This recipe was born out of my love for warm, homemade sourdough bagels made with any type of berry! After falling completely in love with blueberry sourdough bagels, then strawberry sourdough bagels, and even raspberry sourdough bagels, I was beyond excited to try blackberries next. This recipe is an adaptation of one of my most popular recipes of all time, blueberry sourdough bagels, and is so easy to make. Made with fresh or frozen blackberries, it’s perfect any time of year.

Looking for more sourdough baking recipes? Check out my classic sourdough bagels, beginner sourdough bread, or these cinnamon raisin sourdough bagels.

Why You’ll Love These Blackberry Sourdough Bagels

Real blackberries: REAL blackberries give these bagels a delicious, sweet blackberry flavor and a naturally purple dough. Use fresh or frozen blackberries to make these summery bagels any time of year.
Sourdough: This recipe uses active sourdough starter instead of yeast to leaven the bagels. A long and slow fermentation process develops incredible flavor and a perfect soft and chewy texture. Plus, you get all the gut-healthy benefits from sourdough fermentation!
Easy to make: Whether you’ve made sourdough bagels before or it’s your first time, these bagels are easy to make! Most of the time is hands-off, too, while the dough rests. Pretty soon, you’ll be enjoying incredible bakery-quality bagels right at home.

Blackberry bagel halves with cream cheese.

Soft on the inside, perfectly chewy, and naturally sweet with juicy blackberries throughout – these homemade blackberry sourdough bagels are delicious, beautifully purple, and pair so well with cream cheese or any of your favorite bagel toppings, like butter and jam. Blackberries are great with honey too, so I decided to top mine with a honeycomb cream cheese that I prepared with my homemade cream cheese.

Watch my Blackberry Bagel Video:

Ingredients for Blackberry Sourdough Bagels

You only need a few simple ingredients to make these incredible blackberry sourdough bagels!

Blackberries: Fresh or frozen blackberries work for this recipe so it’s perfect any time of year! If using frozen blackberries, thaw on the stove or in the microwave and let them cool before adding to the dough. Also, don’t forget to reserve all the juices from the thawing process!
Flour: A high-protein bread flour is a must for bagel making. I love to use King Arthur’s organic bread flour.
Sourdough starter: This recipe calls for active sourdough starter. Feed your starter roughly 8-12 hours before you plan on mixing the bagel dough in step 3.
Water: Blackberries contain water, so this recipe calls for less water than my classic bagel recipe.
Salt: Adds flavor and also helps to control the fermentation process!
Honey or sugar: Honey or your preferred sweetener of juice is needed to soften the dough and create the classic soft-on-the-inside chewy on the chewy-on-the-outside bagel texture. Other great options include maple syrup, sugar, brown sugar, or barley malt syrup.
(Optional) Freeze-dried blackberries: For added speckling and a little extra flavor and texture, I add a little bit of freeze-dried blackberries to the dough.

How to Make Blackberry Sourdough Bagels

These blackberry bagels come together easily with simple ingredients, fresh or frozen blackberries, and some basic kitchen equipment like a stand mixer – although you can make them by hand!

Day 1: Mix the Bagel Dough and Let it Rise

Prep the blackberries: If using frozen blackberries, warm them up on the stovetop or in the microwave and make sure to reserve all of the juices.
Mix the dough: In the bowl of a stand mixer or large mixing bowl, combine all of the bagel dough ingredients outlined below. Mix on low speed for 6-7 minutes or knead by hand for 8-10 minutes.
First rise: Lightly grease a large bowl. Place your bagel dough in the bowl, cover, and let rise at room temperature until it roughly doubles in size – about 6 to 8 hours. Depending on the temperature of your home and the strength of your starter your dough may need more or less time. Optional: Perform four sets stretch and folds to add strength and volume to your dough.
Overnight Proof: Once it has roughly doubled in size, transfer your dough to the fridge to cold proof overnight, or for 8-12 hours. Cold proofing develops more complex flavor in the dough, improves the height and texture of your final bagels, and makes the dough easier to handle during the shaping process.

