Pumpkin Shaped Sourdough Bagels
by sourdoughjesha on October 17, 2024
These pumpkin shaped sourdough bagels are soft on the inside, perfectly chewy, and so easy to shape for the most beautiful, festive bagels.
October is here, and that means it’s time for all things pumpkin!! Super soft, chewy, and deliciously spiced, these pumpkin shaped sourdough bagels are perfect for breakfast or brunch on a cozy fall morning. They’re hands-down the cutest bagels I’ve ever made and look like a fresh pumpkin patch coming out of the oven.
One of my favorite traditions as soon as fall arrives is making a fresh batch of warm pumpkin sourdough bagels, and these pumpkin-shaped versions are a fun and festive twist on one of my most popular recipes of all time.
Looking for more fall sourdough baking recipes? Check out my Crumbl Snickerdoodle Cupcake Sourdough Cookies, Chocolate Chip Sourdough Bread, or these Cinnamon Crunch Sourdough Bagels.
Pumpkin Shaped Sourdough Bagel Recipe
I’ve been making pumpkin bagels for years, but when I saw the viral pumpkin-shaped bagels from The Bagel Nook in Princeton, NJ, I knew I had to recreate them at home. The shaping process is super easy to follow and all you need is some kitchen twine and scissors. It took me a while to figure out what to do for the stem since I didn’t want to use candy, and I figured cinnamon sticks would be perfect (and very aesthetic!).
This is a great recipe for any festive occasion or to impress the pumpkin lovers in your life. The real pumpkin puree gives these bagels an extra soft-on-the-inside texture, which goes so well with the warm pumpkin spice flavors. I recommend serving it with whipped maple cream cheese if you want to take it over the top!
Here’s Why You’ll Love My Pumpkin-Shaped Sourdough Bagels
- Made with real pumpkin: the real pumpkin in this recipe adds a delicious pumpkin flavor and helps create an extra soft-on-the-inside texture.
- Perfect for add-ins: these bagels are great for your favorite add-ins like chocolate chips, pecans, walnuts, a cinnamon sugar topping, and more.
- Easy to shape: it’s easy to achieve the perfect pumpkin shape with my simple instructions! All you need is kitchen twine and a pair of scissors
- They’re super cute: And, of course, these bagels are adorable and look just like little pumpkins.
MY PUMPKIN BAGEL VIDEO
Grab These Ingredients
- Flour: Bread flour is the best option for this bagel recipe.
- Pumpkin Spice: You can use a pumpkin spice blend or make your own with cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, allspice, and cloves.
- Pumpkin Puree: I like to use Libby’s Pumpkin Puree for the best flavor and orange color.
- Sourdough Starter: Make sure your sourdough starter is active and ready to go!
- Water: Since pumpkin puree contains water this recipe requires less water than my other bagels doughs.
- Cinnamon Sticks: For the perfect pumpkin stem I used cinnamon sticks!
- Sea Salt: Adds flavor to the dough and helps control the fermentation process.
- Honey: Important for softening the dough to create the classic bagel texture, and adds a touch of sweetness.
- Orange food coloring (optional): I like to use this all natural plant based food coloring for the perfect orange pumpkin color!
Pumpkin Shaped Sourdough Bagel Instructions (10 Easy Steps!)
- Feed your sourdough starter: Roughly 8-12 hours before you mix the bagel dough.
- Mix the bagel dough: Combine the flour, pumpkin puree, water, sourdough starter, pumpkin spice, sea salt, honey, and optional orange food coloring ina mixing bowl. Mix using a stand mixer or knead by hand.
- First Rise: Let the bagel dough rise for 6-8 hours at room temperature, until it doubles in size.
- Overnight Proof: Once the dough has roughly doubled in size, cover with a lid or plastic wrap and transfer to the refrigerator.
- Shape the Bagels: The next day, divide the dough into 8 equal portions. I like to make bagels that are somewhere around 4.25oz or 120g. Shape each portion into a ball and then use kitchen twine to shape each ball into a pumpkin (full step by step process is in the recipe card below).
- Final Rise: Place the shaped bagels on a greased baking sheet and let rise for 1-3 hours, until puffy to the touch.
- Boil the Bagels: Boil the bagels for one minute on each side.
- Bake the Bagels: Bake at 425F for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown.
- Add the Pumpkin Stem: Let the bagels fully cool before removing the twine and adding a cinnamon stick the center of each bagel
- Enjoy: Slice your bagels and enjoy withy our fave toppings, like maple cream cheese, honey walnut cream cheese, or your favorite way to top bagels!
How to Shape Pumpkin Bagels
Shaping your pumpkin bagels is easy! Start by cutting 32 pieces of cooking twine into 12-inch strands and dip them in oil (olive, vegetable, or avocado all work). This keeps them from sticking! Lay 4 strands on the table, overlapping them at the center to form a star. Place a dough ball, seam side down, right on that center point. Now, working one strand at a time, tie the ends together in a square knot—just tight enough to hug the dough gently. Snip off any extra twine, and repeat with the other strands until you’ve got 8 cute sections, looking just like a little pumpkin!
Success Tips
- Dip your twine in oil: make sure you soak your twine in oil before tying the bagels
- Tie string using a square knot: If you’re not sure how to tie a square knot, check out this helpful video tutorial. It’s super easy!
