How to Make Bagels

Some people say homemade anything is better than store-bought. And, it’s true, most foods, like bread, are better from scratch.

But some foods are PHENOMENAL from scratch. So much so, you’ll wonder what you’ve been eating instead all your life.

Homemade bagels fall into the latter category. They’re lifechanging.

They’re fabulous for breakfast with butter or simply smeared with cream cheese. They make great sandwiches too.

Learn how to make bagels, and you’ll be amazed. There are several steps, but the good news is, none of them is difficult.

So, block out a few hours of your day. Roll up your sleeves and get mixing, kneading, rolling, poking, boiling and baking.

And call us when the bagels are ready!

How to Make Bagels

Ingredients for Dough

• 1 cup Water, very warm but not too hot (about 115°F)
• 2 tablespoons Granulated Sugar
• 2 1/4 teaspoons Instant Yeast, (Red Star Platinum Yeast preferred)
• 2 1/2 cups Bread Flour, plus more for flouring work surface
• 1/16 teaspoon Salt

For the Bagel Bath:

• 2 quarts Water
• 2 tablespoons Dark Brown Sugar

1. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook, add warm water and sugar. Sprinkle on yeast and set aside for 5 minutes until the yeast mixture looks foamy.
2. Add flour and salt. With mixer on medium speed, knead for 5-7 minutes until dough comes together and is smooth, not sticky. Dough will be thick and dense. If dough is still sticky, add more flour 1 tablespoon at a time, being sure not to add too much.
3. Coat a large bowl with a bit of vegetable oil. Form dough into a smooth round and place in prepared bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and set to rise at warm room temperature until doubled in size, about 2 hours.
4. After dough has risen, punch the dough down and turn out onto a lightly floured work surface. Divide dough into 8 equal portions. Roll each portion into a ball and make a hole in the middle of each ball using your finger. Gently stretch and shape the dough to form your bagels.
5. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper and place bagels on prepared sheets. Cover with plastic wrap and allow dough to rise at warm room temperature for 30 minutes.
6. After about 15 minutes, preheat your oven to 425°F. For the bagel bath, add the water and brown sugar to a large sauce pan and heat it to boiling.
7. After the bagels have risen, submerge each bagel into the boiling water and boil for 1 minute on each side. Place boiled dough on parchment-lined baking sheets.
8. Bake in preheated oven for about 20-22 minutes, or until golden brown. Remove from oven and cool on wire racks.
9. When cooled, store bagels in a sealed plastic bag at room temperature for a day or two or freeze them in freezer bags for longer storage.

Now that you know how to make plain bagels, you can use this recipe to make breakfast bagel boats or pizza bagel bites. Or try other bagel varieties like these Panera Bread Cinnamon Crunch Bagels and these Cranberry Bagels with Cinnamon.

Enjoy!

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