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Sourdough Cinnamon Raisin Bagels

RECIPE RATING
5/5
These sourdough cinnamon raisin bagels are soft, chewy, and have swirls of cinnamon and plump, juicy raisins throughout. They’re made with a blend of organic bread flour and stone milled whole wheat flour, and naturally fermented with sourdough culture so they’re gut healthy and nutrient-rich. Other than some raw honey, this recipe doesn’t call for any added sugar.
cinnamon raisin bagel with cream cheese

Sourdough Cinnamon Raisin Bagels

These sourdough cinnamon raisin bagels are soft, chewy, and have swirls of cinnamon and plump, juicy raisins throughout. They’re made with a blend of organic bread flour and stone milled whole wheat flour, and naturally fermented with sourdough culture so they’re gut healthy and nutrient-rich. Other than some raw honey, this recipe doesn’t call for any added sugar. 

This is one of my all time favorite bagel recipes. There’s literally nothing better than a fresh baked cinnamon raisin bagel, still warm out of the oven, topped with melty grass-fed butter or a generous layer of cream cheese. It’s the perfect sweet and savory combo for breakfast, and these bagels have just the right amount of cinnamon flavor, juicy raisins, and a subtle hint of sweetness. 

These sourdough cinnamon raisin bagels are:

  • Warm & fresh baked
  • Extra chewy
  • Soft in the center
  • Golden brown
  • Plumpy sweet raisins
  • Perfectly cinnamon-y
  • Sourdough (gut healthy and nutritious)
I also made a honey walnut cream cheese…

For this batch I decided to top mine with a honey walnut cream cheese for a little extra sweetness and crunch. I used my favorite probiotic cream cheese, some sprouted walnuts, and a drizzle of raw local honey. 

P.S. If you need a full step-by-step tutorial on how to make sourdough bagels check out this blog post.

inside sourdough cinnamon raisin bagel

My favorite ways to enjoy a Sourdough Cinnamon Raisin bagel:

  1. Cream cheese: Spread a generous layer of cream cheese on your matcha bagel for a creamy and tangy contrast to the earthy matcha flavor. I’m obsessed with Nancys!!
  2. Breakfast Sandwich: Slice the bagel in half and top it with some scrambled eggs, a slice of pastured bacon, and mashed avo. I swear it goes so well with the sweet juicy raisins!
  3. Healthy French Toast: Cut the bagel into thick slices, and dip them in a mixture of eggs, your fave milk, and cinnamon. Serve with maple syrup and fresh berries!
  4. Upgraded PB&J: I like to add a generous layer of almond butter, some homemade chia strawberry chia jam, and a light sprinkle of hemp seeds. Yum!
  5. Plain with Butter: Sometimes the simplest things are the best.
cinnamon raisin sourdough bagel
✨Health Benefits of Sourdough Bagels✨
Sourdough bagels are unlike all other types of bagels because they go through a long and slow natural fermentation with wild yeasts and lactic acid bacteria (LAB). This ancient, 6,000-year-old tradition has remarkable health benefits. Sourdough fermentation makes wheat and other grains easy to digest and more nutritious because it degrades gluten, removes anti-nutrients, and breaks down FODMAPs and starches. Sourdough bagels are chock full of fiber, prebiotics, vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants, making it an all-around microbiome superfood.

What Makes These Sourdough Cinnamon Raisin Bagels Healthy?

These bagels are made with simple, clean ingredients, and the recipe also calls for a long and slow natural fermentation with sourdough culture which enhances nutrition and supports gut health. 

