Bagel Recipe
Fresh homemade bagels with a chewy center, shiny crust, and rich flavor. This easy recipe walks you through simple steps to achieve bakery-style bagels right in your own kitchen.
Ingredients
Dough
- 1.5 cups warm water about 100–110°F
- 2.75 teaspoons yeast instant or active dry
- 1 tablespoon barley malt syrup or sugar
- 4 cups bread flour spooned and leveled
- 2 teaspoons salt
Boiling and Topping
- 2 quarts water for boiling
- 0.25 cup barley malt syrup or honey
- 1 egg white mixed with 1 tablespoon water
Instructions
- In a large bowl, combine warm water, yeast, and barley malt syrup or sugar. Stir gently and let sit for 5 minutes until foamy.
- Add bread flour and salt. Mix until a firm dough forms. Adjust with small amounts of flour or water if needed.
- Knead the dough for 6–7 minutes until smooth and elastic. It should spring back when pressed.
- Place dough in a lightly greased bowl, cover, and let rise for 1.5 to 2 hours until doubled in size.
- Line baking sheets. Punch down dough and divide into 8 equal pieces.
- Shape each piece into a ball, then poke a hole in the center and stretch slightly to form a bagel shape.
- Let shaped bagels rest for 5–10 minutes while preheating oven to 425°F (220°C).
- Bring water to a boil and add barley malt syrup or honey.
- Boil bagels 2–3 at a time for 1 minute per side. Remove with a slotted spoon.
- Brush bagels with egg wash and add toppings if desired.
- Bake for 20–25 minutes until deep golden brown. Rotate trays halfway through.
- Cool on tray for 20 minutes, then transfer to a rack. Slice and serve as desired.
Notes
For deeper flavor, let the dough rise overnight in the refrigerator. You can customize with toppings like sesame seeds, cinnamon sugar, or cheese. Freeze baked bagels for up to 3 months and reheat before serving.
Nutrition Facts Per Serving
- Calories: 247 kcal
- Carbohydrates: 51.9 g
- Protein: 8.1 g
- Fat: 0.8 g
- Saturated Fat: 0.1 g
- Fiber: 1.8 g
- Sugar: 2.4 g
- Sodium: 595 mg