📌 A bakery-style bagel recipe that delivers the perfect balance of chewiness, golden crust, and rich flavor.
📌 Hands-on: 35 minutes | Rise: 12-14 hours (overnight for best flavor) | Rest: 20 minutes | Bake: 22-25 minutes at 425°F (220°C)
The Bagel Recipe That Finally Clicked
It took me a long time to find a bagel recipe that truly worked for me. Every recipe I tried felt like it was missing something—either the flavor wasn’t deep enough, or the texture wasn’t quite right. Some were too soft, others too dense, and none of them gave me that chewy crust and rich taste I wanted.
After a lot of experimenting, tweaking hydration levels, fermentation times, and even the boiling method, I finally landed on a bagel that delivers on both flavor and texture. The slow overnight rise gives these bagels a deeper, more developed taste, and the honey or malt syrup boil helps create that signature chew.
Of course, the toppings make a difference too. I love a good everything bagel, and the blend of sesame, poppy seeds, dried garlic, onion, and salt takes these to the next level. Whether you like yours plain, with a schmear of cream cheese, or turned into a breakfast sandwich, I think you’ll love this version as much as I do.
Ingredients
For the Dough:
- 500g (4 cups) bread flour (high-protein for better chew)
- 325g (1⅓ cups) warm water (105°F/40°C)
- 3g (¾ tsp) instant yeast (or 1 tsp active dry yeast)
- 10g (1¾ tsp) salt
- 20g (1 tbsp) honey or malt syrup (adds color and flavor)
For the Boil:
- 2 liters (8 cups) water
- 30g (2 tbsp) honey or malt syrup (for shine and chew)
- 10g (1 tbsp) baking soda (optional, for deeper browning)
For Topping:
- Egg wash (1 egg + 1 tbsp water, whisked)
- Everything seasoning, sesame seeds, or coarse salt
Instructions
1. Mix & Knead the Dough
- In a large bowl, combine the flour, salt, and yeast.
- Add warm water and honey/malt syrup. Mix until it forms a shaggy dough.
- Knead by hand or mixer for 8-10 minutes until smooth and elastic.
- Cover and let rest for 10 minutes to allow the gluten to relax.
2. Bulk Fermentation (Slow Rise for Better Flavor)
- Cover the bowl with plastic wrap or a damp towel.
- Refrigerate overnight (12-14 hours) for a deeper, richer flavor. (Or let rise at room temperature for 2 hours if in a rush.)
3. Divide & Shape
- Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface.
- Divide into 8 equal portions (about 105g each).
- Roll each piece into a tight ball using a cupping motion.
- Let them rest for 15 minutes to relax the gluten before shaping.
4. Shape the Bagels
A. Roll – Form dough into a loose ball.
B. Puncture – Slightly flatten ball and use thumb to poke a hole in the center.
C. Stretch – Gradually increase the size of the hole in the center.
D. Rotate – Holding the dough with both thumbs in the hole, gently rotate and stretch until the hole is about 2 inches in diameter.
- Place the shaped bagels on a parchment-lined baking sheet, cover lightly with plastic wrap, and let rest for 20 minutes.
5. Boil the Bagels (This is the key to a chewy crust!)
- Bring 8 cups of water to a gentle boil in a wide pot.
- Stir in the honey or malt syrup and baking soda.
- Gently lower 2-3 bagels at a time and boil for 30-45 seconds per side.
- Remove with a slotted spoon and place back on the baking sheet.
6. Bake the Bagels
- Preheat oven to 425°F (220°C).
- Brush bagels lightly with egg wash for a golden crust.
- Sprinkle with everything seasoning, sesame seeds, or salt.
- Bake for 22-25 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through, until golden brown.
- Cool on a wire rack for at least 15 minutes before slicing.
🍩 Makes 8 bagels (about 4 inches each)
Per Bagel Nutrition Facts (Approximate)
- Calories: 265 kcal
- Fat: 1g (0g saturated fat)
- Cholesterol: 0mg
- Sodium: 440mg
- Carbohydrates: 52g
- Fiber: 2g
- Sugars: 3g
- Protein: 9g
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