Homemade Bagels Made Easy

Tender and chewy inside with a light golden crust, these Easy Homemade Bagels are wonderful. Sprinkle them with everything bagel seasoning or leave them plain. Toasted with whipped cream cheese, they make a perfect breakfast!

Quick Look at Homemade Bagels

Much like my Homemade Soft Pretzels recipe, this bagel version uses only a handful of ingredients and comes together fairly fast. It tastes every bit as good as, if not better than, bagels from a local shop.

The star of these bagels is bread flour, which makes the inside soft and chewy. The boiling water bath, with baking soda and a touch of honey for a little sweetness, is what gives the crust its light golden color.

I went with instant dry yeast, which lets the dough rise in roughly 60-90 minutes. Active dry yeast also works, but plan on a longer rise of about 2 – 2 1/2 hours.

Brush on some egg wash after the boiling water bath, and if you want the most flavorful top, sprinkle on everything bagel seasoning. Within 25 minutes, you'll have bagels that taste fantastic!

What You'll Need

Here's the full list of ingredients for these easy homemade bagels. The recipe card lists amounts in US cups by default, but you can switch to metric grams, which I'd suggest for the most reliable results. A food scale is inexpensive and easy to find almost anywhere.

• Bread Flour. I suggest King Arthur, though any brand you like will work. Bread flour has more protein than all-purpose flour, which is what gives these bagels their chewy inside and crusty outside.
• Water. Needed for both the dough and the baking soda honey bath. The dough water should feel very warm, roughly 90ºF to 110ºF on a digital thermometer. The water for the bath needs to be boiling.
• Instant Quick Rise Yeast. Red Star is the brand I use. Instant yeast gives you a rise time of roughly 60-90 minutes.
• Salt. Boosts the flavor and firms up the gluten structure of the dough.
• Granulated Sugar. Gives the dough a touch of sweetness. The next ingredient adds a little more.
• Honey. Optional. It adds only a subtle hint of sweetness to the dough.
• Baking Soda. Only for the baking soda bath. Do not add it to the pretzel dough.
• Egg Yolk. Whisk it with one tablespoon of water to make the egg wash for the tops of the bagels, applied after the baking soda honey bath.
• Everything Bagel Seasoning. Make your own for this recipe or grab a jar from the grocery store, which is what I did. Mine came from ALDI, but Trader Joe's also has a really good blend.

Ingredient Swaps

Maple Syrup or Barley Malt Syrup. Either one can stand in for the honey in the boiling baking soda bath, using the same amount.

Active Dry Yeast. Works in place of instant quick-rise yeast, though plan on a longer rise of roughly 2-2 1/2 hours.

I do not suggest all-purpose or whole wheat flour for these bagels. You won't get the same chewy texture you get with bread flour.

Baking Tools You'll Want

Here's a list of the tools you'll need for this easy bagel recipe. The good news is that a stand mixer isn't required if you'd rather skip it!

• Stand mixer with dough hook. An option, or go even simpler with a large mixing bowl and a dough whisk.
• Dough whisk. Along with a large bowl, this is what I used to first combine the dough. I finished kneading with my hands, and clean hands work fine for the mixing step too.
• Silicone baking mat. Parchment paper also works, but lightly coat it with a flour-based baking spray or a non-stick cooking oil spray so the bagels don't stick. Silicone mats are a nice choice too, since they create less waste.
• Baking sheet. One large baking sheet is all you need.
• Bench Scraper. A bench scraper or a sharp knife will divide the dough into pieces. If you'd like the pieces to weigh the same, reach for that food scale!
• Large Pot. Used for the baking soda honey bath.
• Fine-Mesh Strainer or Flat Slotted Spatula. Use it to lift the bagels out of the boiling bath. It also lets the excess liquid drain off them.
• Wire Cooling Rack. You'll need a wire rack so the bagels can cool a bit before you enjoy them.
• Oven Thermometer. I strongly recommend getting an oven thermometer for all my recipes. They cost little and make sure your oven is really at the right temperature!

Time to Make These Bagels!

This is just a quick overview of how these bagels come together. The full step-by-step is in the recipe card further down.

Helpful Tip

A stand mixer with a dough hook works, but I found a dough whisk and large mixing bowl just as easy for combining everything.

Step 1. Make the dough. First I whisked the warm water, instant yeast, and granulated sugar together in a separate bowl. I let it bloom, covered, for 10 minutes. Once that mixture has bloomed, I added it to a large mixing bowl with the bread flour and salt. At this point the dough will look thick, dry, and scaly.

Step 2. Knead the dough by hand on a lightly floured surface (bread flour is best) for 5-7 minutes, until it's soft and smooth. Put the dough in a lightly oiled bowl (the one you mixed it in works fine), cover it, and let it rise for 60-90 minutes until doubled. A warm spot in your kitchen helps it rise well.

Step 3. Shape the bagels. Punch the dough down and divide it into eight pieces. Weigh each piece so they match, or simply eyeball them. Roll each one into a ball on a clean, unfloured surface, since the bare surface helps the dough grip and form a ball. Press your thumb and pointer finger into the center of each ball to make a hole, then stretch it out a little. Set them on a silicone-lined or lightly sprayed parchment-lined baking sheet, cover, and rest for 10 minutes.

Step 3. Get the water bath going and preheat the oven. While the bagels rest, bring a large pot of water (6-8 cups) to a boil. Whisk in the honey and baking soda. Heat your oven to 425ºF.

Step 4. Give the bagels a bath. Drop 2-3 bagels into the boiling water, baking soda, and honey mixture. Time them for 1-2 minutes per side. They'll puff up and look wrinkly, which is normal, and they'll smooth out as they bake!

Helpful Tip

A fine-mesh strainer or slotted spatula works best for lifting the bagels out. Tongs aren't recommended, since they can squash the still-soft bagels. Shake off any extra water, then set the bagels back on the baking sheet.

Step 5. Bake. Brush on the egg wash, sprinkle with the everything bagel mix, then bake for 20-25 minutes at 425ºF.

Common Questions

I wouldn't. Its lower protein content means you won't get the same chewy texture you'd get with bread flour. I don't recommend whole wheat flour either.

Yes! Let the bagels cool completely, then wrap them in plastic wrap and keep them in a sealed container or zip-top bag. Bring them to room temperature the day before, then toast them in a toaster oven. Frozen bagels stay good for 1 month.

My preferred method is to roll each piece of dough into a ball, then press your thumb and finger through the center to form the hole. Another option is to roll each piece into a rope about 8-9 inches long, wrap both ends around your palm, and press them together to seal.

You'll need poppy seeds, white and black sesame seeds, flaky sea salt, dried onion flakes, and dried minced garlic. If that sounds like too much work, you can buy a jar that's already mixed. I found mine at ALDI, and Trader Joe's, if you have one nearby, has a good version too.

More Breakfast Ideas to Try!

If you make these Homemade Bagels or anything else from my site, I'd love for you to leave a star rating and share your thoughts in the comments below. Thanks for stopping by!