Best Bagel Recipe

If you need a quick bagel recipe with amazing results, then this Best Bagel Recipe is for you.

These bagels are wonderfully chewy on the inside with a beautifully golden crust on the outside — everything you want in a classic homemade bagel without the long, complicated process. The dough comes together quickly and is easy to handle, making this recipe perfect for both beginners and experienced bakers looking for reliable, bakery-quality results at home.

One of the secrets to achieving authentic texture and flavor is the quick boil before baking, which helps create that signature glossy crust and satisfying chew. Once baked, the bagels develop a rich golden color and a delicious aroma that fills the kitchen. They are incredibly versatile and can be topped with sesame seeds, poppy seeds, everything seasoning, flaky salt, or left plain for a more classic approach.

These bagels are perfect for breakfast sandwiches, cream cheese spreads, smoked salmon, or simply toasted with butter. They also freeze beautifully, making them a fantastic make-ahead option for busy mornings. Freshly baked homemade bagels have a texture and flavor that store-bought versions simply cannot match. With minimal ingredients and a straightforward process, this recipe delivers impressive results while still being approachable enough for everyday baking.

Ingredients

Dough

• 500g bread flour
• 286g water
• 4g instant dry yeast
• 25g sugar
• 10g salt (2%)
• 2g malt ( could be replaced by 6g of honey)
• 20g avocado oil shortening

Garnish

• You can use sesame seeds, poppy seeds, sea salt flakes, quinoa crisps or anything you’d like to cover your bagels with.

Boiling 

• You need a wide pot
• 1 gallon of water
• 2 tbs barley malt or malt syrup( optional)

Directions

Dough

Morning

• Mix water, yeast,sugar, malt, salt and flour in your mixer. The dough might seem stiff, but during mixing it will relax and get a nice consistency during fermentation. 
• Cover and let the dough rise until it grow almost double.

Shaping 

• Prepare the baking tray with the parchment paper in it. Place the dough onto a non-floured surface.
• Flatten the dough into a rectangle and divide it into 7 equal pieces, about 120 grams each.
• Roll each piece into a small log.
• Start to roll and press each log until it reaches 8-9in. (21-23cm.) lengthwise.
• Roll each log around a palm of your hand.
• Tuck both ends of a log under the palm of your hand and roll it until both ends will stick together. 

• Set bagels on the prepared baking tray, covered with parchment paper ( use some flour to prevent sticking.
• Cover the tray with bagels. Let them rest for about 30 min  at a room temperature.

• Bring a medium pot of water to a boil. 
• Preheat your oven to 400F (205C).
• Add the seeds and/or any other toppings to a rimmed tray or a shallow bowl.
• Submerge bagels one at a time into the pot of boiling water and wait for them to float to the surface, for about 10 seconds (some will float right away).
• Cook for 30 seconds on each side for a thin crust. Using a slotted spoon, remove the bagels from the water, dip the rounded side into seeds (or whatever topping) to coat.
• Place them back on to the sheet-pan covered with parchment paper generously sprayed with oil.
• Bake the bagels for about 20-22 minutes. 

• Store in a plastic bag at room temperature for up to 2 days.  Bagels freeze well; freeze them whole or sliced, covered in plastic wrap and a layer of foil, for up to 3 months.

Enjoy 😉 

The Best Bagel Recipe

314kcal

No ratings yet

Pinterest Facebook Share on X

Share Print

Prep 30 minutes mins

Cook 22 minutes mins

Total 3 hours hrs 52 minutes mins

A quick, reliable recipe for perfectly chewy, golden-brown bagels with a beautifully tight crumb and a thin, crackly crust. Ideal for an easy baking day, this dough features a slightly stiff, traditional hydration that relaxes beautifully during fermentation, finished with a classic barley malt bath for that authentic, glossy New York-style finish.

Servings 7 Large Bagels

Cuisine American

Ingredients

1x2x3x

The Main Bagel Dough

• ▢ 500 g 500g Bread Flour
• ▢ 286 g 286g Water
• ▢ 4 g 4g Dry Instant Yeast
• ▢ 25 g 25g Sugar
• ▢ 10 g 10g Salt (2%)
• ▢ 2 g 2g Malt (Can be substituted with 6g of sweet honey) Can be substituted with 6g of sweet honey
• ▢ 20 g 20g Avocado oil shortening

The Boiling Bath & Finishes

• ▢ 1 Gallon of water
• ▢ 2 tbsp 2 tbsp Barley malt syrup (Optional, for flavor and deep crust sheen) Optional, for flavor and deep crust sheen
• ▢ Choice of toppings: Sesame seeds, poppy seeds, sea salt flakes, or quinoa crisps

