Homemade bagels are easy to make and so good for you. The recipe is very versatile. You can make them sweet or savory and all the ingredients are simple and natural. Chewy bagels made at home will always be superior in taste and texture to storebought.
Are you a breakfast person? We are. In fact, we may be a little boring. Some people may even call us regimented. That may be so, but we believe in starting the day on a good note.
How we schedule our homemade bagels
Now on Mondays, we have our Old Fashioned oatmeal cooked with cinnamon and a few walnuts. We top it with plain yogurt mixed with some vanilla protein powder.
Ah, I can see, yes, I can, the ones who are turning up their noses at the oatmeal. It really is quite tasty! Don't knock it unless you've tried it.
And on Tuesdays, we have crunchy granola made All Our Way. With that, we also add the yogurt mixed with protein powder.
On Wednesdays, we split toasted homemade bagels, slather on some peanut butter then drizzle a little organic honey on top of it.
So on Thursday, the cycle starts all over again until we reach Sunday.
A perfect time for savory homemade bagels
Sunday is special because we eat eggs!!!
I could have eggs anywhere . . . .anytime . . . . any way. But, the limit is Sunday morning. Along with our daily breakfast, we always have a fruit in season. Since we enjoy our eggs spicy, this would be the perfect time for a savory bagel.
Do you have a special breakfast?
How about Biscuits and Gravy?? That's one of our kids' favorite breakfasts. We limit making high calories breakfasts since we try watching our calories. We've been tasting some pretty yummy foods which we'll be posting in the coming months. You know, we have to do quality control checks ????
Homemade bagels are good for you
This homemade bagel recipe uses only natural ingredients with no preservatives. What this means for you is that it's good for you and makes a great breakfast. And the best part is that it can be made to your taste
For this recipe, we use dried fruit in our homemade cinnamon bagels. Years ago we expanded from cinnamon raisin bagels to try out different nuts and fruit. We like experimenting, do you?
Top Bagels recipe flavors to try:
- Plain Bagel-- you can't go wrong with a chewy homemade bagel that's a canvas for all sorts of flavored cream cheese in sweet or savory flavors. Plain homemade bagels are great for making pizza bagels.
- Everything Bagel-- this is almost tied to the plain. With this type of bagel, you really can't schmeer on a sweet topping.
- Cinnamon Raisin Bagel -- This is one of our favorites for breakfast. Perfect for our peanut butter topping.
- Sesame Seed Bagel -- this bagel is popular to eat with cream cheese or a whitefish spread.
- Salt Bagel -- a favorite with the plain cream cheese crowd.
- Egg Bagel -- the fans of this type bagel love it with lox cream cheese spread.
- Whole Wheat Bagel -- is mighty tasty and pairs well with many toppings.
- Onion Bagel -- this is a perfect for cream cheese, lox, and all things savory. The onions give them have a little crunch.
- Poppy Seed Bagel -- loved by many and loathed by others. Could it be the poppy seeds that get in our teeth?
- Garlic Bagel -- like the onion, the garlic has a bit of a crunch. The garlic bagel can be pretty intense. If you and the people around you like garlic, then go for it.
How we make homemade bagels
To start off with we put the water, yeast, and honey in the mixer bowl. In another bowl, we put the dry ingredients and whisk them together.
Add the dry ingredients to the wet and mix when you're just about finished mixing the dough you add the dried fruit and nuts.
We dump the dough onto our kneading board and then we bench and scale { cut and weigh} the dough.
We find that 5 ½ oz of dough works best for us since we split a bagel for breakfast. If you don't have a scale just roll out the dough like a long sausage and try to get even pieces. For this amount of weight, we got nine bagels.
We make sure that the dough is a long even roll so that we can make a nice circle by overlapping the ends a bit and pinching.
We don't want a lopsided bagel 🙂 or one that is too thick on one side and too thin on the other.
An uneven bagel is hard to split.
We scrunch them into a nice circle when we place the bagel on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. We sprayed the parchment paper with vegetable spray.
The bagels are now ready to go under the broiler. Just a few minutes on each side.
Once they are lightly browned, they are ready for their salt bath.
Each side gets the salt bath and we turn them over using a, yes, that is a chopstick. It works great along with a slotted spatula.
