Homemade Bagels
Preparation time: 1 hour prep + 90 minutes rising time | Serves: 4 people
I love a toasted bagel sandwich. There’s something about it that feels fancier than a regular sandwich - like it went to a party and came home covered in confetti. This homemade bagel recipe walks you through making them from scratch, which is a rather interesting process.
The secret lies in the unique preparation method: after the dough rises, each bagel is shaped and briefly boiled before baking. This technique gives bagels their signature dense, almost chewy texture and shiny crust.
How to make bagels -
Fresh bagels require just a few simple ingredients: flour, yeast, salt, and sugar. The dough comes together easily, rises until doubled, then gets kneaded and shaped into circles with the classic hole in the middle. After a quick boil, each bagel is brushed with egg wash and sprinkled with a selection of toppings—poppy seeds, sesame seeds, or everything bagel seasoning with the above seeds, garlic and dried onion.
Toasted bagel sandwiches -
I made these bagels with the purpose of making sandwiches, but you can eat them toasted or schmeared with cream cheese. I filled my bagel sandwiches with cream cheese, smoked salmon and some pickled bits like capers and red onions for little pops of flavour.
Find my swaps and suggestions in the recipe notes below.
Ingredients
360 ml warm water
1 tbsp. sugar
7gms active yeast
520gms flour
2 tsps salt
Oil, to coat the bowl
1 egg (beaten)
1 litre water
2 tbsps. honey/ brown sugar
1 tbsp. black & white sesame seeds
Cream cheese, smoked salmon, dill, pickled onions & capers - for assembling (optional)
Method
Mix the yeast, sugar and warm water together, set aside for 10 minutes until bloomed. Gently fold into the flour.
Add salt and beat on lowest speed until incorporated - the dough will look shaggy. Tip onto a floured surface and knead until smooth.
Oil a large bowl, place dough inside and cover with a damp tea towel. Leave in a warm spot until doubled (60-90 minutes).
Once risen, punch down and divide into 6 portions. Shape each into bagels.
Bring 1 litre of water and honey to a boil. Meanwhile, line 2 baking trays and preheat oven to 218°C.
Gently lift each bagel into the boiling water. Boil 1 minute each side, flipping with a large spatula (avoid tongs).
Transfer to trays, rest for about 10 minutes.
Brush with egg wash and add toppings - I used mixed sesame seeds. Bake 18-20 minutes until golden, rotating halfway.
Once cool, slice in half and toast if desired. I made incredible sandwiches with smoked salmon, cream cheese, capers, dill and pickled onion for that perfect zingy bite!
Swaps, Serves & Storage
Should I use bread flour for this recipe?
If you have access to bread flour, feel free to swap it with the flour in the recipe above. It will result in a slightly chewier, denser texture.What toppings can I use for these bagels?
You can go for my sesame topping, or swap with poppy seeds, everything bagel seasoning, sea salt or cinnamon for a sweeter version. If you’re unsure about the filling, you can also leave them plain.What are some sandwiches/ fillings I can use for these bagels?
I love eating these bagels with fried eggs and hot sauce, avocado and fried egg for the perfect breakfast sandwich, or for a sweeter version - cream cheese and berries. I remember having the best bagels at Bury Me Standing which served them fresh with blackberry cream cheese - what a dream!How long can I store these homemade bagels?
I would recommend eating these bagels fresh on the day, however if you’d like to store them, keep them in a paper bag or wrapped in foil for up to two days at room temperature.Can I freeze the bagels?
If you’re planning to make sandwiches, slice the bagels in half, wrap them in baking paper and store in zip lock bags. Toast them straight out of the freezer - no need to thaw.
Tips & Tricks
Shaping - This process is quite tricky to explain - here’s a video which shows you two methods to shape them perfectly. Roll dough into tight balls before shaping to prevent flat bagels. Make holes larger than you think - they'll shrink during boiling and baking.
Boiling - Be very careful while boiling the bagels, they’re very delicate. Remember not to overcrowd the pot - if the pot is large enough, you can fit two at a time otherwise just do one.
Check out my other bread recipes -
10 Minute Blueberry Ricotta Toast With Hot Honey
Chorizo & Roasted Pepper Sandwich
Chocolate Cherry Hot Cross Buns
