New York Bagel Recipe

My homemade New York Bagel Recipe is simple and produces bakery-style bagels right at home with no special equipment needed!

Table of Contents

• Here’s Why You’ll Love This Recipe
• Ingredients You’ll Need
• In Photos: How To Make Homemade New York Bagels
• Bagel Toppings
• More Homemade Bread Recipes

Have you ever had a New York bagel? New York is famous for its bagels. They are chewy and flavorful, with a blistered, crusty exterior. They’re soft and yeasty in the middle, and they taste great with cream cheese and all the fixings (more on that below!). Next time you’re there, be sure to grab one for breakfast, with a nice, tall cup of hot coffee. It’s pure bliss!

However, if you can’t get to NYC anytime soon, don’t worry. This homemade bagel recipe is every bit as good. You can make it from ingredients you probably already have in your pantry; it’s not at all difficult, and it’s a fun way to spend an afternoon.

Even better, the next day you’ll have freshly baked bagels coming out of your oven! And you won’t believe how great these taste.

Chewy, shiny, and golden with that signature crisp crust and tender interior, New York bagels are iconic for a reason. The best part? You can absolutely make them right at home! With just a handful of pantry staples, a little time, and a few pro techniques, you’ll have a batch of freshly baked bagels that rival the best delis in the city.

Let’s walk through every step so you can master these bakery-style beauties from your own kitchen.

Here’s Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• These New York-style bagels have that authentic chewy texture and rich flavor you love, thanks to a slow, overnight rise that develops depth and character.
• They come together with just a few basic ingredients that you likely already have on hand.
• The dough can be made ahead, allowing you to enjoy freshly baked bagels with minimal effort in the morning.
• They’re incredibly customizable with your choice of toppings or left plain for a classic touch.
• And because they freeze beautifully, you can stock your freezer and always have a delicious bagel ready to toast.

Ingredients You’ll Need

There are a lot of recipes out there that call for weird specialty ingredients like diastatic malt powder, high-gluten flour, and barley syrup. You won’t find any of that in this bagel recipe. I wanted to make this easy, so anyone who’s not a professional baker can feel comfortable making bagels.

The recipe card at the bottom of the post contains the full list with all of the amounts. Refer to that when you’re cooking.

• Cool water: Helps hydrate the dough slowly, resulting in better texture and flavor development.
• Honey: Adds a subtle sweetness to the dough and enhances browning when added to the boiling water.
• Active dry yeast: Leavens the dough, creating those signature airy pockets inside.
• Flour: Bread flour is ideal for chewiness, but all-purpose flour works, too.
• Kosher salt: Enhances flavor and strengthens the dough structure.
• Cornmeal: Keeps the bagels from sticking to the pan and adds a bit of texture.
• Water for boiling: Essential for the traditional boil that gives bagels their chewy crust.
• Baking soda: Alkalizes the water, which helps the bagels brown deeply in the oven.
• Egg wash: Gives the bagels a beautiful shine and helps toppings stick.
• Optional toppings: Sesame seeds, poppy seeds, minced onion, or coarse salt for extra flavor and crunch.

In Photos: How To Make Homemade New York Bagels

Step 1: Proof The Yeast

Start by adding the cool water to a large mixing bowl. Stir in 1 tablespoon of the honey. Sprinkle the yeast over the surface and let it sit for 5 to 10 minutes, until foamy.

Step 2: Add The Flour

Add the flour and mix until you get a stiff, shaggy dough.

Step 3: Add Salt & Knead

Add the salt and knead until the dough becomes smooth, elastic, and passes the windowpane test (about 15 to 20 minutes of kneading by hand).

How To Do The Windowpane Test

Pinch off a small piece of dough and, using your fingertips, gently stretch it outward from the center. You should be able to pull it tissue-thin without it tearing. It should be so thin you can see light passing through it, just like a windowpane.

Step 4: Shape the Bagels

Divide the dough into eight equal portions. Roll each into a smooth ball, keeping the others covered to prevent drying.

Place the dough balls onto a parchment-lined, cornmeal-dusted baking sheet. Cover and let them rest for 5 minutes.

Use your thumb to poke a hole in the center of each ball, then gently stretch to form that classic bagel shape.

Return the shaped bagels to the baking sheet, cover loosely with greased foil, and refrigerate overnight (12 to 18 hours).

A long, slow nap at a cool temperature will allow the flavors to really develop. This is called “retarding,” and it slows down the yeast fermentation, allowing the natural bacteria to produce acids that give the bagels a more complex flavor, and allowing those signature “fish eyes” (also known as tiny blisters on the surface) to form.

I would recommend completing everything up to this point by late afternoon/early evening. That way, you can wake up and finish baking your bagels first thing in the morning.

Boil and Bake

Preheat your oven to 450°F. Bring 1 1/2 gallons of water to a boil and add the remaining tablespoon of honey and the baking soda. (It may foam up briefly.)

Boil the bagels for 20 seconds per side, then transfer them to a wire rack to drain.

Move them to a lightly greased, parchment-lined baking sheet. Brush with egg wash and sprinkle with toppings, if desired.

Bake for 12 to 18 minutes, or until golden brown and blistered.

Helpful Tips and Tricks

• When I make any kind of bread, I use active dry yeast. It’s fine to substitute with the same amount of instant yeast if that’s what you have on hand.
• If you’d like to use sourdough starter in place of the yeast, use 1 cup of starter and subtract 1/2 cup of water and 3/4 cup of flour to compensate for the water and flour in the starter (source: How to Convert Recipes to Sourdough).
• If you’d like to use fresh yeast instead of dry, you’ll need about 0.6 ounces for this bagel recipe.
• The higher the protein level in your flour, the chewier your bagels will come out. Many bakers reach for bread flour for recipes like this one, and it’s a great choice since it’s got around 3 to 4% more protein than all-purpose. This results in stronger, more developed gluten structure and a really satisfying texture.

