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    Home » Recipes » Bread

    The BEST New York Style Bagel Recipe and Video

    Published: Apr 16, 2023 · Modified: May 1, 2024 by Jen Talley · This post may contain affiliate links · This blog generates income via ads

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    Bagels on a wooden board with the text: Plant Based Bagels.

    This easy bagel recipe yields the perfect chewy New York Style Bagel. Make the best homemade bagels following my recipe and video!

    Eight bagels on a wood board.

    Attention Bagel Lovers: This is the New York Style Bagel recipe I have been using for over 15 years. I hope all bagel lovers (vegan and non-vegan) will try this recipe to make delicious homemade bagels. These bagels have a chewy exterior and a soft and delicious interior. 

    My dad was born and raised in New York City and I spent most of my childhood living in New Jersey (visiting the city often), and these bagels have gotten the approval of all my dad's family and countless neighbors (some of which have ties to NYC as well). 

    New York style bagels are a popular type of bagel that originated in New York City. They are known for their crispy crusts and chewy, dense interiors, and are boiled before being baked to achieve their distinctive texture.

    If this is your first time making bagels, this recipe is for you. Follow my step-by-step pictures and watch my tutorial video to learn how easy it is to make incredible bagels at home!

    If you have an active sourdough starter, try these New York Style Sourdough Discard Bagels. They still use yeast, but the discard gives it a little additional flavor! Pumpkin Spice Bagels are a real treat in the fall!

    Why You'll Love This Recipe

    • They have a chewy texture and a delicious flavor.
    • Making your own bagels is easy, especially with the step-by-step pictures and video tutorial!
    • You control the ingredients and can get creative with your toppings and make them your own.
    • These homemade vegan bagels are better than  Einstein Bros, Dave's Killer Bread and Thomas' Bagels.

    Recipe Ingredients

    Here is the ingredient list for these delicious vegan bagels. Check out the substitutions below!

    The ingredients for plant based bagels.

    Water for incorporating all the ingredients. 

    Instant Yeast allows the bagels to rise. My favorite is SAF Instant Yeast. 

    White Sugar helps the bagels to retain moisture and feeds the yeast. 

    Salt enhances the bagel flavor.

    Bread Flour has a higher protein content than regular flour which creates a chewier bagel.

    Optional Toppings:

    There are so many different options for bagel seasoning. Try one (or more) of the following vegan bagel toppings! Or leave off the toppings for a plain bagel.

    • Everything Seasoning
    • Sesame Seeds 
    • Poppy Seeds
    • Dry Onion Flakes

    ​I've listed a few more bagel variations below including cinnamon raisin bagels and chocolate chip bagels.

    Substitutions

    • All Purpose flour can be a substitute for bread flour. It won't give the exact same results, but it will still produce delicious bagels.
    • Active Dry Yeast can be a substitute for Instant Yeast. You will want to proof the yeast in the warm water before adding the rest of the ingredients. 

    How to Make Vegan Bagels

    Here are some quick visual instructions on how to make vegan bagels. The full recipe with ingredient measurements and video tutorial is in the recipe card below.

    Add the warm water to the mixer with the dough hook attached. Add the dry ingredients (except for the last ½ cup of flour).

    A mixer with the bagel ingredients being added to it.

    Knead the dough until it comes together. Feel the dough and check how sticky and dense it feels. You want the dough to feel firm and not stick at all to your finger. Try to add the last ½ cup of flour.

    Pro Tip: If your mixer is having a hard time incorporating the flour you can take the dough out. Knead it by hand with the extra flour and then put it back into the mixer to finish kneading. 

    Bagel dough in a mixer with a finger poking it to check stickiness and adding more flour.

    Place the bagel dough in a large bowl and cover it with plastic wrap. Allow it to rise in a warm place until doubled in size. 

    Bagel dough before and after it has risen in a bowl.

    Remove the dough from the bowl and divide it into 8 equal sized pieces. Flour the counter where the bagels will rest.

    Cutting the dough into pieces and dusting the counter with flour.

