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).

Course Appetizer

Cuisine American

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 20

Servings bagels

Calories 284kcal

Author Elizabeth Marek

Equipment

Stand mixer with dough hook

Ingredients

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

egg wash

1 large egg
1 Tablespoon water

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Heat your water to 110º-115ºF. Combine the water with the sugar and oil and set aside
Place your flour and 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 while mixing on low, just until everything is moistened.
Sprinkle in your salt.
Increase the speed to medium-high (speed 4 on a kitchenaid, speed 2 on the bosch) and mix 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 window test (see blog post). If the dough isn't ready, mix for another two minutes.
Form the dough into a ball and place it into an oiled bowl. Cover and let the dough proof for 30 minutes or until it has doubled in size. (proof 90 minutes if you're using active dry yeast).
Divide your dough into 24 equal sized pieces (or use a scale to make 2oz pieces). If you want your bagels to be bigger, divide into 18 equal 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.
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

Video

Notes

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.
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.
You can replace half the white flour with wheat flour for whole wheat bagels
You can use melted butter instead of oil or any other kind of oil that you like

Nutrition