This cinnamon crunch sourdough bagel is an ‘any time of day delight’! With a crunch cinnamon sugar topping and a chewy interior, this sourdough bagel recipe gives Panera Bread a run for its money.
My childhood memories are filled with trips to the local Panera Bread to pick up Saturday morning bagels. We would busy cinnamon raisin bagels, everything bagels, chocolate chip bagels and other pastries. Of course we would buy the classic panera cinnamon crunch bagels!
As I have began my sourdough journey, I began to envision recreating those memories with food made from scratch. Each time we enjoy these cinnamon crunch sourdough bagels, I am taken back to Saturday mornings from childhood as I bite into a fresh sourdough bagels.
Is there really anything better for breakfast than a few eggs with a side of bagel topped with cream cheese?
This cinnamon crunch sourdough bagel elevates the basic sourdough bagel recipe by adding cinnamon to the batter and a cinnamon sugar topping. The cinnamon sugar topping comes together with sugar, brown sugar and butter to create a crunch which sits on the top the bagel and caramelizes to the bottom.
Each bite of the chewy bagel bursts with flavor. Seriously, it is so good!
Ingredients for cinnamon crunch sourdough bagels
To make these cinnamon crunch sourdough bagels, there are a few basic ingredients needed.
- All purpose flour
- That’s right – only one flour is needed! No bread flour or whole wheat flour is needed here.
- Sourdough starter
- By utilizing sourdough starter, we replace the need for any yeast substitutes (instant yeast or commercial yeast)
- Sea Salt
- Honey (or maple syrup)
- Water
Cinnamon Crunch Topping
- Cinnamon
- Sugar and Brown Sugar
- Flour
- Butter
Baking Soda Bath
- Baking Soda (for the boiling water bath)
- Brown Sugar
Kitchen Tools
Though these homemade bagels can be made by hand, the process becomes easier with the use of a stand mixer. Other items can make preparation and clean up of the sourdough bagels easy.
- Kitchenaid Stand Mixer
- I purchased my Professional Series Kitchenaid Stand Mixer as a refurbished option to save money and fit our budget.
- Dough Scraper
- Silicone Baking Mat or parchment paper
- Beeswax wrap or plastic wrap
- Sheet Pan
- Reusable Plastic Bags (for storage)
Baking Schedule – Part One
Tailor this schedule to fit your desired timeline and fermentation goals. We prefer a bulk fermentation on the counter and then in the refrigerator overnight. The dough can be fermented for up to 48 hours if needed though the bagels may have a more pronounced ‘sour’ flavor.
Start by feeding your sourdough starter with enough time to allow collection of the starter at peak hydration (IE 100% hydration). For our house, this can take anywhere from 4 to 12 hours based on the temperature of the house and how much starter I began with.
However, this sourdough bagel dough can be made with sourdough discard with great results. I have even used sourdough starter fed straight from the fridge!
Once the active sourdough starter is ready, begin adding the remainder of ingredients to make the bagel dough within a stand mixer or mixing bowl. Add the salt, sourdough starter, honey and water. Allow bagel dough to sit for 5-10 minutes before using the dough hook to knead the dough.
Knead dough until it has a bouncy texture when pressed with your index finger. This process can take 10-15 minutes.
Allow to sit covered with plastic wrap or beeswax wrap on the counter for the bulk fermentation at room temperature. This is the first rise.
The dough will rise, though it may not double in size. At this point you can either allow your dough to bulk ferment longer in the refrigerator (up to 48 hours), or begin the next step of the bagel recipe.
Baking Schedule – Part Two
The next morning, remove the mixing bowl of bagel dough from the refrigerator. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Remove the dough from the pan onto a lightly floured surface or the kitchen counter.
Allow the bagel dough to come to room temperature while preparing a large pot of water to boil. Add in baking soda and brown sugar to the water.
Separate the dough into 8-12 balls and allow to complete their second rise on the countertop. Roll the dough into balls. You can add extra cinnamon to the dough at this time if you would like!
Before placing in the bowling water, push a hole through the middle with your index finger and tug to the corners slightly to ensure the hole stays while baking.
Allow the bagel to boil for about 1 minute before flipping over. Remove from boiling water, using a slotted spoon to remove excess water if you prefer, and place on a prepared baking sheet. Boil all bagels.
In the meantime, begin preparing your cinnamon sugar in a small bowl. Combine softened butter, cinnamon and brown sugar.
Place the cinnamon sugar mixture to the top of the bagels, making sure to place a nice mound on the tops of each bagel. Allow to cook 20-25 minutes until the top of the bagels are golden brown.
Rest assured, this homemade version of the cinnamon crunch bagel is one of the best sourdough recipes you will taste!
Frequently Asked Questions:
Why is my sourdough bagel not rising?