    There are two methods to shape the bagels. I prefer to use method 1. It would be a good idea to watch the video in the recipe card as well.

    Showing the shape of the bagels for the two different methods of rolling them out.

    Method 1: Roll the piece of dough into a "snake." Bring the two ends together under your palm and roll the ends together applying pressure to the dough ends.

    A collage of how to roll out and shape a bagel.

    Method 2: You can roll the piece of dough into a tight ball and stick your finger through the center to make a hole and then use your fingers to gently stretch the hole.

    A collage on how to shape a bagel by rolling the dough into a ball and poking a hole in the middle.

    Place the bagels on a floured surface to rest (do not cover them). While they are resting, preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit and bring a large pot of water and sugar to a boil. Also, put parchment paper or silicone baking mats on two sheet pans. Gather all your bagel toppings such as sesame seeds, everything seasoning, dried onion flakes etc.

    The bagels should have slightly puffed up and smoothed out. 

    A collage of before and after the bagels rest on the counter.

    Gently Add 2-3 bagels at a time to the boiling water top side down. Boil for 30 seconds and flip and boil for another 30 seconds. 

    Fun Fact: The boiling process is what gives the bagels their chewy crust.

    Lift the bagels out of the water using a slotted spoon or spatula (allowing the water to drain) and place them on the parchment covered baking sheet. Add the toppings immediately after taking them out of the water bath. 

    A collage of boiling bagels and adding toppings on the boiled bagels.

    Bake at 400 degrees Fahrenheit and rotate the pans after about 15 minutes (this helps the toppings from burning). Bake for another 10-15 minutes until the bagels are all golden brown. 

    Allow the bagels to cool before slicing them. If you love a chewy bagel you will love these!

    A bagel sliced open showing the soft inside with bagels around it.

    Recipe Tips & Tricks

    • Add the toppings right after taking the bagels out of the boiling water. The toppings will stick to the wet bagels if added right away. This helps you to avoid using an egg wash.
    • Use a couple of drops of water to help shape the bagels if the dough isn't sticking together.
    • Using a Silpat Mat or good-quality parchment paper is a must because the boiled bagels will easily stick to the pan.
    • If your dried onion flakes are burning, try lowering the oven rack away from the heating element. You can also soak the onion flakes in water before adding them to the wet bagels to help prevent them from getting too dark.
    • A good bread knife is a must for these chewy New York-style bagels!

    What to Serve with Bagels

    These fluffy bagels are perfect for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Whether you are avoiding dairy products or you are on a vegan diet try some of these vegan bagel options for toppings. 

    • Vegan Cream Cheese 
    • Vegan Butter
    • Red Onion or Sweet Onion
    • Fresh Tomato
    • Fresh Dill
    • Fresh Avocado
    • Hummus
    • Peanut Butter

    If you consume animal products here are some traditional toppings. 

    • Cream Cheese
    • Butter
    • Lox (Smoked Salmon)
    • Pizza Sauce, Mozzarella Cheese and Pepperoni
    • Egg, Bacon and Cheese 
    An everything bagel with cream cheese cut in half and stacked on a plate.

    Storage

    • Storage: After the bagels have fully cooled, store the bagels in a sealed bag for 3-4 days. They do not need to be refrigerated. 
    • Freezing: These bagels freeze really well. Slice the bagels in half and put them back together. Try to squeeze as much air out of the freezer back and double back them. Frozen bagels are best toasted once they are thawed. 
    • De-Thaw Slow Method: Take the bagels out of the bag and thaw them on the counter. Once they have thawed, use a toaster to toast them. 
    • De-Thaw Fast Method: Take a bagel out of the bag. Carefully use a fork or butter knife to pry the sliced bagel in half. Lay the open bagel on a plate and microwave it for 30 seconds and then toast it in a toaster. 

    Variations

    Try some of these other bagel flavors, including some sweet bagels. 

