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Sourdough Blueberry Bagel

Sourdough Blueberry Bagels

Joselyn Buehler
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.
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Servings 8

Equipment

  • digital kitchen scale
  • Stand mixer or large mixing bowl
  • Small saucepan
  • Bench scraper
  • 8 4x4 inch parchment squares
  • Large pot
  • Slotted spoon or spider
  • Baking Sheet
  • silicone mat optional

Ingredients
  

Bagel Dough:

  • 4 cups (500g) bread flour or all-purpose
  • 3/4 cup (180g) room temperature water
  • 2/3 cup (150g) bubbly sourdough starter 100% hydration
  • 2 Tablespoons 930g) white granulated sugar or honey
  • 1 1/2 teaspoon (10g) sea salt
  • 1/3 cup (100g) blueberry compote
  • 1/2 cup (75g) frozen or dried blueberries
  • 1 Tablespoon zest of 1 lemon

Blueberry Compote:

  • 1 1/2 cups (200g) frozen or fresh blueberries
  • 1 Tablespoon (12g) white granulated sugar or honey
  • 1 teaspoon (5g) lemon juice

Instructions
 

Make The Compote:

  • In a small saucepan or pot, combine blueberries, sugar or honey, and lemon juice.
    1 1/2 cups (200g) frozen or fresh blueberries, 1 Tablespoon (12g) white granulated sugar, 1 teaspoon (5g) 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, salt, honey or sugar, lemon zest, and the cooled compote.
    4 cups (500g) bread flour, 3/4 cup (180g) room temperature water, 2/3 cup (150g) bubbly sourdough starter, 2 Tablespoons 930g) white granulated sugar, 1 1/2 teaspoon (10g) sea salt, 1 Tablespoon zest of 1 lemon, 1/3 cup (100g) blueberry 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.
    1/2 cup (75g) frozen or dried blueberries

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 and 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.
  • Enjoy your homemade sourdough blueberry bagels!
  • Yields 8 bagels

Notes

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!