Homemade Everything Bagels are fun to make and delicious, allowing you to enjoy that iconic New York flavor right in your own kitchen. Just as classic as a savory pastrami sandwich or comforting matzo ball soup, these bagels bring a taste of the city to your table.
Jump to:
🥯 The Ingredients
Using the right high-quality ingredients is essential for making top-notch homemade bagels that have the perfect chewy texture and authentic flavor. Find ingredient notes (including substitutions and variations) below.
👉 Substitutions and Variations
- Flour – Using the right flour is key to producing the perfect bagel. We highly recommend High-Gluten Flour from King Arthur. Bread flour can be substituted, but you won’t get as nice a rise with a nice “chewy” bagel.
- Malt Powder – This helps boost the yeast and gluten process. It also gives a slightly sweet and nutty flavor. It’s not 100% necessary, but it helps to create the perfect bagel. Barley malt syrup is a good substitute.
- Molasses and baking soda – These two ingredients give the bagels the golden color on the crust and help them to shine. You can skip the molasses, but we don’t recommend omitting the baking soda.
- Toppings – You can vary up the toppings in addition to the Everything Seasoning. Go with poppy seeds, sesame seeds, granulated onion, or a combination of them.
See the recipe card (with video) below for a full list of ingredients and measurements.
👩🏼🍳 How To Make a Bagel “Starter” Sponge
- Step 1: In a mixing bowl, add the water, yeast, and flour.
- Step 2: Whisk until smooth, about 2 minutes. Scrape down the sides once and whisk again.
- Step 3: In a bowl, whisk together the flour mixture of flour, yeast, malt powder, sugar, salt, and black pepper.
- Step 4: Sprinkle the flour mixture over the thick wet mixture in the bowl of the mixture. Don’t stir it!
- Step 5: Cover the bowl with plastic wrap.
- Step 6: Allow to chill in the fridge for 1 to 4 hours, or, even better, overnight. The sponge will bubble up through the flour.
Expert Tip
It’s important not to stir the flour mixture into the sponge. Let it rest at room temperature for 1 to 4 hours. But, for the best flavor, cover and let the sponge chill in the fridge for up to 24 hours.
🧑🏾🍳 How To Make Bagel Dough
- Step 1: Mix the sponge with the dough attachment on low and add 1 tablespoon of the flour.
- Step 2: Mix on medium for 10 minutes, then knead the dough on a lightly floured surface for about 1 minute.
- Step 3: Place the dough in an oiled bowl.
- Step 4: Spray the top of the dough with cooking spray.
- Step 5: Cover the bowl and let it proof in a non-drafty area.
- Step 6: Remove the plastic after the dough has doubled in size, usually 1 to 2 hours.
👨🍳 How to Make Homemade Everything Bagels
- Step 1: Remove the dough, punch it down, and then divide it into 5 equal-sized pieces.
- Step 2: Pull the sides up on each ball of dough and pinch the dough to create a smooth ball.
- Step 3: Push your index finger through the middle of the dough and then use your fingers to stretch the dough, forming an opening in the middle.
- Step 4: Working in batches, carefully lower the bagels into boiling water with the molasses and baking soda. Flip after 1 minute and then remove from the water after another minute.
- Step 5: Place the partially cooked bagels on parchment paper on a baking sheet. Brush with egg whites and then toppings.
- Step 6: Bake at 425°F for 20 minutes, until golden. Let cool on a baking rack.
🙋🏽♂️ Frequently Asked Questions
What type of flour is best for homemade everything bagels?
Flour with a high protein content is best for homemade bagels because it helps create the chewy texture and sturdy structure that bagels are known for. We use High-Gluten Flour. Bread flour is the next best.
Why do bagels need to be boiled before baking?
Boiling bagels briefly before baking sets the crust, gives them their characteristic chewiness, and helps develop a shiny, golden exterior.
How should I store homemade bagels to keep them fresh?
Store homemade bagels in an airtight container or resealable plastic bag at room temperature for up to 2 days, or freeze them for longer storage—just toast or warm them before serving to restore their freshness.
🍞 More Bread-Making Recipes
Ready to make the best bagel this side of Brooklyn, NY? Go for it!
And when you do, be sure to take a photo of them, post it on Instagram, and tag @HowToFeedaLoon and hashtag #HowToFeedaLoon
Homemade Everything Bagels
If you love bagels as much as we do, you will have fun making them from scratch! These will honestly rival any bakery, anywhere! Even New York City! Although these can be prepared in one day, we think giving the sponge and then the bagel dough plenty of time to develop helps to create authentic, chewy, delicious bagels.
Print
Pin
Rate
Servings: 4
Calories: 353kcal
Video
Equipment
- 1 Stand mixer with a dough attachment
- Baking sheet lined with parchment or silicone mat
Ingredients
For the Dough Starter (Sponge)
- ½ teaspoon instant yeast
- 1 cup water PLUS 2 tbsp, room temperature
- 1½ cups high-gluten flour or bread flour
For the Flour Mixture
- 1 cup high-gluten flour Plus 1 to 3 tablespoon
- ½ teaspoon instant yeast
- ½ tablespoon diastatic malt powder
- ½ tablespoon sugar
- ½ tablespoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
Everything Bagel Seasoning
- 4 teaspoon white sesame seeds
- 2 teaspoon black sesame seeds
- 2 teaspoon poppy seeds
- 2 teaspoon dried minced garlic
- 2 teaspoon dried minced onion
- 1 teaspoon coarse sea salt
For Preparing the Bagels
- Cooking spray
- 2 tablespoon molasses
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 2 egg whites
- 1 teaspoon water
- 1 cup Everything bagel seasoning
Instructions
Make the Dough Starter (Sponge)
- In the bowl of your mixer, add the yeast, water (1 cup + 2 tbsp), and flour. Use the whisk attachment to slowly mix until very smooth, scraping down the sides after about 1 minute (2 minutes total).½ teaspoon instant yeast, 1 cup water, 1½ cups high-gluten flour
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour (1 cup), yeast, malt powder, sugar, salt, and pepper. Sprinkle the flour over the sponge, but do not stir.1 cup high-gluten flour, ½ teaspoon instant yeast, ½ tablespoon diastatic malt powder, ½ tablespoon sugar, ½ tablespoon salt, ½ teaspoon black pepper
- Cover with plastic wrap and let sit at room temperature for 1 to 4 hours. For best flavor development, refrigerate for up to 24 hours.
