Day 1: Prepping the Dough

1. Activate Your Starter: Feed your sourdough starter 4–6 hours before you begin. It should be bubbly, doubled in size, and pass the “float test” (i.e., a dollop floats in water). If it sinks, it needs more time to get its act together.
2. Mix the Dough: In a mixing bowl, combine your active starter, bread flour, water, sugar, and salt. Use a stand mixer with a dough hook attachment (or your hands for an arm workout) until the dough is smooth but slightly stiff.
3. Add the Blueberries: Gently fold in your blueberries, ensuring they’re evenly distributed without squishing them into oblivion. Cover the dough with a damp cloth or plastic wrap.
4. Bulk Ferment (First Rise): Let the dough sit at room temperature for 4–6 hours until it looks puffy like a carb-born cloud. You’re not looking for it to double in size—just get noticeably fluffier.

Day 2: Shaping + Boiling + Baking

5. Shape The Bagels: Divide your dough into 8–10 equal portions (~100g each if you’re using a kitchen scale). Roll each portion into a ball, poke a hole in the center with your finger, and stretch it outward until it looks, well… bagel-y.
6. Chill Time (Literally): Place your bagels on a parchment-lined baking sheet dusted with cornmeal. Cover and refrigerate them overnight. This step enhances flavor and gives you that chewy bagel crust we all drool over.
7. Boiling Drama: Bring a large pot of water to a gentle boil. Poach each bagel for about 30 seconds per side. This step is what gives bagels their chewy exterior and locks in moisture. Optional: Sprinkle toppings right after boiling for better adhesion.
8. Bake Till Golden: Preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C). Bake the bagels on the center rack for 20–25 minutes or until their tops turn a gorgeous golden brown. Pro tip: rotate the pan halfway through for even baking!
9. Cool + Devour: Let the bagels cool for at least 15 minutes (if you can wait that long). Slather on cream cheese, toast them with a little butter, or just eat one plain because they’re THAT good.