The Best Sourdough Pumpkin Cinnamon Crunch Bagels

These Sourdough Pumpkin Cinnamon Crunch Bagels are practically autumn in edible form. One warm, chewy bite and you’re wrapped in the magic of crisp mornings, colorful leaves and spiced pumpkin aroma permeating your kitchen.

These bagels begin with a natural fermentation that develops a depth of flavor that store-bought yeast can’t touch!

Then the pumpkin puree and spices are added and the dough transforms into a rich, moist artisan bagel making these irresistible!

But wait, there’s more! These bagels go one step further with their cinnamon crunch crown.

Before baking, each bagel gets a generous sprinkling of buttery cinnamon sugar crumble that bakes into a caramelized, golden crown.

It’s texture is perfection and every bite is a mix of soft, sweet, crisp and crunch.

Spread with a warm whipped cream cheese, or salted maple butter and they instantly feel like a bakery worthy indulgence made right at home!

So let’s put your sourdough starter to work because once you taste these sourdough pumpkin cinnamon crunch bagels you’ll wonder how you ever lived without them!

Pin for Later:

Ingredients to make The Best Sourdough Pumpkin Cinnamon Crunch Bagels (full recipe card below)

Bagels:

1. Sourdough Starter
2. Filtered Water
3. Bread Flour
4. Molasses
5. Butter
6. Canned Pumpkin
7. Cinnamon
8. Nutmet
9. Clove
10. Ginger
11. Unrefined Salt

Cinnamon Crunch Topping:

1. Brown Sugar
2. Cinnamon
3. Butter
4. Egg Wash

How to make The Best Sourdough Pumpkin Cinnamon Crunch Bagels

Ferment/1st Proof:

• To a mixer add sourdough starter, water, molasses, melted butter, pumpkin, spices and salt. Next, mix until everything is well incorporated. Add in flour and mix on high for 5 minutes. The dough will be a dense ball. Add to a large greased bowl and cover. (I love covering my bowls with shower caps)
• Ferment on counter or in oven with light on for 4-12 hours until nearly doubled in size.

Shape Bagels:

• Cut dough into 8 even pieces. (I like to use a kitchen scale for this but you can eyeball it too 🙂
• Roll dough into 8 tight balls *pull sides of dough underneath to create a tight round ball and place seam side down
• To create bagel hole, push your thumb and middle finger into the center of the dough ball. Widen the hold with both thumbs stretching the hole and rolling your dough around your thumbs like a wheel.

• When laying down the bagel onto a parchment lined cookie sheet, slightly invert and twist the center hole under the bagel. It will wrinkle the inner hole slightly. *This will keep the bagel from pinching back together and losing your hard earned bagel hole.
• Second proof: Proof bagels in oven with light on for 1.5-2 hours until they’re nice and puffy.
• After proof, fill a large pot 2 inches deep with water and bring to a boil on the stove. *Now is a good time to preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

Cinnamon Crunch Topping and Baking:

• Prepare this while water boils. First egg wash: In a small bowl mix 1 egg and 1 tsp water together until combined. In a separate medium size bowl mix together melted butter, cinnamon and sugar until well combined.
• After water comes to a roaring boil, drop 1 Tbsp Sugar and 1 Tbsp baking soda into the boiling water.

• Immediately place 2-3 bagels into boiling water *work only a few at a time for better control.
• Boil each bagel for 30 seconds on EACH side! *I set the timer on my stove for 10 minutes and as I drop my bagels in, I refer to the timer so I know when 30 seconds has gone by.
• Remove bagels with slotted spoon and slightly blot the bottom of the bagel on a towel to remove dripping excess water before laying bagel back down onto the parchment paper cookie sheet.
• After all bagels have had their bath, brush the egg wash overtop of each bagel then immediately sprinkle the cinnamon sugar mixture evenly on top each bagel.

• Bake at 400 degrees F for 15 minutes until golden brown.
• Cool completely on wire rack and enjoy!

How to store The Best Sourdough Pumpkin Cinnamon Crunch Bagels

I’ll be honest, these bagels are best eaten fresh out of the oven! They’re like a dessert!

But if they can’t be eaten right away, there is a trick to keeping them fresh. And it’s storing them in a brown paper bag! Sounds strange, I know, but this allows the moisture to escape without drying them out.

When they are stored in a covered plastic or glass container the cinnamon sugar crystals tend to melt off and become soggy and wet. It doesn’t effect the flavor it just no longer has that crunchy top layer we all love. However, you can reheat them in the oven again, or toast them in your toaster to gain back that signature crunch.

But for the best overnight storage to maintain their crunch and texture I recommend storing them in a brown paper bag.

How can I reheat my bagels?

Toasting is my personal favorite! Just cut them in half and add them to your toaster or toaster oven. This keeps them crispy on the outside and soft on the inside– I love a good toasty bagel!

Or you can reheat them in the oven at 350 degrees F for 5-6 minutes until they are crunchy and warmed throughout. Also a good option if you just want them warm again, but not toasted.

Try these recipes this Autumn season too!

The Best Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins

Simple 6 ingredient Healthier Caramel Apple Dip

Let’s make The Best Sourdough Pumpkin Cinnamon Crunch Bagels

Links:

*This post contains affiliate links. I receive a small commission at no extra cost to you. Thank you!

Shower Caps (for covering sourdough bowl)

Kitchen Scale

Pastry Brush

Brown Paper Bag

Slotted Spoon