Forget store-bought! These homemade bagels are surprisingly easy to make and deliver a world of flavor compared to pre-packaged varieties. The best part? They’re perfect for scooping up a dollop of my scrumptious Mimosa Cream Cheese Spread!

Homemade Bagels with Mimosa Cream Cheese

Why You’ll Love These Homemade Bagels

Skip the supermarket aisle and embrace the magic of homemade bagels! These aren’t your average grocery store variety. Here’s why you’ll love them:

  • Freshness You Can Taste: Homemade bagels boast a flavor that store-bought just can’t replicate. Freshly baked, they deliver a delightful symphony of textures – a chewy interior with a crisp, golden crust.
  • Superior Control: You call the shots! Adjust the recipe to your preferences – want them extra chewy? More seeds? The power is in your hands.
  • Baking Day Magic: Fill your kitchen with the heavenly aroma of freshly baked bagels. It’s a sensory experience that elevates breakfast (or any meal!) to a whole new level.
  • A Sense of Accomplishment: There’s something incredibly satisfying about creating these beautiful and delicious bagels from scratch. It’s a baking project you’ll be proud of!
  • The Perfect Pairing: Homemade bagels deserve a special accompaniment. Pair them with my scrumptious Mimosa Cream Cheese Spread for a flavor combination that’s truly out-of-this-world!

So ditch the store-bought routine and embark on a homemade bagel adventure. You won’t be disappointed!

I have decided to spend more time this year trying to accomplish things off my bucket list and today I present you with one of them. Homemade Bagels. Homemade Bagels with Mimosa Cream Cheese Spread. You’re welcome.

How to Customize Your Homemade Bagels

Homemade bagels are a blank canvas for your flavor creativity! Here’s how to transform your bagels from ordinary to extraordinary:

The Dough:

  • Flour Power: Experiment with different flours! While bread flour is the classic choice, try whole wheat flour for a nuttier flavor or rye flour for a tangier note.
  • Sweet or Savory: Incorporate a touch of honey or maple syrup for a subtle sweetness, or add herbs like rosemary or thyme for a savory twist.
  • Spice Up Your Life: Don’t be afraid of spices! A pinch of cayenne pepper adds a subtle heat, or a sprinkle of everything bagel seasoning is a classic favorite.

The Toppings:

  • Seed Symphony: The world of seeds is your oyster! Sesame seeds, poppy seeds, flax seeds, everything bagel seasoning – the possibilities are endless. You can even get creative with chopped nuts or rolled oats.
  • Cheese Mania: Craving a cheesy twist? Before baking, top your bagels with shredded cheddar cheese, parmesan cheese, or even an everything bagel seasoning with cheese curds.
  • Get Fruity: For a touch of sweetness, try dried cranberries, chopped raisins, or even diced apples or pears. Pair these with a cinnamon sugar topping for a breakfast treat.

The Finishing Touches:

  • Egg Wash Magic: Brush your bagels with an egg wash before baking to create a beautiful golden brown color and a glossy sheen. You can even sprinkle the egg wash with additional toppings for extra flavor and texture.
  • Brushing Up on Flavor: After baking, brush your bagels with melted butter, olive oil, or even flavored oils like garlic or rosemary oil for an extra layer of deliciousness.

Beyond the Basics:

  • Stuffed Sensations: Take your bagels to the next level with fillings! Before shaping, flatten the dough and spread with your favorite cream cheese, pesto, or even Nutella. Fold the dough over and shape into a bagel for a delicious surprise in every bite.
  • Sweet Twists: Craving a dessert bagel? Brush your bagels with a simple sugar glaze or a maple glaze after baking. You can even fill them with sweet cream cheese or fruit jams for a decadent treat.

Remember, customization is key! Don’t be afraid to experiment with different flavors and combinations to discover your own signature homemade bagel masterpiece.

Ingredients for Homemade Bagels

Homemade Bagels

Here are your ingredients. (don’t worry, recipe is below) This recipe is actually super easy and can be customized to your liking. Check below for ideas.

All you need is:

  • 4 cups of bread flour
  • 1 Tablespoon of granulated sugar
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons of salt
  • 1 Tablespoon of vegetable oil 
  • 2 teaspoons of INSTANT yeast

Well, you also need about 1 1/4 cups of warm water, but that’s free.

How to Make Homemade Bagels

Homemade Bagels

Begin by dumping the 4 cups of flour in a large bowl.

Homemade Bagels

Add the tablespoon of sugar and the 1 1/2 teaspoons of salt.

Homemade Bagels

Next it’s a tablespoon of vegetable oil.

