Description

This Homemade Bagels recipe guides you through making classic New York-style bagels with a chewy crust and soft interior. The dough is prepared with all-purpose flour, brown sugar, salt, and instant dry yeast, then boiled briefly before baking to achieve that iconic shiny crust and dense texture. Perfect for breakfast or snacks, these bagels are delicious plain or with your favorite toppings.

Ingredients

Scale

Dough Ingredients

4 cups All-Purpose Flour
1 teaspoon Brown Sugar
2 teaspoons Salt
1 tablespoon Instant Dry Yeast
Water (quantity for kneading, warm, approx. 1 to 1 1/4 cups)

Boiling Water

2 quarts Water
1 1/2 tablespoons Brown Sugar

Instructions

Mix Dry Ingredients: In a large bowl, combine 4 cups all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon brown sugar, 2 teaspoons salt, and 1 tablespoon instant dry yeast. Add warm water gradually to form a dough.
Knead Dough: Knead the dough for about 10 minutes until it’s smooth and no longer sticky, developing gluten for the right texture.
First Rise: Place the kneaded dough in a lightly greased bowl. Cover it with a warm, damp towel and let it rise in a warm place for 1 to 2 hours, until doubled in size.
Prepare Boiling Water: Bring 2 quarts of water to a boil in a large pot. Add 1 1/2 tablespoons brown sugar and stir to dissolve. This sweet water helps create the bagels’ shiny crust.
Shape Bagels: Divide the risen dough into palm-sized balls. Roll each ball into a 6-inch rope and join the ends to form a bagel shape, making sure the hole is about 1 to 2 inches wide to prevent closing during boiling.
Boil Bagels: Using a slotted spoon, gently lower 3-4 bagels at a time into the boiling water. Boil each side for 30 to 60 seconds. Avoid overcrowding. Remove boiled bagels with the slotted spoon and place on a greased cookie sheet.
Bake Bagels: Preheat your oven to 425°F (220°C). Bake the boiled bagels on the greased cookie sheet for about 20 minutes or until they are a golden brown color and crusty on the outside.
Serve: Cool the bagels slightly, then serve warm with your choice of spreads or toppings. Enjoy your homemade fresh bagels!

Notes

Ensure the water used for mixing the dough is warm but not hot to prevent killing the yeast.
Do not boil too many bagels at once to avoid sticking and uneven cooking.
For added flavor, sprinkle seeds like sesame or poppy on bagels after boiling and before baking.
Make sure holes in bagels are large enough so they don’t close during boiling.
Use a slotted spoon to carefully handle bagels when boiling to keep their shape intact.

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 35 minutes
Category: Bread
Method: Boiling and Baking
Cuisine: American

Keywords: Homemade bagels, bagel recipe, how to make bagels, chewy bagels, NY style bagels, boiled bagels, breakfast bread