- Don’t Rush the Final Rise: The bagels should feel puffy and airy and spring back when poked. This process usually takes 2-3 hours at room temperature but you can speed things up by using the proof setting at 80-90 degrees in a countertop oven.
How to Store 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.
You can also freeze your bagels 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.
More Sourdough Recipe Favorites:
- Chocolate Chip Sourdough Cookies
- Everything Sourdough Bagels
- Beginner Sourdough Bread
- Classic Sourdough Bagels
- Sourdough Croissants
If you make this Pumpkin Shaped Sourdough Bagel recipe and love it, be sure to stop back and give it a 5-star rating – it helps others find and enjoy the recipe too! ❤️️
Pumpkin Shaped Sourdough bagels
Ingredients
Sourdough Starter
- 25 g Active Sourdough Starter
- 80 g Water
- 80 g Flour
Bagel Dough
- 500 g Bread Flour
- 282 g Pumpkin Puree I used Libby's!
- 125 g Water* Add 25-50g more if needed. Texture of the dough should be hydrated but not sticky!
- 125 g Sourdough Starter
- 18 g Honey
- 10 g Sea Salt
- 2 tsp Pumpkin Spice
- 8 Cinnamon Sticks
- Optional: Orange all natural planted based food coloring
Instructions
- Feed your sourdough starter: Roughly 8-12 hours before you mix your bagel rough, feed your sourdough starter (25g active starter, 80g water, 80g flour). This will yield enough active starter for the recipe (100g) plus some extra to maintain your sourdough starter. Your starter is ready when it’s doubled in size and the peak has just begun to drop back down in the jar.
- Mix the Dough: In a large mixing bowl, combine the bread flour, pumpkin puree, water, sourdough starter, honey, pumpkin spice, and sea salt (optional: add orange all-natural plant-based food coloring). Use a stand mixer with the dough hook attachment or knead the dough by hand until smooth and elastic. If using a stand mixer, mix on low speed with for 6-7 minutes. If kneading by hand, knead for 8-10 minutes.
- Rest the Dough: Cover the dough with a damp towel or plastic wrap and let it rest at room temperature for 6-8 hours, or until it doubles in size.
- Overnight Proof: After the first rise, place the covered dough in the fridge for an overnight proof to develop flavor.
- Pre-Shape the Bagels: The next day, remove the dough from the fridge and divide it into 8 equal pieces, approximately 120g or 4.25oz per bagel. Roll each piece into a ball.
- Shape the Bagels into Pumpkins: Cut 32 pieces of cooking twine into roughly 12’’ strands. Dip the strands in a bowl of oil (I used olive oil but vegetable oil or avocado oil would both work). This will prevent the string from sticking to the dough. Start by laying 4 strands down on a table overlapping with a single centerpoint to form a star. Place one bagel dough ball, seam side down, on top of the center point. Working with one string at a time, take both ends and tie them together into a square knot. You want to give the dough a gentle squeeze but it should not be too tight. Cut off any extra twine once the knot is tied. Repeat this process for the remaining 3 strands for this bagel until you have a pumpkin-shaped dough with 8 sections.
- Final (Short) Rise: Place your shaped bagels on a greased baking sheet and cover with a towel or plastic wrap. Let rise for 1-3 hours, until puffy to the touch.
- Boil the Bagels: Preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C). Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Boil each bagel for 1 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 for 20-25 minutes, or until they are golden brown and firm to the touch. Allow them to fully cool on a wire rack. Then snip and carefully remove the strings.
- Add the Pumpkin Stem: Place one cinnamon stick in the center of each bowl poking down from the top to create the stem.
- Serve and enjoy!
Notes
Storage:
Store your pumpkin sourdough bagels in a paper bag at room temperature for up to 3 days, or slice and freeze your bagels for 3 months. If freezing, remove the cinnamon stick first.Considerations:
- Use a good quality canned pumpkin: For the best color and flavor, I like to use Libby’s pumpkin puree.
- Customization: For extra spice, you can increase the amount of pumpkin spice, or even sprinkle on some cinnamon sugar on top of the bagel just before baking.
- Flavored Cream Cheese: These bagels are so good with your fave cream cheese, butter, or however you love to top bagels. I topped my bagels with a maple cream cheese for the perfect flavor combo.
I would definitely recommend this recipe!
Cream cheese recipe please.Also can I purchase a gluten free bread sour dough starter ?Thank you 😊
I’m just wondering if during the first rise do you stretch and fold at any point during the 6-8 hours?
Can’t wait to try to recipe it looks great!
Hi Kay! Stretch and folding is optional for bagel dough because it is less hydrated than bread but would add for better structure once its time to bake! If your have the time, go for it!
Absolutely loved this recipe! Thank you for sharing! They turned out perfect!
We add cinnamon stick after they’ve baked already?
Trying this recipe this weekend looks amazing! Do you have a recipe for the cream cheese too?
Thank you so much! Yes, here is the link to my homemade cream cheese recipe. For every 8oz of finished cream cheese (you can also use your favorite store bought cream cheese.), I add about 2 – 3 TBSP (30 – 45 grams) of maple syrup and 1 – 2 tsp of pumpkin spice seasoning.