Homemade Bagels

Next goes the 2 tablespoons of instant yeast. Don’t be afraid of it. Just throw it in there and provided you are using instant yeast, all will be fine with this beautiful dough.

Homemade Bagels

Now you need about 1 1/4 cup of warm water. Just dump it over everything.

Homemade Bagels

Immediately start kneading. Knead and knead. For like 10 minutes. Or use your stand mixer to knead.

The dough should be kinda stiff. Not too stiff. You can add up to another 1/4 cup of warm water to incorporate everything but I didn’t need to. The more I kneaded, the more it just all went together.

Homemade Bagels

Roll the dough into a giant log. You know, like I did in the picture.

Homemade Bagels

Shaping Your Bagels (2 methods):

  1. Equal Slices (6-8 Bagels): Cut the dough log into even slices. Roll each slice into a ball and let them rest in a warm spot (not drafty) for 15 minutes.
  2. Large & Small Bagels (4 Large, 3 Small): This is a flexible option! Divide the dough unevenly to create 4 larger balls and 3 smaller balls. Roll each ball into a smooth ball and let them rest in a warm spot for 15 minutes.

Forming the Bagel Shape:

  1. Preheat your oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit (220 degrees Celsius).
  2. On a lightly floured surface, roll each ball into a long rope (snake).
  3. Wrap the rope around your fist to form a ring, then pinch the ends together to seal the bagel shape.

Letting Them Rise:

  1. Place the shaped bagels on a baking sheet, leaving space between them.
  2. Let the bagels rise for 20 minutes in a warm spot. They should get slightly bigger and puffier.

The Bagel Bath:

  1. While the bagels rise, bring a pot of water to a boil.
  2. Once boiling, carefully add as many bagels as comfortably fit without crowding the pot. Boil for 1 minute.
  3. Using a slotted spoon, flip the bagels and boil for another minute.
  4. Remove the bagels from the water and let them sit for a minute to drain any excess water.
Homemade Bagels

Bake in the oven for ten minutes. Take your pan out of the oven at 10 minutes, and flip all the bagels over. Then put them back in the oven for another ten minutes.

Remove from the oven and allow to cool for about ten minutes and then eat ’em with some yummy Mimosa Cream Cheese Spread (or whatever you want to eat them with!)

Mimosa Cream Cheese on Homemade Bagels

Making the Recipe

Mimosa Cream Cheese Spread for Bagels or Toast

Homemade Bagels

Nicole Cook
It really isn't that hard to make your own homemade bagels, and these I've made and served with a scrumptious Mimosa Cream Cheese Spread! (recipe on site)
5 from 3 votes
Prep Time 1 hour
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 20 minutes
Course Breakfast and Brunch Recipes
Cuisine American
Servings 8 bagels
Calories 256 kcal

Ingredients
  

  • 4 cups bread flour
  • 1 Tablespoons granulated sugar
  • teaspoons salt
  • 1 Tablespoons vegetable oil
  • 2 teaspoons instant yeast
  • cups warm water see recipe

Instructions
 

  • Mix the first five ingredients together.
  • Add the water.
  • Immediately start kneading. Knead for 10 minutes. The dough should be kind of stiff. You can add up to another ¼ cup of warm water to make sure everything incorporates but add in small increments up to ¼ cup.
  • Roll the dough into a giant log.
  • Slice the log into 6-8 equal parts. Roll each of the “dough slices” into balls and let them just sit there for about 15 minutes in a warm place.Preheat your oven to 425 degrees.
  • Now, take each of your balls and roll them into snakes. You should have 8 little snakes. Roll the snakes around your fist and then squeeze the ends together to make sure they are attached to form the bagels.
  • Now just let them sit and rise for 20 minutes.
  • While you’re waiting, boil a pot of water and prepare your baking sheet.
  • After 20 minutes your bagels will look bigger and kinda puffy. Put as many as you can in your pot at one time but don’t crowd them. Boil for 1 minute and then flip them over and boil for another minute.
  • Remove them from the water and allow them to dry for a minute and then put them on your prepared greased baking sheet. Do this with all the bagels.
  • Bake in the oven for ten minutes. Take your pan out of the oven at 10 minutes, and flip all the bagels over. Then put them back in the oven for another ten minutes. Remove from the oven and allow to cool for about ten minutes and then eat ‘em with some yummy Mimosa Cream Cheese Spread (or whatever you want to eat them with!)

