Bagels

This easy step by step recipe will help you make the most amazing homemade bagels. This recipe is soon to be a family favorite. Make sure to check out the variations!

My kids eat a bagel every morning for breakfast. When I started baking bread I knew I wanted to try bagels, but I was so intimidated. I found out it is SO simple!

Isn’t that just the way life works? You talk yourself out of something you think is going to be too difficult, only to find out that is not only easier than you thought, but something that is SO enjoyable!

I have made this recipe so many times now. It is easy enough to make two batches and freeze one for later. And there are so many fun variations you can do!

Before we begin, let’s talk about what makes a bagel a bagel.

Bagels are set apart from other bread due to the preparation process of boiling them in water, often times with malt or honey added. This gives bagels that shiny crust and chewy center.

This process comes from the 17th century when Jewish bakers had to boil the dough before baking to get around anti-Semetic laws preventing them from baking bread.

The hole in the middle of the bagel allowed bakers to stack them on poles and dowels, making them easier to display and move.

So let’s make some bagels!

What you are going to need

• Bread flour: I use bread flour for all my bread recipes. As mentioned before, the higher protein content, 12-14%, in bread flour gives your loaf that chewy structure. All purpose as a protein content of closer to 10-12% is better for more “tender” baking like cookies and cakes and muffins. My go to Bread Flour is King Arthur’s Organic Bread flour
• Active yeast: While you can use instant yeast, I like to be sure my yeast has activated and I know my bread will rise properly. I use Fleischmann’s Active Yeast. *Don’t forget to store your yeast in the fridge or freezer!
• Sugar: Sugar acts as food for your yeast and can speed up the fermentation process, helping it to build to a strong activation.
• Water: Making sure your water is between 100-105 degrees will help your yeast activate.
• Salt: You can’t have a delicious recipe of anything without salt! I recommend a course sea salt or Kosher salt over table salt, as they will have a better taste.

Let’s get baking

Heat your water to about 100-105 degrees, add your yeast and sugar, and set aside.

You will know your yeast is active and strong when you see a nice bubbly foam forming on top.

In your stand mixer bowl, combine your flour and salt, then add your activated yeast.

Attache your dough hook and knead. Start at the lowest speed for a couple of minutes, then bump it up one and knead until the dough is pulling the sides clean. You want your dough to be firm and stiff.

I know it is ready when it falls cleanly off the dough hook.

Lightly brush a large bowl with olive oil and transfer your dough, and turn to coat it. Cover and let your dough rise for 1 hr. I normally let my dough rise in the oven with the light off. In warmer weather I let my dough rise on the counter.

Punch your dough down to deflate it, and turn it out onto a lightly floured surface.

Cover and let your dough rest for about 10 minutes. It will slightly increase in size.

Using a pastry cutter or knife, divide the dough into 8 sections. I start by dividing the dough in half, then dividing each half into 4 sections.

Fold each section in on itself and lay it with the folds facing down. Making a C shape with your hand, roll the section on the mat to form a small ball.

With a lightly floured finger, press into the center of the ball to create a hole.

Use your fingers to spread the whole into about a 1-3 inch diameter.

Place your dough on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper and repeat with the other sections. Cover them and let them rest for about 10 minutes.

While your dough is resting, preheat your oven to 425 and get a large pot of water boiling. Once it is boiling, reduce the heat slightly and add 2-3 tbsp of honey (optional) and stir.

Using a slotted spoon, carefully lower your bagels into the water 2 at a time. They will expand slightly while in the water, so make sure you do not overcrowd them.

Boil for about 1 minute, then flip them over and boil for about a minute on the other side.

With the slotted spoon, lift the bagels out and let them drain. Set them back on your cookie sheet. You can use the same parchment paper.

This would be where you can add any toppings you like. Brush each bagel with an egg wash and sprinkle on whatever toppings you like. I recommend sesame seeds, or Everything Bagel Seasoning. My kiddos like them plain so they go in as is.

