Hawaiian Bagels

These are not your standard sesame bagel. Diced pineapple and shredded coconut get worked into a classic boiled-then-baked bagel dough, producing a slightly sweet, distinctly tropical bread that pairs beautifully with cream cheese, ham and Swiss, or just toasted with butter.

The bread machine handles the dough, but the boil-bake technique is what makes these true bagels rather than tropical rolls. Boiling each bagel briefly in sweetened water (with malt syrup, honey, or sugar) before baking is the step that creates the signature chewy crust and dense, chewy interior. Skip the boil and you get bread shaped like a bagel; do it and you get the real deal.

The pineapple should go in late, just five minutes before the kneading ends. Adding it earlier means the fruit pulps and dyes the dough yellow with extra moisture; adding it late preserves the chunky pineapple pockets in the finished bagel.

Pro Tips

• Drain pineapple chunks well and pat dry on paper towels before adding to the dough; excess moisture throws off the hydration.
• Use bread flour, not all-purpose. The higher protein gives you the chew that defines a proper bagel.
• Add malt syrup or non-diastatic malt powder to the boiling water for the most authentic, slightly sweet crust flavor.
• Boil only 3 to 4 bagels at a time; crowding drops the water temperature and gives you uneven crusts.

Variations

• Add ½ cup of chopped macadamia nuts with the pineapple and coconut for a more complete Hawaiian profile.
• Brush tops with egg wash and sprinkle with toasted coconut before baking for visual contrast.
• Use brown sugar in the boiling water in place of malt for a darker, more caramelized crust.