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Home › Recipe

Updated: Feb 17, 2025 · Published: Mar 30, 2020 by Elizabeth Marek · This post may contain affiliate links · 37 Comments

Easy Bagel Recipe

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easy bagel recipe pin

This super easy homemade bagel recipe makes the most delicious chewy bagels in less than 60 minutes. No fancy tools or techniques are required; they taste much better than what you get at the bagel shops.

homemade bagels on a sheet pan

This dough is some of the easiest to make and uses basic ingredients you can find at the grocery store. All you have to do is mix everything together, put it in a warm place to rise, shape your dough into the bagels, dunk in some boiling water, and then bake them with your favorite toppings or toast and smear them with a bunch of cream cheese (my favorite)!

bagel broken in half to show the inside texture

If you love making your own bread recipes like my focaccia bread, fast bread recipe, homemade soft pretzels, or sourdough bread, you will LOVE making these bagels!

Table of contents

  • Ingredients
  • What kind of yeast is best for making bagels?
  • How to make the dough
  • How to shape bagels the easy way
  • How to make homemade bagels chewy
  • What are some easy bagel toppings?

Ingredients

There isn't a lot to making bagels. So there's no reason to be nervous! Check the notes at the bottom of the recipe card for substitutions.

Bread flour - Higher in gluten and produces a great chewy bagel. You can also use all-purpose flour if that is all you have. They will still be great! I love Caputo brand flour personally.
Warm Water - Activates the yeast and activates the gluten in the flour. Your water should be 110ºF- 115ºF. We're using water instead of milk so that our bread has less fat in it which makes the bread chewier. 
Brown Sugar - Just a little bit of sugar helps the yeast to grow and the molasses gives a delicious flavor to the bagels similar to the barley malt syrup that traditional bakeries use.
Olive oil - Gives the bagels a wonderful flavor and helps them stay soft. 
Instant Yeast - Gives our bagels flavor and makes them rise! You can also use active dry yeast but it will take longer. See notes at the bottom of the recipe for more information. I like Saf Instant Yeast.
Salt - Gives our bagels flavor. Very important in bread making. Make sure you don't add your salt to your flour until the flour has mixed with the warm water and sugar or it can stop your yeast from activating. 
Toppings - The best thing about making your own bagels is choosing your toppings! Cheese, herbs, poppy seeds... the options are endless! Just brush your bagels with egg wash first and then finish with your favorite bagel toppings!

What kind of yeast is best for making bagels?

saf-instant yeast

I love this bagel recipe, it's very similar to my easy bread recipe except there's a little less oil and sugar, making the dough is chewier. 

I'm using saf-instant yeast to make these bagels so that they rise really fast. Instant yeast is similar to active dry yeast but it works much faster. 

If you don't have instant yeast, don't worry! You can still use this recipe. Follow all the directions for mixing exactly the same way but you will need to let your bagel dough proof for 90 minutes instead of 30 minutes. 

You will also have to let them proof for a bit longer after you shape the bagels if you're using active dry yeast. About 20 minutes instead of 10. 

How to make the dough

Making the bagel dough could not be easier. No need to bloom the yeast because we are making a lean dough which means there isn't much fat in the recipe and the instant yeast works very quickly without blooming. Fat (eggs, butter, oil) can inhibit yeast from working which is why we bloom yeast in recipes like sweet dough. 

  1. Place the oil in the warm water with the brown sugar and set it aside. oil, water and sugar in a measuring cup
  2. Place your flour and yeast into the bowl of your stand mixer with the dough hook attachment and mix for a few seconds to combine everything together.
  3. While mixing on low, add the warm water mixture into the flour mixture and mix until combined (about 30 seconds).bagel dough in a mixer
  4. Now sprinkle in your salt while mixing on low. We add the salt after the yeast has been activated because salt can also get in the way of yeast growing. 
  5. If your dough looks too wet, you can add in a couple of tablespoons of flour. If the dough looks too dry, add a couple of tablespoons of water. The dough should look rough and sticky and sticking to the bowl at first. 
  6. Now all you have to do is let the dough ingredients mix on medium-high speed for 6 minutes. (speed 4 on the KitchenAid, speed 2 on the bosch). Once it has mixed enough, the dough will "clean" the sides of the bowl and the surface of the dough will look smooth.
  7. Cover the dough with a tea towel or plastic wrap to keep the dough from drying out.
  8. Set the dough aside in a warm place to rise until it doubles in size. About 30-60 minutes. The warmer the spot, the faster the dough will rise. I like to put mine by the fireplace or turn on the oven to the lowest setting for about 15 minutes to warm it up, turn the oven off, open the door, and place the dough on the door to rise.dough proofing in bowl

*note* You will know the dough is ready when it passes these two tests. 

