Making bagels from scratch is so rewarding – they’re super fluffy on the inside, crunchy on the outside, and the best part is breakfast is sorted out for the whole week! Whether it’s jalapeño cheese, everything, sesame, or asiago, however you bagel, it’s going to be delicious. Stuff it with some cream cheese or turn the bagel into a sandwich for lunch!
This recipe has been a long time coming on the blog because if there is one thing anyone knows about me, it’s that I’m absolutely in love and obsessed with bagels. I think I have eaten one every singe day for 300 of 365 days of the year. They’re so delicious, filling, and you can never get sick of it because you just change the filling! And when you learn how to make something you love from scratch, you fall in love with it just a little bit more which I didn’t think could be possible with bagels, yet here we are.
How to Make the Dough
Here are the ingredients you will need:
- warm water
- warm milk
- active dry yeast
- granulated white sugar
- bread flour
- salt
To make the dough, start by proofing the yeast. Sprinkle the yeast on top of 1/4 cup of warm water and 1 teaspoon of sugar. Mix and cover for 10 minutes until frothy and bubbly.
Now add the bread flour, salt, and sugar to a large mixing bowl and whisk together. Pour in the warm water, warm milk, and proofed yeast. Knead the dough for a few minutes until elastic and soft. It shouldn’t be sticky or too dry. Add a tablespoon of water or of flour as needed depending on what your dough needs.
Transfer the dough to an oiled bowl, cover, and allow it to rise in a warm place until double in size, about an hour. The longer the dough rests, the better!
After doubled in size, punch the dough down and divide into equal portions. Pinch and roll each one into a ball. This recipe makes about 10 bagels depending on how small or big you shape them. Cover again for 15 minutes so they puff up again.
Then poke a hole in the center of each one to get that signature bagel shape and roll it around the center to enlarge the hole. Repeat with the rest, cover, and allow to rise again for 15 minutes.
Boiling
Now unlike most bread, bagels are unique because they are boiled before baked in the oven!
Add honey and baking soda to the boiling water in a large pot. This will help give the bagels a nice sheen and golden brown color when out of the oven. Just boil each bagel for 2 minutes on each side and transfer to a baking sheet.
The Toppings
This is the best part because you get to create any bagel flavor you like or mix and match them! To help the toppings adhere better, whisk together one egg and a splash of milk. Brush that on the boiled bagels and then you can customize the toppings.
- everything bagel: just buy everything bagel seasoning from the store and sprinkle it generously on top
- sesame bagel: add sesame seeds on top. They can be regular sesame seeds or toasted.
- poppy seed: sprinkle with poppy seeds all over
- jalapeño cheddar: add shredded cheddar cheese and jalapeños on top
- cinnamon sugar: add a mix of brown sugar and cinnamon on top
And of course, nothing beats a plain bagel too!
Baking
After adding the toppings, into the oven they go to bake until beautifully golden brown, crispy on the outside, and fluffy on the inside! Bake at 425°F for about 20 to 25 minutes.
Storing and Reheating
Any leftovers bagels can be stored in an airtight container on the counter and then reheated and toasted using a toaster or oven. For maximum freshness, enjoy within 3 days. Anytime beyond that, store in the freezer. Do not store in the fridge as it will dry them out!
Make the Bagels Vegan
The best part about this recipe is it can easily be made vegan, in fact most bagels are vegans. They’re usually only made with water but I like to replace some of that water for milk. I think it adds a more rich flavor to the bagels but to make it vegan, just replace the milk with the same amount of water!
If you tried this recipe and loved it, drop by down below and let me know how you liked it with a rating and comment! Feel free to also leave a question there about this recipe and I’ll get right back to it.
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