Is anything better than a fresh bagel — smothered in tangy cream cheese?
Only perhaps einkorn sourdough bagels!
Einkorn Sourdough Bagels
Be still my heart! The deliciousness of a fresh bagel smothered in cream cheese can be yours... made healthier, at home, using sourdough and einkorn.
Ingredients
For the sponge:
- 1 cup pure water warm
- 1 tablespoon sourdough starter
- 1 cup whole grain einkorn flour
For the dough:
- 3/4 cup pure water
- 3 tablespoons brown sugar organic
- 2 to 3 tablespoons brown sugar additional, for boiling
- 4 cups all purpose einkorn flour sifted, OR 2 1/2 cups sifted all-purpose einkorn flour + 1 1/2 cups sifted whole grain einkorn flour
- 1 tablespoon sea salt
For the topping:
- 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 to 2 tablespoons poppy seeds or sesame seeds
Instructions
To make sponge:
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Whisk warm water with sourdough starter until frothy.
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Then add whole grain einkorn flour.
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Next, cover and leave at room temperature for 2 to 5 hours. Watch the dough, not the time. Einkorn sours quickly. The sponge dough needs to soften and become airy and bubbly. There won't be much rise.
To make dough:
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Add water to sponge.
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Then whisk well.
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Add brown sugar, sifted einkorn flour, and sea salt.
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Using a spoon and then your hand, knead dough until it softens. It will be sticky.
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Next add olive oil.
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Knead some more, until the dough feels nice, soft, and not as sticky. Don't over knead -- einkorn dough gets stickier with longer kneading!
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Cover the dough.
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Then leave at room temperature for 5 to 7 hours, or until the dough feels soft and airy.
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Sprinkle dough with flour, and form into a ball.
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Divide into 8 to 10 pieces.
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Next, form each piece into a ball.
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Using a finger, poke a hole in each ball, and stretch a little.
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Allow to rest on a very well floured surface for an hour or so.
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Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
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Then prepare a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper.
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Bring a medium pot of water to boil.
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Add 2 to 3 tablespoons of evaporated cane juice.
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Next, place bagels into boiling water (I do 3 or 4 at a time).
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They might sink at first but will quickly come to float. Boil 1 minute on each side, then transfer to parchment-lined cookie sheet.
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Then sprinkle with your favorite toppings.
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Finally, bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until tops brown slightly. Don't let over-brown — einkorn can dry out!
Recipe Notes
- Keep in mind that einkorn has a lot less gluten than any other type of wheat. Because of that, einkorn dough doesn't rise as much, and any baked goods come out more dense.You can use spelt flour in this recipe too. Bagels will come out a lot fluffier, larger, and softer.
Why Einkorn?
Einkorn, the oldest known variety of cultivated wheat, was the staple grain at the dawn of civilization. Our ancestors grew it thousands and thousands of years ago — before easier-to-grow grains with higher gluten content replaced it.
Not only is einkorn significantly lower in gluten than any other wheat, but its gluten proteins are weaker as well. These both work together to mean better digestibility — especially when paired with sourdough!
You can enjoy einkorn sourdough bread by making an einkorn sourdough starter or transitioning your starter to einkorn.
That said, although symptoms associated with chronic inflammation may improve in many people once they reduce their gluten intake, folks with celiac disease should still avoid einkorn as-is.
Check out Gluten Intolerance & Sourdough: Is Sourdough Gluten-Free? for more information on how sourdough can further reduce gluten toxicity.
Have you ever made homemade bagels? Would you like to learn how to make einkorn sourdough bagels?
This post was featured in our Traditionally Prepared Einkorn Goodies round-up!
Looking for More Sourdough Recipes? Try These!
- The Best Sourdough English Muffins (Traditional Recipe)
- Whole Grain Sourdough Bread
- Sourdough Sandwich Bread
- Homemade Sourdough Pancakes
- Soft & Chewy Sourdough Pretzels
- Einkorn Sourdough Chapatis {Indian Flatbread}
- Sourdough Pizza
- Sourdough Apple Cinnamon Rolls w/Cream Cheese Frosting
- Pumpkin Sourdough Cinnamon Rolls w/Cream Cheese Frosting
- Sourdough Chocolate Cake With Chocolate Frosting
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These look good! Do you have to use sugar? Can a non-sugar sweetener like stevia or erythritol be substituted, or could it be left out altogether? Thanks for your input!
How should they be stored?
Can this recipe be made with 100% whole grain Einkorn? I don’t have/use the all-purpose type and only mill whole grains for my flour. I know its thirstier this way and wasn’t sure about liquid ratios for a 1-1swap. Thanks!
There is too much water in the sponge for this recipe making the dough more like a very thick batter rather than a dough. It was impossible to work with. I compared this recipe to a very similar one in an einkorn cookbook and that one calls for about 1/2 cup less water and 1/2 cup more flour!