It’s easier than you may think to make your own soft, chewy homemade bagels. Here’s a step-by-step easy bagel recipe for you!
When I’m heading out the door for my weekly grocery trip and call out to my kids “Any requests from the grocery store?” their answer is frequently “BAGELS!”
Both of my boys love bagels. But when I look at the ingredient list of store-bought bagels, I see a lot of things I don’t like. Like preservatives. And synthetic food dyes to give them a golden color.
So when I saw a photo of homemade bagels on my friend Priscilla’s Facebook page, I asked for the recipe. She can’t remember exactly where she got the recipe but said she’d made a few tweaks. I tried it a few times and made a few tweaks of my own. Priscilla said I was welcome to share the bagel recipe here with you. I’ve made these bagels several times, and each time they’ve turned out great. Hope you will give them a try too!
How to Make Bagels
Add sugar and yeast to 1/2 cup warm water, stir, and let sit for five minutes.
Mix the flour and salt in a large bowl. Make a well in the center and pour the yeast mixture into the center.
Mix by hand and keep adding more of the warm water until the dough comes together. It will look a bit shaggy and will be moist but not wet.
Turn dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead until the dough is smooth and elastic, working in flour from the surface (about 6-7 minutes). The dough should be firm and stiff. Brush a bowl with olive oil and turn the dough in the bowl to coat. Cover the bowl with a damp dish towel and allow it to rise in a warm place until it’s doubled, between 1-2 hours (I use trick #3 from this list when I need dough to rise). Punch down the dough and let it rest for 10 minutes.
Divide the dough into eight pieces. Shape each piece into a round. Coat your finger in flour and press your finger into the center of each dough ball to form a ring, stretching the rings to form a bagel shape. (You will see that my bagels are not perfectly round, that’s how I roll.) Cover the bagel shapes with a damp kitchen towel and let them rest for 10 minutes.
How to shape homemade bagels
Update: I’ve also been working on perfecting the shape and size of these bagels, since these 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.
While the bagels are resting, preheat the oven to 425 degrees and bring a large pot of water to boil on the stove. Drop the bagels into the water with a slotted spoon (or gently drop them in by hand). Let the bagels sit in the boiling water for 1-2 minutes, then flip to the other side and let them sit another 1-2 minutes (the longer they stay in the water, the chewier they will be).
When you remove the bagels, place them on a baking sheet coated with oil or lined with a silicone mat such as a Silpat. (After trying it both ways, I’ve found that the Silpat works much better and doesn’t lead to any sticking.) Brush them with an egg wash (1 beaten egg + 1 tablespoon water).
Leave bagels as is or add toppings like poppy seeds, sesame seeds, or shredded cheese.
Bake for 20 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from baking sheet to a cooling rack.
Slice, toast, slather, and enjoy!
Can I make homemade bagels in my bread machine?
Yes! You can also make this bagel recipe using your bread machine. It will mix, knead, and proof the dough for you! Here’s the step-by-step recipe for making bagels in the bread machine.
Easy Homemade Bagels
Ingredients
- 2 teaspoons active dry yeast
- 1 1/2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1 1/4 cups warm water you may need an additional 1/4 cup or more
- 3 1/2 cups bread flour + extra for kneading
- 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
- Favorite toppings such as poppy seeds, sesame seeds, shredded cheese, coarse salt, etc.
Instructions
- Add sugar and yeast to 1/2 cup warm water, stir, and let sit for five minutes.
- Mix the flour and salt in a large bowl. Make a well in the center and pour in the yeast mixture. Mix, adding warm water a little bit at a time until the dough is moist but firm (and slightly shaggy).
- On a floured surface, knead the dough until it's firm and stiff, about 7 minutes, working in flour from surface.
- Lightly brush a large bowl with oil and turn the dough to coat. Cover the bowl with a damp dish towel and let rise in a warm place until it's doubled in size, 1-2 hours.
- Punch down the dough and let it rest for 10 minutes.
- Divide the dough into eight equal pieces, then shape each into a round.
- Coat a finger in flour and press into the center of each dough ball to form a ring, 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 into 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 brushed with oil or 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
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Katie says
I remember making bagels with my mom when we were kids. It was a really big deal, especially since bagels weren’t as readily available then as they are now. I’m going to give this a go with my crew. Thanks Sally!
