Prepare Time
- Preparation Time: 2 hours (includes rising time)
- Cooking Time: 25 minutes
- Total Time: About 2 hours and 25 minutes
Ingredients
For the Sponge:
- 3 ½ cups bread flour, spooned and leveled
- 1 ¼ teaspoon instant yeast
- 2 ¼ cups warm water
For the Dough:
- 1 teaspoon instant yeast
- 1 tablespoon fine sea salt
- 1 ½ tablespoons molasses
- 3 cups bread flour, spooned and leveled
For Boiling:
- 8 cups water
- 2 tablespoons molasses
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
Directions
- Make the Sponge: In a large mixing bowl, combine the bread flour, instant yeast, and warm water. Stir until well mixed. Cover with a damp towel and let sit at room temperature for about an hour or until it becomes bubbly.
- Form the Dough: Add additional yeast, salt, and molasses to the sponge. Gradually mix in the bread flour until a stiff dough forms. Knead on a lightly floured surface for about 10 minutes.
- First Rise: Place the dough in a lightly oiled bowl, cover, and let rise in a warm place until it has doubled in size, about 1 hour.
- Shape the Bagels: Divide the dough into 12 pieces. Roll each piece into a rope and shape into a bagel by overlapping the ends and pinching them together.
- Second Rise: Let the shaped bagels rest on a lightly floured surface for about 10 minutes.
- Preheat the Oven: Preheat your oven to 425°F (220°C).
- Boil the Bagels: Bring the boiling ingredients to a boil in a large pot. Drop bagels, a few at a time, into the boiling water. Boil for 1 minute, flip, and boil for another minute. Remove with a slotted spoon and place on a baking sheet.
- Bake: Bake in the preheated oven for about 20 minutes or until golden brown.
- Cool: Let bagels cool on a wire rack before serving.
Cook Notes
For a glossy finish, you can brush the bagels with an egg wash before baking.
Variations
- Sesame Seed Bagels: Dip the top of each bagel in sesame seeds before boiling.
- Everything Bagels: Use a mix of sesame seeds, poppy seeds, dried garlic flakes, dried onion flakes, and salt for topping.
Keto Version
Substitute bread flour with almond and coconut flour, adjust hydration, and use a keto-friendly sweetener instead of molasses.
Low-Carb Version
Similar to the keto version, focus on low-carb flours and exclude molasses.
Nutrition Facts
Per bagel (approximate):
- Calories: 270
- Fat: 1g
- Saturated Fat: 0g
- Cholesterol: 0mg