Sourdough Fermentation

Sourdough is an ancient, natural fermentation process that uses a mixed culture of  wild yeasts and lactic acid bacteria (the same bacteria used to make sauerkraut, kefir, and kimchi) to ferment grains. This traditional practice has remarkable health benefits: 

  1. Increased Nutrient Absorption: By degrading phytic acid, sourdough fermentation increases the bioavailability of B vitamins and minerals, like iron, zinc, and magnesium so those nutrients are better absorbed by your body. 
  2. Easy to Digest: Lactic acid bacteria neutralize plant compounds like anti-nutrients (phytic acid), lectins, gluten, and FODMAPs, making sourdough easy to digest, gut healthy, and anti-inflammatory. 
  3. Boosts Prebiotics and Antioxidants: Natural fermentation increases the antioxidant content of bread and creates more prebiotic fiber, a type of indigestible plant fiber that provides food for the beneficial bacteria in your gut and helps support a healthy and diverse microbiome.
  4. Low Glycemic: Sourdough fermentation lowers the glycemic index of bread, which helps stabilize blood sugar keeps you feeling energized without a crash.
  5. Reduced gluten sensitivity: The long fermentation process used to make sourdough bread can help to break down the gluten in the bread, making it easier to digest and reducing symptoms of gluten sensitivity.
  6. Increased Energy: Sourdough bread can be considered energizing because it provides a sustained source of energy due to the slow-release of carbohydrates. It is also nutrient-dense, with increased bioavailability of certain nutrients that are essential for energy production in the body. Additionally, sourdough bread has a lower glycemic index compared to bread made with commercial yeast, which prevents blood sugar spikes and crashes that can lead to feelings of lethargy. Overall, the natural fermentation process used to make sourdough bread contributes to its energizing properties.
  7. Supports a healthy gut microbiome: The fermentation process promotes a healthy gut microbiome and improves overall digestive health.

Organic High-Quality Flour

I use a blend of organic (stone milled) whole wheat and organic bread flour because it provides the perfect balance of structure, flavor, and nutrition.

Organic Raisins

I used Whole Foods 365 organic raisins and soaked them in water to make them plump and juicy.

Organic Cinnamon

 I used Red Ape’s organic cinnamon

cinnamon raisin bagel with cream cheese

My secret to extra juicy raisins

Before adding your raisins to the dough, soak them in water for 30 minutes – 3 hours. They’ll absorb water and get extra plump and juicy. Then strain over a mesh strainer and add to the dough. This step is SO worth it. 

Nutrition Breakdown of One Large Sourdough Cinnamon Raisin Bagel

Macro-Nutrients
  • 232 Calories
  • 1.9g Fat (2%)
  • 46.8g Carbs (16%)
  • 6.4g Fiber (23%)
  • 6.5g Sugar (13%)
  • 7.6g Protein (15%)
Minerals
  • 2.2mg Iron (12%)
  • 0.2mg Manganese (9%)
  • Copper (3%)
Vitamins
  • 3.1mg Vitamin B3 (19%)
  • 0.1mg Vitamin B2 (10%)
sourdough cinnamon raisin bagel
Sourdough Cinnamon Raisins Bagel Nutrition Label

Sourdough Bagel Baking Schedule

This is what a typical bagel-making schedule looks like for me.

P.S. Temperature is one of the single most important factors that affect fermentation. The warmer your place, the faster your dough will ferment. So please use my schedule as simply a jumping-off point for your own.

Prepare sourdough starter

Either feed your sourdough starter the night before to prepare or if your sourdough starter is in the fridge be sure to feed it every 12 hours, 3 days before you plan to bake.

Day One
  • 10 AM – Mix bagel dough, cover and let sit at room temp until it doubles in size (6-8 hours)
  • 6 PM – Place dough covered in the fridge for an overnight fermentation (10+ hours). This step is to develop flavor and nutrition… it’s optional, but highly recommended.
day two
  • 8 AM – Divide bagel dough, shape and cover with tea towel. Let it rise for 2 hours.
  • 10 AM – Prepare boiling water and preheat oven.
  • 10:15 AM – Boil bagels, add toppings and bake.
cinnamon raisin sourdough bagel with cream cheese

Ingredients for Sourdough Cinnamon Raisin Bagels

Here’s what you’ll need to make these sourdough cinnamon raisins bagels at home.

