Homemade Bagels

Preparation time: 3 hours | 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. My homemade bagel recipe walks you through making them from scratch, which is an interesting and fun 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, a crunchy combination of 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 sandwiches with cream cheese, smoked salmon and some pickled bits like capers and red onions for little pops of flavour. I’ve also shared some other suggestions in my recipe notes below.

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Ingredients

• 360 ml warm water

• 1 tbsp. sugar

• 7 gms active yeast

• 520 gms 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

1. Mix the yeast, sugar and warm water. Set aside for 10 minutes until bloomed, then fold into the flour.

2. Add salt and beat on lowest speed until the dough looks shaggy. Tip onto a floured surface and knead until smooth.

3. Oil a large bowl, place the dough inside and cover with a damp tea towel. Leave in a warm spot until doubled, 60 to 90 minutes.

4. Punch down the risen dough and divide into 6 portions. Shape each into a bagel.

5. Bring 1 litre of water and the honey/ sugar to a boil. Meanwhile, line 2 baking trays and preheat the oven to 218°C.

6. Boil each bagel for 1 minute per side, flipping with a large spatula (avoid tongs).

7. Transfer to the trays and rest for about 10 minutes.

8. Brush with egg wash and add sprinkle with toppings, I used mixed sesame seeds. Bake for 18 to 20 minutes until golden, rotating halfway.

9. Once slightly cool, slice and toast or assemble into sandwiches if desired.

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Check out my other breakfast recipes -

Baked Oatmeal With Honey Grilled Figs

Chai Hot Chocolate

Blueberry Buttermilk Pancakes

Foolproof Banana Bread

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RECIPE NOTES

Swaps, Serves & Storage

1. 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.

2. 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.

3. 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!

4. 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.

5. 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

1. 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.

2. 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.

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