Practically every single day since I first posted the recipe for my homemade gluten-free sourdough bread, I've gotten requests for one sourdough recipe more than anything else: gluten-free sourdough bagels!
In my Gluten-Free Sourdough Facebook Group, people request these all the time. And I am SO thrilled to finally be able to share the recipe with you - and it's a good one!!
Bagels have a very special place in my heart, so I wanted these to be perfect. For my whole life, my paternal grandparents have told me stories of the Jewish bakery that my great-grandparents owned in New York that made the most amazing bagels.
My grandparents, who met when my grandma was 13 and my grandpa was 15, would go to the bakery after school for egg bagels and water bagels hot from the oven. Unfortunately, no recipes have been preserved for me, just one cake server remains as my connection to that bakery.
But, as you can imagine, once I started recipe testing for bagels, I needed them to be amazing. It runs in my blood! Of course, a gluten-free sourdough bagel isn't what my ancestors were making, but I know these would make them proud.
These gluten-free sourdough bagels are...
- Perfectly baked and chewy on the outside
- Soft, tender crumb on the inside
- Mild sourdough flavor that isn't overwhelming
- Perfect for adding your favorite toppings
- Easy to make with a little patience
Are bagels gluten-free?
No, unless you're specifically seeking out gluten-free bagels, like these gluten-free sourdough bagels, bagels are not naturally gluten-free. They are traditionally made with wheat flour.
What is in gluten-free bagels?
So if not all bagels are gluten-free, you're probably wondering what is in gluten-free bagels. Well, let me tell you! For this recipe, we're using these ingredients:
- Active Gluten-Free Sourdough Starter: if you don't have a gluten-free sourdough starter yet, follow this guide for how to make one! Since we're skipping a preferment for this recipe to help these bagels be made more quickly, you'll want your starter at peak activity when you make this recipe.
- Whole Psyllium Husk: psyllium husk is a form of fiber that acts as our gluten for these bagels: it provides the binding properties and elasticity that help the dough become workable. It gives the structure and support for the bagels to rise, as well.
- Maple Syrup: this provides sugar for the yeast to feed on, which allows the bagel dough to rise.
- Water: filtered water is best for all bread making!
- Olive Oil: this helps soften the crust so it doesn't get too crunchy in the oven.
- Starch: starches, such as potato starch and tapioca starch, help give a nice, fluffy texture to the bagels.
- Gluten-Free Grain Flours: I love using a combination of different grain flours for this recipe, such as brown rice flour, sorghum flour, quinoa flour, millet flour, teff flour, buckwheat flour...I provide a recommended and tested combination in the recipe, but you can experiment with different combinations here.
- Salt: because no recipe is complete without it :)
- Baking Soda: this isn't added to the dough, but you'll use it for the baking soda boil that's needed for a bagel to be a true bagel. It gives the classic chewy bagel crust!
How to make gluten-free bagels:
- Start by hydrating the psyllium with water, and then mix in the maple syrup, olive oil, and active sourdough starter. It should form a thick, gel-like consistency.
- While that hydrates, mix together your starches, gluten-free grain flours, and salt in a large mixing bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer.
- Pour the liquid ingredients into the dry ingredients. Use a dough whisk or the dough hook of your stand mixer to mix into a smooth dough, scraping down the sides as needed to make sure all of the dry ingredients are incorporated.
- Cover and let the dough bulk-ferment in a warm place for about three hours, or until noticeably puffy.
- Divide the dough into 8 equal pieces and shape each piece into a bagel. I like to do this by rolling into a ball and then using my thumb to press a hole in the center, and then open the hole a bit more with my fingers.
- Place the bagels on a lined baking sheet and cover with a towel; let rise for 1 hour.
- While the bagels rise, preheat the oven and get a big pot of water boiling.
- When the bagels have puffed up, add the baking soda to the boiling water and boil the bagels 1 or 2 at a time, depending on the size of your pot, for 30 seconds on each side. Remove from the pot, letting the excess water drip off, and place back down on the baking sheet.
- Repeat for all bagels and add any toppings, like everything bagel seasoning or other seeds of your choice.
- Bake for 30 minutes or until golden brown!
How to store gluten-free bagels:
To store, keep in an airtight bag or container for 2 to 3 days at room temperature. You can also slice them in half and store them in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 6 months.
Want more gluten-free sourdough recipes?
