The Ultimate Vegan Bread Guide, Pt 2: Bagels, Pretzels & Sourdough Discard Recipes

🥨🔥 Craving New York-style bagels, soft pretzels, or creative ways to use sourdough discard? These five gourmet vegan recipes deliver chewy, golden perfection with pro techniques for home bakers. Plus, we’ll cover store-bought vegan options and game-changing hacks!

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1. New York-Style Vegan Bagels 🥯🌿

Flavor Profile: Chewy, slightly sweet, with a glossy crust

Ingredients

• 4 cups bread flour
• 1½ cups warm water
• 1 tbsp sugar
• 1 tbsp active dry yeast
• 1 tbsp barley malt syrup (or maple syrup)
• Toppings: Everything seasoning, sesame seeds

Step-by-Step Instructions

1. Make Dough:
   • Mix flour, yeast, sugar, and water. Knead 10 mins until smooth.
2. First Rise:
   • Cover, rest 1 hour until doubled.
3. Shape Bagels:
   • Divide into 8 balls, poke holes, stretch to 3-inch rings.
4. Boil:
   • Simmer in water + malt syrup (1 tbsp) for 1 min per side.
5. Bake:
   • 425°F (220°C) for 20-25 mins until golden.

Pro Tip: For extra shine, boil with baking soda (1 tbsp).

2. Soft Bavarian Pretzels 🇩🇪✨

Flavor Profile: Buttery, salty, with a dark mahogany crust

Ingredients

• 3½ cups all-purpose flour
• 1 cup warm water
• 1 tbsp sugar
• 2 tsp yeast
• Baking Soda Bath:
  • 8 cups water
  • ½ cup baking soda

Step-by-Step Instructions

1. Make Dough:
   • Mix flour, yeast, sugar, and water. Knead 8 mins.
2. Shape Pretzels:
   • Roll into 24-inch ropes, form into pretzel shapes.
3. Boil:
   • Dip in boiling baking soda water (30 sec per side).
4. Bake:
   • 450°F (230°C) for 12-15 mins. Brush with vegan butter.

Hack: Sprinkle coarse salt immediately after baking.

3. Sourdough Discard Crackers 🍞🔥

Flavor Profile: Crispy, tangy, with herb-infused oil

Ingredients

• 1 cup sourdough discard
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• ¼ cup olive oil
• 1 tsp rosemary, minced
• ½ tsp garlic powder

Step-by-Step Instructions

1. Mix Dough:
   • Combine all ingredients, knead 5 mins.
2. Roll Thin:
   • Use a pasta roller or rolling pin (~1/8-inch thick).
3. Bake:
   • 350°F (175°C) for 15-20 mins until crisp.

Pro Tip: Score with a pizza cutter before baking.

4. Cinnamon Sugar Pretzel Bites 🍯🍂

Flavor Profile: Pillowy, sweet, with caramelized crunch

Ingredients

• 1 batch pretzel dough (see recipe #2)
• ¼ cup vegan butter, melted
• ½ cup sugar + 1 tbsp cinnamon

Step-by-Step Instructions

1. Shape:
   • Roll dough into 1-inch balls.
2. Boil & Bake:
   • Follow pretzel boiling/baking steps (reduce bake time to 10 mins).
3. Coat:
   • Toss warm bites in butter, then cinnamon sugar.

Hack: Serve with vegan caramel dip.

5. Everything Bagel Sourdough Discard Flatbread 🥨🌿

Flavor Profile: Savory, seedy, with sourdough tang

Ingredients

• 1 cup sourdough discard
• 1 cup bread flour
• 2 tbsp everything seasoning
• 1 tbsp olive oil

Step-by-Step Instructions

1. Mix Dough:
   • Combine discard, flour, and ½ cup water. Rest 30 mins.
2. Cook:
   • Roll thin, cook in oiled skillet 3 mins per side.
3. Finish:
   • Brush with oil, sprinkle seasoning.

Pro Tip: Use as vegan pizza crust.

Store-Bought Vegan Options

• Bagels: Dave’s Killer Bread, O’Dough’s (gluten-free)
• Pretzels: Snyder’s of Hanover (original), Unique Splits
• Crackers: Mary’s Gone Crackers, Simple Mills

Pro Tips for Vegan Bread Baking

✔ Boost rise with 1 tsp sugar in yeast mixtures.
✔ Replace eggs with flax eggs (1 tbsp flax + 3 tbsp water = 1 egg).
✔ Store sourdough discard in the fridge for up to 1 week.

Sources:

• The Vegan Baking Bible by Karin Pfeiff-Boschek
• Flour Water Salt Yeast by Ken Forkish (vegan adaptations)

Which recipe are you baking first? Let us know below! 👇