Sourdough Asiago Bagels
This recipe for sourdough asiago bagels is easy, incredibly delicious, and packed with rich asiago cheese flavor in every bite.
The overnight dough comes together fast with your stand mixer. Mix it before bed, let it rise, shape, boil, and bake in the morning. It’s that easy!
carmyn's notes
These sourdough asiago bagels are sooooo good! They’re soft on the inside, chewy on the outside, and just as easy to make as our classic sourdough bagels and blueberry bagels—just with a delicious cheesy twist.
Enjoy them as tasty breakfast bagels stacked with eggs and bacon or toasted with cream cheese.
Like our English muffins, this sourdough asiago bagel recipe is super easy to make, and you’ll love the chewy texture and delicious sourdough flavor in every bite!
Sample Baking Schedule
Before we dive into the details, let's look at a typical schedule for making these sourdough bagels.
My kitchen's ambient temperature is 68°F (20°C). If your kitchen is cooler, fermentation may take longer at each stage. If it's warmer, the process will be quicker.
- 8 AM - Feed starter. (At 68°F my starter can be used in 8-12 hours)
- 8 PM - Mix bagel dough in a stand mixer, cover, and let it sit at room temperature overnight.
- 7 AM - Divide bagel dough, shape, and cover with a tea towel.
- 7:30 AM - Prepare boiling water and preheat the oven.
- 8 AM - Boil bagels, add cheese, and bake.
Pro Sourdough Tip
- If your kitchen temperature exceeds 70°F, fermentation will occur faster than in the example above. Keep a close watch on your starter and dough to prevent over-proofing.
- In warmer kitchens, the sourdough starter may be ready for baking in as little as 4 hours.
- Adapt your baking schedule based on your kitchen's ambient temperature—it may take some trial and error!
Ingredients & Equipment needed
- Asiago Cheese: Grate asiago cheese fresh from the block for the best results. Pre-grated versions often have anti-caking agents that can impact the texture.
- Sourdough Starter: Ensure your sourdough starter is active and bubbly before mixing the dough.
- Flour: This recipe calls for bread flour, but you can use all-purpose or whole-wheat flour. If the dough feels too dry, add more water to adjust the hydration.
- Honey: A liquid sweetener helps with the dough’s hydration. You can use honey, agave syrup, or maple syrup. If using granulated sugar, add a little water if needed.
- Salt
- Water
Step by Step Instructions with Photos
Ensure your starter is well-fed and active before mixing the dough. Use it at its peak fermentation in the jar for the best results!
Step 1
Grate the asiago cheese on the side of the box grater with the largest holes. Transfer 1 cup (2 oz.) to a bowl, cover it, and place it in the fridge to top the bagels before baking.
In the bowl of a stand mixer, stir together the starter, water, honey, and salt with a spatula. Add the bread flour and grated asiago cheese, and use your hands to combine the ingredients as well as possible.
Step 2
Place the dough hook on the mixer and mix the dough on number 3 speed for 6-7 minutes. (Or 10 minutes by hand.)
Step 3
Cover the bowl and let rest at room temperature for 8-12 hours.
(The photo above shows what the dough should look like after bulk fermentation.)
Step 4
Line a sheet pan with parchment paper. Turn the dough onto a clean work surface and divide it into 8 equal pieces.
Shape each piece into a ball. Place a dough ball on the surface in front of you to shape the bagel and gently press it out.
Step 5
Begin folding one side of the dough ball into the center.
Step 6
Fold another side into the center.
Step 7
Once all sides are folded into the center, pinch the center together.
Step 8
Flip the ball over and use the palm of your hands to roll the ball tightly.
Step 9
Use your thumb to poke a hole straight down through the middle of the dough.
Step 10
Pick up the bagel dough and gently stretch the hole to 2 to 3 inches using your index fingers. Then, place it on the parchment paper.
Repeat with remaining dough balls. Cover the dough with a towel and let it rise until it is puffy. This can take anywhere from 1-2 hours, depending on the temperature of your kitchen.
Step 11
Preheat your oven to 425°F (218°C), ensuring the oven rack is in the center position.
Bring 6 cups of water to a boil in a large stockpot and add one tablespoon of sugar. Place 2-3 bagels into the water, ensuring not to crowd the pot. If they sink to the bottom, give them a gentle nudge with a mesh strainer to help them float to the top. Boil them for 2 minutes on each side.
Step 12
Use a mesh strainer or slotted spoon to remove the bagels and transfer them to a parchment-lined baking sheet.
Sprinkle the top of the bagels with the remaining cheese.
Step 13
Bake the bagels at 425°F (218°C) for 25-28 minutes or until golden brown.
Step 14
Once the bagels have cooled completely, slice in half and serve.
How to Store
Keep cooked bagels covered at room temperature for up to a week. Avoid storing them in the refrigerator.
To freeze baked bagels, allow them to cool completely. Wrap each bagel individually in plastic wrap and store them in a freezer-safe container for up to three months.