Nutrition

Calories: 256kcalCarbohydrates: 48gProtein: 9gFat: 3gSaturated Fat: 0.4gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0.01gSodium: 441mgPotassium: 91mgFiber: 2gSugar: 2gVitamin A: 1IUVitamin C: 0.01mgCalcium: 12mgIron: 1mg
Keyword easy breakfast recipes
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52 Comments

    1. You’re definitely welcome for breakfast. They are delicious and we made up several more batches of the bagels to freeze which is great for the kiddo’s for school. Thank you!!

  1. wow – impressive! They look so amazing – when I tried bagels, they were all misshapen – yours look perfect! Great job on tackling them!

    1. haha they weren’t ALL totally pretty looking, but most of them looked pretty good. I got better with the second batch I made and I have a feeling it will get easier. Thank you!

    1. Cindy, I cannot imagine working in a bagel bakery, that would be like heaven for me. I love bagels. I’ve never had a salt bagel but man, oh man does that sound good right about now.

  2. I almost decided to make bagels but I figured better save them incase we ever do a hometown theme! Looking good Nicole! I should have sent you some NY water for an “authentic taste” Ha!

    1. lol the New York water would have absolutely been the perfect addition to make them as real as I could. 😉
      Thanks so much and I hope we do a hometown theme sometime so I can see yours!

    1. Thank you so much Shannon. They were so much easier than I thought and they turned out really nice looking – my kids said they wouldn’t have believed I made them if they hadn’t have seen it. It’s true…. haha
      Thank you!

  3. I make a batch or two of bagels every few months and then we freeze them. Linda cons me into doing it. She tells me I can buy a huge thing of smoked salmon if I make homemade bagels to go along with it! 😀 Congrats on your bucket list cross-off!

  4. Okay, I remember the first time I made homemade bagels…I was so darn proud of myself that I made them like 3 more times that same week. Ha! This seems like such a simple recipe, I’ve got to give it a go! Great job, they look wonderful. And yes, I neeeeeed to try that mimosa cream cheese spread – yum!

  5. Homemade bagels have been on my bucket list for a while too. I’m glad you made them and showed all the steps; you made it look so easy that I might have to face my fear and give them a whirl this year! And umm…can we talk about that mimosa cream cheese spread? GENIUS!

  6. Wow, love this!!! I will definitely be trying this recipe. . Question: I’ve seen some bagel recipes where they don’t boil them but I’ve only known bagels to be boiled initially like yours. What does the boiling do? Prep the dough before you bake them? also, wow, can’t believe your friend made homemade diaper wipes!! that’s amazing!!! How did she keep them moist and sterile?

    1. Hi Alice, boiling the bagels is done affectively to set the crust. Since the crust is already set the bagels (or pretzel dough… etc.) won’t continue rising and create the kinda of dense chewiness of a bagel.
      Well, about the diaper wipes. I made my own a few times too, you usually use paper towels, cut them in half and then layer them into a plastic container with a lid with a tight seal. (Rubbermaid was my favorite). The ingredients were just hot water, baby bath wash and baby oil. They stayed moist in the container and I don’t know about “sterile” except you’d only remove the lid to take out a wipe, so they stay fresh and clean (and sterile).

  7. We adore bagels! Its one thing that my kids don’t mind having (picky eaters). Its awesome that you’ve made them!! Its on my list too…a little further down – but its there!!! Good job!

  8. WOW, Nicole! I love bagels but have always been too intimidated to try making them. If you say they’re easy, I believe you. Yours look amazing, especially with that thick slather of mimosa cream cheese. I could eat that cream cheese in copious amounts with anything and everything. This week’s Sunday Supper is going to be adding a LOT of items to my bucket list – lol.

  9. Since I have been living out of the US for more than 26 years now, there have only been a couple of places where I could get a genuine fresh bagel, so I had to learn to make my own. Needs must, as the British say. Your bagels look wonderful and I love the Mimosa Cream Cheese Spread.

  10. Bravo, Nicole! Very much appreciate too your encouraging step by step instructions and photos.
    Makes me this Ninja Baker believe that she, too, can make bagels, too =)

    P.s. Love your 2013 Culinary Bucket List and looking forward to your steamed dumplings.

  11. Oh this has been on my bucket list forever. I am so pleased to see they turned out for you gives me motivation to give it a try myself.

  12. Very impressive–You managed to make the whole process appear relatively simple, but I’m sure it’s not–which is probably a good thing or I’d be making them all the time! Amazing job

  13. I’ve been telling my dad for years that I would make him sesame bagels because they stopped selling his brand. This might be just the push to do it! Also, love the idea of mimosa cream cheese.

  14. Yes! I am proud to say that your recipe for bagels came out wonderful! Thanks for the the 4 star recipe!

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