Homemade bagels can seem intimidating until you actually make them. I think mainly that comes from anxiety around the boiling process, but once you try it, this step isn’t as complicated as it sounds. Plus, you’ll get the sweet reward of enjoying homemade bagels fresh out of the oven.

So let’s get right to it, set aside your worries about tossing dough in a pot of hot water and give it a shot.

How bad could it be?

In this post, you’ll find a recipe for breezy, custom homemade bagels—and by that, I mean you can make them any way you’d like. For this example, I included one of my favourite variations—spicy cheddar.

Custom Homemade Bagel Recipe

homemade bagels cooling on a wire rackPrep time: 15 minutes | Cook time: 30-35 minutes

First rise: 1 hour, Second rise: 20 minutes

Total Time: approximately 2 hrs and 10 minutes

Makes: 12 bagels

Ingredients:

  • 5 to 6 cups of all-purpose flour
  • 4 and 1/2 teaspoons of instant yeast or 2 1/4 oz packets
  • 1 tablespoon of granulated sugar
  • 2 teaspoons salt
  • 2 cups of lukewarm water (around 110°F)
  • olive or vegetable oil (for greasing)
  • yellow cornmeal

Optional ingredients for cheddar habanero / jalapeno bagels:

  • 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese (plus extra to taste for the top)
  • 1/4 cup diced peppers (I love both jalapeno and habaneros)

Directions:

  1. In a large bowl, combine 4 cups of flour with yeast, sugar, and salt.
  2. Add water, and work the ingredients together until it forms a soft, sticky dough.
  3. Gradually add 1 to 2 cups of flour, 1/2 at a time, until the dough is stiff and no longer sticks to the side.
  4. Knead the dough for 5 minutes, in your stand mixer or by hand (but I find the latter often turns out better). Here’s where you’ll fold in your cheese and diced peppers to make spicy cheddar bagels. If you want to make half of them plain, cut your dough and the optional ingredients list in half.
  5. Grease another large bowl with oil and place the dough inside, turning it to coat. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and place in a warm area for about 1 hour until it’s almost doubled.
  6. Cover two baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone mats.
  7. Turn the dough out on a well-floured countertop and divide it into 12 equal pieces. Shape them into balls and press your thumb up through the middle. Work the dough into a bagel shape using your fingers, pulling gently to stretch it out. Place them on the baking sheets as you work.
  8. Cover them with a clean cloth and let them rest for 20 minutes in a warm place for a second rise. While you wait, bring a large pot of water to a boil.
  9. Start preheating the oven to 400°F.
  10. In small batches, place the bagels in the boiling water for 30 seconds on each side.
  11. Place them back on the baking sheet and sprinkle with any desired toppings (sesame seeds, poppyseeds, cheese, etc.).
  12. Once you’ve boiled and topped all your bagels, put them in the oven for 30-35 minutes, flipping halfway through.
  13. Let them cool on a wire rack before cutting or eating.

Cinnamon Raisin Variation

I’ve also used this to make a cinnamon raisin variation. For that, I simply added a tablespoon more sugar and a couple of teaspoons of cinnamon to the dry mix. I folded in a cup of raisins during kneading.

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Here’s the homemade bagel recipe I started out with and adapted from The Food Network.

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Something to consider before you make a full batch of bagels is how you’re going to use them throughout the week. Do you want to use them for lunch to make sandwiches? A quick and simple breakfast? Take time to create a menu plan before diving into any bulk recipe—or go ahead and freeze them for later. Just make sure you cut them first for easy toasting.

Planning ahead will also help you figure out what kind of bagels you’d like to make. As tasty as they are, I know some might not appreciate a spicy bagel first thing in the morning.