    • Whole Wheat Flour Bagels: Substitute 1 cup of whole wheat flour for 1 cup of bread flour. It is difficult to get fully whole wheat bagels chewy like a New York Style bagel.
    • Cinnamon Raisin Bagels: Add an extra 1 tablespoon of sugar to the dough, 1 teaspoon of cinnamon, and ½ cup of raisins.
    • Chocolate Chip Bagels:  Add an additional 1 tablespoon of sugar to the dough. Add ⅓ cup of mini chocolate chips (vegan if needed) after the rise and before shaping the bagels.

    Frequently Asked Questions

    Can you eat bagels on a plant based diet?

    Bagels can be eaten on a plant based diet. If you go to your local grocery store make sure you read ingredient labels to find vegan-friendly bagels. Otherwise, you can make a plant based bagel recipe, using yeasted dough and choose toppings that fit your vegan lifestyle.

    Are bagels vegan?

    Not all bagels are vegan. Some brands at major retailers such as Dave's Killer Bread makes vegan bagels, but you can also make the best vegan bagels at home using just a few ingredients. If you have water, flour, salt, sugar and yeast you can use an easy vegan bagel recipe to create delicious New York Style bagels at home, including vegan everything bagels.

    More From Thyme for the Table

    Follow on Instagram, Facebook and TikTok. Let's cook together on YouTube! See you there! Don't forget to tag me so I can see what you are making!

    For more information about vegan bagels and for a list of prepackaged vegan bagels read through this post, Are Bagels Vegan?

    Rate This Recipe! I love hearing from you!

    ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

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    📖 Recipe

    An everything bagel and sesame bagel with bagels stacked behind them.

    The BEST New York Style Bagel Recipe and Video

    This easy bagel recipe yields the perfect chewy New York Style Bagel. Make the best homemade bagels following my recipe and video!
    5 from 6 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Prevent your screen from going dark
    Course: Breakfast
    Cuisine: American
    Prep Time: 35 minutes minutes
    Cook Time: 25 minutes minutes
    Rise Time: 1 hour hour
    Total Time: 2 hours hours
    Servings: 8 bagels
    Author: Jen Talley
    Cost: $3

    Equipment

    • 1 Bosch Mixer (or KitchenAid)
    • 2 Sheet pans
    • 1 parchment paper or
    • 2 silpat mats

    Ingredients

    • 2 cups warm water (454 grams)
    • 1 tablespoon yeast (9 grams)
    • 2 tablespoons white sugar (25 grams)
    • 2½ teaspoons salt (15 grams)
    • 5¾ cups unbleached bread flour (720 grams) (start with 5¼ and wait to add the last ½ cup of flour)

    Instructions

    • In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook, combine the warm water, yeast, sugar, salt, and 5¼ cups of flour (wait to add the last ½ of flour).
    • Begin to knead the dough. It may take some time to mix well because there is a lot of flour. Slowly add the remaining ½ cup of flour until the dough isn't sticky anymore and it feels very dense.
    • Knead for about 9 minutes using a Bosch mixer and about 12 minutes using a Kitchenaid mixer.
    • Place the dough in a large bowl and cover it with plastic wrap. Set it in a warm place for about 1 hour or until it doubles in size.
    • Punch down the dough and cut it into 8 equal-sized pieces. Dust your counter with flour and place the shaped bagels onto your counter.
    • There are two methods to shape the bagels (see video & post pictures).
      Option 1: Roll the piece of dough into a "snake." Bring the two ends together under your palm and roll the ends together.
      Option 2: You can roll the piece of dough into a ball and stick your finger through the center to make a hole and then use your fingers to gently stretch the hole.
    • While your shaped bagels are resting (you do not need to cover them).
      1. Fill a large pot with water and add the 2 tablespoons of sugar. Bring the pot of water to a gentle boil.
      2. Arrange the oven racks to the middle of the oven and preheat the oven to 400° Fahrenheit.
      3. Line two pans with parchment paper or Silpat mats.
      4. Get your toppings ready.
    • By the time the water begins to boil the tops of the bagels should be a little smoother and puffier. Gently lift a bagel and place it into the boiling water top side down. I can fit 3 at a time into my pot of boiling water. Boil for 30 seconds on each side. Remove them with a large slotted spoon or spatula. Place them gently on the parchment paper. Immediately add toppings (if desired) as soon as the wet bagels come out of the water.
    • Put the first pan in the 400° oven as soon as it is full. Follow with the second pan as soon as you finish boiling the rest of the bagels.
    • After 15 minutes swap the pans. Put the pan from the bottom on the top rack and put the pan from the top on the bottom rack. Bake for another 10-15 minutes. Make sure your bagels have started to brown nicely before taking the out of the oven. The dough is dense and if you take them out too early it will still be a little gummy in the middle. Let them cool before slicing.

