These gluten-free sourdough bagels are the perfect chewy gluten-free bagels made with a gluten-free sourdough starter. These homemade bagels are an easy breakfast recipe and great for storing in the freezer to enjoy later!
Gluten-free sourdough bagels are a delicious gluten-free sourdough recipe made with an active gluten-free sourdough starter.
If you have made our Gluten-Free Sourdough Bread recipe then you will notice the process of making the bagel dough and allowing it to ferment is very similar to fermenting bread dough. You can mix the dough in the evening, allow it to ferment in the refrigerator overnight and bake the bagels in the morning.
These homemade gluten-free bagels are a delicious and easy gluten-free bread recipe great for an easy breakfast or for storing in the freezer to enjoy later. If you like this recipe then you will love our Gluten-Free Sourdough Pancakes and Gluten-Free Sourdough Chocolate Chip Cookies.
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Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Gluten-Free Sourdough
- Kid-Friendly
- Easy to Make
Ingredients & Substitutions
- Brown Rice Flour - Brown rice flour is a heavyweight flour that's high in protein therefore is common in gluten-free flour blends because the protein provides structure to the dough.
- White Rice Flour - White rice flour is a lightweight flour that ensures the bagels are not too dense.
- Tapioca Starch - Tapioca starch is a lightweight flour and is used as a thickener to help bind the dough together.
- Potato Starch - Potato starch is a lightweight flour that lightens up the flour blend for a soft texture.
- Salt - Salt is essential in sourdough for flavor and helping the ingredients work together to form the dough.
- Gluten-Free Sourdough Starter - A mature, active, bubbly sourdough starter is essential to making delicious gluten-free sourdough bagels. You want to use a starter at its peak in this recipe. This is when the starter has doubled in size, is bubbly and smells sour. Note our gluten-free starter is made with brown rice flour and we have not tried this recipe with a different gluten-free flour starter.
- Water - Water is necessary for the process of fermentation to occur and therefore essential in sourdough as it helps the dough to ferment before baking.
- Maple Syrup - Maple syrup is a source of glucose that accelerates the fermentation process.
- Olive Oil - Olive oil helps to soften the crust of the bagels while they bake.
- Whole Psyllium Husk - Whole psyllium husk is a form of fiber and it acts as a binder that allows the dough to be workable. Without psyllium husk, you would not be able to shape the dough. Note that psyllium husk and psyllium powder are different. You want the whole husk for the gelling and binding benefits of the ingredient.
- Baking Soda & Sugar - Baking soda and sugar are added to the water bath the bagels are boiled in before baking in the oven. Adding sugar and baking soda to the water helps give the bagels a chewier texture.
Complete list of ingredients and amounts is located on the recipe card below.
Kitchen Tools & Equipment
- Kitchen Scale - We highly recommend using a kitchen scale to measure out the ingredients for accuracy and the best results.
- Stand Mixer - A stand mixer helps to easily mix and combine the dough. If you do not have a stand mixer then you can mix the dough by hand.
- Dough Whisk - A dough whisk helps to combine the dry ingredients.
- Plastic Wrap - We like to use plastic wrap to cover the dough as it ferments because it helps to keep the moisture in the bowl so the gluten-free dough doesn't dry out.
- Large Pot - A large pot is used to boil the bagels before baking them.
- Sheet Pan - We recommend baking the bagels on a sheet pan.
- Parchment Paper - We like to line the sheet pan with parchment paper so the bagels are easy to remove after baking.
How to Make Gluten-Free Sourdough Bagels
Step 1. Add water and psyllium husk to a bowl.
Step 2. Add the starter, olive oil and maple syrup.
Step 3. Whisk to combine.
Step 4. Whisk the flours and salt together.
Step 5. Pour the wet ingredients into the bowl with the dry ingredients.
Step 6. Use the stand mixer to mix the wet and dry ingredients together.
Step 7. Allow the dough to sit at room temperature then transfer to the fridge to ferment overnight.
Step 8. In the morning, remove the bagel dough from the fridge.
Step 9. Divide the dough into 6 sections.
Step 10. Roll each section into a ball.
Step 11. Flatten the dough into a rectangle.
Step 12. Fold one side into the center.
Step 13. Fold the other side over.
Step 14. Roll the dough up and shape into a ball.
Step 15. Place your finger in the center of the ball to make a hole.
Step 16. Place each bagel on a sheet pan.
Step 17. Allow the bagels to rise.
Step 18. Boil the bagels.
Step 19. Place the boiled bagels back on the sheet pan.
Step 20. Bake the bagels in the oven.
Recipe Serving Suggestions
This recipe makes 6 gluten-free sourdough bagels. Allow the bagels to cool completely after baking then cut in half to enjoy.
