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A person spreading cream cheese over the surface of a halved homemade everything bagel on a piece of brown paper next to other bagels and a bowl of cream cheese.

Homemade Everything Bagels

Course: Breakfast, Lunch, or Dinner
Cuisine: American
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 35 minutes
Chilling and Cooling Time (Minimum): 4 hours
Total Time: 4 hours 55 minutes
Servings: 4
Calories: 353kcal
Author: Kris Longwell
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 Recipe

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

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.

Video

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