Sourdough bagel dough recipes can be finicky at first. Consider a few factors of the environment, temperature and hydration of your sourdough starter.
- Was your sourdough starter past peak hydration?
- Did you add too much flour to the dough?
- Did you knead the dough long enough?
- If the dough was not bouncy when pushed (or close to a windowpane look when stretched, it may have too much flour.
- Did the dough overferment during the bulk fermentation period?
- Did you put cinnamon in your bagels BEFORE the bulk rise?
- This tends to make a sourdough starter not pass the float test. For whatever reason, readers have commented about cinnamon in their dough inhibiting the rise of the bagels.
The cinnamon sugar topping falls off of the bagels and burns. Why?
To reduce the cinnamon sugar mixture from running off the bagel and caramelizing to the bottom of the bagel or burning, ensure your butter is soft not melted. Adding a tablespoon or two of flour can prevent the mixture from spreading.
Additionally, you can add more cinnamon or sugar to the mixture to reduce the moister. Finally, consider changing the type of sugar to cane sugar, turbinado sugar and coconut sugar. All these pointers can help the cinnamon sugar mixture from running off the bagels.
Do you need a second rise after shaping?
The second rise of this bagel recipe is not necessary. It does, however, aid in the chewy bagel texture and the height of the bagels.
To rise, allow them to come to room temperature for up to an hour prior to baking. Or, consider the second rise complete once the oven preheats and the dough has came up towards room temperature.
Why are bagels boiled before baking?
Boiling bagels helps to seal the exterior of the dough before baking. This step also makes the crusty outer layer on the bagel. Additionally, the hot water helps the dough to rise before going into the oven.
Cinnamon Crunch Sourdough Bagel
Equipment
- 1 Kitchenaid Mixer
- 1 Large Pot
- 1 Baking Sheet
- 1 Wire Rack For cooling
Ingredients
Sourdough Bagel Dough
- 1 TBSP Salt
- 2-1/2 TBSP Honey or Maple Syrup
- 3/4 Cup Sourdough Starter Active or discard work well
- 5-1/4 Cup All Purpose Flour (+/-) Can be more or less by 1/4 cup
- 1-1/2 Cup Water
- 2 TBS Cinnamon (inclusion) *See notes
Baking Soda Bath
- 6-8 Cups Water
- 1 TBSP Baking Soda
- 1 TBSP Brown Sugar
Cinnamon Crunch Topping
- 2 TBS Butter Salted or Unsalted
- 1 TBS Flour All purpose flour or gluten free flour
- 1 TBS Brown Sugar
- 1 tsp cinnamon
Instructions
Bulk Fermentation
- To a mixing bowl, add salt, honey, sourdough starter and water. Allow the dough to sit for 5-10 minutes.
- Use the dough attachment and allow bagel dough to come together on 'stir' until the dough is bouncy. If the dough is pulled apart slightly, it will not split easily and may begin to look like a windowpane glass.
- Cover with plastic wrap or a beeswax wrap. Allow to bulk ferment on the counter for up to 6-12 hours depending on the temperature of your home. The dough will rise 1-1/2 times to double in size at this time.
- Still covered, place in fridge and allow to ferment for up to 48 hours.
Day of Baking (Second Rise + Boiling Water Bath)
- The next morning (or the time of baking), remove from the fridge and begin heating up a pan of boiling water. Heat oven to 425 degrees. To the boiling water, add 1 TBS of baking soda and 1 TBS of brown sugar.
- Remove dough from bowl and place on counter top. Add the cinnamon inclusion into the dough. Knead by hand until incorporated within the dough. Cut into 12 sections.
- Allow to complete second rise on countertop while water is heating. Can allow to rise for 30 minutes to 1 hour before placing in water.
- After the water comes to a boil, reduce heat to low boil. Shape dough balls using your fingers by poking a hole in the middle and shaping into bagels.
- Add 2-4 bagels into the boiling water at a time. Allow to boil for 1 minute, flipping halfway through. The bagels may sink to the bottom of the water before releasing and floating in the water. Remove from boiling water with a slotted spoon and place on a lined sheet pan.
- Mix the cinnamon, sugar, butter and flour together. Add 1 tsp to the center of each bagel.
- Cook bagels for 20 minutes. Then decrease temperature to 350 degrees (keeping the bagels in the oven during this time). Allow to cook for 10-15 more minutes until bagels are golden brown in color.
- Remove from oven and allow to cool on the baking sheet. Transfer to a cookie sheet and allow to cool / sit at room temperature for up to 12 hours. Can be stored in a plastic bag, though it should be vented.
Notes
- Add a tablespoon of flour to the cinnamon sugar mixture to ensure it does not spread off the bagels and burn to the sheet of the bagel.
Do you know someone who enjoyed cinnamon crunch bagels from Panera Bread? Share this sourdough bagel recipe with them. Enjoy!
