French Toast Sourdough Bagel (with Maple Bacon Cream Cheese)

Hey babes!

If you’re following along, you know I absolutely LOVE sourdough bagels! Also, for any sourdough bagel newbies, you might be wondering… what makes a sourdough bagel better than a regular bagel (made with yeast)? Sourdough bagels are ridiculously soft, they’re chewy, and so healthy for you too.

Sourdough bread (and bagels!) is unlike all other types of bread because it goes through a long and slow natural fermentation with wild yeasts and lactic acid bacteria. It’s how bread was made for most of human history, and this ancient, 6,000-year-old tradition has remarkable health benefits.  

1. Supports Gut Health
2. Activates B Vitamins and minerals, like iron, zinc, and magnesium
3. Degrades gluten
4. Synthesizes prebiotic fiber
5. Boosts Antioxidants
6. Easy to Digest
7. Low Glycemic

This French toast sourdough bagel recipe is inspired by the French toast my dad would make for me and my brothers on Sunday mornings. I also tried to healthify the recipe as much as I could, so I used…

• Coconut sugar instead of brown sugar. 
• A sourdough based dough so it’s gut healthy and nutritious.
• Organic pastured bacon
• A good quality maple syrup
• My favorite Nancy’s probiotic cream cheese. So delicious!

These French toast sourdough bagels are soft, maple infused with a delicious crunch of maple cinnamon sugar topping in every bite. 

YUM.

Ingredients for French Toast Sourdough Bagels

Here’s what you’ll need to make french toast sourdough bagels at home.

FRENCH TOAST SOURDOUGH BAGEL DOUGH

• Bread Flour: A high protein flour is needed for bagel making. You can use a white or whole wheat bread flour. King Arthur has a great bread flour that is usually widely available. I use this one.
• Water: Preferably warm water! Warmer water helps kickstart fermentation.
• Sourdough Starter: Be sure you are using active sourdough starter (not discard).
• Maple Syrup: Instead of a barley malt syrup, honey or sugar, we are going to use a touch of maple syrup to sweeten the dough and give it a classic french toast flavor!
• Sea Salt: Enhances flavor (and nutrition) by slowing fermentation.

FRENCH TOAST TOPPING

• Coconut Sugar: I love coconut sugar because it’s unrefined and has a delicious brown sugar flavor/color.
• Maple Syrup: This will add a touch of sweetness and French-toasty flavor.
• Cinnamon: French toast is not the same without cinnamon! I use an organic brand from Whole Foods.

MAPLE BACON CREAM CHEESE

• Bacon: I used organic pastured bacon!
• Maple Syrup: This will add a touch of sweetness and french-toast-reminiscent flavor.
• Cream Cheese: My favorite cream cheese is Nancy’s probiotic cream cheese. It’s delicious with super clean ingredients, nothing artificial, and it has gut health benefits.

Equipment Needed for Sourdough Bagels

• Dough Mixer or Mixing Bowl (by hand): You can prepare the bagel dough with either a mixer or by hand, or you can use both. I usually mix with the dough mixer for a few minutes then knead the dough by hand for a few minutes (because it’s my favorite part).
• Dough Scraper: Used for dividing our dough.
• Baking Pan
• Baking Scale: ideal for accurately measuring ingredients and weighing dough balls after dividing to ensure they are similar in size.

More Sourdough Recipes You’ll Like

• Sourdough Bagel Recipe (Step by Step)
• Easy Sourdough Rolls
• Healthy Sourdough Cinnamon Rolls

French Toast Sourdough Bagel Recipe

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★★★★★

5 from 4 reviews

• Total Time: 48 hours
• Yield: 8 1x

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Description

These French toast sourdough bagels are soft, maple infused with a delicious crunch of maple cinnamon sugar topping in every bite. 

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Ingredients

Units MUS Scale 1x2x3x

• 400 g Bread Flour (3 1/4 Cups) (A high protein flour is needed for bagel making.)
• 250 g Water (~3/4 Cup + 2 TBSP) (Preferably warm water is best! Warmer water helps kickstart fermentation.)
• 100 g Sourdough Starter (1/2 Cup) (Be sure you are using active sourdough starter (not discard).)
• 15 g Maple Syrup
• 10 g Salt

CINNAMON SUGAR MIXTURE

• 3 TBSP Coconut Sugar
• 2 TSP Maple Syrup
• 1/2 TSP Cinnamon

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Instructions

1. MIX DOUGH AND FIRST RISE: In a bowl or stand mixer, add all dough ingredients. Place the dough hook on the mixer and mix the dough on the lowest speed for 3 minutes. Or mix by hand for a couple minutes until a ball forms. Now, turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead the dough for 3-4 minutes or until the dough is smooth. Lightly grease a bowl and place the dough inside. Cover the bowl with a lid, plastic wrap, or a clean kitchen towel.  Let the dough rise at room temperature for 6 – 8 hours or until it doubles in size.
2. OVERNIGHT RISE: Place your dough covered in the fridge for an overnight proof. This is where your dough will develop flavor and L.A.B bacteria will get to work enhancing the nutrition of the dough too. Remember, the longer we ferment the better for us it gets!
3. DIVIDE AND SHAPE: Lightly flour your work surface. Dump out and divide your dough into 8 pieces, you can eyeball it or weigh them out on a dough scale. Shape each 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.
4. FINAL (SHORT) RISE: Place your bagels on a parchment lined baking sheet and cover with a towel or plastic wrap and let it rest for 1-2 hours or until puffy to the touch.
5. MIX FRENCH TOAST TOPPING: Mix french toast topping ingredients on a plate or cutting board with a spoon (this way it will be easy to dip your bagels ontop of the mixture).
6. BOIL BAGELS: Preheat oven to 450f. Fill a large, wide pot with water and bring to a boil. Drop bagels in, 2-4 at a time, making sure they have enough room to float around. Cook the bagels for 1 minute on each side and remove with a slotted spoon; drain well. Place on baking sheets and brush with egg wash.
7. ADD TOPPINGS: Dip each of the bagels into the coconut sugar mixture and use your spoon to sprinkle on extra coconut sugar if you’d like!
8. BAKE: Bake bagels for 25 minutes or until golden brown on the outside.

• Prep Time: 48 hours