Day 2: Shape, Boil, and Bake The Bagels

Shape the bagels: The next morning, remove your dough from the fridge and transfer it to a work surface. Divide the dough into 8 equal pieces, approximately 4.25oz (125g) each. Shape each piece into a ball by pulling the corners up and over, and then gently round with your hands. To poke a hole in the bagel, simply poke your finger through the center of the ball. Using both index fingers, twirl the bagel around to widen the hole. Repeat this process for each ball and transfer your shaped bagels to a greased baking sheet.
Final rise: Let your bagels rise at room temperature for roughly 2-3 hours, until puffy to the touch. If you have an oven or countertop oven with a “Proof” setting, this is a great way to expedite the process. I like to set my oven proof setting to 95 degrees and proof the shaped bagels for roughly 60 minutes.
Boil the bagels: Preheat your oven to 425F and bring a large pot of water to a boil on the stove. Working in small batches, boil the bagels for two minutes on each side. Use a slotted spoon or mesh strainer to transfer the bagels to a parchment-lined baking sheet. At this point you can add additional blackberry pieces to the bagels if you’d like any on top!
Bake the bagels: Bake the bagels for 20-25 minutes, until lightly golden brown on the top. Allow the bagels to fully cool before slicing.
Serve and enjoy: Top your bagels with your favorite bagel topping, like a generous schmear of homemade cream cheese or butter and jam, and enjoy your delicious homemade sourdough bagels!

Sample Baking Schedule

Here’s my typical baking schedule for making sourdough bagels. I usually like to mix the dough in the mornings so that my bagels are ready to bake the following morning for breakfast or brunch.

8 PM: Feed your sourdough starter the night before so it’s ready to use in the morning.
8 AM: Mix your bagel dough ingredients and let rise at room temperature for 6-8 hours.
4:30 PM: Transfer your dough to the fridge to cold proof overnight
7:30 AM: Shape your bagels and final rise.
10 AM: Boil and bake your bagels.

Fresh VS Frozen Blackberries

You can use fresh or frozen blackberries to make this sourdough blackberry bagel recipe! If using frozen, thaw the blackberries before mixing the dough, and be sure to reserve all of the juices.

How to Top Homemade Blackberry Sourdough Bagels

Homemade sourdough blackberry bagels are slightly sweet, soft on the inside, with a delicious chewy texture. Here are some of my fave ways to enjoy them!

Cream cheese: Whether it’s plain, homemade cream cheese, or something a little bit sweeter like a delicious honeycomb cream cheese, it’s hard to beat the combo of sweet blackberry bagels and a generous schmear of cream cheese!
Butter: One of my favorite things in the world is a toasted bagel with butter, and these blackberry bagels take that simple combo to the next level.
Butter and jam: It’s sweet, it’s savory, seriously one of the best combos! Blackberry jam is delicious, but I even love using raspberry or strawberry jam for more of a mixed-berry vibe.

How to Store Homemade Bagels:

Fresh bagels are best stored in a brown paper bag at room temperature for 2-3 days. Paper bags are better than plastic because they allow moisture to escape, preserving the bagel’s texture.

Sourdough bagels are perfect for freezing as well. To freeze your bagels, start by slicing them in half, and wrapping each half in plastic wrap, wax paper, or parchment paper. Place the wrapped bagels into a ziplock bag and store in the freezer. Frozen bagels will stay good for at least 3 months. If you prefer to freeze your bagels whole, simply thaw at room temperature overnight and then warm them up in the oven. To warm in the oven, bake for 4 to 5 minutes at 375°F.

Blackberry bagel on plate with cream cheese in the bakground

Are Sourdough Bagels Healthier?

Yes, sourdough bagels are healthier than regular bagels because they undergo a natural fermentation process using sourdough starter (AKA naturally leavened). This slow fermentation breaks down gluten and starches, releases nutrients, and makes grains easy to digest. Sourdough fermentation also lowers the glycemic index, boosts prebiotic fiber, and enhances antioxidant levels. Overall, naturally leavened bagels are higher in nutrients and fiber, lower in gluten, and easier to digest, making sourdough bagels a healthier option.

Tools I used for this recipe (with Amazon Links)

If You Love These Blackberry Sourdough Bagels, Try These Recipes Next:

Blackberry Sourdough Bagels

5 from 1 vote

These blackberry sourdough bagels are perfectly chewy, naturally sweet, with real blackberries in every single bite! Made with fresh or frozen blackberries, these homemade sourdough bagels are delicious and easy to make.

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Prep Time:30

Cook Time:35

Fermentation Time:18

Total Time:19 5

Course: Bagels, Breakfast

Cuisine: Breakfast

Keyword: Blackberry Sourdough Bagels

Servings: Bagels

Author: sourdoughjesha

Ingredients

Sourdough Starter

25 g 1 tablespoon active sourdough starter
80 g ⅓ cups water
80 g ⅔ cups flour

Blackberry Bagel Dough

500 g (4 cups plus 2 tablespoons) bread flour
125-150 g (½ cup plus 1 tablespoon) water*
187.5 g (1 ½ cups) fresh or frozen blackberries
125 g (½ cup) sourdough starter
10 g (2 teaspoons) salt
12.5 g (1 ½ teaspoons) honey
Optional: 1-2 tablespoons (10-20g) of freeze-dried blackberries*, crushed. I used these.

