Super Easy Plain Bagel Recipe

There’s something incredibly satisfying about making your own bagels at home. With just a few basic ingredients and a little bit of time, you can create soft, chewy bagels with a beautiful golden crust—no fancy equipment required.

This super easy plain bagel recipe is perfect for beginners and delivers classic bakery-style results. Whether you enjoy them toasted with butter, topped with cream cheese, or piled high with your favorite sandwich fillings, these homemade bagels are a simple and delicious staple to master.

A visual walk-through of the recipe

Take a look at the step-by-step photos below for a visual guide to the process. You’ll find the complete written recipe along with helpful tips in the recipe card further down the page.

Make the dough – Mix warm water, instant yeast, and maple syrup or honey in a bowl and let it sit until foamy. Add bread flour and salt, then knead the dough until smooth and elastic. Shape into a ball, place in a lightly oiled bowl, cover, and let rise in a warm place until doubled in size (photos 1- 4).

Divide the dough into 4 pieces and let them rest briefly. Shape each piece into a bagel, place on a baking sheet, and cover. Let them rise briefly or refrigerate overnight. Before baking, bring to room temperature if chilled and preheat the oven to 450°F (photos 5-8).

Poach and bake – Bring water and maple syrup or honey to a boil in a large pot. Boil the bagels for 1 minute per side, then place them on a baking sheet and brush with egg wash. Bake until lightly golden brown (photos 9- 12).

Bagels are best the day they are baked. Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 2 days or freeze for up to 2 months. Toast before serving for the best texture.

RECIPE TIPS

Use bread flour if possible: Bread flour gives bagels their classic chewy texture because it has a higher protein content than all-purpose flour. All-purpose flour will still work but the bagels may be slightly softer.

Don’t skip the boiling step: Boiling the bagels before baking is what creates the signature chewy crust. Even a short boil of 30–60 seconds per side makes a big difference.

Water temperature matters: Use lukewarm water (about 35–40°C / 95–104°F). Water that is too hot can kill the yeast, while water that is too cold will slow down the dough rising.

Super Easy Plain Bagel Recipe

5 from 1 vote

There’s something incredibly satisfying about making your own bagels at home. With just a few basic ingredients and a little bit of time, you can create soft, chewy bagels with a beautiful golden crust—no fancy equipment required. This super easy plain bagel recipe is perfect for beginners and delivers classic bakery-style results.

Servings 4 Bagels

Prep Time 1 hour hr

Cook Time 25 minutes mins

Total Time 1 hour hr 25 minutes mins

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Ingredients

  

For the dough

• 2 1/4 cup bread flour
• 3/4 cup warm water
• 1 tsp sea salt
• 1/2 tbsp maple syrup or honey
• 1 tsp instant yeast

For the poaching water

• 1 tbsp maple syrup or honey
• 2 quarts water

For the topping

• 1 egg white

Instructions

 

Prepare the dough

• In a large bowl, combine the 3/4 cup warm water , 1 tsp instant yeast, and 1 tbsp maple syrup or honey. Stir well, then proof for 5-10 minutes or until foamy.
• Add the 2 1/4 cup bread flour and 1 tsp sea salt to the yeast mixture and mix until well combined.
• Knead the dough with your hands for 5-7 minutes, until it is smooth and elastic. If the dough is too sticky, add some more flour. If the dough is too dry, add 1 tablespoon of water. 
• Form the dough into a ball and transfer to a clean bowl, lightly oiled with olive oil. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and set aside in a warm spot for 60-90 minutes, until the dough has doubled in size.
• Turn the dough onto a clean surface and divide evenly into 4 pieces.
• Let the dough balls rest for 10 minutes, then shape a hole in the center of each ball. 
• Place each Bagel onto a baking sheet and cover with a towel. Refrigerate overnight or let them rise for 20 minutes in a warm spot, if you want to bake them the same day. (If you refrigerate the bagels, follow these steps: Remove the bagels from the fridge in the next morning and let them sit at room temperature for 1 hour.)
• Preheat your oven to 450 degrees F.

Prepare the poaching water

• In a large pot, bring 2 quarts water to a boil and add the 1/2 tbsp maple syrup or honey
• Place 2 bagels in the water, and boil for 1 minute on each side. Remove them and place on baking sheets. Repeat with the remaining bagels.
• Brush each bagel with the egg wash.

Bake the Bagels

• Bake for 15 to 20 minutes until lightly golden brown.

Notes

• Use bread flour if possible: Bread flour gives bagels their classic chewy texture because it has a higher protein content than all-purpose flour. All-purpose flour will still work but the bagels may be slightly softer.
• Don’t skip the boiling step: Boiling the bagels before baking is what creates the signature chewy crust. Even a short boil of 30–60 seconds per side makes a big difference.
• Water temperature matters: Use lukewarm water (about 35–40°C / 95–104°F). Water that is too hot can kill the yeast, while water that is too cold will slow down the dough rising.
• Adjust flour if needed: Bagel dough should be firm and slightly stiff. If the dough feels too sticky, add a little more flour, one tablespoon at a time.
• Shaping tip: To create an even bagel shape, roll the dough into a tight ball first, then poke a hole in the center and gently stretch it to form a ring.
• Overnight proofing option: For deeper flavor, place the shaped bagels in the refrigerator overnight after shaping. Bake them the next day.
• Storage: Bagels are best the day they are baked. Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 2 days or freeze for up to 2 months. Toast before serving for the best texture.

Course: Breakfast

Cuisine: American

Keyword: Bagel, Bakery, Baking, Bread, Breakfast, Oven, Sandwich

Did you make this recipe?

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