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–+ servings

New York-Style Bagels From Scratch

These New York-style bagels are incredibly flavorful, with a crisp crust and chewy interior that's perfect for any topping or schmear. And the best part? They only take 7 ingredients to make!
5 from 1 vote
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Course: Breads, Breakfast
Servings: 12 bagels
Author: Mae Martin

Ingredients

For the bagels

  • 6 ½ cups (885 grams) bread flour, can substitute ½ cup of the bread flour with ½ cup whole wheat flour
  • 2 tablespoons (17 grams) kosher salt, or 1 tablespoon Morton's salt
  • 1 ¾ teaspoons dry instant yeast
  • 2 ¼ cups (486 grams) warm water
  • 2 tablespoons barley malt syrup or molasses

For boiling

  • Yellow cornmeal, for dusting
  • Water
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 tablespoon barley malt syrup or molasses
  • Toppings of choice*

Instructions

  • Make the bagel dough. Mix together the bread flour, whole wheat flour (if using), kosher salt, and yeast in a large bowl until well combined and set aside.
  • In a liquid measuring cup, stir together the molasses and water until dissolved. Make a well in the center of the flour mixture and pour in the water. Use a large spoon or rubber spatula to mix the flour until a dough forms.
  • Transfer the dough to a work surface and knead until smooth and soft, around 10 minutes. The dough should be firm and won't stick to the work surface. If it is too dry, you may need to add a tablespoon or so more water to the dough (particularly if you're using whole wheat flour).
  • Proof. Place the dough into a lightly greased bowl, then cover with a damp cloth. Let the dough rise until doubled in size, around 1 hour.
  • To see if the dough is done rising, push a finger about one inch deep into your bread dough and let go. If the dough springs back immediately and leaves no indentation, it’s underproofed and needs to rest longer. If it springs back slowly and leaves an indent, it’s proofed well and ready to use. If it doesn’t move at all, it’s most likely overproofed.
  • Preshaping. Once proofed, punch the dough down and place it onto a work surface. Use a knife or bench scraper to divide the dough into 12-13 pieces (around 115-125 grams, if using a kitchen scale). Take a piece of dough and pinch all of the edges into a teardrop shape. Place the dough seam side down onto the counter and form it into a ball; cup your hand over the dough and rotate it in a rapid circle, using the counter to tighten the surface tension of the dough to form a ball.
  • Repeat with the remaining pieces of bagel dough, then cover them with a damp towel and rest for 5 minutes.
  • Shaping. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or wax paper and dust them with yellow cornmeal. Set aside. To shape the bagels, take a piece of dough and use your fingers to poke a hole through the center. Gently stretch and roll the bagel until the center is around 1 ½'' in diameter. Alternatively, you can shape the bagels by rolling a ball of dough into a 7-8'' log. Wrap the dough around your hand, then join the two ends together and roll them under your hand until sealed. Gently stretch and roll the bagel until the center is around 1 ½'' in diameter. Repeat this process with each ball of dough.
  • Once shaped, evenly space the bagels onto the prepared baking sheets, 6 to a tray. Cover the bagels with a layer of cling wrap, then cover each tray with a damp towel. Place the covered trays into a refrigerator for at least 4 hours, but up to 24.
  • Boil and bake. Preheat the oven to 425℉ and remove the trays from the fridge. To test if the bagels are ready to boil, fill a bowl with room temperature water and gently place a shaped bagel into the water. If the dough floats, it is ready to bake. If it sinks, it needs to rest for longer.
  • Fill a large pot or Dutch oven with water and bring to a boil on the stove. Whisk in the barley malt syrup and baking soda (be careful, as it may boil over). If using, spread a couple of tablespoons of bagel toppings onto separate plates and set aside.
  • If any foam accumulates on the top of the water, use a spoon to skim the surface and discard. Once the water is bubbling, reduce the heat to a gentle boil. Gently drop the bagels into the water, leaving enough room for them to expand, and cook for 45 seconds. Flip the bagels over and boil for another 45 seconds, then remove the bagels from the water and place onto a wire rack to cool.
  • If topping the bagels, quickly place the bagels onto the plate of toppings, flipping them over and pressing to adhere. Repeat with the remaining bagels.
  • Once all the bagels are boiled, place them onto a large baking sheet lined with parchment paper and transfer to the oven. Bake the bagels for 20 to 25 minutes, rotating the tray halfway through. Once the bagels are golden brown and cooked through, remove them from the oven and transfer to a wire rack. Allow the bagels to cool for at least 1 hour before slicing and serving.

Notes

* Some topping ideas:
  • Everything bagel seasoning.
  • Sesame seeds.
  • Poppy seeds.
  • Dried onion flakes.
  • Asiago cheese.
  • Cinnamon sugar mixture.
  • Za'atar seasoning.