We like to top our bagels with cream cheese but also like to make them into breakfast sandwiches. These bagels are also perfect to meal prep and store in the freezer to enjoy later.
If you like this recipe then you will love our other gluten-free sourdough recipes.
Expert Tips & Variations
- Add toppings. You can customize this recipe by adding toppings to the bagels prior to baking them. Top the bagels with shredded cheese, everything seasoning, or cinnamon sugar for extra flavor then bake in the oven.
- Feed the gluten-free starter. It is important to feed the gluten-free sourdough starter with more flour and water after you discard a portion for this recipe. Mix the dough together with your active starter, then feed your starter equal parts brown rice flour and water.
How to Store Gluten-Free Sourdough Bagels
- Countertop - in an airtight container for 2 days.
- Freezer - in an airtight container for 3 months.
- We recommend cutting the bagels in half before placing in an airtight container to then freeze. This makes it easier to enjoy them later because all you need to do is remove the sliced bagel from the freezer, toast it and enjoy!
Recipe FAQ
An active starter is when the sourdough starter is bubbly and has risen to its peak. Discard is starter that is not in its most active state. Most often discard comes from a starter that has been fed, risen and fallen.
More Gluten-Free Sourdough Recipes
Gluten-Free Sourdough Bagels
These gluten-free sourdough bagels are the perfect chewy gluten-free bagels made with a gluten-free sourdough starter. These homemade bagels are an easy breakfast recipe and great for storing in the freezer to enjoy later!
Ingredients
- 150g brown rice flour
- 70g white rice flour
- 60g potato starch
- 50g tapioca starch
- 10g salt
- 350g water
- 20g whole psyllium husk
- 170g active gluten-free sourdough starter
- 30g maple syrup
- 20g olive oil
- 1 Tablespoon baking soda & sugar for boiling
Instructions
- 8-12 hours before you plan to start the dough for the bagels, feed your gluten-free sourdough starter with ½ cup brown rice flour and ½ cup water. Stir to combine, cover and set aside until the starter is bubbly and active.
- When the starter is at its peak, use a food scale to weight out 350g water.
- Add the whole psyllium husk to the water and whisk to combine.
- Allow the psyllium husk and water to sit for 2 minutes until they form a gel-like consistency.
- Add the active starter, maple syrup and olive oil to the gelled psyllium husk and whisk to combine.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, add the brown rice flour, white rice flour, tapioca starch, potato starch and salt. Whisk to combine.
- Pour the wet mixture into the bowl of the stand mixer with the dry ingredients.
- Use the paddle attachment to mix the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients with the stand mixer on medium speed for 2 minutes.
- Use a silicone spatula to scrape the sides of the bowl and mix on medium speed for an additional 3 minutes.
- Scrape the sides of the bowl into the center of the bowl.
- Cover the bowl of dough with plastic wrap and set the dough aside to ferment at room temperature for 2 hours.
- Once the dough has fermented for 2 hours, use clean hands to shape the dough into a ball.
- Place the dough back into the bowl, cover with plastic wrap and set the bowl in the fridge overnight.
- In the morning, remove the bowl from the fridge. Remove the dough from the bowl and place the dough on a clean work surface.
- Line a sheet pan with parchment paper.
- Use a bench scraper or knife to divide the dough into 6 equal sections.
- Take each section and shape it into a ball.
- Use the palm of your hand to gently flatten the ball into a rectangle.
- Fold each side of the rectangle into the middle to make a trifold.
- Roll the trifold up into a roll with the seam down toward the countertop.
- Use your hands to cup the dough and shape it into a circle.
- Stick your finger in the center of the circle and move it around making a small circular motion to make a hole in the center of the ball of dough.
- Place the bagel onto a sheet pan lined with parchment paper.
- Repeat the process of shaping the bagels until all 6 bagels are on the sheet pan.
- Cover the sheet pan with a tea towel and set the bagels at room temperature for 1-2 hours to rise.
- After you allow the bagels to rise at room temperature, fill a large pot halfway full with water.
- Set the pot on the stovetop and bring the water to a rolling boil.
- At the same time, preheat the oven to 425 degrees.
- When the water is boiling, add 1 Tablespoon sugar and 1 Tablespoon baking soda to the water.
- Place the bagels in the boiling water one at a time for 1-2 minutes to boil. When the bagel floats, it is ready to be removed from the water.
- Remove the boiled bagels and shake off excess water before returning each bagel to the sheet pan.
- Once all 6 of the bagels have been boiled, transfer the sheet pan to the oven and bake the bagels for 25 minutes at 425 degrees.
- When the tops of the bagels are golden brown, remove them from the oven and allow them to cool completely before cutting in half to enjoy.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 6 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 271Total Fat: 5gSaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 4gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 1282mgCarbohydrates: 52gFiber: 4gSugar: 4gProtein: 6g
