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–+ servings

Bread Bagel Recipe

These chewy, golden bagels are packed with flavor and perfect for toasting, spreading with cream cheese, or crafting a hearty breakfast sandwich. This bread recipe yields 12 crisp, glossy bagels with a deep crust and springy interior — ideal for anyone looking to master traditional boiled bagels at home.
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Prep Time 53 minutes
Cook Time 35 minutes
Bulk Fermentation 2 hours
Course Bread
Cuisine American
Servings 12 pieces

Equipment

  • Stand mixer with dough hook (or mixing bowl and hands)
  • Bench scraper
  • Plastic wrap
  • Parchment paper
  • 6-quart pot for boiling
  • Slotted spoon or tongs
  • Baking sheets
  • Wire cooling rack

Ingredients
  

Dough

  • 6¾ cups plus 2 tablespoons bread flour plus extra for dusting
  • 2¾ teaspoons fine salt
  • 1 teaspoon instant yeast
  • 2¼ cups plus 2 tablespoons warm water
  • Semolina flour or cornmeal for dusting

Water Bath

  • 8 cups water
  • 2 tablespoons honey
  • 1 tablespoon fine salt

Optional Coating

  • ½ cup sesame seeds poppy seeds, or everything bagel seasoning

Instructions
 

  • Prepare the Dough: In a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook, combine the flour, salt, yeast, and warm water. Mix on low until no dry patches remain. Increase to medium speed and mix until a smooth, elastic dough forms and pulls away from the sides, around 5 minutes. Transfer to a bowl, cover, and let rise until doubled in size — about 1½ to 2 hours.
  • Hand-Mixing Option: Stir ingredients in a large bowl to form a cohesive dough. Let rest for 10 minutes. Then knead on a floured surface until the dough is bouncy and tacky, 5–8 minutes. Shape into a ball, cover, and let rise for 1½ to 2 hours.
  • Divide and Preshape: Dust a surface with flour and turn the dough out. Use a bench scraper to divide the dough into 12 equal pieces (about 115 grams each). Form each piece into a ball, then cover and let rest for 15 minutes.
  • Shape the Bagels: Line baking sheets with parchment paper, spray lightly with oil, and dust with semolina or cornmeal. Use your finger to poke a hole in the center of each dough ball and stretch it into a 2–3 inch ring. Aim for even thickness around the ring. Place 6 bagels per sheet. Cover and refrigerate for 12–16 hours if making ahead.
  • Boil the Bagels: Preheat your oven to 475°F with racks in the upper and lower thirds. In a wide 6-quart pot, simmer the water, honey, and salt. For seeded toppings, sprinkle seeds onto a sheet of parchment. Lower each bagel into the simmering bath (2–3 at a time) and boil for 1 minute per side. Use a slotted spoon or tongs to turn and remove bagels.
  • Add Toppings (optional): While still tacky, dip tops of bagels into the seeds. If the surface has dried, brush lightly with water before applying toppings.
  • Bake: Arrange boiled bagels on prepared baking sheets. Bake for 20–25 minutes until deeply golden and firm, rotating pans halfway through. Cool on a wire rack.

Notes

  • Over-kneading with added flour can make bagels dense, so resist adding too much extra.
  • Bagels freeze well once completely cooled — slice before freezing for easy toasting.
  • For extra crust, use a baking stone and steam during the first 5 minutes of baking.
Keyword bakery-style bagels at home, boiled bread bagels, bread bagel recipe, bread recipes, bread recipes for bagels, chewy bagel recipe, classic New York bagels, easy bagel dough recipe, homemade bagel bread
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