  1. Poke the dough, does it bounce back? That is a good sign the gluten has developed enough and the dough is ready. 
  2. Perform the windowpane test. Take a golf ball-sized piece of the dough and stretch it between your fingers carefully. Can you make a thin sheet of dough that you can almost see through (a window)? Then the dough is ready. 

How to shape bagels the easy way

Shaping bagels can seem tricky but let me show you the best way to shape bagels quickly and easily.

  1. First, divide your dough into 18 equal pieces. Don't worry, they don't have to be perfect!bagel dough ball
  2. Fold all the rough edges to the underside to form a rough dough ball.
  3. Cup the dough ball under your hand and roll it in a circle against the table to form a smooth tight ball. Let the dough rest while you form the rest of the balls. 
  4. Poke a hole in the center of the dough and stretch the hole so it's about 2" wide.homemade bagel dough being formed
  5. Set the bagels aside to rest and rise for 10 minutes while you prepare your water. 

Don't worry if your bagels don't look perfect. These are homemade! They will taste delicious. 

Making the hole in the center of the bagel was my daughter's favorite part. It's a great job for little kids so they can feel like they are helping. 

Little girl with brown shoulder-length hair and white and yellow shirt shaping a bagel with her hands

How to make homemade bagels chewy

The secret to chewy bagels is actually boiling them in water before baking them. 

Weird huh? 

But it's true. Bagels are typically boiled in sweet, salted water for 30 seconds on each side and then baked. They can even be boiled for up to a minute on each side. The longer they boil, the thicker, chewier, and shinier the crust will be.

  1. Bring two quarts of water and ¼ cup of honey or maple syrup to a boil.
  2. Preheat your oven to 425ºF and line two sheet pans with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.
  3. Place your shaped bagels into the water and let them cook for about 30 seconds and then flip them and repeat cooking on the other side.boiling bagel in water
  4. After boiling your bagels, scoop them out of the hot water with a slotted spoon or fancy gravy whisk like I have here.
  5. Let the bagels drain for a few seconds then place them onto a parchment-covered sheet pan with some cornflour sprinkled on top. The cornflour just keeps the bagels from sticking to the parchment. 
  6. Brush the bagels with some egg wash and then add your favorite toppings.sprinkling toppings on bagels
  7. Bake the bagels in your preheated oven for 20-25 minutes or until they are nice and golden brown.

What are some easy bagel toppings?

Before you pop those bagels into the oven, make sure you brush them with egg wash (one egg whisked with one tablespoon water). 

easy homemade bagels with different toppings on a sheet pan

Then you can top your bagels with whatever toppings you like! 

I decided to put some shredded cheese on three of my bagels

Italian herbs and shredded parmesan Reggiano on three more

Then I, of course, had to make everything bagels because they are my favorite. I had some on hand but you can also make your own everything bagel seasoning! 

The last three I left plain so I could toast them for my breakfast sandwich in the morning!

These bagels where absolutely amazing fresh out of the oven but will last for about 3 days at room temperature in a ziplock bag. That is if you can stop yourself from eating them all.

What's the difference between regular bagels and New York bagels?

New York bagels are boiled for longer, resulting in a thicker and chewier crust.

 

Recipe

homemade bagels on a sheet pan

Easy Bagel Recipe

How to make easy bagels that are chewy and soft right in your own kitchen. Switch up the flavors to whatever you like! No complicated machines or techniques KNEAD-ed (you see what I did there).
Print Recipe Pin Recipe Rate Recipe
Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes minutes
Course: Appetizer
Cuisine: American
Servings: 18 bagels
Calories: 203kcal
Author: Elizabeth Marek

Equipment

  • Stand mixer with dough hook

Ingredients

  • 30 ounces bread flour or all-purpose flour
  • 1 Tablespoon brown sugar
  • 2 Tablespoons olive oil
  • 14 grams instant yeast or active dry (see notes below recipe)
  • 16 ounces warm water (110ºF)
  • 2 teaspoons salt

