Everything Bagel Sourdough Bread
This Everything Bagel Sourdough Bread recipe yields a rustic, high-hydration boule featuring savory garlic and onion flavors, with a beautiful everything bagel seasoning crust. Perfect for dipping or pairing with your favorite spreads.
When you’re ready to move beyond a beginner sourdough bread recipe, this artisan loaf is the perfect next step. It’s still easy to make, but the flavorful topping adds a fun texture and beautiful color.
If you don’t have a starter yet, get one going with this easy guide to making sourdough starter from scratch.
And if you love homemade chewy bagels topped with homemade everything bagel seasoning, this loaf gives you that same flavor experience in a crusty, loaf format. It’s a fun twist that delivers all the savory goodness—without the boiling steps.
Why You’ll Love Everything Bagel Sourdough Bread
- High hydration dough: This dough is 80% hydration, giving you that signature open crumb and chewy texture.
- Beautiful seeded loaf: Sesame and poppy seeds speckle the dough, while the golden everything bagel topping makes for a stunning crust.
- Delicious true sourdough: Long-fermented for better digestibility and incredible depth of flavor.
Ingredients
Find the full list of ingredients, amounts, and instructions in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
- Bread Flour & Whole Wheat Flour: I recommend sticking with the ratios in this recipe—changing to all-purpose flour can throw off the hydration and affect the texture.
- Active Sourdough Starter: Use your starter when it’s at its peak. Wild yeast should cause the starter to get bubbly and airy when most active.
- Honey or Maple Syrup: Either one works! Just a small amount brings balance to the savory garlic and onion notes.
- Olive Oil: Adds richness to the dough and helps develop a beautiful crust during baking.
- Sesame Seeds & Poppy Seeds: These are mixed into the dough for extra flavor and a little crunch in every bite. You can use black sesame seeds if you like.
- Everything Bagel Seasoning: Sprinkled on right before baking to create a delicious crust. Mist the loaf with water to help it stick.
Equipment
- Dutch Oven
- Stand Mixer (optional but I love my Kitchen Aid mixer!)
- Proofing Basket
- Kitchen Scale
How To Make Everything Bagel Sourdough Bread
Here are the step-by-step instructions for making Everything Bagel sourdough bread.
Step 1: Mix the dough.
In the bowl of a stand mixer, or a large mixing bowl combine bread flour, whole wheat flour, and water (Photo 1). Mix with dough hook until no dry spots remain. Cover with a damp tea towel and let rest for 30 minutes (this is the autolyse phase).
Step 2: Add remaining ingredients.
To the large bowl, add active sourdough starter, salt, honey or maple syrup, olive oil, garlic powder, onion powder, sesame seeds, and poppy seeds (Photo 2). Mix on low or medium speed for about 5 minutes, until the dough is mostly smooth (Photo 3).
Step 3: Bulk ferment.
Transfer the dough to a clean bowl or container (Photo 4). Cover and let rise for 4–6 hours at room temperature, performing stretch-and-folds every 30 minutes for the first 2 hours. The dough should become smoother and puff up slightly.
Step 4: Shape the loaf.
Turn the dough onto a floured surface (Photo 5) and gently shape into a round loaf (boule), taking care not to deflate too much air (Photos 6, 7, and 8).
Step 5: Final proof.
Place the shaped dough ball into a floured proofing basket or bowl. Rice flour works well for coating proofing baskets (Photos 9, 10, 11, and 12). Cover and proof at room temperature for 2–3 hours, or refrigerate overnight for a slow, cold ferment.
Pro Tip: A shower cap works nicely for covering rising dough
Step 6: Preheat the oven.
Place a Dutch oven into your oven and preheat oven temperature to 475°F (245°C) while the dough finishes proofing.
Step 7: Add topping and bake.
Carefully transfer the dough onto a piece of parchment paper (Photo 13). Lightly mist the top with water and sprinkle generously with everything bagel seasoning (Photo 14). Score the loaf with a simple “x” pattern (Photo 15). Transfer the loaf (with parchment) into the hot Dutch oven (Photo 16). Cover and bake for 25 minutes. Remove the lid and bake for another 20 minutes, or until golden and crusty.
Step 8: Cool completely.
Let the baked bread cool on a wire rack completely before slicing.
How to Store & Freeze
Store leftover bread at room temperature wrapped in a tea towel or in a bread bag. Avoid plastic wrap or bags, which trap moisture and soften the crust. It will stay fresh for 2–3 days.
Once completely cool, use a sharp knife to slice the loaf and freeze it in a freezer-safe plastic bag or container. This makes it easy to grab individual slices for toast or sandwiches anytime.