Instructions

Feed your sourdough starter: Feed your sourdough starter roughly 8-12 hours before you mix the bagel dough. Your starter is ready to use when it has approximately doubled in size and the peak has just begun to drop back down in the jar. I like to feed my starter the night before and then mix the bagel dough in the morning. Since this recipe calls for active sourdough starter, feeding the quantity recommended above will yield enough starter for your dough plus extra to reserve and maintain your starter going forward.
25 g 1 tablespoon active sourdough starter, 80 g ⅔ cups flour, 80 g ⅓ cups water
Prep the blackberries: If using frozen, warm the berries on the stovetop in a microwave and reserve all of the juices from the thawing process. Allow the berries time to cool before adding to the dough.
187.5 g (1 ½ cups) fresh or frozen blackberries
Make the bagel dough: In the bowl of a stand mixer or large mixing bowl, add the bread flour, water, sourdough starter, honey, blackberries and all of their reserved juices, and salt. **(See notes on color if you’d like to add additional speckling or purple color to the dough like I did for my video here). With the dough hook attachment, mix on low speed for 6-7 minutes until the dough is smooth and elastic. If kneading by hand, mix the ingredients until a shaggy dough forms, then knead on a floured surface for 8-10 minutes.
500 g (4 cups plus 2 tablespoons) bread flour, 125 g (½ cup) sourdough starter, 10 g (2 teaspoons) salt, 12.5 g (1 ½ teaspoons) honey, Optional: 1-2 tablespoons
First rise: Lightly grease a large bowl with oil. Place your dough in the bowl and cover with a damp towel or plastic wrap. Let the dough rise at room temperature for 6-8 hours, until it roughly doubles in size.
(Optional) Stretch and fold the dough: Stretch and fold the dough three times during the first rise, starting 30 minutes in. Repeat the process every 60 minutes until all three sets are complete. Repeat every 60 minutes until you've completed three sets of stretch and folds (while this step is totally optional, it's a relatively easy way to add additional structure and volume to your dough). To complete one set of stretch and folds: dampen your hands with a bit of water. Gently grab one side of the dough, stretch it upward, and fold it over to the opposite side. Rotate the bowl a quarter turn and repeat on the next side. Continue until all four sides have been stretched and folded. Then, cover the dough and let it rest until the next set.
Cold proof: Once your dough has roughly doubled in size, transfer it to the refrigerator to proof overnight (~8-12 hours). This step helps develop flavor in the and it also allows the lactic acid bacteria time to predigest the dough, making it more nutritious and easier to digest. The longer it ferments the more gut healthy benefits!
Shape the bagels: The next day, dump out your dough and divide it into 8 equal pieces, about 125g (4.25oz) each. Shape each piece into a ball by pulling the corners up and over. Now, use your finger to poke a hole through the center of each ball and rotate the dough with two fingers to form a ring, as I do in this video.
Final rise: Place the shaped bagels on a greased baking tray and let rise at room temperature for 1-3 hours, until puffy. If you have a proof box or an oven/countertop oven with a proof setting, you can expedite this process by proofing at approximately 90°F to 95°F for 1 hour.
Boil the bagels: Preheat the oven to 425F (220c). On the stove, bring a large pot of water to a boil. Working in batches of two or three (depending on the size of your pot), boil the bagels for one minute on each side. Remove with a slotted spoon and place them on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
Bake the bagels: Bake the bagels in the preheated oven on a parchment-lined baking sheet for 20-25 minutes, or until they are golden brown. Allow them to fully cool on a wire rack before serving.
Serve and enjoy! Once your bagels have cooled, slice and serve with your favorite topping! I love to pair mine with some delicious homemade cream cheese that I blend with a bit of raw honeycomb, and a hot cup of coffee.

Notes

Color: Blackberries alone will give your dough a natural purple color and a pretty speckling of blackberry seeds throughout. To give my blackberry bagels an extra pop of color and speckling, I added freeze-dried blackberries to the dough.
Water: I provide a range for the water quantity in this recipe because the amount needed may vary depending on the water content of your blackberries. Begin with 120g of water. If the dough feels too dry, gradually add 20 – 30 g of water at a time, up to 150g, until it reaches a soft, pliable texture that’s still easy to knead.

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Blackberry Sourdough Bagels