Waterbath

  • 64 ounces water
  • 2 ounces honey or maple syrup
  • 1 Tablespoon salt

Egg wash

  • 1 large egg
  • 1 Tablespoon water
US Customary - Metric

Instructions

  • Heat your water to 110º-115ºF. Combine the water with the brown sugar, and oil and set aside.
  • Place your flour and instant yeast into the bowl of your stand mixer with the dough hook attached. Mix for 5 seconds to distribute the yeast.
  • Pour in your hot water mixture into the dry ingredients while mixing on low, just until everything is moistened.
  • While mixing on low, sprinkle in your salt and mix until combined.
  • Increase the speed to medium-high (speed 4 on a kitchenaid, speed 2 on the bosch) and mix the bagel dough for 6 minutes. If your dough is too dry, add a tablespoon or two of water until the dough sticks to the sides of the bowl. If it's too wet, sprinkle in a little flour.
  • Poke the dough, does it bounce back? The dough is ready to proof. You can also do the windowpane test (see blog post). If the dough isn't ready, mix for another two minutes or until the dough passes these tests .
  • Form the dough into a tight ball and place it into an oiled bowl. Cover and let the dough proof in a warm spot for 30-60 minutes or until it has doubled in size. (proof 90 minutes if you're using active dry yeast).
  • Divide your dough into 18 equal sized pieces.
  • Shape your bagels into a ball and then poke a hole through the center. Stretch the hole to about 2" wide and set the bagel aside to rest for 10 minutes.
  • Bring 8 cups of water to a boil and add in 1 teaspoon of salt and ¼ of honey or maple syrup.
  • Prepare two sheet pans with parchment paper. Sprinkle a good amount of corn flour (semolina) on top. This prevents the bagels from sticking.
  • Preheat your oven to 425ºF.
  • Place your bagels into the boiling water and cook for 30 seconds on each side then drain with a slotted spoon before placing onto the parchment paper.
  • Whisk together the egg and water. Brush all your bagels with egg wash using a pastry brush and sprinkle on your desired toppings.
  • Bake at 425 for 20-25 minutes or until they are golden brown.

Video

Notes

  1. To proof bread, I turn my oven on to 170ºF and open the door then place my dough on the door near the opening of the oven to proof, not INSIDE the oven. 
  2. If you don't have instant yeast your can use regular active yeast but it will take longer to proof. You don't need to change the amount of yeast.
    1. Let your dough proof for 90 minutes or until it doubles in size
    2. Divide the dough, shape, brush with egg wash, let rest for 20 minutes before baking.
  3. You can replace half the white flour with wheat flour for whole wheat bagels
  4. You can use melted butter instead of oil or any other kind of oil that you like

Nutrition

Serving: 1bagel | Calories: 203kcal | Carbohydrates: 38g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 3g | Saturated Fat: 0.4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Trans Fat: 0.001g | Cholesterol: 10mg | Sodium: 657mg | Potassium: 61mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 16IU | Vitamin C: 0.02mg | Calcium: 13mg | Iron: 1mg
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

 

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Poppy Gianasmidis says

    March 31, 2020 at 6:29 pm

    AMAZING and easy to make ! Thank you for sharing this recipe with us

    Reply
    • The Sugar Geek Show says

      April 01, 2020 at 9:23 am

      You're welcome! Stay safe <3

      Reply
  2. Poppy says

    March 31, 2020 at 6:31 pm

    5 stars
    AMAZING and easy to make ! Thank you for sharing this recipe with us here in Australia while stuck at home during this unprecedented time battling the COVID-19 pandemic ......

    Reply
    • The Sugar Geek Show says

      April 01, 2020 at 9:23 am

      You're very welcome <3

      Reply
  3. Destiny Garcia says

    April 01, 2020 at 12:01 am

    5 stars
    This is a great recipe and the bagels are delicious!! I have read in several places that malt barley syrup is used instead of sugar. Can that be substituted with the same measurements?

    Reply
    • The Sugar Geek Show says

      April 01, 2020 at 9:23 am

      Yes you absolutely can!

      Reply
  4. Tiffany says

    April 06, 2020 at 9:40 am

    What about some sweet flavors? How to make blueberry, french toast flavor, or cinnamon raisin? I'm guessing you just fold into the dough while shaping?

    Reply
    • The Sugar Geek Show says

      April 07, 2020 at 9:47 am

      Yep! You can fold fruit or dust cinnamon and sugar on top 🙂

      Reply
  5. Jaime says

    April 06, 2020 at 5:30 pm

    Don't know what happened to me.I'm halfway through mixing and the dough is like a hard lump ? I followed the instructions to the letter. I'm sure it's user error

    Reply
    • The Sugar Geek Show says

      April 07, 2020 at 9:26 am

      Its hard to say without seeing it. Perhaps it's too dry and not mixing well. See the blog post for more troubleshooting.

      Reply
  6. Laurie says

    April 08, 2020 at 5:41 pm

    5 stars
    This was my first time making bagels and they turned out AMAZING. Great easy to follow recipe! My family is originally from New York and the taste, texture and fluffiness definitely earned my family's approval. Thank you!!

    Reply
    • The Sugar Geek Show says

      April 09, 2020 at 5:18 pm

      Thank you so much! That is a huge compliment <3

      Reply
  7. Lydia A says

    April 13, 2020 at 6:52 pm

    Hi! Can’t wait to make this 🙂
    any suggested modifications if i’m looking to sub out whole wheat flour (13% protein)?