    Video

    Notes

    Tips:
    • Add the toppings right after taking the bagels out of the boiling water. The toppings will stick to the wet bagels if added right away. This helps you to avoid using an egg wash.
    • Use a couple of drops of water to help shape the bagels if the dough isn't sticking together.
    • Using a Silpat Mat or good-quality parchment paper is a must because the boiled bagels will easily stick to the pan.
    • If your dried onion flakes are burning, try lowering the oven rack away from the heating element. You can also soak the onion flakes in water before adding them to the wet bagels to help prevent them from getting too dark.
    •  
    •  
    •  
    • Storage: After the bagels have fully cooled, store the bagels in a sealed bag for 3-4 days. They do not need to be refrigerated. 
    • Freezing: These bagels freeze really well. Slice the bagels in half and put them back together. Try to squeeze as much air out of the freezer back and double back them. Frozen bagels are best toasted once they are thawed. 
    • De-Thaw: Slow Method: Take the bagels out of the bag and thaw them on the counter. Once they have thawed, use a toaster to toast them. Fast Method: Take a bagel out of the bag. Carefully use a fork or butter knife to pry the sliced bagel in half. Lay the open bagel on a plate and microwave it for 30 seconds and then toast it in a toaster. 

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    Comments

      5 from 6 votes (1 rating without comment)

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      Recipe Rating




    1. Heidy says

      April 16, 2023 at 4:45 pm

      5 stars
      I really loved these Plant-Based Bagels! The directions and tips made them so easy to make. I printed the recipe and will be making them again soon. Have a great day!

      Reply
      • Jen Talley says

        April 16, 2023 at 10:08 pm

        I'm so glad you enjoyed them!

        Reply
    2. Janie says

      April 16, 2023 at 6:06 pm

      5 stars
      I've been looking for bagels that are plant based and I just landed on to yours! I have a hard time finding them in the grocery stores in my area so I'm going to use your recipe. Hope mines turns out tasting good!

      Reply
      • Jen Talley says

        April 16, 2023 at 10:09 pm

        I think you will love them, Janie! Let me know if you have any questions!

        Reply
    3. Kerri says

      April 16, 2023 at 7:26 pm

      5 stars
      These bagels look so good! I’m so glad I have this recipe to add to my collection for when we have our vegan guests over!

      Reply
      • Jen Talley says

        April 16, 2023 at 10:10 pm

        Your guests will love them!

        Reply
    4. Jacqueline says

      April 16, 2023 at 7:28 pm

      5 stars
      Those look amazing and I have everything I need to make them.

      Reply
      • Jen Talley says

        April 16, 2023 at 10:09 pm

        I can't wait for you to try them!

        Reply
    5. Mindy says

      April 16, 2023 at 7:40 pm

      5 stars
      This NY style bagel recipe is amazing! Chewy and sooo delicious. If I could give it 6 stars I would!

      Reply
      • Jen Talley says

        April 16, 2023 at 10:09 pm

        Thanks Mindy!

        Reply
    6. Anne Koulouras says

      April 17, 2023 at 12:11 am

      Thank you so much! I can’t wait to try them!!

      Reply
      • Jen Talley says

        April 17, 2023 at 12:56 pm

        You're welcome Anne!!

        Reply
    A head shot of Jen from the food blog Thyme for the Table.

    Welcome to Thyme for the Table! This is the place to find the best recipes to share with your friends and family around the kitchen table!

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