I made this on a whim one lazy Sunday—no shaping, no boiling, just dumped everything into the bread machine and hoped for the best. What came out?
A loaf that made my kitchen smell like a New York bagel shop. The crust was golden, the inside pillowy, and that everything seasoning hit in all the right places.
Since then, this loaf has earned a permanent place in my weekly rotation. It’s bold, it’s buttery, and the flavor runs deep—not just sprinkled on top like a bagel, but layered all the way through.
Big Flavor, No Fuss: Why I Keep Coming Back to This Loaf
This isn’t your average bread machine recipe. It doesn’t just “hint” at bagel flavor—it delivers.
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- I don’t shape anything. No braiding. No rolling.
- The seasoning gets layered inside the dough for flavor in every bite.
- The dough bakes up soft with a rich crust and real chew.
It’s everything I love about a bagel—with none of the steps I usually avoid.
Texture Breakdown: What You’re Getting With Every Slice
This bread’s structure is what really sells it. The base dough is enriched—meaning milk, egg, and butter give it extra softness—but the shaping method adds air and structure.
I do a rough bubble-layer method in the pan, which turns into these hidden pockets of buttery, seasoned dough.
Inside: soft, a little chewy, full of savory air pockets
Outside: golden, lightly crisped from a butter brush
Taste: garlicky, toasty, slightly tangy, super snackable
I’ve eaten it fresh out of the machine. I’ve pulled chunks off like monkey bread. I’ve made sandwiches with it. Every version works.
Ingredient Swaps That Actually Hold Up
One of the things I love about this bread is how easy it is to adjust. I’ve tweaked the ingredients plenty of times depending on what I had on hand, and the results always held together.
- Vegan: Use oat milk or soy milk, egg replacer (like flax egg), and vegan butter. Still delicious.
- Gluten-free: A solid 1:1 baking flour blend can work here—just keep an eye on dough hydration.
- Lower sodium: Cut the salt in the dough and swap in a low-sodium bagel seasoning.
- Whole wheat option: Sub half the flour for whole wheat and add 1–2 extra tablespoons of milk.
I’ve also tried brushing the dough layers with olive oil instead of butter for a lighter, slightly sharper flavor.
What to Serve With It (Because You’ll Want Excuses)
I’ve used this bread in every meal slot. It’s way too versatile to save just for breakfast.
- Morning: Toast with cream cheese or whipped chive butter
- Brunch: Sliced and served with soft scrambled eggs or lox
- Dinner: Toasted as a garlic bread side for pasta or roasted veg
- Sandwiches: Smoked turkey, sharp cheddar, or grilled eggplant with tahini
- Soup nights: Absolutely perfect with tomato or lentil soup
It also works as a table bread for gatherings—torn into pieces and served warm with dips or olive oil.
Smart Tips That Took This Recipe to the Next Level
This is one of those bread machine recipes that works out of the box, but a couple of tweaks made it even better for me.
- I mix a little seasoning into the dough and layer it between dough pieces—more depth, less mess.
- Brushing melted butter on top during the last 10 minutes of baking gives a crispier crust.
- Let the loaf rest at least 30 minutes before slicing—this helps it hold shape and finish steaming.
- Use fresh seasoning (not an old shaker from the back of the cabinet). Garlic and onion lose punch fast.
- Make a big loaf, slice it, and freeze half. It toasts like a dream straight from the freezer.
This everything bagel bread machine recipe takes almost no effort, and the payoff is huge. You get all the flavor of a deli-style bagel, baked into a loaf that works for everything from weekday lunches to holiday brunch.
And once you’ve had a grilled cheese made with this stuff? It’s hard to go back.
Everything Bagel Bread Machine Recipe
Equipment
- Bread machine with Basic/White program
- 1½- to 2-pound loaf capacity pan
Ingredients
Basic Version – 1½-Pound Loaf:
- ¾ cup milk
- 3 tbsp butter, softened and cut into pieces
- 1 large egg
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tbsp sugar
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 2 tsp yeast
Basic Version – 2-Pound Loaf:
- 1 cup milk
- ¼ cup butter, softened and cut into pieces
- 1 large egg
- 4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1½ tbsp sugar
- 1½ tsp kosher salt
- 2½ tsp yeast
Everything Bagel Topping:
- 1-2 tbsp everything bagel seasoning
- 3 tbsp butter, melted
Homemade Everything Bagel Seasoning (Optional):
- 1 tbsp poppy seeds
- 1 tbsp sesame seeds
- 1 tsp dried minced onion
- 1 tsp dried garlic flakes
- 2 tsp sea salt
Instructions
- Add ingredients to your bread machine’s baking pan in the order listed, beginning with milk and ending with yeast.
- Choose the Basic/White bread setting on your machine and select the correct size for your loaf (1½-pound or 2-pound). Press Start.
- After the final knead cycle and before the third rise, remove the dough and transfer it to a baking mat. Take out the paddle.
- Divide the dough into 14 to 16 equal pieces (golf ball-sized). Quickly shape them into smooth balls.
- Lightly place the dough balls back into the machine pan, spacing them loosely. Depending on pan shape, they may layer slightly.
- As you add each layer, sprinkle some everything bagel seasoning and drizzle with melted butter.
- Once all dough balls are in the pan, finish with the remaining butter and a final sprinkle of seasoning.
- Let the bread complete its rise and bake cycle in the machine.
- When done, allow the loaf to cool in the pan for 5–10 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool for at least 30 minutes before slicing.
Notes
- This pull-apart bread has a light, fluffy interior and a savory, seasoned crust.
- The seasoning can be adjusted to taste, or swapped with store-bought everything bagel blends.
- Use this bread in place of garlic bread, or slice and toast for breakfast sandwiches.
Nancy has been a plant person from an early age. That interest blossomed into a bachelor’s in biology from Elmira College and a master’s degree in horticulture and communications from the University of Kentucky. Nancy worked in plant taxonomy at the University of Florida and the L. H. Bailey Hortorium at Cornell University, and wrote and edited gardening books at Rodale Press in Emmaus, PA. Her interests are plant identification, gardening, hiking, and reading.