Sally says
Yes, bagels definitely weren’t a “thing” when we were kids–except sometimes my mom would buy those tiny frozen Lenders bagels. If you try them, let me know how it goes! I’m sure yours will look much prettier than mine. 🙂
Joy says
Yum! Try adding some baking soda to the boiling water to give them that special bagely colour…
Sally says
Thanks Joy! I just heard that tip somewhere else and will definitely try that next time.
josephine says
these look amazing! adding to my ‘must try’ list and this is coming from a NYC bagel lover 😉
Sally says
Josephine–I heart NYC bagels too! Hope you make them and love them–keep me posted!
Adina says
Totally going to try this. I made them once in college but they were tough critters that were nearly inedible the next day. But I’m inspired to try again 🙂
Sally says
Adina–let me know how it goes for you. I’ve made this recipe about 4-5 times and been successful every time, so hopefully it works for you too!
Sara says
Not much of a baker, but I made these this morning. The recipe was super easy! The process just takes awhile–lots of rising and resting time. I didn’t mind, but plan ahead. I added baking soda to boiling water per comments. The bagels were so chewy and delicious. Huge hit! Will definitely make again.
Sally says
Sara–that’s great to hear that they turned out so well. You’re right–it takes a while with the rising and resting but the overall process is pretty easy. Thanks so much for letting me know you made them and liked them!
Cathy says
Have you tried whole wheat flour? Thanks for the great idea!
Sally says
Hi Cathy–I have tried all-purpose flour, which turned out well. Haven’t tried whole wheat because I know the recipe will need some tinkering to get a nice texture and softness. If you give it a try, let me know how it goes!
Lori says
I make whole wheat bagels all the time and they turn out awesome. (I use my own ground whole wheat organic flour though and add a bit of white) I also make cinnamon raisen ones too and my husband and kids love them as well. With the whole wheat ones, we toast them and then put mayo, cheese slices and a fried egg in between. A breakfast favourite around here. With as many kids as I have, it’s a must to make from scratch!
Elaine says
I buy bagels at the bakery every day and I would say it is a must-have food in our home. Well, to my surprise, I can actually make my own. I am so thankful with this post. The step-by-step guide with photos are just so helpful. Now i can have my very own homemade bagels. Can’t wait to try it out.
Sally says
Elaine–I’m so glad the recipe will be useful to you! Hope you love them.
Alan Harvey says
Something’s happened to NY bakery bagels: they have become oversized andhave holes in the dough (not counting the center hole.)I am therefor forced to make my own bagels and I use a recipe acquired from (of all places), Better Homes and Gardens Magazine. The bagels come out beautifully every time with the right consistency, chewy and delicious. A bit different from your recipe but not by too much.
Sally says
Alan–good to know. Will have to check those out.
Julie@Consumerion says
I love bagels! Add it with cream cheese and I’m good to go~ I’ll definitely pin this! and go back when I have the ingredients ready. I hope I can make this, I’m excited to try this over the weekend, wish me good luck! Do you have any easy recipe for baking a homemade pumpkin bread? Please share it with me, if you have one. Thank you! 🙂
Sally says
Julie–Hope you enjoy it. I don’t have any homemade pumpkin bread recipes but I do have a Chocolate Zucchini Bread recipe here: https://www.realmomnutrition.com/2016/07/25/chocolate-zucchini-bread/
Lisa w says
How are these the next day? Have you tried freezing them? I would love to make them for breakfast but mornings are hectic in our house!
Sally says
They are good the next day! I keep them in a ziptop bag on the counter. A batch only makes 8 so I can’t say they’ve lasted more then 2-3 days before being eaten. 🙂 But since they don’t contain any preservatives, like any homemade bread, they will get moldy if left uneaten and unrefrigerated for more than a few days. I haven’t tried freezing them but someone told me they froze them and they turned out just fine.
Theresa Long says
What an exotic little recipe, I love it! It’s quite a collection of recipes you got here, I’ll be checking out more often. THanks!
Liz says
Alright mama! Trial 3 and though not as pretty as yours they worked!! Can’t wait to hear what my second taste tester thinks!! Thanks for the great recipe- I only wish you lived closer so I could share them with you!
