🥯 6 Homemade Bagel Flavors Everyone Should Bake
Nothing beats the taste of freshly baked homemade bagels with their chewy texture, shiny golden crust, and soft, dense interior. Made using traditional boiling and baking methods, these bakery-style bagels are perfect for breakfast, sandwiches, meal prep, or freezing for later. Start with one classic dough, then customize it into six delicious flavors.
🥯 1. Classic Plain Bagels
Traditional New York-style bagels with a chewy crust and soft, flavorful center.
🕒 Recipe Information
Prep Time: 25 minutes
Rise Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Total Time: About 2 hours 20 minutes
Yield: 8 bagels
📝 Ingredients
- 4 cups (500g) bread flour
- 1½ cups (360ml) warm water (105–110°F / 40–43°C)
- 2 tsp (6g) instant yeast
- 1 tbsp (12g) granulated sugar
- 2 tsp (10g) salt
🌾 2. Everything Bagels
Loaded with a savory blend of garlic, onion, sesame, poppy seeds, and salt.
📝 Additional Ingredients
- Classic Plain Bagel Dough
- 3 tbsp Everything Bagel seasoning
🧀 3. Cheddar Cheese Bagels
Rich, cheesy bagels with melted sharp cheddar baked into every bite.
📝 Additional Ingredients
- Classic Plain Bagel Dough
- 1 cup (110g) shredded sharp cheddar cheese
🌶️ 4. Jalapeño Cheddar Bagels
A bakery favorite filled with melted cheddar cheese and spicy jalapeños.
📝 Additional Ingredients
- Classic Plain Bagel Dough
- 1 cup (110g) shredded sharp cheddar cheese
- ¼ cup (35g) finely chopped pickled jalapeños
🌰 5. Sesame Bagels
Classic chewy bagels coated in toasted sesame seeds for extra crunch and flavor.
📝 Additional Ingredients
- Classic Plain Bagel Dough
- ¼ cup (35g) sesame seeds
🍇 6. Cinnamon Raisin Bagels
Sweet, aromatic bagels filled with juicy raisins and warm cinnamon.
📝 Additional Ingredients
- Classic Plain Bagel Dough
- ¾ cup (110g) raisins
- 2 tsp (5g) ground cinnamon
- 2 tbsp (25g) brown sugar
👩🍳 Instructions
Step 1: Activate the Yeast
In a large mixing bowl, combine the warm water, instant yeast, and granulated sugar.
Stir gently and let the mixture stand for 5–10 minutes, or until it becomes foamy.
Step 2: Make the Dough
Add the bread flour and salt to the yeast mixture.
Mix until a shaggy dough forms.
Transfer the dough to a lightly floured surface and knead for 10–12 minutes, or until smooth, firm, and elastic.
If making a flavored bagel, add the cheese, raisins, cinnamon, brown sugar, or jalapeños during the final 2 minutes of kneading.
Step 3: First Rise
Place the dough into a lightly greased bowl.
Cover with plastic wrap or a clean kitchen towel.
Let rise in a warm place for 1–1½ hours, or until doubled in size.
Step 4: Shape the Bagels
Punch down the dough and divide it into 8 equal portions.
Roll each piece into a smooth ball.
Using your finger, poke a hole through the center of each ball.
Gently stretch the hole until it measures approximately 2 inches (5 cm) wide.
Arrange the shaped bagels on a parchment-lined baking tray.
Cover loosely and let rest for 20 minutes.
Step 5: Boil the Bagels
Preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C).
Bring a large pot of water to a gentle boil.
Stir in 1 tablespoon of honey.
Carefully boil each bagel for 30–45 seconds per side.
Remove using a slotted spoon and return to the baking tray.
Immediately sprinkle the wet bagels with Everything seasoning or sesame seeds if using.
Step 6: Bake
Bake for 20–25 minutes, or until the bagels are deep golden brown with a shiny crust.
Rotate the baking tray halfway through baking for even browning.
Step 7: Cool and Serve
Transfer the baked bagels to a wire rack.
Allow them to cool for 20 minutes before slicing.
Serve toasted with cream cheese, butter, jam, smoked salmon, eggs, avocado, or your favorite sandwich fillings.
💡 Baker’s Tips
- Bread flour produces the classic chewy texture bagels are known for.
- Knead the dough thoroughly to develop strong gluten.
- Boiling the bagels before baking creates their shiny crust and chewy exterior.
- Adding honey to the boiling water helps achieve a rich golden color.
- Avoid adding too much flour during kneading, as the dough should remain slightly firm.
🥯 Flavor Variations
🧄 Garlic Parmesan Bagels
Mix 2 teaspoons garlic powder into the dough and top with grated Parmesan cheese before baking.
🫐 Blueberry Bagels
Fold 1 cup fresh or dried blueberries into the dough during the final minutes of kneading.
🍯 Honey Wheat Bagels
Replace half the bread flour with whole wheat flour and add 2 tablespoons honey to the dough.
🧅 Onion Bagels
Top boiled bagels with dried minced onions before baking for a savory twist.
📌 Storage
Room Temperature: Store in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
Refrigerator: Store for up to 1 week.
Freezer: Slice and freeze in freezer-safe bags for up to 3 months.
Reheating: Toast directly from frozen or warm in a 350°F (175°C) oven for 5–8 minutes.
📝 Recipe Notes
- One batch of dough makes 8 standard-sized bagels.
- Homemade bagels freeze exceptionally well, making them perfect for meal prep.
- For the best texture, enjoy freshly baked or lightly toasted.
- These bagels are ideal for breakfast sandwiches, cream cheese spreads, deli-style lunches, or simply served warm with butter.