These homemade bagels have the perfect balance of a crisp, golden crust and a satisfyingly chewy interior.
The subtle sweetness from the honey in the boiling process, combined with the depth of flavor from the yeast fermentation, makes them taste just as good (if not better) than your favorite bagel shop.
This recipe is designed to be easy to follow. With simple ingredients and a few key techniques, you can enjoy fresh, bakery-quality bagels right from your own kitchen. Also, the best part of this recipe is you can make a variety of different flavors to serve in the same batch!
Ingredients You’ll Need
Dough
- 1 ½ cups (360ml) warm water (100-110°F)
- 1 Tbsp instant yeast *see notes if using active dry yeast
- 1 Tbsp brown sugar
- 4 cups (520g) bread flour plus more for work surface and hands
- 2 tsp salt
- Nonstick spray or 2 tsp of oil
- Egg wash: 1 egg white beaten with 1 Tbsp water and a pinch of salt
For Boiling
- 2 quarts water
- 2 Tbsp honey
- 1 tsp baking soda
Topping Options
- Everything bagel seasoning
- Asiago Cheddar
- Jalapeño Cheddar
- Plain
How to Make Homemade Bagels
1. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook, combine warm water, brown sugar, and yeast. Stir and let sit for 5 minutes until foamy.
2. Add bread flour and salt. Mix on low speed until a rough dough forms.
3. Increase the speed to medium and knead for about 8 minutes until the dough is smooth and elastic.
4. Lightly grease a large bowl with nonstick spray or oil.
5. Place the dough inside, cover with a damp towel, and let rise in a warm place for 60-90 minutes, or until doubled in size.
6. Punch down the dough and divide it into 8 equal pieces. Roll each piece into a ball. Poke a hole in the center with your finger and gently stretch it to create a bagel shape.
7. Place the shaped bagels on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Cover with a towel and let rest for 20 minutes.
8. In a large pot, bring 2 quarts of water to a boil. Add honey and baking soda. Boil each bagel for 45 seconds per side. Remove with a slotted spoon and place back on the baking sheet.
9. Preheat oven to 425°F (218°C). Brush each bagel with egg wash. Add toppings as desired:
- Everything Bagel Seasoning: Sprinkle generously over each bagel.
- Asiago Cheddar: Top with shredded Asiago and Cheddar cheese before baking.
- Jalapeño Cheddar: Add thinly sliced jalapeños and shredded cheddar on top.
- Plain: Leave as is for a classic bagel.
10. Bake for 20-25 minutes, until golden brown.
11. Allow to cool for at least 10 minutes before slicing. Enjoy!
Homemade Bagels
Equipment
Ingredients
Dough
- 1 ½ cups (360ml) warm water (100-110°F)
- 1 Tbsp instant yeast *see notes if using active dry yeast
- 1 Tbsp brown sugar
- 4 cups (520g) bread flour plus more for work surface and hands
- 2 tsp salt
- Nonstick spray or 2 tsp oil
- Egg wash: 1 egg white beaten with 1 tablespoon water and a pinch of salt
For Boiling
- 2 quarts water
- 2 Tbsp honey
- 1 tsp baking soda
Topping Options:
- Everything bagel seasoning
- Asiago Cheddar
- Jalapeño Cheddar
- Plain
Instructions
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook, combine warm water, brown sugar, and yeast. Stir and let sit for 5 minutes until foamy.
- Add bread flour and salt. Mix on low speed until a rough dough forms.
- Increase the speed to medium and knead for about 8 minutes until the dough is smooth and elastic.
- Lightly grease a large bowl with nonstick spray or oil.
- Place the dough inside, cover with a damp towel, and let rise in a warm place for 60-90 minutes, or until doubled in size.
- Punch down the dough and divide it into 8 equal pieces. Roll each piece into a ball. Poke a hole in the center with your finger and gently stretch it to create a bagel shape.
- Place the shaped bagels on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Cover with a towel and let rest for 20 minutes.
- In a large pot, bring 2 quarts of water to a boil. Add honey and baking soda. Boil each bagel for 45 seconds per side. Remove with a slotted spoon and place back on the baking sheet.
- Preheat oven to 425°F (218°C). Brush each bagel with egg wash. Add toppings as desired:Everything Bagel Seasoning: Sprinkle generously over each bagel.Asiago Cheddar: Top with shredded Asiago and Cheddar cheese before baking.Jalapeño Cheddar: Add thinly sliced jalapeños and shredded cheddar on top.Plain: Leave as is for a classic bagel.
- Bake for 20-25 minutes, until golden brown.
- Allow to cool for at least 10 minutes before slicing. Enjoy!
Notes
- *If using active dry yeast: Use 1 tbsp (12g) of active dry yeast. Dissolve yeast in warm water (100-110°) with 1 tsp sugar. Let sit for 5-10 minutes until foamy, then proceed with the recipe.
- Boiling with honey and baking soda enhances flavor and texture. The honey adds a touch of sweetness and encourages a golden crust, while the baking soda helps create the classic chewy texture.
- Bread flour is essential for chewy bagels. It has a higher protein content than all-purpose flour, which helps develop the bagels’ signature dense and chewy texture. Also, avoid adding extra flour to the recipe. I would recommend measuring out the flour if you can. This recipe was tested with King Arthur Bread Flour.
- No stand mixer? No problem! Mix the ingredients in a large bowl, then knead by hand on a lightly floured surface for 10-12 minutes until smooth and elastic.
- These bagels can be made ahead of time. After shaping, cover and refrigerate overnight. Simply boil and bake them the next morning for fresh bagels.
- Bagels can be frozen for later. Store cooled bagels in an airtight bag in the freezer for up to 3 months. Toast or reheat when ready to enjoy.
- If you want to experiment with other toppings then you could try sesame seeds, poppy seeds, minced garlic, minced onion, cinnamon sugar, or sunflower seeds for different flavors.
- Add mix-ins for variety. Fold in raisins, cinnamon, shredded cheese, or other ingredients before shaping the bagels. I would recommend just doing toppings before adding the mix-ins. You may also want to cut into ten pieces versus eight if doing something with a lot of mix-ins.
- Store properly for freshness. Keep bagels in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days or refrigerate for up to a week.
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