Sally says
Yay! Glad you finally made them Liz. And I’m sure they will taste good. 🙂
Julia Walters says
I’ve never tried making bagels before and this recipe looks so delicious. Thanks for sharing your recipe with us. I will be making this real soon and let my loved ones try this. By the way, can I top bagels with almonds?
Lori Ylioja says
I have made bagels for years, with as many kids as I have it’s much cheaper to make everything rather then buy. Another tip you could add is to add whole wheat flour for whole wheat bagels or I also make cinnamon raisen ones, just add cinnamon and raisens to the dough. Favourites in our house!
Sally Bauer says
Sounds fun to try this! Do you think this recipe would work if you added blueberries or something sweet to the dough?
Sally says
I think it should, but I haven’t tried. If you do, please let me know how they turn out! 🙂
Justin says
Never tried bagels before because in my country it is available only in few places but after seeing your post i am going to try this in my home soon and it looks delicious 🙂 😉
Bunny66 says
Just made a batch for the first time and they look and smell amazing! The store was out of plain bagels so I figured I’d make my own – glad I found this recipe. More batches to be made 🙂
Becky says
My 15 YO exclaimed “OMG mom, that’s the best bagel I EVER ate!” — Music to this mom’s ears. Thanks for the recipe!
Sally says
I love that!!
Marisa says
Would it work if the dough was made the night before to save some work? We have friends coming over for breakfast and I’m trying to save work in the morning,
Sally says
Hi Marisa–I haven’t tried that yet but if I did, I would refrigerate it after I punched it down and before I divided it into dough balls. If you try it, let me know how it goes!
Kathleen Cervin says
So glad I came across this recipe. I live in WY in high altitude. I was nervous this would be dry and too chewy. I followed the directions to a T and it is wonderful. Light, soft and perfect for our breakfast sandwiches we make almost every morning. Our grocery store carries a small amount of bagels and rarely any plain left. I believe I will be making my own delicious and fresh bagels. So long preservatives! Fresh when I want them!
Sally says
Kathleen–that is wonderful to hear! Thank you for letting me know and I’m so glad you’re enjoying them.
Ariel says
First attempt at bagels, they turned out great!!! Thanks so much for the recipe, and step-by-step photos!
Sally says
Hooray! So glad to hear that. Enjoy!!
Lisa says
Very bland. Won’t make again.
Sally says
Sorry you didn’t like them.
Lori Shimko says
I made bagels when i was in high school . I loved doing it. It brought back memories. Thanks
Chef mama says
Why did my bagels come out burnt on the top and rubbery
Sally says
Sorry to hear that! All ovens are slightly different so perhaps yours do not need 20 minutes to get golden brown. I think rubbery tops can be the result of boiling too long. If you try it again, I would try boiling them for less time. Hope that helps!
Nancy A says
This recipe was great!!! I am so glad to have found it! Thank you!
Sally says
I’m so glad, Nancy!
Olga Guffey says
Hello Sally thank you so much for the bagel recipe, I have made bagels from scratch before and I will be trying your recipe.
I love the pictures that you took during the process, I have noticed that you make a hole in the bagel with your finger, may I make a recommendation? Roll the balls out into lengthy sticks and then wrap around your fingers into a loop, take it off and you will end up with a perfect even bagel hole.
Sally says
Olga–wow, that’s a great tip. Thank you!
Donna says
1st time trying bagels. So yummy and easy ….i cut the recipe in half , now I wish I would of made them all. 🙂
Sally says
I’m so glad you liked them!
Susanna Estrada says
Can you substitute the yeast for instant yeast?
Sally says
I believe so. I found this article and it says you can use them interchanngably: https://www.thekitchn.com/whats-the-difference-between-active-dry-yeast-and-instant-yeast-54252
George Fletcher says
I have tried a few different recipes for bagels, but they all lacked that certain something for me the a bagel should have. I was watching an episode of Diners, Drive-ins and Dives, and a bagel shop was featured. At the shop, the refrigerated the bagels for 8 to 24 hours before boiling and baking. I tried that and got exactly what I was looking for in taste and texture. I highly recommend refrigerating the bagels before boiling and baking them. I go with 24 hours in the fridge.
Sally says
Oh wow, that’s a great tip–thank you, I’m going to try that!