True New York bagels are a thing of beauty. Boiled then baked, they’re dense but not too dense, with glossy, crackly crusts and soft insides. But NYC isn’t the only place to get decent bagels — they’re one of the simplest breads to make at home.
The secrets, if you will, start with a long (overnight) cold proof to help build flavor. Plus, using bread flour, which is higher in protein than all-purpose flour, helps achieve that chewy texture. And, using a lower percentage of water than what’s typically used in other bread doughs produces a stiff dough that can stand up to boiling the bagels, helping to set the crust before baking.
One word about the stiffness of the dough: It will “thump” the sides of the bowl of your stand mixer. But, if your mixer appears to struggle, finish kneading the dough by hand until smooth and elastic.
When it comes to shaping, there are two methods. Shape the dough into balls and then poke a hole in each center, stretching until the right size. Or, divide the dough into portions, roll each portion into ropes, then squeeze the ends together. We prefer the former method, while professionals prefer the latter — try both to see which one you prefer.
You can hear Pam and Robin discuss the method in depth in Episode 57 of our Must Love Food podcast. Then just grab our Homemade Bagels recipe and follow along with the steps below — and don't forget to pick up some cream cheese.
How to Make Bagels, Step by Step
Step 1: Make the Dough & Let Rise
Because bagels rely on bread flour, which has a higher protein content, the dough tends to be very stiff (yet supple, with a satiny but not tacky feel) and takes a bit more time and effort to develop the gluten.
Whisk together flour, salt, andyeast in the bowl of a stand mixer (See our Homemade Bagels recipe for measurements).
Combine 2¼ cups water andhoney, then add to flour mixture.
Mix dough on low speed with adough hook until ingredients cometogether, then increase speed tomedium-low and knead doughuntil smooth and elastic. (Bageldough should be quite stiff andnot at all tacky. If the mixerstruggles to knead the dough,remove it from the mixer andfinish kneading by hand.)
Coat the inside of a bowl withnonstick spray. Place doughin bowl, turn to coat, then coverwith plastic wrap and let rise untildoubled in size, about 2 hours.
Step 2: Punch Down & Divide the Dough
Since bagels are meant to be chewy and denser than other breads, punching down the dough helps to deflate it and remove air bubbles so you can easily divide and form the dough into bagel shapes, using your preferred method.
Punch down dough; divide into12 (about 4 oz.) pieces. Looselycover dough with plastic wrapwhile weighing and shaping bagels.
Step 3: Shape the Dough — 2 Methods
Shaping Method 1: Roll each piece of dough into a smooth round ball, making sure the seam on the bottom disappears. Poke a hole in the middle and stretch it into a ring (until the hole is about 2 inches in diameter). Adjust the shape as needed.
Shaping Method 2: Flatten eachpiece of dough; roll each into an11-inch-long rope. Grasp one end ofthe rope in your palm, wrap the ropearound the back of your hand, thenoverlap the ends of the rope by1 inch. Squeeze the ends together,then gently roll squeezed ends tocreate a bagel with even thickness.
Set on prepared baking sheet.
Step 4: Rest Bagels Overnight
Cover baking sheets of shapedbagels loosely with plastic wrapand refrigerate overnight.
Step 5: Test For Readiness
Remove bagels from refrigerator;add one to a bowl of cold water.(If it floats, they’re ready to boil. If itsinks, let bagels continue to rise atroom temperature, 15–20 minutes,then test again. Repeat procedureuntil it floats.)
Meanwhile, preheat oven to 500°.
Step 6: Boil the Bagels
Bagels are boiled to help set the crust before baking (italso reactivates the yeast). Turn the bagels once so bothsides “sit” in the boiling water. And note, the longer theboil, the thicker and chewier the crust will be.
Traditionally, bagels are boiled with lye or barley maltextract to help the crusts brown, give them distinct flavor,and affect the water’s alkalinity. These days, baking sodais often substituted for lye.
Heat 4 qt. water and baking soda ina pot to a boil over medium-high.
Boil bagels, a few at a time, 45–60seconds per side, then transfer tobaking sheets lined with parchment.
Step 7: Top Bagels
Place each topping in a separateBowl.
Dip rounded side of bagels intoppings and place back on bakingsheets.
For Asiago cheese, to make surethe cheese adheres, sprinkle the Asiago over eachbagel. (You’ll also want to broil Asiago-toppedbagels after baking them, to help the cheesebrown.)
For cinnamon-sugar butter, grab clumpsof the “paste,” press and flatten the clumps, thenarrange several on top of boiled bagels to coverbefore baking them.
Step 8: Bake the Bagels
Bake bagels until golden and theysound hollow when tapped on thebottoms, about 11 minutes. (ForAsiago, after baking, broil bagelson high until golden, 1–2 minutes.)
Enjoy!
