Homemade New York-Style Bagels

Why you’ll love it

• Real bagel-shop texture: a glossy, crackly crust and a chewy center.
• Simple ingredients: flour, yeast, salt, water and a little malt or sugar.
• Freezer-friendly, so you can toast a fresh-tasting bagel any morning.

Quick facts

Ingredients

For the dough

• 4 cups (500 g) bread flour, plus more for the counter
• 2 1/4 tsp (7 g, 1 packet) instant yeast
• 1 tbsp (21 g) barley malt syrup, or 1 tbsp packed brown sugar
• 2 tsp (12 g) fine salt
• 1 1/4 cups (300 ml) warm water, about 100°F (38°C)
• 1 tsp vegetable oil, for the bowl

For boiling

• 3 quarts (2.8 liters) water
• 1 tbsp barley malt syrup or honey
• 1 tsp baking soda

For the topping

• 1 large egg white beaten with 1 tbsp water
• 1/4 cup everything bagel seasoning, sesame seeds, poppy seeds or coarse salt
• 2 tbsp cornmeal, for the pan (optional)

Step-by-step method

1. Mix and knead the dough. In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the bread flour, yeast, malt syrup, salt and warm water. Mix on low speed with the dough hook until a shaggy dough forms, then knead on medium-low 8 to 10 minutes (or 12 to 15 minutes by hand) until smooth, firm and elastic. The dough is much stiffer than regular bread dough; if dry bits refuse to come together, add water 1 tsp at a time.

2. Let it rise. Shape the dough into a ball, place it in a lightly oiled bowl and cover. Let it rise in a warm spot about 1 hour, until puffy and about 1 1/2 times its original size.

3. Divide and shape. Turn the dough out onto a clean counter and divide it into 8 equal pieces, about 3.5 oz (100 g) each. Roll each piece into a tight, smooth ball. Press your thumb through the center of each ball and gently stretch the hole to about 2 inches (5 cm) wide, since it will shrink as the bagels rise and bake.

4. Rest and prepare the water. Place the bagels on a parchment-lined baking sheet sprinkled with cornmeal, cover loosely and let them rest 20 minutes. Meanwhile, heat the oven to 425°F (220°C) and bring the water, malt syrup and baking soda to a boil in a wide pot. To check if the bagels are ready, drop one into a bowl of cool water: if it floats within 10 seconds, they are ready to boil.

5. Boil the bagels. Boil 2 or 3 bagels at a time for 1 minute, flip them and boil 1 minute more (2 minutes per side for an extra-chewy crust). Lift them out with a spider strainer or slotted spoon, let the excess water drip off and return them to the baking sheet.

6. Top. While the bagels are still damp, brush them with the egg white wash and sprinkle generously with your favorite topping.

7. Bake and cool. Bake 20 to 25 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through, until deep golden brown and shiny. Cool on a wire rack at least 20 minutes before slicing, since the inside keeps setting as they cool.

How to know it is done

The bagels are done when they are deep golden brown and glossy, sound hollow when you tap the bottom, and read 200 to 205°F (93 to 96°C) in the center on an instant-read thermometer. If they brown too fast before the inside is cooked, lay a sheet of foil loosely over the top for the last few minutes.

Tips for the best result

• Use bread flour, not all-purpose: its higher protein gives bagels their signature chew.
• Weigh the flour if you can. Too much flour makes the dough impossible to knead; too little makes flat bagels.
• Do not crowd the pot when boiling. The bagels expand in the water and need space to float and turn.
• For deeper flavor, let the shaped bagels rest overnight in the refrigerator (see Make ahead) before boiling.

Variations and substitutions

• Cinnamon raisin: add 2 tsp ground cinnamon and 2 tbsp sugar to the flour and knead in 3/4 cup (110 g) raisins at the end; skip the topping.
• Whole wheat: replace 1 cup (125 g) of the bread flour with whole wheat flour and add 1 to 2 tbsp more water.
• Cheddar jalapeño: top each bagel with 2 tbsp shredded sharp cheddar and a few thin jalapeño slices before baking.
• Mini bagels: divide the dough into 16 pieces, boil 45 seconds per side and bake 15 to 18 minutes.
• No egg: skip the egg wash; the toppings will stick to the damp boiled bagels if you sprinkle them on right away.

Make ahead

For fresh bagels in the morning, shape them the night before, cover the baking sheet tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate 12 to 18 hours. The next day, heat the oven and water, do the float test (cold bagels may need a few extra minutes at room temperature to float) and boil and bake them straight from the refrigerator.

Storage and reheating

Store cooled bagels in a paper bag at room temperature up to 2 days; plastic softens the crust. To freeze, slice them in half, place in a freezer bag and freeze up to 3 months. Toast straight from frozen, or rewarm whole bagels in a 375°F (190°C) oven for 5 to 8 minutes.