Save time by making homemade bagels using your bread machine. These Bread Machine Bagels are soft, chewy, and so much better than store bought!
I know bread machines are very 1996, when people wore pagers and watched Party of Five. But if you’ve got one of these appliances on a basement shelf somewhere, dust it off. Because it makes the bagel making process so much easier.
Since a friend of mine shared her bagel recipe with me earlier this year, I’ve been baking and tinkering and I’m happy to say that I’ve made my best batch yet using the bread machine!
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The bread machine does a lot of the heavy lifting in this recipe: Dump the ingredients in, push a button, and the mixing, kneading, and rising are all magically taken care of.
Game changer.
Here’s what that magic looks like inside your bread machine:
I’ve also been working on perfecting the shape and size of these bagels, since my early batches looked, admittedly, a bit irregular. After doing some research, I picked up a couple of useful pointers:
- Use a kitchen scale: I bought this scale and use it to weigh all of the dough balls so they’re roughly the same size. This not only makes the batch look more uniform, it also means they’ll bake more evenly.
- Roll the balls the right way: It’s actually best to roll the dough on an un-floured surface, because the stickiness of the surface helps the balls form a better shape. I used this super helpful tutorial to help me get the shaping just right.
As you can see, they’re still not all perfectly round, but perfection is overrated, right?
Once you form the dough balls, all you have to do is use your finger to create a hole in the center and gently stretch it out to the size you like. Then boil them, brush with egg wash, sprinkle with toppings, and bake.
Enjoy!
Bread Machine Bagels
Save time by making homemade bagels using your bread machine. These Bread Machine Bagels are soft, chewy, and so much better than store bought!
Ingredients
- 1¼ cups warm water
- 3½ cups all-purpose or bread flour
- 1½ tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1½ teaspoons salt
- 2 teaspoons active dry yeast (I use quick-rise yeast)
- Favorite toppings (such as poppy seeds, sesame seeds, shredded cheese, coarse salt, etc.)
Instructions
- Place water, flour, sugar, and salt in the bread machine (in that order). Make a small well in the top of the flour and pour yeast inside, then cover well with the flour.
- Set bread machine on the "dough" setting, which will mix the dough and allow it to rise.
- When setting is done, punch down the dough in the pan and let it rest for 10 minutes.
- Remove dough from bread machine and divide it into eight equal pieces, then shape each into a dough ball by rolling it gently in a circular motion against the (un-floured) counter.
- Coat your finger in flour and press into the center of each dough ball to form a ring, gently stretching the ring into a bagel shape. Cover bagel shapes with a damp kitchen towel and allow to rest for 10 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 425 degrees and bring a large pot of water to a boil.
- Place bagels 2-3 at a time into the boiling water with a slotted spoon (or by gently lowering them into the water).
- Let bagels sit in boiling water for 1-2 minutes, then flip and allow to sit in water for an additional 1-2 minutes (the longer they are in the water, the chewier the texture will be).
- Remove from water and place on baking sheet lined with a silicone mat. Brush bagels with egg wash (1 beaten egg plus 1 tablespoon water). Add toppings if desired.
- Bake for 20 minutes or until golden. Remove from baking sheet to a cooling rack.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 8 Serving Size: 1 bagelAmount Per Serving: Calories: 74Total Fat: 0gSaturated Fat: 0gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 0gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 399mgCarbohydrates: 15gFiber: 1gSugar: 2gProtein: 2g
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Mary says
I made these with my 3 y/o grandson today. So easy and so good. I used Trader Joe’s Everything But The Bagel seasoning on half and it was spot on.
Thank you for the recipe!
Annie says
“I know bread machines are very 1996”? Because you can’t be a sensible person who likes to cook delicious homemade bread for children these days? That’s such a cry to try for “public approval” and it’s so sad that you’re that embarrassed to shared your own recipe
Sally says
Jeez Annie! That was a joke. I’ve had my bread machine since 1996 when they first came out and were popular. My trusty Sunbeam is still truckin’ and I love making homemade bread, pizza dough, and bagels in it. Did you give the recipe a one-star review because you made it and didn’t like it? If so, I’d love to know why in case your feedback helps others. If you did it just because that comment rubbed you the wrong way, that’s a bummer.
