The Basic Bagel
Submitted by sanchez
Chewy, crusty homemade bagels made the traditional way with boiling and baking. Just flour, yeast, water, and salt for that authentic New York bagel shop texture.
YIELD
1 batchPREP
30 minCOOK
40 minREADY
2 hrsThere’s nothing like a fresh bagel with that shiny, crackly crust and dense chewy center, and making them at home is way more doable than you think.
This recipe follows the classic method: mix a stiff dough, let it rise, shape it by hand, boil in sugared water, then bake until deeply golden.
The boiling step is what separates a real bagel from a round roll. It sets the crust, gives you that signature chew, and creates the glossy surface that an egg wash finish takes over the top.
You’ll get a dozen bagels from one batch, and they’ll put the grocery store variety to shame.
Pro Tips
- The dough should be noticeably stiffer than regular bread dough. If it feels soft and pillowy, keep adding flour
- Knead the full 15 minutes. This builds the gluten structure that gives bagels their signature chew
- Only boil 4 bagels at a time so they have room to float and puff without sticking together
- For everything bagels, press sesame seeds, poppy seeds, dried onion, and garlic flakes onto the tops right after the egg wash while they’re still tacky
Ingredients
Directions
Combine water and yeast in the large bowl of an electric mixer; let stand 5 minutes.
Stir in sugar and salt; gradually mix in 4 cup of the flour.
Beat at medium speed for 5 minutes.
With a spoon, mix in about 1¼ cups more flour to make a stiff dough.
Turn out on a floured board and knead until smooth, elastic, and no longer sticky, about 15 minutes; add more flour as needed (dough should be firmer than for most other yeast breads).
Place in a greased bowl, cover, and let rise in a warm place until almost doubled, about 40 minutes.
Knead dough lightly, then divide into 12 equal pieces.
To shape, knead each piece, forming it into a smooth ball.
Holding ball with both hands, poke your thumbs through the center.
With one thumb in the hole, work around perimeter, shaping bagel like a doughnut, 3 to 3½ inches across.
Place shaped bagels on a lightly floured board, cover lightly, and let stand in a warm place for 20 minutes.
Bring the water-sugar mixture to boiling in a 4 or 5 quart pan; adjust heat to keep it boiling gently.
Lightly grease baking a baking sheet and sprinkle with cornmeal.
Gently lift one bagel at a time and drop into water; boil about 4 at a time, turning often, for 5 minutes.
Lift out with a slotted spatula, drain briefly on a towel, and place on the baking sheet.
Brush bagels with the egg yolk glaze and bake in a 400℉ (200℃) oven for about 35 to 40 minutes, or until well browned and crusty.
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