Sourdough Blueberry Bagels

These Sourdough Blueberry Bagels are bursting with real fruit flavor in every bite — thanks to a rich, homemade blueberry compote folded right into the dough, plus juicy whole blueberries added during shaping. Naturally leavened with sourdough starter, these bagels are slow-fermented for flavor depth and chew. A touch of lemon zest brightens the berries, while a golden, glossy crust locks in the soft, chewy crumb we love.

Whether you enjoy them plain, toasted, or slathered in cream cheese, these bagels are a showstopper. They’re naturally sweet, subtly tangy, and loaded with pockets of warm fruit — no artificial blueberry flavor in sight.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe:

• Real fruit flavor: Homemade blueberry compote and frozen or dried blueberries make these taste like summer in a bagel.

  
  

• Naturally leavened: No commercial yeast — just wild sourdough for complex flavor and better digestibility.

  
  

• Visually stunning: Deep purple swirls and juicy bursts throughout the dough.

  
  

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Tools You’ll Need:

• Kitchen scale- For accurate hydration and consistent results.

  
  

• Stand mixer or large mixing bowl- To mix the dough thoroughly (a dough hook helps with enriched or wet doughs).

  
  

• Small saucepan- to make the thick blueberry compote.

  
  

• Bench scraper- For cleanly dividing and shaping the dough.

  
  

• Parchment paper (4x4 squares)- To prevent sticking during proofing. To line pan for baking. These precut squares are so convenient linked here https://amzn.to/4mAbWHe

  
  

• Large pot- For boiling the bagels before baking.

  
  

• Slotted spoon or spider- To safely remove bagels from boiling water. I love this spider strainer linked here https://amzn.to/4kJqvGT

  
  

• Baking sheet- To bake the bagels evenly.

Gather Your Ingredients:

• Bread flour (or all-purpose)- High protein for strength and chew. I like to do a 50/50 blend to ensure structure and softness for my dough.

  
  

• Water- Hydrates the dough; lower hydration balances berry moisture.

  
  

• Sourdough starter- Natural leavening for flavor, structure, and health benefits. Make sure starter has been fed and is doubled in size.

  
  

• Frozen blueberries- Provide juicy pops of fruit and natural sweetness. Provides the base of the blueberry compote.

  
  

• Dried blueberries (optional)- For the blueberries mixed into the dough, you can use frozen or dried blueberries. This is preference, but dried blueberries may add a bit more blueberry flavor and will make the dough less hydrated and sticky. My preference is dried, but you can choose frozen or dried.

  
  

• Honey or sugar- Slight sweetness to balance tangy starter and berries. Sweetens the dough and the blueberry compote.

  
  

• Fine sea salt- Balances flavor and strengthens gluten structure.

  
  

• Lemon juice and zest- Brightens and enhances the blueberry flavor in the compote and the bagel dough.

Now let's bake some bagels!

Sourdough Blueberry Bagels

Dough Ingredients:

• 4 cups (500g) bread flour or all-purpose flour

• 3/4 cup (180g) water

• 2/3 cup (150g) active sourdough starter (100% hydration)

• 2 tbsp (30g) honey or sugar

• 1 1/2 tsp (10g) fine sea salt

• 1/3 cup (100g) thick blueberry compote (see below)

• 1/2 cup (75g) frozen or dried blueberries

• Zest of 1 lemon (about 1 tbsp)

Blueberry Compote:

• 1 1/2 cups (200g) fresh or frozen blueberries

• 1 tbsp (12g) sugar or honey

• 1 tsp (5g) lemon juice

Instructions:

Make the Compote:

In a small saucepan or pot, combine blueberries, sugar or honey, and lemon juice.

Simmer over medium heat for 10 minutes, until berries burst and mixture thickens. Make sure to stir while cooking to avoid burning on the bottom of the pot.

Reduce to a thick, jammy consistency — aim for 100g (⅓ cup + 1 tbsp) finished compote.

Cool before using.

Mix the Dough:

In a large bowl or stand mixer, combine flour, water, starter, honey or sugar, lemon zest, and the cooled compote.

Mix until a shaggy dough forms, then knead until mostly smooth (5–8 minutes by hand or stand mixer).

Transfer dough to an oiled bowl or container. Allow dough to rest 30 minutes, and then add frozen or dried blueberries. Perform a set of stretch and folds to incorporate blueberries into the dough. If using frozen blueberries, be aware as the berries thaw that dough will become more hydrated and dough may be a little harder to handle during shaping.

Bulk Fermentation:

Cover dough and rest at room temperature for 8-10 hours or until doubled. Cover container with lid or plastic, and transfer to refrigerator for overnight cold fermentation.

Shape the Bagels:

Divide dough into 8 equal pieces (roughly 120 grams each). Shape into tight balls, allowing them to rest 10-15 minutes.

Line your baking sheet with 8 4x4 parchment squares. Spray squares with non-stick oil. Poke a hole in the center of each dough ball and gently stretch into a bagel shape. You want a hole about the size of a quarter. Transfer shaped bagels to pre-cut parchment squares. Cover bagels with oiled plastic wrap or a damp paper towel and allow to rest 15-20 minutes while you prep your boil bath.

Note: dough that uses frozen blueberries may be more sticky to shape, so use non-stick spray on hands and surfaces to help with shaping.

Boil & Bake:

Preheat oven to 425°F.

Fill a medium sized pot of water with about 2 quarts of water with 2 Tablespoons (30g) of white granulated sugar or honey added to water. Bring pot of water to a boil on high heat.

When water is boiling, transfer 2-3 bagels with the parchment paper to the pot of water. Bagels should float to the top of the pot, this can take 1-2 minutes. Remove parchment paper after it separates from bagels from the pot with tongs. Transfer bagels to a parchment lined cookie sheet, and repeat with remaining bagels until all bagels have been boiled.

Transfer bagels to preheated oven and bake 22-25 minutes.

Remove from oven when bagels have a golden exterior and internal temperature has reached 190-200 F. Allow to cool before slicing.

Serve bagels with fresh fruit and cream cheese.

Enjoy your homemade sourdough blueberry bagels!

Yields 8 bagels

How to Store:

Bagels are best enjoyed same-day, but can be kept at room temperature in an airtight container up to 3 days on the counter. Gently reheat by toasting to enjoy!

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