Regan says
Annie – How does “bread machines are so 1996” translate to a cry for public approval? She clearly isn’t ashamed to share the recipe, as evidenced by her SHARING the recipe. Ouch…
Deanna Segrave-Daly says
This recipe makes me wish I had a bread machine (for this recipe and I’m quite partial my care free days in the late 90s – ha!) I’m looking forward to trying it in my Kitchen Aid mixer (with dough attachment) and I’m sure it’s going to be fantastic like other Real Mom Nutrition recipe I’ve made in the past.
Jean says
I LOVE this recipe. Make at least 3x week awesome. I am going through chemo now so these bagels help settle my stomach.
Sally says
So glad to hear that you like the recipes and that the bagels are providing some relief from the chemo side effects. Best to you!
Mika says
What is this world coming to when people are triggered by chatter about breadmakers
Laura Olson says
I absolutely love this recipe. Best bagel I’ve ever had. I added sauteed onions and garlic halfway through the bread mixing cycle and coated with cheese with my eggwash. Really simple and so satisfying. Thanks for this!
Sally says
I’m so glad to hear that! Yummy additions. 🙂
Kathi Horst says
Just made these for the first time. I left out the sugar and put in an equal amount of diastatic malt powder. The malt gives them that distinctive New York deli flavor! Also put 1 teaspoon malt in the poaching liquid. These are the best of the many recipes
I’ve tried.
Sally says
Kathi–so glad you liked them. And thanks for the tip on the malt powder. I LOVE NY bagels. 🙂
Janette Barrett says
Where would one purchase diastatic powder? Does it make the bagel healthier?
Sally says
I’ve never used it. Looks like it’s available via King Arthur Flour and “promotes a strong rise”.
Crystal says
I’m so happy to have found this recipe. I made these today with my breadmaker and topped a few of them with cheddar before baking. They have a crisp crust and are nice and chewy inside. Thank you so much for sharing! I will definitely be making these many more times!
Sally says
I’m so glad you like them!
Rachel says
I have never made bagels before because I thought they would be difficult. Love love loved this recipe! So much easier than I expected and they turned out perfect!! Have you tried different flavors?
Sally says
So glad you liked them Rachel! I have not tried flavors behind topping them with cheese, poppy seeds, cinnamon/sugar, etc. If you try that, let me know how it goes!
Cindy says
Love love love this recipe and you’re right it was so easy! Today was a first time try and they turned out excellent. I added a teaspoon of poppy seeds in the dough as well and even the family member who normally won’t eat bagels are begging for more! Definitely a keeper.
Kara says
I am going to make these in a few minutes. I just wondered how long you let them rise. My dough setting is only 25 minutes. That doesn’t seem long enough compared to other recipes I have read. Thank you.
Sally says
Hi Kara–I don’t know how long the proofing stage of my dough setting is, and you’re right that other recipes (including the bagel recipe that I have on here that doesn’t use the bread machine) calls for proofing longer. I would say that as long as your dough is at least doubled in size, you should be okay.
Perry Melinda Ashawasegai says
Made these for the first time and found bagels in the bread maker much more successful than kneading by hand. Loved this recipe. Plan to make many more imes!!
Sally says
So glad to hear that!
Jan says
My daughter was just diagnosed with Graves Disease and had to be on low iodine diet. I bought a bread machine to make my own bread for her and she loves bagels for breakfast. I came across this recipe and was so afraid to try it. It was so easy to make and everyone loves them. Thank you for sharing and making her life and all of ours a bit easier during a difficult time.
Rhonda says
I have loved bagels forever and never thought about trying to make them. This recipe is perfect. I made them for the first time, and they were prefect and so much better than store-bought.. I’m making them again today. Thank you for the recipe!
Brandi says
Is it okay to make these with just ‘regular’ yeast, and not quick rise?
Sally says
Yes. Okay to use “active” yeast too.
Mafeesh Moushkella says
so 1996 😛
Well, fashion always comes around again and now everyone is buying (or trying to!) a breadmaker to keep up with us olides during lockdown.
I’m glad Annie’s not my friend 😉
Thanks for the recipe, it was shared in a bread machine FB group that I’m a member of. I’ll be trying them today.
Stay safe.
Sally says
Glad you found the recipe!
MaryAnn Brown says
Hi! I just got a bread machine for my birthday. I’d love to join your FB group! How can I do that?
