Homemade Bagel Recipe

I’ve been buying bagels at the grocery store for quite some time now and I thought, I might as well learn how to make my own. Thomas Everything Bagels are 9 points per bagel but these homemade bagels are 5 points. The bagel thins aren’t thick enough like a regular bagel and aren’t satisfying for me.

The 2 Ingredient Bagels are just ok to me. They don’t require any rising time and just need yogurt. That dough is sticky to work with as well and they taste more like a biscuit to me. Lately, I’ve been making avocado toast on bagels and it is so delicious with two fried eggs on top. 

Ingredients List 

Want to know why I used a certain ingredient or looking for substitutions? Check out this section. 

All-Purpose Flour  -  A lot of bagel recipes call for bread flour, but I didn’t have any so I used all-purpose flour instead. All-Purpose flour is something that is in my pantry at all times. 

Yeast   - Warm water is what helps the dough rise. If you make this with cold water the dough won’t work.  

Sugar and Salt  - Sugar is what helps activate the yeast and salt gives the flour flavor. Ever made homemade bread before without any salt in it? I have and it did not taste good at all. 

How to make Homemade Bagels 

Grease a large bowl with cooking spray. In a small bowl or glass measuring cup, add warm water and sugar and sprinkle yeast on top. Let that sit out until it becomes foamy.

In a bowl combine flour, salt, and yeast mixture. Mix the dough with your hands,  until the dough is smooth. 

Place the dough in the prepared bowl and cover with a kitchen towel and let rise at room temperature for 1 ½ hour or until doubled in size. 

Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper or a Silpat. 

Place dough on a floured surface (or parchment paper) and divide the dough into 5 equally sized portions. Roll each portion into a smooth ball, then poke your finger through the middle and stretch the dough with your finger to create a ring. Place the bagels on a sheet pan and cover with a kitchen towel, and let sit at room temperature for 1 hour. 

 Preheat oven to 425°

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add baking soda. The water will foam for a while. Working in batches of 2 to 3 at a time, add bagels to boiling water. 

Boil for 1 minute then flip and boil on another side for 1 minute more. Remove from water and place on a prepared baking sheet. Repeat with remaining dough. 

Add bagel seasoning to the bagels. Bake until deeply golden, 20 to 25 minutes. 

Bagel Toppings 

Everything Bagel Seasoning is a very popular topping for homemade bagels. You can also use sesame seeds, cinnamon sugar, blueberries,  garlic, cheddar, and jalapeno, to flavor your bagels with. 

How to Store Bagels 

Homemade bagels do not stay fresh very long. When I buy bagels at the grocery store I will place them in the freezer right away. When I’m ready to toast them I’ll pop them in the microwave for 30 seconds so they get soft. This way, the bagels will last longer. You can do the same thing with homemade bagels. Find a storage bag to put them in and place them in the freezer. 

Other Breakfast Recipes 

Bubble Up Biscuits and Gravy 

Fruit and Yogurt Parfait 

Banana Bread Waffles

Homemade Cinnamon Raisin Bread 

Baked Chocolate Donuts 

*If you make this recipe please comment and rate the recipe below to let everyone know how it is, or tag me on Instagram! If you want to upload a photo you can do that on Pinterest. Just find the post for it. 

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