How To Make Classic Bagels (Soft, Chewy, Crisp)

Sesame and poppy seed bagels on a plate.

How To Make Classic Bagels (Soft, Chewy, Crisp)

Course: Bread, Breakfast

Cuisine: American, European

Keyword: bagel recipe, how to make bagels

Prep Time: 35

Cook Time: 25

Rest time: 3

Total Time: 4

Servings: One bagel per serving

Calories: 314kcal

Author: Victor

Print Recipe

Metric - US Customary

Equipment

Stand mixer with a dough hook

Ingredients

850 g High gluten flour I bake with King Arthur's Sir Lancelot HG flour. See notes. If measuring in cups, use the 'scoop and sweep' method.
475 g water
48 g canola oil See notes.
36 g sugar
9 g instant yeast Also known as Quick Rise or Rapid Rise yeast.
18 g kosher salt You may also use sea salt. If measuring in tablespoons, use a level tablespoon.
21 g honey Use rye malt syrup if you have access to it.
5 g baking soda
Poppy and sesame seeds for topping

Instructions

To the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook, add the following ingredients in the following order: water, yeast, salt, sugar, oil, honey (or rye malt syrup), then flour.
Mix on the lowest speed for 2-3 minutes or until the ingredients are mixed together. Switch the speed to the second-lowest and continue mixing for another 5-7 minutes. The dough should pull away from the walls of the bowl and become strong and elastic/stretchy.
Cover the bowl and let the dough ferment for 1 to 1.5 hours at room temperature (1 hour if the ambient temperature is warmer and 1.5 if it is cooler). The dough should almost double in volume.
Divide the dough into 12 equal pieces and shape them into balls. Place the balls on a baking sheet or a large platter. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour.
Next, take the dough balls out of the fridge and shape them into bagels. Use your finger to poke a hole through the center of each ball, then, using your fingers, stretch the dough into a ring about 5" in diameter.
Place the pre-shaped bagels on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Let the bagels proof at room temperature, uncovered, for 1 to 1.5 hours. The bagels should firm up and slightly increase in volume but not much.
If baking the next day, refrigerate right away until ready to bake. You can keep them in the fridge for up to 24 hours.
Preheat the oven to 450F (235C) without fan/convection.
Bring a large, wide pot of water to a boil. Add a teaspoon of baking soda and stir well.
Carefully add 1 bagel to the pot. Boil for 30 seconds, flip and boil for another 30 seconds. Using a wide slotted spoon/skimmer, remove the bagel from the boiling water and place it back on the lined baking sheet.
Repeat until all bagels are done. If you are comfortable with it, you can boil 2-3 bagels at a time.
Sprinkle bagels with poppy seeds and/or sesame seeds, or any other seeds that you like, or leave them plain.
Bake the bagels for 12 to 15 minutes in total, with the last 5 minutes with a fan/convection to give them a nice color.
All ovens bake differently so keep a close eye on your bagels the first time around and make adjustments if necessary.
Carefully transfer the bagels to a large cooling rack and let them cool for 20 or so minutes before serving.

Notes

If you don't have access to King Arthur's high gluten (Sir Lancelot) flour, look for extra-strong bread flour, Italian type 1 flour, French T65 flour, or Euro 650 flour, depending on where you live.

Instead of canola (rapeseed oil), you may use any other flavorless/low flavor oil such as corn oil, peanut oil, safflower oil, or vegetable oil.

Nutrition