Tips
- High Hydration: This 80% hydration dough creates an open crumb and chewy texture, but may be sticky to handle—use a bench scraper and wet hands during stretch and folds.
- Flour Choices: The combination of bread flour and whole wheat adds both structure and depth of flavor. You can substitute whole wheat with spelt or rye for variation.
- Sourdough Starter: Make sure your starter is active and bubbly before using—it’s key to rise and flavor.
- Everything Bagel Seasoning: Apply right before baking by misting the loaf with water to help it stick.
- Baking Vessel: A Dutch oven mimics a steam oven and creates a crusty exterior—if you don’t have one, use a baking stone with a steam tray.
- Fermentation Timing: For optimal flavor and digestibility, bulk ferment until well-proofed and refrigerate overnight before baking. This also improves oven spring.
Recipe FAQs
This recipe needs an active starter for proper rise. Discard lacks the power for fermentation.
Yes, store-bought such as Trader Joe brand works great. Here’s how to make your own homemade everything bagel seasoning.
It’s savory and aromatic, but not spicy. Garlic powder and onion powder are subtle and balanced by the honey/maple syrup.
Yes! A batard shape or loaf pan is a great option if you prefer sandwich-style slices.
Yes, you can omit if you prefer. It adds a touch of balance to the savory profile, but it isn’t critical.
More Sourdough Recipes
- Sourdough Cheddar Biscuits
- Sourdough Biscuits
- Easy Sourdough Sandwich Bread
- Sourdough Focaccia
- Easy Sourdough Bread Recipe
- Blueberry Cream Cheese Sourdough Bread
If you make this recipe and enjoy it, please leave a comment with a 5-star recipe rating and let me know! Thank you so much!
Everything Bagel Sourdough Bread
Equipment
- Stand Mixer optional
Ingredients
- 500 grams bread flour
- 100 grams whole wheat flour
- 375 grams water approx 72 degrees F
- 100 grams active sourdough starter 100% hydration
- 10 grams salt
- 15 grams honey or maple syrup
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 tablespoon sesame seeds
- 1 tablespoon poppy seeds
- Everything bagel seasoning for topping
Instructions
- Mixing the Dough: In a stand mixer bowl, combine the bread flour, whole wheat flour, and water. With the dough hook attachment, mix on low until there are no dry spots, then let the mixture rest for 30 minutes (autolyse).
- Add the sourdough starter, salt, honey, olive oil, garlic powder, onion powder, poppy seeds, and sesame seeds. Mix on low or medium for 5 minutes.
- Bulk Fermentation: Cover the dough or move to a bulk fermentation container and let it rest for 4-6 hours at room temperature, performing stretch and folds every 30 minutes during the first 2 hours. Let the dough fully proof. Your ambient temperature and dough temperature will determine how fast or slow the dough will become fully proofed.
- Shaping: After bulk fermentation, turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Gently shape the dough into a boule, being careful not to deflate too much air.
- Final Proof: Place the shaped dough into a well-floured proofing basket or bowl and cover it. Let it rise for 2-3 hours or overnight in the fridge for a longer fermentation.
- Preheat the Oven: Preheat your oven to 475°F (245°C) with a Dutch oven inside.
- Bake the Boule: Once proofed, carefully transfer the dough onto parchment paper. Lightly mist the dough with water, then generously sprinkle everything bagel seasoning on top. Score the top of the dough with a simple "x" shape. Place the boule in the preheated Dutch oven (with the parchment paper) and cover. Bake for 20-25 minutes. After 25 minutes, remove the lid and bake for an additional 20 minutes, or until golden brown.
- Cooling: Let the sourdough cool completely on a wire rack before slicing. Enjoy!
Notes
- How to Store: This bread stays fresh for 2-3 days at room temp. Store in a bread bag or tea towel. Avoid plastic, which causes condensation and a soggy crust.
- How to Freeze: Once fully cooled, slice and freeze the loaf for toast-ready pieces anytime.
- Use store-bought or use my recipe for homemade everything bagel seasoning.
- High Hydration: This 80% hydration dough creates an open crumb and chewy texture, but may be sticky to handle—use a bench scraper and wet hands during stretch and folds.
- Flour Choices: The combination of bread flour and whole wheat adds both structure and depth of flavor. You can substitute whole wheat with spelt or rye for variation.
- Sourdough Starter: Make sure your starter is active and bubbly before using—it’s key to rise and flavor.
- Everything Bagel Seasoning: Apply right before baking by misting the loaf with water to help it stick.
- Baking Vessel: A Dutch oven mimics a steam oven and creates a crusty exterior—if you don’t have one, use a baking stone with a steam tray.
- Fermentation Timing: For optimal flavor and digestibility, bulk ferment until well-proofed and refrigerate overnight before baking. This also improves oven spring.
