A Weekly Family Favorite!
Freshly baked bagels on Sundays are part of our weekly rhythm. I make this recipe at least once a week, and sometimes I’ll make a second batch mid week because they go fast.
I always thought that making homemade bagels would be a long tedious task (mainly the boiling part), but it really couldn’t be simpler. These are true New York style bagels: golden, chewy, and dense in the best way. You’ll boil them with molasses before baking and brush them with egg wash to give them that chewy texture and classic glossy crust. We love them warm and fresh with cream cheese (try our homemade cream cheese!), but they’re also perfect for sandwiches as well, like that classic New York bacon, egg, and cheese in the morning, or turkey and cheese for lunch.
Why boil with molasses? Traditional NY bagels are actually boiled with barley malt syrup, but I never have that on hand. I usually have molasses and it does a perfect job of giving the bagels that toasty, malty note that you would get with the barley malt syrup. If you have both, please compare and let me know if there is a difference!
Add on any toppings you wish after brushing with egg wash, e.g., poppy or sesame seeds, everything bagel seasoning, or cheddar and jalapeño, or just have them plain and let the spreads do the talking!
Once you try these New York style bagels fresh from the oven, you’ll see why we keep them on repeat.
Tips
Here’s what you need to get started
Equipment
- Stand mixer with dough hook (or knead by hand)
- Large mixing bowl
- Large pot for boiling (4-6 qt)
- Slotted spoon
- Baking sheet
- Parchment paper
- Silicone brush for egg wash
Ingredients
Bagels
- – 1⅓ cups warm water
- – 1 tbsp sugar
- – 2¼ tsp active dry yeast (1 packet, or instant)
- – 1½ tsp kosher salt
- – 3½ cups bread flour
Other
- – 1 tbsp olive oil (for greasing bowl)
- – 1-1.5 tsp molasses (for boiling water), optional
- – 1 egg, beaten (for egg wash)
- – Optional toppings: sesame seeds, everything seasoning, poppy seeds, etc.
See our recipe card below for instructions.
Pair these New York Style Bagels with our Quick & Easy Homemade Cream Cheese!
Homemade New York Style Bagels
Equipment
- Stand mixer with dough hook (or knead by hand)
- Large mixing bowl
- Large pot for boiling (4-6 qt)
- Slotted spoon
- Baking sheet
- Parchment paper
- Silicone brush for egg wash
Ingredients
Bagels
- 1⅓ cups warm water
- 1 tbsp sugar
- 2¼ tsp active dry yeast 1 packet, or instant (both work)
- 1½ tsp kosher salt
- 3½ cups bread flour
Other
- 1 tbsp olive oil for greasing bowl
- 1-1.5 tsp molasses for boiling water, optional
- 1 egg beaten (for egg wash)
- Optional toppings: sesame seeds everything seasoning, poppy seeds, etc.
Instructions
- Bloom the yeast: In the bowl of a stand mixer, stir together the water, sugar, and yeast. Let sit 5–10 minutes until foamy.
- Form the dough: Add flour and salt to the bowl. Using the dough hook attachment, mix on low speed for 8–10 minutes until the dough is smooth, elastic, and pulls away from the sides of the bowl.
- First rise: Lightly oil a clean bowl with olive oil. Transfer dough into the bowl, cover, and let rise 1.5 hours (should be doubled in size).
- Preheat oven to 425°F (220°C): Bring a large pot of water to a boil and then a simmer. Stir in molasses.
- Divide & rest: Gently remove the dough from the bowl, reform into a ball, divide into 6 equal pieces for standard size bagels (or 8 for smaller bagels), and shape into balls. Place on a parchment-lined sheet and rest for 10-15 minutes. (I usually let it rest for as long as it takes my oven to preheat and pot of water to start boiling.)
- Shape bagels: Pinch a hole in the center of each ball using your thumb and index finger and gently stretch into a ring. Lay flat on the parchment paper.
- Boil bagels: Gently place 2-3 bagels (depending on the size of the pot) in the simmering water, boil for 1 minute on each side, then remove with a slotted spoon and place on the parchment-lined baking sheet. Repeat until all bagels are boiled.
- Top & bake: Brush with egg wash (do not add water to egg wash), sprinkle with toppings of choice, and bake at 425°F (220°C) for 25 minutes until golden brown. For plain bagels, bake after brushing with egg wash.
- Cool & enjoy: Transfer to a wire rack and let them cool slightly before slicing. Cool completely before storage.
