Home › Recipes › The Complete Guide to Easy Homemade Bagels
Kelly Senyei
Posted: April 18, 2019
Updated: January 22, 2023
from 12 votes
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Bypass the bagel shop and get ready for The Complete Guide to Easy Homemade Bagels, including five toppings and three flavors of quick-fix cream cheese.
A go-to carb. We’ve all got one (or some). For me, it has been and always will be the good ol’ trusty bagel.
My earliest childhood food memory dates back to when I was 5 years old, and happens to involve a very particular bagel sandwich. It was an egg bagel loaded up with sliced turkey and cheddar and slathered with my condiment-o-choice, mayonnaise. I can still taste that perfect bagel sandwich, with every chewy bite.
Fast forward two-and-a-half decades and the bagel sandwich would still hold a prominent spot in my culinary lineup, this time as my #1 pregnancy craving (with both of the boys!).
It’s hard to resist a warm-from-the-oven, perfectly chewy bagel with endless topping and filling options. But do you want to know the major spoiler?
Brace yourself because this news is going to forever change your carb game…
Homemade bagels are actually one of the absolute easiest and most fool-proof carbs you can make.
And not only make, but master.
Yes, you will be a homemade bagel master.
Check out the ingredient list below. It’s a very short list of easily available items, many of which you likely already have in your pantry.
Once you’ve gathered your ingredients, you’re essentially 50% of the way to the finish line. And that is a finish line draped in perfectly chewy bagels dressed up and feelin’ fancy with all of your favorite toppings.
The family favorite around our house is the tried-and-tested “everything” bagel, topped off with the classic seasoning blend that you can either buy online or mix together yourself.
A close second place for the non-toddlers in our home is the perfectly cheesy and slightly spicy cheddar-jalapeño bagel. Just look at all that melty cheese!
Are you ready to give homemade bagels a go? Gather your ingredients, preheat your oven and read on for the recipe, plus three quick-fix recipes for flavored cream cheese.
Because what’s a perfectly baked homemade bagel without a thick slathering of DIY cream cheese? Take your pick from Smoked Salmon Cream Cheese, Bacon-Scallion Cream Cheese (my personal fave!) and Garlic Herb Cream Cheese.
Breakfast
Easy Homemade Bagels
Bypass the bagel shop and get ready for The Complete Guide to Easy Homemade Bagels, including five toppings and three flavors of cream cheese.
Author: Kelly Senyei
5 from 12 votes
Prep Time 2 hours hrs
Cook Time 25 minutes mins
Total Time 55 minutes mins
Servings 8 bagels
Print Recipe
Ingredients
For the bagels:
- 4 cups bread flour, plus more for shaping dough
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1 1/2 cups warm water (approximately 110°F)
- 1 Tablespoon sugar
- 2 1/4 teaspoons (one 3/4-oz. packet) active dry yeast
- Vegetable oil, for greasing bowl
- 1/3 cup honey
- 1 large egg beaten with 2 Tablespoons water or milk
For the toppings:
- 1 Tablespoon "everything" seasoning (See Notes)
- 1 Tablespoon poppy seeds
- 1 Tablespoon toasted sesame seeds
- 2 slices sharp cheddar cheese
- 1 jalapeño, seeded and sliced into thin rounds
Instructions
Make the bagels:
In a medium bowl or liquid measuring cup, stir together the warm water and sugar until the sugar is dissolved then add the yeast and let the mixture sit for about 5 minutes or until it is foamy.
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook attachment, combine the flour and salt. With the mixer on LOW speed, pour in the yeast mixture then allow the stand mixer to knead the dough for about 5 minutes until it comes together into a cohesive ball.
Grease a large bowl with vegetable oil then add the dough to the bowl and cover it with plastic wrap. Place the dough in a warm, dark location for 90 minutes or until it has doubled in size.
Lightly flour your work surface then turn the dough out and punch it down.
Divide the dough into 8 portions then flatten each piece into a 4-to- 5-inch disk. Using your thumb, poke a whole through the center of each disk to form the bagels, stretching them slightly.
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
In a large stockpot, bring 8 cups of water to a boil then stir in the honey. Arrange the bagel toppings in small bowls (“everything” seasoning, poppy seeds or sesame seeds; See Notes for jalapeño-cheddar).
Boil the bagels, two or three at a time, for 1 minute and then gently flip them over once and boil them an additional 1 minute.
Using a slotted spoon, remove the bagels from the boiling water and arrange them on the baking sheet.
