Homemade Everything Bagel Recipe

5 from 1 vote

This easy everything bagel recipe is your ticket to making delicious bagels at home. You'll never need another recipe for everything bagels!

Prep Time35

Cook Time25

Rise Time1

Total Time2

Course: Breakfast

Cuisine: American

Servings: bagels

Cost: $3

2 cups warm water
1 tablespoon instant yeast (or active dry)
2 tablespoons white sugar
2½ teaspoons kosher salt
5¾ cups unbleached bread flour (start with 5¼ cups and wait to add the last ½ cup of flour)

In the bowl of a stand mixer with the dough hook attached, add the warm water, instant yeast, sugar, salt, and 5¼ cups of flour (wait to add the last ½ cup of flour). Knead the dough for 1-2 minutes until the dough has come together.
Turn the mixer off and use your index finger to feel how sticky the dough is. If it sticks to your finger add ¼ cup to ½ of flour until the dough doesn't stick to your finger and feels dense.
Knead on low for 12 minutes with a Kitchenaid mixer and 9 minutes with a Bosch mixer. It should be elastic and smooth.
Remove the dough from the mixer bowl and add it to a large bowl. Cover it with plastic wrap. Let it rise in a warm place until it has doubled in size (about 1 hour, but this time may vary based on the temperature of the dough and your kitchen).
Preheat your oven to 400°F and line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.

Remove the dough from the bowl and set it on a lightly floured counter. Divide the dough into 8 equal pieces. There are two ways to form the bagels: the snake method and the ball method. (SEE VIDEO in recipe card)
Snake Method: Squeeze out the air bubbles in the piece of dough. Roll the dough into a snake that is just long enough to wrap around your hand and overlap on your palm. Place your palm against the counter and roll it back and forth until the ends are sealed together. You may need to pinch the tips of the ends into the dough.
Ball Method: Roll the piece of dough into a tight ball. Make a hole in the center of the ball with your index finger and thumb. Gently stretch out the hole by rotating the bagel using your two index fingers.
Dust an area of your counter with a nice coating of flour and place the shaped bagels on top of the dusted counter as you shape each one.
While the bagels are resting on the counter, start the water bath with water and sugar and bring it to a boil.

Very gently lift a bagel off the counter and put it carefully into the boiling water. Depending on the size of your pot you can boil 1-3 bagels at a time.
Boil them for 30 seconds on each side. Take them out of the water with a large slotted spoon and place them on the parchment paper or silicone baking mat. Immediately sprinkle the everything seasoning on top. (The seasoning will only stick if you add it as soon as the bagels come out of the water. Otherwise you will need to make an egg wash and brush the top of the bagels and add the seasoning.)
Bake the two pans in the oven for 20-25 minutes. Make sure to rotate the pans halfway through so that the top pan goes to the lower rack and the lower pan moves to a higher rack. They should be very golden brown before you remove them from the oven.
Allow the bagels to fully cool on a wire rack before slicing them. Slice them with a bread knife and enjoy with your favorite toppings.

Tips:

Good quality parchment paper or silicone baking mats are important to make sure the bagels don't stick.

Storage: Store them in an airtight container or a plastic bag at room temperature. They should last for 3-4 days.

Freezing: Slice the bagels in half, put them back together. Double bag them using freezer bags and freeze them in a freezer for up to 3 months.

Thawing: The bagels can be thawed on the counter or in the fridge. To thaw them faster, carefully use a fork or butter knife to separate the two frozen halves. Put them in the microwave for 30 seconds and then finish by toasting them in the toaster.