Raspberry Pistachio Sourdough Bagels

The first morning I pulled these from the oven, my kitchen smelled like a bakery crossed with a berry patch. My roommate stumbled in, rubbing sleep from her eyes, asking what kind of magic was happening at 6 AM. We ate them warm on the fire escape, watching the neighborhood wake up, agreeing that the tang of sourdough made everything feel right with the world.

Last winter, when everyone seemed to be baking bread, I got tired of plain loaves. I started folding unexpected things into my sourdough discard experiments. These bagels emerged from a particularly happy accident where I had both pistachios and freeze dried berries sitting on my counter, looking lonely.

Ingredients

• Active sourdough starter: Use starter at its peak activity, bubbly and doubled in size, for the best rise
• Warm water: Should feel like bath temperature, around 80°F to wake up your starter
• Bread flour: Higher protein content gives bagels their signature chewy texture
• Granulated sugar: Feeds the fermentation and helps the crust caramelize beautifully
• Salt: Essential for flavor and strengthening the gluten structure
• Honey: Adds subtle sweetness and helps the toppings stick during poaching
• Roughly chopped shelled pistachios: Toast them lightly beforehand for even more nutty flavor
• Freeze dried raspberries: Crush them slightly between your fingers for better distribution throughout the dough
• Baking soda: Creates that authentic bagel shop crust during the water bath

Instructions

Wake up your starter:

Mix the sourdough starter and warm water in a large bowl until the starter is completely dissolved and the mixture looks milky.

Build the dough:

Add the bread flour, sugar, salt, honey, pistachios, and freeze dried raspberries. Mix until everything comes together in a shaggy, slightly sticky mass.

Develop the gluten:

Knead on a lightly floured surface for 8 to 10 minutes until the dough feels smooth, elastic, and bounces back when you press it.

Let it rest:

Place the dough in a lightly oiled bowl, cover, and ferment at room temperature for 8 to 12 hours or overnight until noticeably puffy.

Shape your bagels:

Divide the dough into 8 equal pieces and roll each into a smooth ball. Poke a hole through the center with your finger and gently stretch to form the bagel ring.

Second rise:

Place shaped bagels on a parchment lined tray, cover, and let rest for 45 to 60 minutes until slightly puffed and looking eager to bake.

Preheat and prepare:

Preheat your oven to 220°C and bring the poaching liquid to a gentle simmer in a large pot.

The water bath:

Gently drop bagels into the simmering water in batches, poaching for 45 seconds per side until they float to the surface.

Add the garnish:

Remove with a slotted spoon and immediately sprinkle with chopped pistachios and extra freeze dried raspberry pieces.

Bake to golden:

Bake for 20 to 22 minutes until deeply golden brown. Cool completely on wire racks before slicing or they will steam and get gummy inside.

Save

My neighbor Sarah started knocking on my door every Sunday morning after I shared my first batch. She brings coffee from the shop down the street. We split a bagel and plan our week, and somehow everything feels more manageable.

Making Them Your Own

Try swapping pistachios for toasted walnuts or pecans if that is what you have in the pantry. The raspberry pairs surprisingly well with hazelnuts too.

The Poaching Trick

Do not let the water come to a rolling boil. A gentle simmer is perfect because violent bubbles can damage the shape you have so carefully created.

Storage And Serving

These bagels freeze beautifully for up to three months. Slice them before freezing so you can pop them directly into the toaster.

• Wrap individually in plastic wrap for the freezer
• Refresh day old bagels by sprinkling with water and warming at 350°F for 5 minutes
• Extra freeze dried raspberries make for the most beautiful topping garnish

Save

There is something deeply satisfying about making bagels at home, like joining a secret club of people who understand that the best things in life take time.

Recipe FAQs

→ How long does the dough need to ferment?

The dough requires 8-12 hours of fermentation at room temperature, ideally overnight. This long rise develops the sourdough flavor and creates the characteristic chewy texture bagels are known for.

→ Can I use fresh raspberries instead of freeze-dried?

Fresh raspberries can be used, but you'll need to reduce the water in the dough slightly since fresh fruit adds moisture. Freeze-dried raspberries are preferred as they provide concentrated flavor without excess liquid.

→ What makes these bagels chewy?

The combination of high-protein bread flour, sourdough fermentation, and the poaching step creates that signature bagel texture. Boiling in baking soda water gelatinizes the starch surface, resulting in a chewy exterior and soft interior.

→ Can I freeze these bagels?

Yes, these freeze exceptionally well. Once completely cooled, slice them in half and store in an airtight freezer bag for up to 3 months. Toast directly from frozen for best results.

→ What can I use instead of pistachios?

You can substitute chopped walnuts, almonds, or pecans. For a nut-free version, try sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, or simply omit the nuts entirely—the raspberry flavor still shines beautifully.

→ Why is baking soda added to the poaching liquid?

Baking soda increases the water's alkalinity, which enhances browning during baking and creates that glossy, chewy crust typical of authentic bagels. It's a traditional technique used by bagel makers.