Homemade Bagels
This homemade bagel recipe delivers authentic New York-style bagels with a perfectly chewy interior and delightfully crisp crust, rivaling any bagel shop.
Equipment
- Stand mixer with dough hook - Or mix by hand
- Large mixing bowl
- Kitchen scale - Recommended for accuracy
- Clean kitchen towel or plastic wrap
- Large pot or Dutch oven - For boiling
- Slotted spoon or spider strainer
- Baking sheets - 2
- Parchment paper or silicone baking mats
- Pastry brush - If using egg wash
- Wire cooling rack
Ingredients
- 4 cups bread flour - 520g, plus more for dusting
- 1 tablespoon active dry yeast - 8g
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar - 12g
- 1.5 teaspoons salt - 9g
- 1.5 cups warm water - 360ml, 100-110°F/38-43°C
- 1 tablespoon honey - Or barley malt syrup, for boiling
- 1 tablespoon baking soda - For boiling
- 1 large egg - Beaten, optional for egg wash
For Topping (choose any)
- everything bagel seasoning
- sesame seeds
- poppy seeds
- coarse salt
- cinnamon sugar
Instructions
- Activate yeast by combining warm water, sugar, and yeast; let sit until foamy (5-10 minutes).
- Mix flour and salt in stand mixer, add yeast mixture, and knead with dough hook for 7-9 minutes until smooth, elastic, and pulling away from bowl sides.
- Shape dough into a ball, place in oiled bowl, cover, and let rise in warm place for 60-90 minutes until doubled in size.
- Punch down dough, divide into 8 equal pieces (about 115g each), roll into smooth balls, cover, and rest for 10 minutes.
- Poke a hole through each dough ball, stretch to about 2 inches in diameter, place on baking sheet, cover, and rest for 10 minutes.
- Boil water with honey and baking soda. Boil bagels for 30-60 seconds per side, then remove with slotted spoon and drain.
- Brush with egg wash if using, sprinkle with chosen toppings immediately, and bake at 425°F for 20-25 minutes until golden brown and internal temperature reaches 200°F.
- Cool on wire rack for at least 10 minutes before slicing and serving warm with favorite spreads.
Notes
- Use bread flour for authentic chewy texture; all-purpose flour will produce softer, less authentic bagels.
- Water temperature is crucial: 100-110°F is ideal; too hot kills yeast, too cold won't activate it.
- Don't skip the boiling step—it creates the signature shiny crust and dense interior.
- Make holes large (about 2 inches) as they'll shrink significantly during boiling and baking.
- Work quickly when boiling; bagels will start to rise as they sit, so boil as soon as possible after shaping.
- Try the float test: place a shaped bagel in water; if it floats, it's ready to boil for longer proofing.
- Rotate baking sheets halfway through baking for even browning on all bagels.
- Cool before slicing for clean cuts; hot bagels are difficult to slice neatly.
- Toast day-old bagels to revive their texture beautifully.
- Make dough ahead: after first rise, shape bagels, cover, and refrigerate up to 24 hours; bring to room temperature for 30 minutes before boiling.