These super easy homemade bagels will make you never buy store bought bagels again.
Homemade bagels are one of my favorite breakfast foods to keep around the house! They are super easy to make and so much better than store bought! I love how easy it is to customize your bagels to everyone’s preference too! My kids love the sweet cinnamon sugar bagels, my husband is a sucker for cheddar bagels, and I love adding the everything bagel or thyme to mine!
Ingredients for Bagels
- Bread Flour: I really recommend using bread flour in this recipe. The added protein in bread flour gives bagels that classic chewy center that you just don’t get with all purpose.
- Salt – salt ads not only flavor to your dough but helps with the dough structure also.
- Brown Sugar – used to help proof our yeast and in boiling water. You could swap for honey also.
- Dry Active Yeast – I prefer using dry active yeast, if you like to use rapid rise or instant yeast use that.
How to Make Bagels
- Combine 1 cup warm water with yeast and brown sugar. Mix and set aside for 5 minutes.
- Combine the dry ingredients in a large bowl. add in yeast mixture and up to an additional 1/2 cup of water to make the dough come together. Knead the dough for 10-15 minutes.
- Line A baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Divide the dough into 6 equal pieces. Shape each portion into a round ball with your hands and place on your prepared baking sheets. Cover the pans with cling wrap or a dish towel and place in a warm place to rise for an hour.
- After the dough balls have risen, take your thumb and make a hole in the center of each ball, gently spread the hole out to shape the dough into bagel shapes.
- Fill a large wide pot about 2/3 of the way with water and bring to a boil. Once the water starts simmering, add in about 1/2 cup of brown sugar.
- Once the water is boiling, use a spatula to gently drop the bagels into the boiling water one at a time.
- Boil for about 1 minute before flipping over to the other side and boiling for another minute.
- After they have boiled, place them on the second baking sheet.
- If desired, you can place toppings on the top of your bagels. Simply sprinkle your desired seasonings over the top of the bagels and gently press on them so that they stick to the wet bagel. I love everything bagel seasoning, cheese, or cinnamon sugar!
- Cook the bagels at 425 for 10 to 12 minutes, rotating the pans halfway through.
- Allow the bagels to cool before slicing and serving with your desired spreads!
Favorite Bagel Toppings
I love switching up my bagel flavors by adding new toppings. Here are a few of my favorite flavors to top my bagels with:
- Cheese: cheddar and parmesan are my favorite
- Everything Bagel Seasoning: I think this one is a given.
- Cinnamon Sugar: a sweet treat
- Cheddar Jalapeño – Shredded with regular or picked jalapeños is a win.
- Parmesan Thyme – thyme has slowly began to be my favorite herb to work with.
- Sesame or Poppy Seeds – great flavors!
Enjoy by experimenting with your favorite flavors!
Share Your Experience
I would love to hear about your experience making and enjoying my Homemade Bagels! Feel free to tag me on Instagram or leave a review below. Your feedback helps me improve our recipes and provides inspiration to fellow bakers.
Save this recipe for later by simply using the pin button on the recipe card or any of the photos above. Happy cooking!
Super Easy Homemade Bagels
Ingredients
- 3 1/4 cups bread flour
- 1 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 Tbsp brown sugar
- 2 1/4 tsp dry active yeast
- 1 to 1 1/2 cups water
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
Instructions
- Combine 1 cup warm water with yeast and brown sugar. Mix and set aside for 5 minutes.
- Combine the dry ingredients in a large bowl. add in yeast mixture and up to an additional 1/2 cup of water to make the dough come together. Knead the dough for 10-15 minutes.
- Line A baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Divide the dough into 6 equal pieces. Shape each portion into a round ball with your hands and place on your prepared baking sheets. Cover the pans with cling wrap or a dish towel and place in a warm place to rise for an hour.
- After the dough balls have risen, take your thumb and make a hole in the center of each ball, gently spread the hole out to shape the dough into bagel shapes.
- Fill a large wide pot about 2/3 of the way with water and bring to a boil. Once the water starts simmering, add in about 1/2 cup of brown sugar.
- Once the water is boiling, use a spatula to gently drop the bagels into the boiling water one at a time.
- Boil for about 1 minute before flipping over to the other side and boiling for another minute.
- After they have boiled, place them on the second baking sheet.
- If desired, you can place toppings on the top of your bagels. Simply sprinkle your desired seasonings over the top of the bagels and gently press on them so that they stick to the wet bagel. I love everything bagel seasoning, cheese, or cinnamon sugar!
- Cook the bagels at 425 for 10 to 12 minutes, rotating the pans halfway through.
- Allow the bagels to cool before slicing and serving with your desired spreads!
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