation moment—floppy dough becomes chewy armor.
- Return boiled bagels to the tray. Sprinkle toppings if using. Bake for 22–25 minutes until golden brown and blistered in all the right places.
- Cool on a wire rack. Try not to eat them all in one sitting.
Storage
Store cooled bagels in an airtight bag at room temp for 2–3 days. Slice and freeze any extras. Toast straight from frozen like a responsible adult.
Baker’s Schedule
- Evening, Day 1: Mix, fold, shape, cold-proof
- Morning, Day 2: Boil, bake, bite, brag
Final Bite
These blueberry sourdough bagels? They’re not background food. They’re not an accessory to your latte. They’re the main character—chewy, glossy, tangy, and stuffed with the kind of fruit that actually shows up. You made these with wild microbes, your own two hands, and zero shortcuts. And that’s something worth tearing into.
So toast it, schmear it, layer it with butter and salt or go sweet and creamy. Just don’t forget to pause for a second, look at that glossy crust, and whisper to yourself… I did this.
Want more unapologetically rustic, flavours-obsessed recipes like this one? Shoot an email to [email protected] and tell me what your readers are hungry for. I’ll send the next doughy knockout straight to your inbox.