Put Together the Everything Bagel Seasoning
- In a small bowl, mix together all of the ingredients for the Everything Bagel Seasoning. Set aside.4 teaspoon white sesame seeds, 2 teaspoon black sesame seeds, 2 teaspoon poppy seeds, 2 teaspoon dried minced garlic, 2 teaspoon dried minced onion, 1 teaspoon coarse sea salt
Make the Dough
- Remove the plastic from the mixer bowl. You may notice that some of the sponge has bubbled up through the flour. This is normal.
- Add 1 tablespoon of the flour and mix with the dough attachment on LOW for about 1 to 2 minutes. Turn the speed up (to medium) and knead the dough for 10 minutes. If the dough is sticking to the bottom of the bowl, add 1 to 2 tablespoons more flour. The dough should be smooth and elastic, but not sticky.
- Transfer the dough to a very lightly floured surface. Punch the dough down and knead it for about 1 minute. If it is sticking to the surface, add a little more flour.
- Shape the dough into a smooth ball. Spray a bowl with cooking spray and place the dough in the bowl, turning to coat with the oil. Spray a little more on top of the dough. Cover with plastic wrap and let proof in a non-drafty area until the dough has doubled in size (1 to 2 hours).Cooking spray
- Turn the dough out onto a clean surface (no flour, unless it is sticky) and push it down. Shape into a rectangle and then fold over the ends (like an envelope), and then form it into a ball. Add more cooking spray to the bowl and then place the dough in it. Spray the top of the dough with more spray and cover with plastic wrap. Refrigerate for 4 hours, or even better, overnight.
Make the Bagels
- Let the dough sit out at room temperature for 20 to 30 minutes.
- Preheat oven to 425°F.
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil.
- Meanwhile, transfer the dough to the counter and cut the dough into 5 equal pieces. Cover and allow to rest for 10 minutes. (As you form the bagels, keep the remaining dough and the shaped bagels covered with a kitchen towel.)
- For each piece of dough, draw up the sides to form a round ball. Pinch the dough together at the top of the ball. Press your index finger through the center of the dough to form a hole. Use your fingers and thumb to stretch the dough into a bagel shape, leaving about a 1 to 2-inch hole in the center. Keep shaped bagels covered with a kitchen towel. Let them rest for 15 minutes.
- Carefully add the molasses and baking soda to the boiling water. The baking soda will cause intense foaming for a short time.2 tablespoon molasses, 1 teaspoon baking soda
- Working in batches (2 or 3 bagels at a time), lower the bagels into the boiling water. After 1 minute, use a metal spatula or spoon to flip the bagels over. Boil for 1 more minute. Use the spatula to remove the bagels from the water, allowing excess water to drip off. Place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or a silicone mat.
- In a small bowl, mix together the egg whites and water (1 tsp). Brush the tops of the bagels with the egg wash and then liberally sprinkle the Everything Seasoning over the tops.2 egg whites, 1 teaspoon water, 1 cup Everything bagel seasoning
- Bake the bagels until golden, about 20 to 25 minutes, turning the baking sheet halfway through.
- Cool the bagels on a rack. Store in an air-tight container or sealable baggie for 3 to 4 days.
Notes
NOTE: Watch the video near the top of the recipe for visual guidance.
After the dough has proofed for the first time (after doubling in size), the dough can be wrapped in plastic wrap and kept in the fridge for up to 2 days. Let the dough sit out for 30 minutes at room temperature before transferring it to the counter to form the bagels.
Other toppings include: Poppy Seed / Sesame Seed / Dried Minced Onion
These bagels are delicious plain (with no toppings), too.
If desired, slice the bagels open and toast them. Serve with butter, cream cheese, lox, capers, and red onion, if desired.
Nutrition
Calories: 353kcal | Carbohydrates: 64g | Protein: 14g | Fat: 2g | Saturated Fat: 0.3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 658mg | Potassium: 228mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 9g | Vitamin A: 2IU | Vitamin C: 0.03mg | Calcium: 77mg | Iron: 2mg
Tried this recipe? Take a Picture!Mention @HowToFeedALoon or tag #HowToFeedALoon!
NOTE: This recipe is adapted from Rose Levy Beranbaum’s Book, The Bread Bible.
Don says
Hi Kris, just curious as to why this recipe only makes 5 Bagles and not 6? Wouldn’t make more sense to make a half dozen?
Kris Longwell says
Hi Don! You could absolutely divide the dough into 6 pieces. The bagels will just be slightly smaller. Still delicious…just a tad smaller!! Hope you give them a try!! And if you do, be sure to keep us posted! Best, Kris & Wesley
Jane says
Hi these sound delish and I want to make them today, but I don’t have malt powder or syrup. Is there anything else that I might have in my pantry to substitute?
Kris Longwell says
Hi Jane, you can just leave out the malt powder. It enhances the flavor, but, you’ll still get delicious bagels. These take some time (several rounds of proofing), but they are SOOOOO good!!! Let us know how they turn out or if you have any questions!!!