This process we do in batches and then put them back on the same baking sheet.
The bagels finish off in the oven. They come out nice and toasty with a wonderful aroma.
We let the homemade bagels cool completely.
We then individually wrap them in plastic wrap and take them out as needed {Wednesday and Saturday if you're following our schedule ???? }.
It may seem like a lot of steps but once you've made the recipe you'll see how easy it really is.
Just think of all the wonderful combinations you can come up with:
- grains
- nuts
- fruit
whatever you like.
Homemade Bagels Recipe - Step by Step
Homemade Bagels with Dried Fruit and Nuts, Plain, or Savory -- Your Choice
Ingredients
- 2 pk Dry yeast 4 ½ tsp. yeast
- 2 cups Warm water 105 -115 degrees
- 2 Tbs Honey
- 2 cups Whole wheat flour we used white whole wheat but it doesn't matter
- 1 ½ teaspoon Salt
- 1 ½ Tbs Cinnamon
- 1 cup dried cherries
- 1 cup shaved almonds
- 3 - 3 ½ cups All-purpose flour divided. You will use the ½ cup if needed
- 3 ½ qt Water
- 1 teaspoon Salt
Instructions
- In the mixing bowl add the warm water, honey, and yeast; stir and let stand 5 minutes.
- In another bowl whisk the whole wheat flour and salt and then add to the wet ingredients; mix well with rubber spatula.
- Whisk 3 cups of flour with the cinnamon until the cinnamon is dispersed throughout the flour. Using the dough hook, gradually stir in enough of the all-purpose flour with cinnamon into the yeast whole wheat mixture in order to make a soft dough.
- Knead the dough until smooth and elastic (about 5 to 8 minutes). Add the nuts and fruit just before you've finished kneading the dough.
- Place the dough in a well-greased bowl, turning to grease top.
- Cover dough, and let rise in a warm place, free from drafts, 1 to 1 ½ hours or until almost doubled in bulk.
- Punch dough down, and divide dough into equal pieces. We benched and scaled the dough to 5 ½ oz. which makes nine bagels. You can make them smaller or larger.
- Roll the pieces into about a 10-inch long roll and then overlap the ends slightly and pinch so that the ends do not come apart.
- Place the shaped bagels on a lightly oil sprayed parchment lined baking sheet.
- Cover and let rise 15 minutes.
- Broil bagels 5 inches from heat 2 minutes on each side or until lightly browned.
- Bring the 3 ½ quart water and 1 teaspoon salt to a boil in a large Dutch oven. Reduce heat, and simmer bagels 3 minutes on each side.
- Place bagels back on the baking sheet.
- Bake at 425 degrees for 20 to 25 minutes or until golden brown.
Notes
- You can make this by hand. After you add the all-purpose flour turn the dough out onto a heavily floured surface ( the dough will be sticky ), and knead until smooth and elastic ( 8 to 10 minutes). To add the fruit and nuts, flatten out the dough sprinkle the fruit and nuts on top and continue to knead so that the fruit and nuts are dispersed evenly throughout the dough.
- You can use whatever nuts and dried fruit you like.
- If you want to make it savory, add the onion, garlic, instead of the cinnamon.
- For the poppy seed brush the top with an egg wash and sprinkle on the seeds.
Nutrition
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Another note: Those are not my hairy hands in the photo -- somebody had to take the pictures -- me -- and hubby had to demonstrate.
Kim
Do they work if you substitute all purpose for the whole wheat flour? Or does the whole wheat do more than make them more healthy?
Marisa Franca
Hi, Kim! The whole wheat flour gives the bagels that extra chew and heartiness.
Denise
I can't get over how perfect these are! You are a talented baker.
Krissy
Just baked these, I LOVE them. The smell of bagel is everywhere! I'm dairy-free, and only eat bagels with either "fake" butter or nothing at all. The flavors didn't really pop until I put "butter" on them, so next time I will add more honey to give it a lighter and sweeter flavor.
Marisa Franca
Hi, Krissy!! Thank you for commenting! I'm so glad you like the bagels. Try out our homemade English Muffins - they're really easy to make and great with "butter". Happy Valentine's Day to you!!
