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Bagels Recipe

Make the Bagels Recipe at home for chewy, golden bagels—boil, bake, and enjoy fresh Bagels Recipe today.

Ingredients

• 1 1/4 cups (295 ml / 295 g) warm water, at 105–110°F (40–43°C)
• 1 tablespoon (12 g) granulated sugar
• 2 1/4 teaspoons (7 g) active dry yeast
• 4 cups (480 g) bread flour, plus up to 1/4 cup (30 g) extra for adjusting the dough as needed
• 2 teaspoons (10 g) fine sea salt
• 1 teaspoon (5 ml) neutral oil (such as canola or sunflower), for lightly greasing the bowl
• 1–2 teaspoons (5–10 ml) neutral oil, for lightly oiling your hands and work surface if needed
• 1–2 tablespoons (10–20 g) fine cornmeal or semolina flour, for dusting the baking sheet (optional but recommended)
• 8 cups (1.9 liters) water
• 2 tablespoons (40 g) barley malt syrup, or 2 tablespoons (42 g) honey as a substitute
• 1 tablespoon (14 g) baking soda
• 1 teaspoon (6 g) fine sea salt
• 1 large egg (about 50 g), at room temperature
• 1 tablespoon (15 ml) water, at room temperature, for thinning the egg wash
• 2 tablespoons (18 g) sesame seeds (optional)
• 2 tablespoons (18 g) poppy seeds (optional)
• 3 tablespoons (about 24 g) everything bagel seasoning (optional)
• 1–2 teaspoons (5–10 g) coarse kosher salt or pretzel salt (optional)

Instructions

Step 1: Activate the yeast and combine the wet and dry

Warm the water to about 105–110°F and stir in the granulated sugar, then sprinkle the active dry yeast over the surface. After 5–10 minutes it should be foamy and smell faintly yeasty — if it doesn’t foam, start again with fresh yeast. Meanwhile, whisk the bread flour and fine sea salt together in a large bowl, make a well, and pour the foamy yeast mixture into the center. Stir with a sturdy spoon until a shaggy, slightly sticky mass forms; add small pinches of water or flour only as needed to bring the dough together into one cohesive shaggy dough.

Step 2: Knead until smooth and perform the first rise

Turn the shaggy dough onto a very lightly oiled work surface (or continue in the mixing bowl) and knead until the dough is smooth, firm, and elastic—about 8–12 minutes by hand or slightly less by mixer. The finished dough should feel dense and slightly tacky and spring back when pressed. Lightly oil a clean mixing bowl, place the smooth ball seam-side down, turn once to coat, cover tightly, and let the dough rise at a warm room temperature until noticeably puffy and roughly doubled in size (about 60–90 minutes). The interior should slowly spring back when pressed.

Step 3: Divide and pre-shape the dough pieces for shaping

Gently deflate the risen dough, turn it out onto the lightly oiled or lightly floured surface, and divide it into eight even pieces (about 95–100 g each) using a bench scraper or sharp knife. Shape each piece into a tight ball by tucking edges under and rolling to build surface tension, then arrange the balls on a parchment-lined, cornmeal-dusted baking sheet. Cover them loosely and rest for about 10 minutes so the gluten relaxes and shaping becomes easier.

Step 4: Shape the rings and proof briefly

Flatten each rested ball slightly, poke a hole through the center with your thumb and use both thumbs to stretch and rotate until the hole is evenly about 1½–2 inches wide and the ring thickness is consistent. Place the shaped rings back on the cornmeal-dusted sheet, cover loosely, and proof at room temperature for 20–30 minutes until they look slightly puffy and spring back slowly when pressed. Have your egg wash whisked and your toppings in shallow dishes ready for immediate use after boiling.

Step 5: Boil briefly, top while warm, and return to the tray

Bring a wide pot of water with barley malt syrup (or honey), baking soda, and a little salt to a steady simmer (no stove needs to be shown here). Lower 2–3 bagels at a time and boil 45–90 seconds per side depending on desired chew and crust; they will puff slightly. Remove with a slotted spoon, let excess water drain, and place them back on the cornmeal-dusted sheet. While still damp and warm, brush the tops lightly with the egg wash and immediately sprinkle or press into sesame, poppy, everything seasoning, or coarse salt so the toppings adhere and the surface becomes glossy and textured.

Step 6: Bake, cool, and present the final bagels

Bake the topped bagels in a preheated oven until deep golden brown with some darker spots and a firm crust, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool for at least 20–30 minutes so the crumb finishes setting. Serve slightly warm or at room temperature; slice or leave whole, toasted or plain, with your favorite spreads.

Notes

• Check yeast freshness by proofing; if it does not foam, start with new yeast.
• Use a kitchen thermometer to keep water at 105–110°F for best activation.
• Boil bagels in small batches to avoid crowding and uneven cooking.
• Freeze extra bagels sliced for quick toasting and longer storage.
• Brush toppings on while bagels are damp from the bath so they stick well.