For reheating, if frozen, let the bagels thaw at room temperature. Slice in half and warm them in a toaster.
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Sourdough Asiago Bagels Recipe
INGREDIENTS
Ingredients to make ½ cup (100 g) of Active Sourdough Starter
- 1 tablespoon (15 g) sourdough starter
- ⅓ cup + 1 tablespoon (50 g) all-purpose flour
- 3 ½ tablespoons (50 g) water
Bagel Dough
- ½ cup (100 g) active sourdough starter
- 1 cup + 2 tablespoons (270 g) water
- 2 tablespoons (40 g) honey (or sugar)
- 1 teaspoon (5 g) fine sea salt
- 4 cups + 2 tablespoons (500 g) bread flour
- 8 oz. block asiago cheese (grated, reserve 1 cup for topping)
Water Bath
- 6 cups water
- 1 tablespoon sugar
INSTRUCTIONS
Feed Your Sourdough Starter
- 12 hours before you plan to mix the dough, add 1 tablespoon (15 g) sourdough starter, ⅓ cup + 1 tablespoon (50 g) all-purpose flour, and 3 ½ tablespoons (50 g) water to a clean jar to make your active starter for the dough. Stir until combined, loosely cover the jar and let the starter rise at room temperature. (The ingredients will create a total of 115 g active starter but, because some of it will stick to the sides of the jar during the transfer, we are making a little more than needed.) The sourdough starter is ready to use when it has doubled in size and there are plenty of bubbles on the surface and sides of the jar.
Make the Dough
- Grate an 8 oz. block asiago cheese on the side of a box grater with the largest holes. Transfer 1 cup (2 oz.) to a bowl, cover, and place in the fridge. This will be for topping the bagels.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, stir together ½ cup (100 g) active sourdough starter, 1 cup + 2 tablespoons (270 g) water, 2 tablespoons (40 g) honey, and 1 teaspoon (5 g) fine sea salt with a spatula. Add 4 cups + 2 tablespoons (500 g) bread flour and the grated asiago cheese, and use your hands to combine the ingredients as well as possible so there are no dry bits left in the bowl.
- Place the dough hook on the mixer and mix the dough on number 3 speed for 6-7 minutes. (Or 10 minutes by hand.) Cover the bowl and let rest at room temperature for 8-12 hours.
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Turn the dough out onto a clean work surface and divide it into 8 equal pieces. Shape each piece into a ball. To shape the bagel, place a dough ball on the work surface and use your thumb to poke a hole straight down through the middle of the dough. Pick the bagel dough up, gently shape the ring, and place it on the parchment paper. Repeat with remaining dough balls. Cover the dough with a towel and let rise until puffy. This can take 1-2 hours depending on the temperature of your kitchen.(See notes about parchment paper.)
- Preheat your oven to 425°F (218°C), ensuring the oven rack is in the center position.
- Bring 6 cups of water to a boil in a large stockpot and add one tablespoon of sugar. Place 2-3 bagels into the water, ensuring not to crowd the pot. If they sink to the bottom, give them a gentle nudge with a mesh strainer to help them float to the top. Boil them for 2 minutes on each side.
- Use a mesh strainer or slotted spoon to remove the bagels and transfer them to a parchment-lined baking sheet. Sprinkle the top of the bagels with the remaining cheese.
- Bake the bagels at 425°F (218°C) for 25-28 minutes or until golden brown. Once the bagels have cooled completely, slice in half and serve.
NOTES
- Parchment Paper: I recommend using Kirkland brand parchment paper from Costco. I've used it for years with zero sticking issues with any of my recipes. Flour the bottom of the bagels or the parchment paper after shaping them if you issues with sticking.
- How to measure flour without a scale: Use a spoon to scoop the flour into a measuring cup until it is heaped on top. Take a butterknife and level off the top. This should give you the most accurate measurement for flour.
- To Store: Baked bagels can be kept covered at room temperature for up to one week. Storing in the fridge is not recommended.
- To Freeze baked bagels, Let them cool completely. Then, wrap each bagels individually in plastic wrap and place them in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months.
- To Reheat: If frozen, allow the bagels to thaw on the counter. Cut in half and heat in a toaster or toaster oven.
Very easy to do, love how detailed you were with the timelines.
This is now my go-to bagel recipe! Absolutely delicious and so easy. Love the sourdough English muffin recipe too. I sprinkle some semolina on the parchment to keep the bagels from sticking. Thanks!
So many issues getting the bagels from parchment paper to boiling water. No clue where it all went wrong. And they deflated.
It sounds like your dough may have over-proofed, which we’ve found to be the most common reason for bagels deflating or going flat. Over-proofing weakens the gluten structure, resulting in a stickier dough—this could be why you had trouble transferring them from the parchment paper to the boiling water.
I’ve actually made these using your other bagel recipe and they are always really good. I sometimes also mix in jalapeños. I’ve also made sun dried tomato and mozzarella bagels with your standard recipe, I’ve found that it’s very flexible and forgiving.