Homemade bagels are one of my favorite fall breakfasts and snacks.
Listen—while everyone is busy tracing leaves and sipping pumpkin spice lattes, you can be here, right now, mastering homemade bagels with crispy crusts and chewy, golden insides. Cold mornings? No problem. These bagels absorb cream cheese and soup alike, hold up to everything from butter to smoked salmon, and refuse to be mediocre. They’re dense, chewy, and perfect for that autumnal bite when the world outside is crisp.
This isn’t some trendy bakery stunt. It’s real, rustic dough that comes to life in your kitchen. You shape, you boil, you bake, you conquer breakfast and every snack attack after. Let’s get to it.
Homemade Bagels Recipe
Recipe Card
| Recipe Name | Homemade Bagels |
|---|---|
| Summary | Dense, chewy bagels boiled and baked to golden perfection—customizable with toppings, and sturdy enough to hold anything you’re craving. |
| Servings | 8 bagels |
| Prep Time | 20 min (plus bulk rise) |
| Cook Time | 25 min (boiling + baking) |
| Additional Time | 1 hr 30 min rising (2 rises) |
| Total Time | ~2 hr 15 min |
| Course | Breakfast / Snack |
| Cuisine | American / Bakery |
| Method | Yeast Dough + Boiling + Baking |
| Diet | Vegetarian |
| Keywords | bagels, chewey bread, homemade bagels, yeast dough |
| Equipment | Large mixing bowl, dough hook or hands, baking sheet, parchment paper, pot for boiling, slotted spoon |
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups warm water (105–110 °F)
- 2 tsp active dry yeast
- 1 Tbsp sugar or honey
- 4 cups bread flour (plus extra if needed)
- 1 ½ tsp salt
- 1 Tbsp barley malt syrup or dark honey (optional, adds bagel sheen)
- 1 egg + 1 Tbsp water (egg wash)
- Optional toppings: sesame seeds, poppy seeds, everything seasoning, kosher salt
Instructions
- Bloom your yeast
- Mix warm water, yeast, and sugar. Wait 5 minutes until foamy. If it doesn’t froth, yeast is dead—start over.
- Form the dough
- Stir in flour, salt, and barley malt. Knead—stand mixer with hook for 5 minutes or by hand for 10—until smooth, elastic, and tacky.
- First rise
- Shape into ball in oiled bowl. Cover, let rise until doubled—about 1 hour in a warm spot.
- Shape bagels
- Punch down dough and divide into 8 pieces (~120g each). Roll into tight balls. Poke a hole in the center, stretch to 2” diameter. Place on parchment-lined baking sheet, cover, and let rest 15 minutes.
- Preheat & boil
- Preheat oven to 425°F. Bring a large pot of water to boil, reduce to gentle boil, and stir in barley malt or honey.
- Boil bagels 1 minute each side. Remove with slotted spoon and place back on parchment.
- Brush & top
- Brush boiled bagels with egg wash. Sprinkle toppings while damp.
- Bake
- Slide parchment onto a baking sheet and bake 20–25 minutes until deep golden brown and glossy. Rotate halfway for even crust.
- Cool & eat
- Let bagels cool on a wire rack at least 10 minutes. Slice with bread knife. Top hot with cream cheese, smoked salmon, or anything you crave.
Notes
- Water temp matters: Yeast needs warmth—not scald. 105–110°F is the sweet spot.
- Flour choice: Bread flour = chewy, structured bagels. All-purpose works, but crumb softens slightly.
- Boil is mandatory: Boiling creates that legendary crust and chewy interior. Skip it? You’re just making rolls.
- Flavor tweak: Barley malt syrup adds sheen and toasty taste. Honey works fine if you’re out.
- Topping timing: Egg wash helps seeds stick. If you skip wash, toss toppings just after baking.
- Bake environment: If your oven runs uneven, offset a second sheet to reflect heat. Rotate at 12 minutes.
- Storage and reuse: Bagels last 3 days in an airtight bag. Slice, toast, and enjoy later. Freeze halves and toast straight from frozen.
- Flavor variations: Add cinnamon-raisins, garlic herb, cheese inside, everything season outside—bagels flex to your mood.
Final Chew
Homemade bagels don’t just fill morning routines—they elevate them. You shape them. You boil them. Then you bake golden, chewy rings that hold butter and toppings with pride. Fall breakfasts? Nail. Soup dunking? Mastered. Midday snack? Legendary.
So wake up. Brew coffee. Knead dough. Shape circles. Hold your wrist steady. Boil with intention. Bake. Then slice into one of these heroes and taste what homemade does that store-bought just can’t compete with.
Make them once. Make them often. Because bagels like this are worth the ritual—and the rewards.
