New York Bagel Recipe
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My homemade New York Bagel Recipe is simple and produces bakery-style bagels right at home with no special equipment needed!
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 ½ 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 ½ cup of water and ¾ 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.
You can make this dough, shape the bagels, and freeze them on a tray. Once they're frozen solid, transfer them to a zip-top freezer bag, and they will be good in the freezer for 2 weeks.
When you're ready to bake them, place them on a parchment-lined, cornmeal-dusted tray (covered) in the fridge and allow them to thaw and slow-ferment as usual. Then, continue with the recipe from there.
Once they're thoroughly cooled, slip your bagels into an airtight bag, and they will last at room temperature for a few days. After that, pop them into the fridge and they should keep for about a week or two.
Homemade bagels, like most breads, freeze beautifully. If wrapped tightly, you can expect your bagels to last for up to 2 months in the freezer. Thaw them at room temperature or in the fridge before serving.
More Homemade Bread Recipes
- French Baguette
- Homemade Croissants
- Soft Whole Wheat Bread
- Sticky Buns
- Pizza Dough
- Hawaiian Rolls
- Soft White Bread
Ingredients
- 1 ¼ cups (295.74 g) cool water , (around 80 degrees F)
- 2 tablespoons (29.57 g) honey,, divided
- 1 packet (7 g) active dry yeast* , (¼ 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 ½ 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).
Hi, which temperature for the oven? Thks
See step #10 of the recipe instructions.
I have made this recipe twice now and o.m.g! These are so delicious! I can’t keep up with my families demand! My dough seems to get a bit too dry and I have to add 2 tblspn of water and then it’s perfect.
I got a little confident and decided to add blueberries to some of the dough, but then found myself 6 years old again, playing with mud, pretending it was a cake. ? after quite a few dusting of flour it was back to normal. Do you have any suggestions on adding oats or fruits to the dough?
Thanks for sharing!!
Hey there! Thanks for the great review- I'm so happy you liked this recipe! I'm guessing your blueberries must have gotten a little squished and let out their juice into your dough. My only suggestions might be to not add the additional water when you're using fresh, juicy fruit, or to perhaps try using dried fruit instead. Hopefully this is helpful!
Do you use a kitchen aid to mix this recipe?
Yes- the bowl and hook appear in the photos.
Can you add cinnamon and raisins to this recipe so they’re not just plain bagels with toppings? Thanks
Absolutely!
Obviously the gluten is quite important in making bagels, but is there a way to make these gluten free? Grocery store gluten free bagels just aren’t that great.
Trying using a gluten-free flour blend that subs 1:1 for regular flour, such as King Arthur Flour Gluten-Free Measure for Measure. Good luck!
I followed this recipe to the letter but my bagels were flat as a pancake. I was concerned this would happen as the dough did not have a first proof before shaping. The flavour and texture was really good so they are still delicious, but not like I had hoped for. What went wrong?
Since it didn't proof I'm thinking it was a problem with the yeast. Either it was dead right out of the gate or it died somewhere along the way. Could your water have been too hot perhaps? Sorry this happened!
We recently moved to Luxembourg where it is impossible to find a good bagel. I just gave this recipe a try and they turned out great. I had to knead by hand for about 25 minutes and admittedly I never got to the window pane stage. However, I went again with the instructions because I didn’t want to throw away all that work. They turned out wonderful! My daughter is so happy to have a New York style bagel for lunch again. Thanks for the recipe!
What if you do not have any cornmeal?
Your recipe says 80 degrees for the water to put the yeast in but ideal water temperatures usually are around 110, why is this? I had some trouble with getting my dough to get to a stretchy windowpane, it was just falling apart immediately.. should i have added more water?
The temperature of the water is lower because we are trying to slow everything down. Hence the long chill in the fridge as well. This allows for fermentation to occur, which develops the flavor. If your dough isn't passing the windowpane test, you want to keep kneading so that the glutens become more developed. Good luck!
When we move the bagels out of the refrigerator, do we need to leave the bagels back to the room temperature before boiling or we can boil them right after having them out of the refrigerator when they are still cold?
It will take a bit of time to preheat the oven and get that big pot of water up to a boil. If you take the bagels out before doing all that, they should be at a nice temperature by the time it's all ready. Good luck!
Hi, Allie!!! These look AMAZING! I can't wait to try them! Thank you!
You call for 2 TBL of honey divided. But don't say when or where to add the 2nd TBL.
It's stated in step number 10 of the recipe instructions.
Is it ok to use barley malt syrup instead of honey?
I think that would work very well! Good luck!
These were amazing!! After trying a few different bagel recipes, I thought these gave me the best overall (and consistent) look and taste. Thanks so much for my go to bagel recipe!
You're so welcome! I'm happy you liked this recipe. Thank you for the 5-star review!
Do I have to let it rest overnight or can they be made same day? Resting period of 1-2hours?
It's best to let them rest overnight, or 12 to 18 hours as noted. They need this long rest in order to slow-ferment and develop the flavors. This will also help to create the signature "fish eyes" on the surface. There's more info on this under the heading "Resting the Dough."
Hi Allie!
I'm looking at this recipe and I can't find where I add the salt. Do I put it in the dough?
Hi Adriana! The salt is listed as the 5th ingredient, and you add it in step 4. Hope that's helpful!
I have tried bagels twice before, and while they tasted good, they looked nothing like bagels. Your recipes always come out great, so I look forward to trying it. Plus, we live in a country where bagels are hard to come by, so it would be great to be able to make them!
One question...can I use a dough hook on my stand mixer for all that kneading? Or should it be done by hand?!
Hey Julie! So happy you're going to give this a try! I did all the kneading with the dough hook/mixer. My mixer was a little mad at me for working it so hard, but the bagels came out great! You could do it by hand too though, if you need a really good arm workout 😉 Good luck and I hope you enjoy!
These look delicious! Is it correct that you do not do all the kneading with a dough hook attachment (KitchenAid mixer)? You take it out of the bowl and knead by hand?
You can do it either way Cindy! I let my mixer do all the work. It was pretty hot by the time that dough passed the windowpane test!