No-Fat Bagels for Breadmachine

The bread machine does all the kneading; you just shape, boil, and bake. This fat-free bagel recipe proves you don’t need butter, oil, or even sugar to get the chewy, glossy-crusted result you expect from a good New York bagel.

The magic of real bagels is the boil. Before they ever see the oven, the shaped dough rings simmer five minutes in water to gelatinize the surface starches. That creates the signature snap when you bite through the crust, and no amount of oven time alone can duplicate it.

Egg white glaze is the fat-free shortcut to a shiny, deeply-colored crust. Brushed on after the boil, it dries in the oven into that bakery-style sheen, while letting you skip the usual malt-and-egg-yolk wash.

The breadmaker handles two kneads on the manual setting, then it’s all hand work. Remove dough before the first proof ends and shape by hand; trying to let it rise in the machine gives you bread-loaf structure instead of bagel chew.

Pro Tips

• Punch the hole with a floured finger and widen with a gentle stretch; small holes close up as the bagels boil and bake.
• Boil only 3 at a time to keep the water at a steady simmer, not a rolling boil.
• Turn bagels once during the boil so both sides get the starch seal.
• Sprinkle toppings (sesame seeds, poppy seeds, dehydrated onion, garlic) onto the wet egg glaze so they stick firmly.

Variations

• Add 1 teaspoon of barley malt syrup or molasses to the boiling water for more authentic flavor.
• Stir ½ cup of raisins and 1 teaspoon of cinnamon into the dough for cinnamon-raisin bagels.
• Top with everything seasoning for the classic deli-style bagel.