7 CLEAN INGREDIENTS
  • 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 stone milled partially sifted whole wheat flour. I recommend using a blend of white bread flour and whole wheat flour to get the perfect balance of structure, texture, flavor, and nutrition. 
  • Water: Preferably warm water is best! Warmer water helps kickstart fermentation.
  • Sourdough Starter: Be sure you are using active sourdough starter (not discard).
  • Cinnamon: I used Red Ape’s organic cinnamon
  • Raisins:  I used Whole Foods 365 organic raisins and soaked them in water to make them plump and juicy. 
  • Sea Salt: Enhances flavor (and nutrition) by slowing fermentation.
  • Raw Honey: We don’t add much, but it’s just enough to give the bagels a super shiny brown crust and a little bit of extra flavor.
ADDITIONAL INGREDIENTS
  • Olive Oil: Used to grease the bowl or plate where are bagel dough will rise.
  • Eggs: You’ll brush your bagels with an egg wash to give it a beautiful golden color.
  • Cream cheese: I used my favorite probiotic cream cheese from Nancy’s.
  • Raw Honey: For the honey walnut cream cheese!
  • Walnuts: I used these sprouted walnuts.
sourdough cinnamon raisin bagel

Equipment Needed for Sourdough Bagels

  • Dough Mixer or Mixing Bowl (by hand): You can prepare the bagel dough with a mixer or by hand, either one works. 
  • 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.

Tips for Making Sourdough Bagels

HOW DO I MAKE MY RAISINS EXTRA PLUMPY?

Soak the raisins in water for at least 30 minutes, ideally a few hours, prior to adding them to the dough. They’ll absorb some of the water and you’ll get some plump, juicy raisins.

WHAT TYPE OF FLOUR SHOULD I USE?

A high-protein flour is needed for bagel making if you want to achieve the classic bagel look and texture. You can use a white or whole wheat bread flour. King Arthur has a great bread flour that is usually widely available. I recommend using white bread flour as your base, and adding in 10% whole wheat flour. If you’d prefer to make a whole-grain bagel you can definitely do that, just refer to the hydration notes below so you can adjust the hydration level appropriately.

Do I have to boil these bagels?

Yes, I strongly recommend boiling the bagels before baking because it helps achieve the classic chewy texture we want in bagels.

Do I need barley malt to make bagels? If so, which type?

You often hear bagel purists say that you need to use either barley malt syrup or diastatic barley malt powder. I don’t use either, but I’m also not a bagel purist. My bagels are always sourdough and never use commercial yeast, so they’re probably not eligible for “true bagel” status anyway. 

Barley malt syrup is used to soften the dough and make the crust extra brown and shiny. I just use raw honey (cause that’s what I have at home) and it works great!

Diastatic malt powder may sound like an obscure and processed ingredient, but it’s actually just sprouted whole grain barley flour that’s been dried and ground into a powder. It’s unfortunate that it doesn’t have a better PR team because it’s actually a very wholesome ingredient.

That said, I haven’t found it to be necessary in my bagel recipes. One of the main benefits of malt powder is its extra enzymatic activity, which can help soften the dough and develop a rich, dark brown crust. However, sourdough fermentation can also achieve these results, so I don’t usually bother adding in malt powder.

cinnamon raisin sourdough bagel

How do I make just one Sourdough Cinnamon Raisin Bagel?

HERE IS THE RECIPE TO MAKE TWO BAGELS:

**I always make two bagels, just in case something happens to one of them (or you want extra!!)

  • 100g Bread Flour
  • 63g Water
  • 25g Sourdough Starter
  • 2g Sea Salt
  • 4g Honey
  • 20g Raisins
  • 1/4 TSP Cinnamon
Looking for other sourdough bagel recipes? Here are a few ideas:

Everything Sourdough Bagel

Step-by-Step Sourdough Bagel Recipe

French Toast Sourdough Bagel Recipe

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sourdough cinnamon raisin bagel

Sourdough Cinnamon Raisin Bagels


  • Author: Jesha
  • Total Time: 16 hours 18 minutes
  • Yield: 8 Bagels 1x

Description

These sourdough cinnamon raisin bagels are soft, chewy, and have swirls of cinnamon and plump, juicy raisins throughout. They’re made with a blend of organic bread flour and stone milled whole wheat flour, and naturally fermented with sourdough culture so they’re gut healthy and nutrient-rich. Other than some raw honey, this recipe doesn’t call for any added sugar.


