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Homemade bagels stacked on each other and placed on a marble surface.

Homemade Bagels From Scratch

These homemade New York-style bagels are chewy, golden, and baked to perfection. Made with bread flour and a quick stand mixer dough, they’re boiled before baking for that classic crust. Top with sesame, poppy, or everything bagel seasoning—or keep them plain. Perfect for a hearty breakfast, cafe-style bagel sandwich, or comfort food snack anytime.
5 from 1 vote
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Prep Time: 1 hour 40 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Total Time: 2 hours 5 minutes
Course: Bread, Breakfast
Cuisine: American
Servings: 8 to 12
Author: Shilpa

Equipment

Ingredients

For the Dough:

  • 4 cups bread flour
  • 1 tablespoon sugar
  • 1½ teaspoon salt
  • 2 teaspoon instant yeast
  • 1½ cups warm water
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil for greasing the bowl

For Boiling:

  • 2-3 quarts water
  • ¼ cup honey

For the Egg Wash:

  • 1 egg whisked

Toppings:

Instructions

Make the dough:

  • In the bowl of your stand mixer fitted with the dough hook, combine bread flour, sugar, salt, and instant yeast. Add the warm water and mix on low speed until a shaggy dough forms (about 1 minute). Increase speed to medium and knead for 6–8 minutes, or until the dough is smooth, elastic, and pulls away from the sides of the bowl.
  • Take the dough out and lightly grease the bowl with the olive oil. Place the dough back in the bowl, turning it to coat all sides with the oil. Cover the bowl with a damp cloth and let it rise in a warm place until doubled in size, about 1 to 1.5 hours.

Shape the dough:

  • Punch down the dough and turn it out onto a lightly floured surface. Divide the dough into 8-12 equal pieces, depending on your desired size.
  • Roll each piece into a ball, then poke a hole through the center with your finger. Gently stretch the dough to form a ring. Place the shaped bagels on a lightly floured surface, cover loosely, and let them rest covered for about 10 minutes.

Boil and bake:

  • Preheat your oven to 425℉. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat. Bring the water to a boil in a large pot and add the honey.
  • Boil the bagels, a few at a time, for 1-2 minutes on each side. The longer they boil, the chewier they’ll be. Use a slotted spoon to transfer boiled bagels to the prepared baking sheet.
  • Brush each boiled bagel lightly with the egg wash. Sprinkle sesame seeds or everything bagel seasoning over the bagels after applying the egg wash. Leave some plain if desired.
  • Bake in the preheated oven for 15-20 minutes or until golden brown. Transfer the bagels to a wire rack and let cool before serving.

Notes

  • Use bread flour for chew. All-purpose flour will give you softer bagels, but bread flour delivers that signature New York-style bite.
  • Measure ingredients accurately. A kitchen scale gives you the best results, especially for flour. Too much, and your dough will turn stiff and dry.
  • Instant yeast = less fuss. It mixes straight into the dry ingredients, saving time. If using active dry yeast, dissolve it in the warm water with sugar and let it bloom before mixing.
  • This recipe was developed with stand mixer kneading in mind, which means less elbow grease and more consistent dough.
  • Do not skip boiling. That quick dip in honeyed water gives bagels their shiny crust and signature chew. Skipping this step turns them into bread rolls with holes.
  • Double the egg wash for shine. Brush once before baking and again halfway through for that glossy, bakery-style finish.

Nutrition

Calories: 297kcal | Carbohydrates: 57g | Protein: 9g | Fat: 4g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 0.003g | Cholesterol: 20mg | Sodium: 461mg | Potassium: 104mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 10g | Vitamin A: 31IU | Vitamin C: 0.1mg | Calcium: 23mg | Iron: 1mg
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