Sally says
Hi MaryAnn–Would love to see you on my Facebook page. Here’s the link: https://www.facebook.com/realmomnutrition/
Denise Ryan says
I bake all kinds of bread and the bread machine is great for when I don’t want to babysit the dough.
Even sour dough. The bagels look amazing
Sally says
Thanks Denise!
Kathy M says
What size is your bread machine? KA Flour has a 1.5 qt for its bread machine bagels. That’s the size of ours but others are bigger.
Victoria Bostick says
This recipe is great! What is the best way to reheat the bagels the next day?
Sally says
Toasting is my favorite.
Lisa says
Hi Sally.
We’ve made these twice in the past week. So easy and delicious. If I wanted to use whole wheat flour instead of white are there any other adjustments I need to make?
Thanks!
Sally says
Hi Lisa–so glad you like them! I would start by replacing 1/3 of the flour with whole wheat or white whole wheat. I haven’t tried an all whole wheat version. Hope that helps!
Gail biyd says
Awesome recipe! Made several times now using bread machine and my family love them!
Sally says
Gail–so glad to hear that!
Megan says
I’d like to make these for a Saturday morning father’s day celebration this weekend. Is there any way to start them Friday and finish them in the morning? If so, how would you suggest splitting up the process? My hunch would be to either shape the dough, refrigerate overnight, and then boil and bake in the morning, or to boil friday and bake saturday morning but I’m not sure if either of those would upset the process. Worst case scenario, I’ll just make them all the way Friday night and ziplock them overnight. Just figured I’d check. Thanks!
Sally says
Megan–what a great idea! My hunch would be the same as yours. This post actually uses an overnight refrigeration as a way to enhance the flavor and texture: https://www.baking-sense.com/2019/01/11/new-york-style-bagels/
Megan says
Just wanted to let you know that I tried the method in the link, and it worked great! Followed your recipe up to shaping the bagels last night, let them sit at room temp for 15 min, and then put them in the fridge (covered in plastic wrap) until this morning. Pulled them out for an hour to come to room temp, and then boiled/baked per your recipe. They’re awesome! Thanks for the extra info!
Sally says
Megan–that’s so great to know! Such useful info, I may add that to the post. Having freshly-baked bagels for the morning is such a treat. Thank you so much for letting me know.
K says
This recipe looks quite easy.
I was wondering how much Instant Dry Yeast did you use. Is it the same as Active Dry Yeast?
Sally says
Yes you can use instant. They can be used interchangeably, one-for-one.
joe stanley says
being in my 80s and housebound for months, I decided to use my welbilt machine from the 90s to make bagels with frozen yeast from the teens,..you have a print option..it doesn’t work..any hints.i’ve hit the print button several time.s ..I may have to take a picture of my screen with my 70s camera.help
Sally says
Hmmm, the “print” option is working on my end. Try printing this: https://www.realmomnutrition.com/wp-json/mv-create/v1/creations/165/print
MaryAnn Brown says
If I wanted to add blueberries to the recipe, should I add them during the kneading process in the machine or incorporate them once I remove the dough? I’m a “Bread Machine” virgin so please forgive me if this is a question that’s obvious to everyone else.
Sally says
Hi MaryAnn–I haven’t made blueberry bagels yet, but I looked at a couple of recipes and they put them along with the other ingredients. They can add a lot of moisture though, so one recipe recommended using dried blueberries, FYI.
Sue S says
Wow, these are great! They are fast and very easy to make I especially like the nutritional breakdown (thanks) I did make a small change for myself: I added 2/3 c of baking soda in 10 cups of boiling water and added 1 tbsp of malt syrup to boil them in and they came out more like a “pretzel bagel” and sprinkled them with “super seed mix” (from Costco. They baked up beautifully with a nice chewy texture. This recipe is a definite keeper.
Maeve says
Much easier than I expected AND the freshest, most delicious bagel my husband and I have ever eaten! Thanks! The only down side was reading Annie’s absurd comment LOL
Zoey says
My bagels turned out too liquidity and sticky to even bake. Disappointed, do not waste your time.
Sally says
Zoey–Sorry to hear that was your experience. I haven’t heard that feedback from others. (If you ever make them again, perhaps add more flour until your dough is workable.)
Bailey says
My dough was very very very sticky, so I added little spoons of flour until it was workable. I didn’t use enough because my bagels are very mishappen and anemic looking, but taste okay.