In the bowl of your stand mixer equipped with a dough hook attachment, combine all of the ingredients. Mix on low speed until the dry ingredients are fully incorporated with the wet ones, then increase to medium speed until a smooth, elastic bagel dough forms. This process helps develop the gluten structure necessary for chewy bagels. 

Cover the large mixing bowl with a damp towel or plastic wrap and let the dough rest at room temperature for the first rise, allowing the sourdough flavor to develop beautifully.

You can also transfer the dough to a glass bowl for the bulk fermentation to better see when the dough will be ready.

The first rise will take anywhere from 6 - 8 hours, depending on the temperature in your kitchen. You'll know the dough is done rising when you see bubbles along the bowl's sides and it has increased in size.

Transfer your bagel dough to a clean work surface. You may need a lightly floured surface if the dough is sticky, though it should be very sticky. Divide it into 4 equal pieces, rolling each piece into a smooth ball.

You can cover them with a clean kitchen towel and let them rest briefly for the gluten to relax, but you can easily skip this step if you're in a hurry.

Using your index fingers, poke a hole through the center of each ball, twirling the dough a bit (imagine a gentle barrel roll in the air), to form it into the classic bagel shape.

Cover the bagels with a damp tea towel again and let them do the second rise, which will take anywhere from 1 to 3 hours. You'll know it's done when bagels become light and puffy again.

The boiling step, often skipped in easy sourdough bagels recipes, is critical here. It gives the bagels their iconic smooth crust and chewy texture.

Ready a large pot, fill it with about 2 quarts (about 2 liters) of water, and add in 1 tablespoon of sugar and 1 tablespoon of baking soda.

Bring it to a vigorous simmer. Using a slotted spoon, gently place bagels in the boiling water, giving them about 1 minute per side.

After boiling, use the slotted spoon to transfer them back to the parchment-lined baking sheet, allowing excess water to drip off.

You can preheat your oven while you boil the bagels.

After boiling, arrange the shaped bagels on a parchment paper-covered cookie sheet or sheet pan.

At this point, you can brush each with an egg wash for that golden brown sheen, and sprinkle with additional chocolate chips, sesame seeds, or any favorite toppings.

Bake for approximately 20 minutes at around 425°F (about 220°C). If your oven is quite powerful, you might want to lower the temperature slightly to avoid over-baking. The aim is to achieve a lovely golden brown, not a deep brown.

After baking, transfer them to a wire rack to cool, which is the best way to prevent soggy bottoms.