Ingredients

Units Scale
  • 400g Bread Flour – A high protein flour is needed for bagel making. See notes for suggestions on what flour to use.
  • 180g Water – Preferably warm water is best! Warmer water helps kickstart fermentation.
  • 100g Sourdough Starter – Be sure you are using active sourdough starter (not discard.
  • 8g Sea Salt
  • 15 g Honey – Instead of refined sugar, I like to use a touch of honey to sweeten the dough
  • 1/23/4 TSP Cinnamon
  • 6080g Raisins

ADDITIONAL INGREDIENTS

  • Olive Oil – Used to grease the bowl or plate where are bagel dough will rise.
  • Eggs – You’ll brush your bagels with an egg wash prior to baking

Instructions

  1. SOAK RAISINS (OPTIONAL): Soak the raisins in water for at least 30 minutes, ideally a few hours, prior to adding them to the dough. They’ll absorb some of the water and you’ll get some plump, juicy raisins.
  2. MIX DOUGH AND FIRST RISE: In a bowl or stand mixer, add flour, soaked raisins, cinnamon, sourdough starter, water, honey, and salt. 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.
  3. OVERNIGHT RISE: Place your dough covered in the fridge for overnight proof. This is where your dough will develop flavor and L.A.B bacteria will get to work enhancing the nutrition of our dough. Remember, the longer we ferment the better for us it gets!
  4. DIVIDE AND SHAPE: Dump out and divide your dough into 8 pieces, you can eyeball it or weight 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. 
  5. FINAL (SHORT) RISE: Place your bagels on a greased baking sheet and cover with a towel or plastic wrap and let it rest for 1-2 hours or until puffy to the touch.
  6. BOIL BAGELS: Preheat oven to 450f. Fill a large, wide pot 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. BAKE: Bake bagels for 16-20 minutes or until golden brown on the outside.
  • Fermentation Time: 16 Hours
  • Cook Time: 18
  • Category: Sourdough Bagels
  • Cuisine: Breakfast

Keywords: Bagels, Sourdough Bagels, Cinnamon Raisins

sourdough jesha

About Jesha

Hi! I’m Jesha, the person behind @SourdoughJesha and the founder of Jesha’s, a sourdough food brand. Jesha’s makes the first-ever collection of sourdough baking mixes made from simple ingredients and naturally crafted with sourdough. I’ve been baking sourdough bread for over 6 years and I am here to teach you everything I’ve learned along the way so you can make amazing, healthy sourdough bread (and so much more!) with confidence.

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4 Responses

  1. I am making sourdough bagels for the first time today and I am very excited, thank you for sharing so many recipes. I would love to know how to make your honey walnut cream cheese, do you have a recipe?

  2. I made them and they came out great so thank you for sharing! I doubled the recipe wiht no trouble. Added a cinnamon sugar strip right before forming the bagels on the inside. Also did overnight rise 8pm-6am on counter and still came out great. Thank you!

    1. Hi Kelly! Thank you so much for taking the time to leave a review. Thats so great to hear about the overnight rise!! I always have nervous to do that but bagel dough is more forgiving than bread. Keep in touch!

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Hi, I'm glad you're here!

Hi! I’m Jesha, the person behind @SourdoughJesha and the founder of Jesha’s, a sourdough food brand. Jesha’s makes the first-ever collection of sourdough baking mixes made from simple ingredients and naturally crafted with sourdough. I’ve been baking sourdough bread for over 6 years and I am here to teach you everything I’ve learned along the way so you can make amazing, healthy sourdough bread (and so much more!) with confidence.

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