How to Make Bagels

How to Make Bagels

Ingredients for homemade bagels:

• Bread flour – The higher protein level in bread flour helps to create that chewy texture that makes bagels so delightful. It’s worth the trip to the grocery store to pick some up. You can use all-purpose flour if you absolutely must, but the texture will suffer.
• Instant yeast – you can also use active dry yeast, just note your dough may take longer to rise. Learn more about active dry vs. instant yeast here.
• Fine sea salt – you can also use table salt.
• Barley malt syrup – order online or find at some health food stores or beer brewing supply stores. You can also use light or dark brown sugar.
• Lukewarm water – make sure it’s not scorching hot or it may kill your yeast.

What makes a bagel New York-style?

Bagels were brought to North America from Eastern European immigrants in the early 20th century. The debate about what’s most traditional or which style is best is fierce.

New York-style bagels are generally larger, uniformly round with a smaller hole and a chewy, slightly fluffy texture. They’re boiled then baked and generally have a fairly high salt content. On the other hand, Montreal-style bagels are boiled in honey water and baked in a wood-fired oven, caramelizing the exterior more than New York-style bagels. Some New York bagel shops may also bake their bagels on burlap wood planks. Forget what you may have heard about needing NY tap water to make good bagels, that myth has been debunked.

What makes a bagel chewy?

Bread flour is the essential ingredient to creating that distinct chewy bite we all crave in a bagel. Its high protein content creates a stiff dough that holds its shape while baking and develops more gluten for more chew.

Do I have to use bread flour?

I don’t recommend substituting the bread flour with all-purpose flour in this recipe as the texture will suffer. The high protein content in bread flour is what allows the gluten to develop to create a stiff dough that turns into chewy well-shaped bagels. If you’re going to the trouble of making bagels from scratch, you may as well use one of the primary ingredients required for the best texture! Bread flour is the only flour that this recipe has been successfully tested with.

How to knead bagel dough:

For best results, use a larger 6-quart stand mixer fitted with the dough hook attachment, or knead by hand. This is a very stiff dough, and old or small stand mixers may not be up to the task of kneading and may ‘jump’ on the counter or burn out your motor more quickly. Kneading by hand will take about 10 to 15 minutes, depending on your upper body strength. Learn how to knead dough by hand here.

How to shape bagels:

Bagels are made with a basic stiff yeast dough. We basically let the dough rise, shape it into 8 balls, then let those balls rise again. Then, in order to get the bagel shape, you simply use your index finger to poke a hole through the center and twirl it around your finger to stretch that hole out.

How to make my bagels more flavorful AND make them ahead of time:

Besides choosing flavorful toppings or mix-ins, an easy way to develop better flavor in your bagel dough and make them ahead of time to finish off the morning you want to serve them is to allow them to ferment in the fridge for up to 48 hours.

UPDATE: Some people who have allowed their shaped bagels to ferment in the fridge for up to 48 hours have had their final bagels turn out flat. This is likely due to overproofing. For this reason, I would recommend reducing the amount of yeast to 2 teaspoons if you’d like to refrigerate the dough for an extended period. I had also originally recommended using a damp towel to cover the bagels but received reports of people’s towels freezing in the fridge (how cold are your fridges?!) so I have removed that direction.

Directions: Cover your shaped bagels on their baking sheets with plastic wrap and allow to proof in the fridge for 24 to 48 hours to develop more flavor and chewiness. Simply let the bagels come to room temperature before boiling, topping and baking. This is also a great idea if you’re hosting company for breakfast or brunch!

Why do you boil bagels before baking?

In order for the bagels to develop that well-browned exterior and slightly dense chewy texture, they’re actually boiled briefly before baking. This works because the boiling water sets the exterior crust before it hits the oven, preventing the bagels from rising very much while further developing that browned exterior.

The reason we add barley malt to the boiling water is to further develop that browned crust and to give it that distinct flavor we all know and love. I also add a little bit of baking soda to elevate the pH of the water solution to encourage more browning on the bagel’s crust.

Tips for preparing a water bath for bagels:

Use a wide heavy-bottomed pot and add the baking soda and barley malt first before turning the heat up to avoid spillovers. A small mesh or wire skimmer or spider makes quick and easy work of dipping and removing the bagels from the water.

What to put on a bagel:

• Cream cheese, obvs! Stick with plain or try any flavor you’d like.
• Lox or gravlax with sliced red onion, tomato, and capers
• Egg and cheese for a breakfast bagel sandwich situation

How long do bagels last?

Uncut bagels can be stored up to 48 hours in a paper bag (or loosely wrapped in parchment), then sliced and briefly toasted to serve.

Can you freeze bagels?

Yes! To freeze bagels whole, wrap each in plastic then place in an airtight container. To freeze bagels sliced, slice them and place on a baking tray in the freezer until solid. Remove to an airtight container. Toast directly from frozen. Bagels may be frozen for up to 3 months.