Claudia Lamascolo
Oh I love bagels! This is a great recipe and I need to make these we absolutely love bagels. You are so talented my friend
Elaine @ Dishes Delish
Hubby and I love pancakes for a special breakfast! Your bagels look so good! I love making bread but I've never made bagels, but I need to as a surprise for hub since he loves them! I am glad you included a lot of process photos to help me along the way. I can't wait to make your recipe!
Marisa Franca
Hi, Elaine! Your Hubby will be happily surprised!
Kathryn @ FoodieGirlChicago
These look super tasty! I've actually never made bagels at home and now I want to give it a try!
Margaret
Can I throw everything in the bread machine 👀. Is there a necessity behind combining the wheat flour and wet ingredients first, or can I just toss it all in the bread maker, and add AP flour if the dough is it to my liking?
Marisa Franca
Hi Margaret! I don't have a bread machine so I really can't guarantee how things would turn out. If you do experiment, let me know how it goes. Good luck!
Frank
I'm impressed you make your own bagels, Marisa Franca! I love them but never thought to make them at home. Poppy seed is my personal favorite.
Veena Azmanov
I really love making my own bread but I have never made bagels. My husband is a big fan of bagels - it's one of the things he misses since we relocated from the US. I must try your recipe for him soon. Looks perfect.
Jolina
I love making my own bread. I haven't tried making bagels though...I must admit I'm a little intimidated. Thanks for breaking it down like this! I cannot wait to try. Our special breakfast usually lean toward the sweet side - pancakes and waffles 🙂
Michelle
I'm intrigued - I make bagels, but I've never broiled them before the bath, and I've always used baking soda over salt. What does the pre-broil do and why salt v baking soda?
Denise
Those are fantastic looking! I am so going to try this someday with my son. You made the process look easy enough for someone like me who does not bake very much. You husband is a lucky man you cook so good!
Natalie
These bagels look absolutely delicious Marisa. I love that you used whole wheat flour. Makes bagels so much healthier. I never tried adding dried fruits to my bagels. Now I must try your recipe. I bet I will LOVE it 🙂
Oana Iancu
OMG Marisa, I can almost smell these awesome fresh out of the oven homemade bagels! I always thought it's so tricky to make these at home, but seeing your every step photos...looks not so intimidating! Will definitely give them a try
Veena Azmanov
Over the years I have made so many different breads - I love trying new bread and flavors. But! I have never made bagels or pretzels yet. Not sure why my husband and kids love it.
Next time I'm going to try your recipe.
Tina
I've always wanted to make bagels at home, and this post really details how to do it without making it so intimidating. I'm whipping up a batch of these today, and trying some of the amazing variations you suggested. Thanks!
Rosemary
Hi Marisa, I absolutely love bagels and these look so good, and what a great idea with dried fruit and nuts. Pinned! Have a great weekend.
Lauren Vavala
These bagels are amazing! I love the honey, cherries, and almonds in them!
Gloria
OMG...you have me intrigued here. I have never attempted to make bagels...but I do LOVE eating them. There was a local bagel shop that had a flavour I loved. They stopped making it. Now, just maybe I an recreate it at home. Definitely a rainy day project.
Joanne @ No Plate Like Home
These look delicious! I love a good bagel with cream cheese! You make it look easy.
Marisa Franca
Thank you, Joanne! They are very good -- homemade is best.
Priya Srinivasan
Homemade is always the best! bagels looks scrumptious, love the list of flavors you have given ! so beautifully done!
Claudia Lamascolo
I honestly have never seen a prettier looking bagel these are truly fabulous looking and I make bagels once a month they dont look like this. I will try this recipe
Marisa Franca
Thank you, Claudia! What kind of bagels do you make?
Shoshy
I've always wanted to try homemade bagels and I can't wait to do so with this recipe.
Marisa Franca
Hi, Shoshy! Let me know how your bagels turn out.
Jovina
Love making homemade bagels. They are so tasty. You have a great recipe.
Marisa Franca
Thank you, Jovina!! What kind of bagel do you like?
Diane P.
Can't wait to try this recipe, Marisa. You always have such interesting and delicious recipes on your site! Thanks!