Equipment

• ▢
  Stand Mixer (fitted with the dough hook attachment)
• ▢
  Wide Cooking Pot (for the boiling bath)
• ▢
  Baking Sheet Pan
• ▢
  Parchment Paper
• ▢
  Slotted Spoon or skimmer
• ▢
  Kitchen Scale

Method

Prevent Sleep ModePrevent Sleep Mode

Dough Development & Bulk Fermentation

1. In your stand mixer bowl, combine the water, dry instant yeast, sugar, malt (or honey), salt, avocado oil shortening, and bread flour.
2. Turn the machine to low speed and begin kneading. Note that the bagel dough will initially seem quite stiff and dry; continue mixing patiently as it will naturally relax, smoothing out into an excellent, elastic consistency during the mixing process and subsequent fermentation.
3. Once a smooth, firm ball forms and clears the bowl, round the dough tightly. Cover the bowl and let the dough rise at a warm room temperature until it grows to nearly double its original volume (approximately 1.5 to 2 hours).

Professional Dividing & Bagel Shaping

1. Prepare your large baking tray by lining it cleanly with parchment paper. Place your proofed dough directly onto a non-floured work surface.
2. Flatten the puffy dough out gently with your hands into a rough rectangle, then use a kitchen scale to divide it cleanly into 7 equal portions weighing roughly 120 grams each.
3. Roll each individual piece of dough back and forth on the counter to form a small, tight log.
4. Work with one log at a time, pressing down firmly while rolling until it reaches an even length of 8 to 9 inches (21–23 cm).
5. Wrap the elongated dough log smoothly around the palm of your hand, overlapping the two ends across your palm.
6. Tuck both ends securely under your palm against the counter and roll your hand back and forth with firm pressure until the overlapping ends fuse completely together.
7. Arrange the finished bagels onto the prepared parchment-lined baking tray. Cover securely and let them rest and proof at room temperature for exactly 1 hour.

Boiling, Seeding, and Staged Baking

1. Bring a wide pot filled with 1 gallon of water to a rolling boil on your stovetop. If using, stir in your 2 tablespoons of barley malt syrup. Meanwhile, preheat your oven to 400°F (205°C) and place your chosen seeds or savory toppings into a shallow, wide-rimmed bowl.
2. Submerge the proofed bagels into the boiling water one at a time. Wait briefly for them to float to the top surface (this should take about 10 seconds, though some healthy bagels will float instantly).
3. Boil the bagels for exactly 30 seconds on each side to set a perfectly thin, classic chewy bagel crust.
4. Use a slotted spoon or skimmer to lift the bagels out of the boiling bath, draining off any excess water. Immediately press the rounded, wet top side directly into your bowl of seeds to coat evenly.
5. Return the seeded bagels onto your baking sheet pan lined with fresh parchment paper that has been generously sprayed with cooking oil to prevent sticking.
6. Transfer to the preheated oven and bake for 20 to 22 minutes until the outer crust turns beautifully crisp and a deep, golden brown. Transfer to a wire rack to cool down before slicing.

Nutrition

Calories314kcalCarbohydrates59gProtein9gFat4gSaturated Fat1gPolyunsaturated Fat1gMonounsaturated Fat2gSodium558mgPotassium87mgFiber2gSugar4gVitamin A2IUVitamin C0.03mgCalcium14mgIron1mg

Notes

• Substituting Honey for Dough Malt: Traditional bagels utilize dry barley malt powder inside the dough structure to feed the yeast and provide that distinct, old-school bakery aroma. If you cannot source dry malt powder locally, you can successfully swap it out by adding exactly 6g of liquid honey into the initial dough mix. This offers the same enzymatic breakdown and mild sweetness required to help the yeast thrive. 
   
• Why the Oil Spray on Parchment is Crucial: Many home bakers experience a common mishap where boiled bagels fuse directly to the baking paper in the oven, tearing open when pulled. Because the exterior of the bagel is highly gelatinized and sticky from the boiling water bath, you must generously coat your parchment paper with oil spray before placing the boiled, seeded rings down for baking.  
   
• Troubleshooting Puffy vs. Flat Bagels: If your bagels deflate or turn out flat immediately upon entering the boiling pot, it means the dough was over-proofed during its 1-hour tray rest. Keep a close eye on your kitchen’s ambient temperature—if your room is running hot (above 78°F), reduce the final tray rest to 40 or 45 minutes. The bagels should feel light and pillowy but still retain structural tension before they hit the water.
• Storage and Freezing Guidelines: These freshly baked yeast bagels contain zero artificial preservatives, meaning they are best enjoyed within 2 days when stored in a sealed plastic bag at room temperature. For long-term preservation, let them cool completely, slice them in half, wrap them tightly in a layer of plastic wrap followed by aluminum foil, and store them in the freezer for up to 3 months. Toast directly from frozen.

Tried this recipe?

Let us know how it was!

Disclosure: As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.