    Reply
    • The Sugar Geek Show says

      April 14, 2020 at 9:04 am

      You can replace half the dough with whole wheat flour for delicious whole wheat bagels

      Reply
  8. Michele says

    April 15, 2020 at 4:13 pm

    I want to make this recipe but when I ordered groceries through a store, they came back with pizza crust yeast instead of instant. Is there any way to use this yeast as a replacement? We are unable to go to the store as often during quarantine. Thanks for any help!

    Reply
    • The Sugar Geek Show says

      April 16, 2020 at 9:31 am

      I'm not sure what pizza crust yeast is, maybe do a google search for your brand and see what the difference is. It is most likely similar and can be used, but it would be good to know if it's fast-acting (instant) or regular active to see how long you should be proofing your dough.

      Reply
  9. Victoria says

    April 17, 2020 at 11:29 am

    I baked these for 25 minutes, and they were toasty on the outside but a little raw still inside. Is there a way to know when these are done baking? Is there an internal temperature I can check?

    Reply
    • The Sugar Geek Show says

      April 17, 2020 at 1:04 pm

      200ºF is the internal temp you are shooting for. Also, don't slice the until they have cooled for 20 minutes or the texture can be gummy

      Reply
  10. Angelique Illa says

    April 22, 2020 at 9:10 am

    Hey Liz! What if I don't have cornmeal for the bottoms? Can I just use flour?

    Reply
    • The Sugar Geek Show says

      April 22, 2020 at 9:22 am

      Do you have a silicone mat?

      Reply
  11. Shay says

    April 23, 2020 at 3:30 pm

    4 stars
    Super easy, and tasty! I halved the dough at the end of mixing and folded chocolate chips in one half - yum! Next time I think I’ll try folding in jalapeños and cheddar. I did find they darkened rather quickly whereas I like a lighter colour bagel so I will test a slightly lower oven temp next time.

    Reply
  12. Scott says

    May 12, 2020 at 9:50 am

    5 stars
    First time making bagels, followed your recipe (as easy as advertised), and they came out great. Thank you so much!

    Reply
  13. Ursula says

    May 25, 2020 at 6:52 am

    5 stars
    Liz, the bagels are amazing!!!
    Made them for the second time today, but using fresh yeast. Can’t get enough of them!
    Thank you for sharing the recipe.

    Reply
  14. Cynthia Igne says

    June 04, 2020 at 8:22 pm

    Where did you use the sugar? I read several times and missing that part.

    Reply
    • Elizabeth Marek says

      June 04, 2020 at 9:59 pm

      Its step one of the instructions

      Reply
  15. Stefanny says

    June 08, 2020 at 11:04 am

    5 stars
    the easiest recipe and the bagels turn out amazing. i had to make another batch the next day because they got eaten so fast.

    Reply
  16. Ursula says

    July 26, 2020 at 7:38 am

    5 stars
    Best bagel recipe! Thanks for sharing.

    Reply
  17. Anishara says

    August 05, 2020 at 5:42 pm

    5 stars
    Good recipe , easy to follow, total success!

    Reply
  18. Lynnea says

    November 03, 2020 at 3:13 pm

    5 stars
    My whole family loves these bagels and the recipe is kid “helper” friendly😀 we make cheddar, sesame, poppyseed and cinnamon. If you have never tried making bagels, make these.

    Reply
  19. Corrine Paul says

    November 09, 2020 at 2:36 pm

    5 stars
    Ahhhhmazing!! But, everything you put out is! I am assuming these will freeze nicely?
    Thanks LIz!

    Reply
    • Sugar Geek Show says

      November 10, 2020 at 11:49 am

      Thank you! I haven't frozen them yet, but I don't see why not!

      Reply
  20. keron says

    November 12, 2020 at 8:47 am

    hi can this be made by hand

    Reply
    • Sugar Geek Show says

      November 12, 2020 at 10:13 am

      Yes, you'll just have to knead for about 15 minutes or until it bounces back!

      Reply
  21. Lori says

    February 28, 2021 at 1:33 pm

    5 stars
    These turned out very well for a first time bagel! They are soft and chewy and I will definitely make them again. Thanks.

    Reply
  22. Janis says

    May 14, 2025 at 6:45 pm

    I would love to try this recipe but I don’t have a dough hook. Is there a work around?

    Regards Janis Mahlberg email jan041212@gmail.com

    Reply
    • Elizabeth Marek says

      May 20, 2025 at 9:18 am

      You can always do it by hand

      Reply
  23. jessica says

    June 14, 2025 at 8:55 am

    5 stars
    So easy and delicious! very easy and fun recipe to follow! thank you!

    Reply
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