Before you start
A bagel is defined by ninety seconds of boiling: the bath gelatinises the crust so it bakes glossy and chewy instead of breadlike. A spoon of golden syrup or honey in the water stands in for traditional malt. The dough is deliberately stiff and under-hydrated, which is what makes the crumb dense enough to earn the name.
Everything you need
- 3 cups (390 g) bread flour
- 2 tsp (6 g) instant yeast
- 1½ tsp fine salt
- 1 tbsp (14 g) brown sugar
- 1 cup + 2 tbsp (267 g) warm water
- 2 tbsp (43 g) golden syrup or honey (for the bath)
- 3 tbsp (27 g) sesame or poppy seeds, for topping
- 1 egg white, for sticking the seeds
Weigh, don't scoop. Measuring flour by cups can overpack it and dry out your bake. Tap any ingredient to open its converter.
Method
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Mix the flour, yeast, salt and brown sugar, add the warm water, and knead 10 minutes. The dough is stiff and fights back, which is correct for bagels. Cover and prove 1 hour.
For this step
- 3 cups (390 g) bread flour
- 2 tsp (6 g) instant yeast
- 1½ tsp fine salt
- 1 tbsp (14 g) brown sugar
- 1 cup + 2 tbsp (267 g) warm water
-
Divide into 6 and roll into tight balls. Poke a floured thumb through each centre and stretch the hole to 4 cm, since it closes as it proves.
For this step
- 3 cups (390 g) bread flour
-
Rest the shaped bagels 15 minutes while you heat the oven to 220°C / 425°F and bring a wide pan of water to a simmer with the syrup stirred in.
For this step
- 1 cup + 2 tbsp (267 g) warm water
- 2 tbsp (43 g) golden syrup or honey (for the bath)
-
Boil the bagels in batches, 45 seconds per side. They should float within moments of going in.
-
Lift onto a lined tray, brush with egg white and scatter the seeds on generously.
For this step
- 3 tbsp (27 g) sesame or poppy seeds
-
Bake 20 to 22 minutes until deep glossy brown. Cool at least 15 minutes: a hot bagel cuts like glue.
Baker's tips
- Longer boil, chewier crust: 45 seconds a side is standard, 90 makes a New York argument. Past two minutes the crust wrinkles.
- For genuinely superior bagels, prove the shaped rings overnight in the fridge and boil them straight from cold. The slow ferment is where the flavour lives.
Make it your own
- Everything topping: sesame, poppy, dried garlic, dried onion and flaky salt.
- Knead ½ cup of raisins and 2 teaspoons of cinnamon in for the sweet deli classic.
Storing & freezing
Bagels stale by nightfall, which is why they get sliced and frozen: 3 months in the freezer, toasting from frozen perfectly. Day-old bagels exist to be toasted.
Frequently asked
Why do you boil bagels before baking?
The boil sets and gelatinises the crust, creating the gloss and chew that define a bagel. Skip it and you have baked a roll with a hole.
Why did my bagels sink in the boiling water?
Underproved dough. A shaped bagel that has rested properly floats within seconds. Sinkers need another 15 minutes of proving before their bath.
Baking in a different unit? Use the cups ↔ grams converter or the recipe scaler to halve or double this recipe.
More to bake
A note on cooking safely. Recipes are provided for informational purposes only and are not medical or nutritional advice. Cooking times, temperatures and quantities are suggestions: use your own judgement, and check that meat, poultry, fish and eggs are properly cooked before serving.
Consult a qualified healthcare professional before making dietary changes, particularly if you have allergies, a medical condition or specific nutritional requirements.