Brush the tops of the bagels with egg wash then press them into your preferred toppings.
Bake the bagels for about 25 minutes or until they are golden brown. Remove them from the oven and allow them to cool before serving.
Notes:
The toppings listed are enough to make two “everything” bagels, two poppy seed bagels, two sesame bagels and two jalapeño-cheddar bagels.
To make the jalapeño-cheddar bagel, top each baked bagel with a few slices of jalapeño then lay a cheese slice on top. Broil the bagel for 1 to 2 minutes until the cheese is melted.
After baking and cooling, the bagels can be frozen for up to three months. Wrap them securely in plastic wrap and store them in sealable plastic bags in the freezer.
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Nutrition
Calories: 333kcal, Carbohydrates: 60g, Protein: 11g, Fat: 5g, Saturated Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 27mg, Sodium: 636mg, Potassium: 129mg, Fiber: 2g, Sugar: 13g, Vitamin A: 120IU, Vitamin C: 2.1mg, Calcium: 89mg, Iron: 1.1mg
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Breakfast
Smoked Salmon Cream Cheese
Skip the lox and whip smoked salmon and fresh herbs directly into cream cheese.
Author: Kelly Senyei
5 from 12 votes
Prep Time 5 minutes mins
Cook Time 0 minutes mins
Total Time 5 minutes mins
Servings 4 servings
Print Recipe
Ingredients
- 8 oz. cream cheese, at room temp
- 6 oz. smoked salmon, flaked
- 2 Tablespoons chopped fresh chives
- 2 Tablespoons chopped fresh dill
Instructions
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the cream cheese until smooth then beat in the smoked salmon, chives and dill. (Alternately, using a firm spatula, stir together all of the ingredients.)
Nutrition
Calories: 244kcal, Carbohydrates: 2g, Protein: 11g, Fat: 21g, Saturated Fat: 11g, Cholesterol: 72mg, Sodium: 515mg, Potassium: 152mg, Sugar: 1g, Vitamin A: 880IU, Vitamin C: 0.9mg, Calcium: 60mg, Iron: 0.6mg
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Breakfast
Bacon-Scallion Cream Cheese
Transform plain cream cheese into a hearty favorite with this quick-fix recipe for Bacon-Scallion Cream Cheese.
Author: Kelly Senyei
5 from 12 votes
Prep Time 5 minutes mins
Cook Time 0 minutes mins
Total Time 5 minutes mins
Servings 4 servings
Print Recipe
Ingredients
- 8 oz. cream cheese, at room temp
- 1 cup chopped cooked bacon
- 1/4 cup thinly sliced scallions
- 1/2 cup grated sharp cheddar cheese
- 1 jalapeño, seeded and minced (optional)
Instructions
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the cream cheese until smooth then beat in the bacon, scallions, cheddar cheese and jalapeño (optional).
Nutrition
Calories: 283kcal, Carbohydrates: 3g, Protein: 7g, Fat: 26g, Saturated Fat: 14g, Cholesterol: 81mg, Sodium: 317mg, Potassium: 123mg, Sugar: 2g, Vitamin A: 1005IU, Vitamin C: 5.4mg, Calcium: 162mg, Iron: 0.4mg
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Breakfast
Garlic Herb Cream Cheese
Jazz up classic cream cheese with a quick-fix recipe for Garlic Herb Cream Cheese.
Author: Kelly Senyei
5 from 12 votes
Prep Time 5 minutes mins
Cook Time 0 minutes mins
Total Time 5 minutes mins
Servings 4 servings
Print Recipe
Ingredients
- 8 oz. cream cheese, at room temp
- 1/3 cup finely diced cucumber
- 2 Tablespoons minced garlic
- 2 Tablespoons chopped fresh tarragon
- 2 Tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
- 2 Tablespoons chopped fresh chives
- 2 Tablespoons chopped fresh dill
- 1 Tablespoon grated lemon zest
Instructions
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the cream cheese until smooth then beat in the remaining ingredients.
Nutrition
Calories: 213kcal, Carbohydrates: 6g, Protein: 4g, Fat: 19g, Saturated Fat: 11g, Cholesterol: 62mg, Sodium: 186mg, Potassium: 226mg, Sugar: 2g, Vitamin A: 1160IU, Vitamin C: 8.8mg, Calcium: 105mg, Iron: 1.5mg
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Did you try this recipe?
Share it with the world! Mention @justataste or tag #justatasterecipes!
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