Unless you’re in New York, it can be hard to find a good bagel. Soft, tasty and a little bit chewy, our homemade version is every bit as satisfying as what you find in the Big Apple — and you can feel even better knowing you made it yourself.
Bagels’ distinctive texture comes from a two-step process: first boiling, then baking. The result is extremely versatile, delicious with any number of toppings from cream cheese to sliced vegetables. For a fun brunch idea, set up a bagel bar. Include cream cheese and lox, plus any number of other add-ons such as avocado, bacon, capers, cucumber, ham, Gruyere cheese, honey, jam red onions and tomatoes. Let guests assemble their perfect breakfast, and enjoy!
Egg Bagels
2 large russet potatoes, 6-8 oz. (185-250 g.) each, peeled and cubed
2 1/2 cups (20 fl. oz./625 ml.) water
2 packages (5 tsp.) active dry yeast
1/4 cup (2 fl. oz./60 ml.) vegetable oil
4 large eggs, at room temperature
7 1/2 cups (37 1/2 oz./1.3 kg.) all-purpose flour, plus extra as needed
1 1/2 Tbs. salt
1 large egg, beaten
Sesame seeds or poppy seeds for sprinkling (optional)
In a saucepan, combine the potatoes and water, bring to a boil, and cook until fork-tender, about 10 minutes. Drain, reserving the water.
Measure 2 cups (16 fl. oz./500 ml.) of the potato water in the 5-qt. (5-l.) bowl of a stand mixer and let cool to warm (110 degrees F/43 degrees C). Dissolve the yeast in the warm water and let stand until foamy, about 5 minutes. Add the oil and eggs and use a wire whisk to combine. Whisk in 2 cups (10 oz./315 g.) of the flour and the salt until smooth, about 2 minutes. Place the bowl on the mixer, attach the dough hook, and mix in the remaining flour, 1 cup (5 oz./155 g.) at a time, using just enough to form a soft dough. Knead the dough on low speed until smooth and elastic, 5-7 minutes. Remove the dough from the bowl.
Form the dough into a ball, transfer it to a lightly oiled bowl, and cover the bowl with plastic wrap. Let the dough rise in a warm, draft-free spot until it doubles in bulk, about 1 hour.
Punch down the dough and turn it out onto a lightly floured work surface. Cut it into quarters with a sharp knife or a bench scraper. Cut each quarter into 3 equal pieces and, using your palms, roll each piece into a rope 10 inches (25 cm.) long. Using the heel of your hand, flatten 1 inch (2.5 cm.) of one end of each rope. Form each bagel by overlapping the flat end of the rope over 1 inch (2.5 cm.) of the round end. Pinch together firmly. As the bagels are formed, set them aside on a lightly floured surface. Cover all the bagels loosely with a kitchen towel and let them rest until they are barely puffy when lifted, about 15 minutes.
Position a rack in the lower third of the oven, and preheat to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C). Line a half-sheet pan or rimless baking sheet with parchment paper. Lightly brush the parchment with oil, or spray it with nonstick cooking spray.
Fill a large, wide pot three-fourths full of water and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to maintain a gentle boil. Using a large slotted spoon, gently lower 3 bagels into the water. Do not crowd them, or they will lose their round shape. Simmer 1 minutes, then turn the bagels over and simmer 1 minute longer. Transfer the bagels to the prepared pan, spacing them 1 inch (2.5 cm.) apart. Repeat until all the bagels are boiled.
Brush the bagels with the beaten egg and sprinkle with seeds, if using. Bake until golden brown, 25-30 minutes. Transfer to wire racks and let cool completely. Makes 12 bagels.
12 comments
So there is no potato at all in the dough
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Delicious! Made these tonight with my 10 year old son. Chewy, bready and toasts up so nice. Thank you for the wonderful recipe. 🙂
Sarah, I made these by hand! they’re rising now!
I don’t have a stand mixer, could I still do this by hand?
Hi June, yes, you use only the starchy potato water and not the potatoes themselves.
Hi Cindy, if you’re adding herbs or cheese, we recommend adding them in the last couple of minutes of kneading the dough, before it rises.
Nothing better than homemade boiled bagels. Cheese whey works great too.
If you wanted to add herbs or cheese, would you add before you punch down and cut into quarters?
So you only use the potato water?