Homemade Bagels

To make these homemade bagels even more special go all in on seasonings with an everything mix of poppy seeds, sesame seeds, coarse salt, garlic flakes and dried onions.

We have an overpopulation of donut shops in our neighborhood. There are no fewer than 3 options in a single block radius to go for a sugary, fried fix.

Whenever I head to workout on early weekend mornings, it’s impossible for me to ignore the overwhelmingly tempting scent of fresh donuts that fills the air.

As if we needed another breakfast offering outside our front door, a bagel place opened across the street from a storefront shilling donuts.

Bagels are often given a hard time for their carbs and calories, but I think that’s kind of harsh. At least they’re baked!

My son and I both love bagels. Our favorite flavor is everything, which always impresses me that my little one would like those seeds and that strong flavor. No plain bagels for him!

We usually split a bagel between the two of us. That’s probably what a serving size should be anyway. 

I like to top my bagel with a veggie and egg scramble with salsa. It can be pretty messy to eat, but I don’t care. My son prefers going topping-free, not even cream cheese or butter.

How To Make Homemade Bagels

With a Saturday at home, I decided to bake homemade bagels from scratch. It was so relaxing to knead the dough for a good 15 minutes until it was smooth and elastic. Plus I got an upper body/core workout.

After I gave the dough time for its first rise, I divided it into a dozen pieces. Then I flattened each ball slightly and poked a hole in the center. 

The bagels got another hour to rise before I gave them a dip in a bath of boiling water.

I brushed them with egg white and went all in with seasonings: poppy seeds, sesame seeds, coarse salt, garlic flakes and dried onions. You can use a mix like I did, use just one per bagel or keep them plain.

I knew they were ready when I saw golden brown peaking out from underneath all those toppings.

The bagels came out smaller than typical ones, so I had an entire bagel to myself.

Homemade Bagels

• Author: Paige Adams
• Prep Time: 2 hours
• Cook Time: 15-20 minutes
• Total Time: 2 hours 15-20 minutes
• Yield: 12 small bagels 1x

To make these homemade bagels even more special go all in on seasonings with an everything mix of poppy seeds, sesame seeds, coarse salt, garlic flakes and dried onions.

Ingredients

3–1/2 cups bread flour plus more for work surface

1 envelope dry active yeast

1–1/2 teaspoons kosher salt

1–1/2 tablespoons granulated sugar

1 large egg, lightly beaten

1–1/2 tablespoons vegetable oil plus more for greasing

1 cup warm water

1 egg white for glaze

Poppy seeds, sesame seeds, coarse salt, garlic flakes and dried onions for topping

Instructions

In a large bowl, combine the flour, yeast, salt and sugar. Stir in the egg and oil. Drizzle in the water mixing to form a shaggy dough. On a lightly floured work surface, knead the dough until it becomes smooth and elastic, about 10-15 minutes.

Place the dough into a large greased bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise until doubled in volume, about 1-1/2 hours.

Punch the dough down and divide it into 12 equal balls. Use your fingers to push a hole into the center of each ball and shape into a ring. Place the bagels on a greased sheet pan. Cover them loosely with plastic wrap and let rise until doubled in size, about 1 hour

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Bring a large saucepan of water to a boil. Boil the bagels for 1-2 minutes turning them over once. Remove them with a slotted spoon and let dry.

Transfer the bagels to an oiled sheet pan. Brush with egg white and sprinkle with toppings. Bake for 15-20 minutes until golden brown.

Notes

Adapted from The Book of Jewish Food by Claudia Roden