Bake for about 20-25 minutes or until golden brown.

Let them cool, slice, and enjoy!

My favorite way to enjoy these bagels is toasted with melted butter. My kiddos prefer them topped with whipped cream cheese. Or you can sprinkle them with some cinnamon and sugar!

These bagels are also great for breakfast sandwiches!

Variations

Cinnamon Raisin – add 2 tbsp of cinnamon and 1 cup of raisins to your dough during step 4. Follow the rest of the instructions like normal. You can also add 1 tsp of vanilla for a bit of a sweeter taste.

Chocolate chip – add 1/2 cup chocolate chips to the the dough during step 4. Follow the rest of the instructions like normal.

Cinnamon Sugar – mix 1/4 cup sugar and 2 tbs cinnamon. Once bagels have baked, brush each one with melted butter and sprinkle on the cinnamon sugar mixture.

Blueberry – add 1/2 cup fresh or frozen blueberries to your dough during step 4. Follow the rest of the directions like normal.

Bagels

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 2 hours hrs

Cook Time 20 minutes mins

Servings 8 bagels

Equipment

• 1 Stand mixer with dough hook attachment
• 1 glass measuring cup
• measuring cups
• measuring spoons
• large bowl
• bread mat
• cookie sheet
• large pot
• slotted spoon
• parchment paper
• pastry cutter

Ingredients  

1x2x3x

• 1 1/4 cup warm water
• 2 tsp active yeast
• 4 1/2 tsp sugar
• 3 1/2 cups bread flour
• 1 1/2 tsp salt
• 3 tbsp honey

Instructions 

• Heat your water to between 100-105 degrees.
• Add yeast and sugar, stir, and set aside.
• In mixer bowl, combine flour and salt.
• Add yeast and knead until dough is firm and stiff.
• Lightly oil a large bowl.
• Transfer your dough and turn it to coat in oil.
• Cover and let rest for 1 hour.
• Punch dough down to deflate it and turn it out onto a lightly floured surface.
• Let the dough rest for an additional 10 minutes.
• Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.
• Divide the dough into 8 sections. Start by dividing the dough in half, then dividing each half into 4 sections.
• Roll each section up and pinch the seams.
• Set the section seam side down and roll into a ball.
• With a lightly floured finger, press down in the center of the ball.
• Carefully stretch and pull the center into a hole.
• Place you bagel on the cookie sheet.
• Repeat the process with the remaining sections of dough.
• Cover with a towel and let rest for 10 minutes.
• While the dough is resting, preheat your oven to 425 degrees, and bring a large pot of water to boil.
• Once your water is boiling, add honey and stir.
• Using a slotted spoon, carefully lower your bagels, two at a time, into the boiling water.
• Let them sit for about 1 minutes, then flip and boil for 1 minute on the other side.
• Using the slotted spoon, remove the bagels, drain them, and place them back on the cookie sheet.
• Once all your bagels have been boiled, add any toppings that you would like.
• Bake for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown.

Notes

1. Flour: I recommend using bread flour. The high protein percentage of bread flour is going to give that dense artisan feel to this loaf. If you only have All Purpose flour that will work fine in a 1:1 ratio.
2. Adding honey to the water is completely optional.  You can also use agave or maple syrup.
3. If you would like to make these refined sugar free, you can add 2 tbsp of honey to your yeast instead of the sugar.
4. Freezing Instructions: You store your bagels in the freezer after it has been baked.  Allow bagels to cool completely, then freeze for up to 3 months.  When you are ready, thaw at room temperature then reheat as needed.
5. Bread Storage: I store my bread in an open ziplock bag, inside a linen bread bag.  I have found this keeps the bread soft while still giving it room to breath.
6. To make cinnamon raisin bagels, add 1 cup of raisins and 2 tbsp of cinnamon to the dough before you knead it.  Then follow the rest of the directions as listed.

Did You Make This Recipe?

Tag @guidos.kitchen on Instagram and hashtag it #guidoskitchen

Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!