Bagel Toppings

Check your cupboard; if you have:

• Sesame Seeds
• Poppy Seeds
• Dehydrated Minced Onion
• Coarse Salt (like kosher salt or sea salt)

… then you can make your own everything bagel seasoning. Just mix about 2 tablespoons of each of these ingredients in a small bowl, and there you have it.

Egg wash is optional, but I really think it makes these bagels extra-pretty. It gives them a glossy look, and allows them to become deeply golden-brown as they bake.

If you’re using egg wash, brush it on before adding your toppings. If not, just sprinkle the toppings right on the boiled bagels. They will feel a little sticky from the boil, and the toppings will adhere beautifully.

How To Serve Homemade Bagels

There are so many delicious ways to enjoy a bagel! I especially love them split horizontally, toasted, and topped with cream cheese and a slice of fresh tomato. But really, the sky is the limit!

Here are a few other ideas, if you’re thinking of doing like a DIY bagel bar or something swanky like that:

• Butter
• Cream cheese
• Smoked salmon, aka: lox
• Thinly sliced red onion
• Capers
• Fresh dill
• Thinly sliced tomato
• Fresh sliced cucumber
• Fresh sliced avocado
• Scrambled or fried egg
• Bacon, sausage, or ham
• Any kind of cheese
• Peanut butter or almond butter
• Honey

You could also make pizza bagels! These are always a big hit. Just spread on a little pizza sauce and add shredded mozzarella and pepperoni slices, then pop them into the oven until melty and delish.

More Homemade Bread Recipes

• French Baguette
• Homemade Croissants
• Soft Whole Wheat Bread
• Sticky Buns
• Pizza Dough
• Hawaiian Rolls
• Soft White Bread

4.94 stars (15 ratings)

New York Bagel Recipe

Servings: 8 bagels

Prep Time: 1 hour hr

Cook Time: 15 minutes mins

Resting Time: 16 hours hrs

Total Time: 17 hours hrs 15 minutes mins

Craving a crusty, chewy bagel? Look no further! This New York bagel recipe rivals anything you can find in Manhattan! No specialty ingredients needed.

Print Recipe Leave a Review Save RecipeSaved!

Ingredients

• ▢ 1 1/4 cups (295.74 g) cool water , (around 80 degrees F)
• ▢ 2 tablespoons (29.57 g) honey,, divided
• ▢ 1 packet (7 g) active dry yeast* , (1/4 ounce or about 2 teaspoons)
• ▢ 4 cups (500 g) flour , (bread flour OR all-purpose flour; approximately, you may need slightly more)
• ▢ 2 teaspoons (9.86 g) kosher salt
• ▢ cornmeal, (for dusting the pans)
• ▢ 1 1/2 gallons (5678.11 g) water
• ▢ 1 tablespoon (14.79 g) baking soda
• ▢ egg wash, (one large egg beaten with a few teaspoons of cool water)
• ▢ sesame seeds, poppy seeds, dehydrated minced onion, and/or coarse salt, (optional garnish)

Instructions

 

• Place the cool water in a large bowl and stir in 1 tablespoon of honey.
• Sprinkle the yeast on top and allow it to dissolve. (After about 5 to 10 minutes, the mixture should start to look foamy.)
• Stir in the flour, mixing until a stiff, shaggy dough forms.
• Add the salt, and knead the dough until it gathers into a ball and becomes smooth and elastic.
• Continue kneading the dough until it passes the windowpane test** (about 15 to 20 minutes).
• Divide the dough into 8 equal portions, rolling each one into a smooth ball. (Cover the dough as you're working so it doesn't dry out.)
• Place each ball of dough on a parchment-lined baking sheet that's been generously dusted with cornmeal, cover, and allow to rest for 5 minutes.
• Using a thumb or finger, poke a hole into the center of each ball of dough, then stretch the hole wider to form the bagel shape.
• Place the shaped bagels back onto cornmeal-dusted, parchment-lined baking sheets, tent with lightly greased foil, and refrigerate for 12 to 18 hours.
• Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F, bring the water to a rapid boil, and add the remaining honey and the baking soda (the water will foam up briefly).
• Gently place the bagels in the hot water, allowing them to boil for 20 seconds on each side.
• Carefully remove the bagels from the hot water with a spider or slotted spoon, allowing them to drain on a wire rack.
• Transfer the bagels to a baking sheet that's been lined with lightly greased parchment paper.
• Brush them lightly with egg wash and sprinkle on toppings (if using), then bake until golden brown and blistered (approximately 12 to 18 minutes).

Notes

*Instant yeast may be substituted.  

**Pinch off a little piece of dough and using your fingertips, stretch it gently from the center outward. You should be able to pull it tissue-thin without it tearing. It should be so thin you can see light passing through it, just like a windowpane.

Calories: 246kcal, Carbohydrates: 52g, Protein: 7g, Fat: 1g, Saturated Fat: 1g, Sodium: 1031mg, Potassium: 75mg, Fiber: 2g, Sugar: 4g, Calcium: 31mg, Iron: 3mg

Cuisine: American

Course: Breakfast, Brunch, Main Course, Snack

Tried this recipe?Mention @bakingamoment on Instagram or tag #bakingamoment.