Super Easy Plain Bagel Recipe
Homemade plain bagels are a simple and rewarding baking project. With their chewy texture, golden crust, and classic flavor, they’re perfect for breakfast or brunch—especially when served warm with butter or cream cheese.
Easy Homemade Plain Bagels
As a chef, I’ve always loved the simple joy of baking bread at home. And bagels? They’re a little magical—crispy on the outside, chewy on the inside, and perfect for breakfast, sandwiches, or just a snack straight from the oven. Today, I want to share my easy plain bagel recipe that’s approachable for home bakers but still gives that bakery-quality result.
Why You’ll Love This Bagel Recipe
- It’s surprisingly easy, even if you’ve never made bagels before.
- The bagels have that perfect chewy texture inside and a slightly crisp exterior.
- You only need a handful of simple ingredients.
- You can customize them with seeds or spices if you like.
- Fresh homemade bagels are so much more flavorful than store-bought ones.
Key Ingredients
Bread flour – I always use bread flour because it has a higher protein content, which gives the bagels that classic chewy texture and helps them hold their shape during boiling and baking. It really makes a difference compared to regular flour.
Instant yeast – I love using instant yeast because it’s quick, reliable, and easy to work with. It gives the dough a beautiful, even rise without any fuss, so you get consistent bagels every time.
Warm water – Using warm water is important to gently activate the yeast without killing it. It also brings the dough together into a smooth, slightly tacky consistency that’s perfect for kneading.
Sugar – Just a small amount of sugar feeds the yeast and encourages browning in the oven. It also adds a subtle sweetness that balances the savory flavors in the bagels.
Salt – Salt is essential for flavor—it enhances all the other ingredients and helps control the yeast, ensuring the dough rises evenly and tastes well-rounded.
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.
From my kitchen (Chef’s Notes)
Consistency is key: Make sure all bagels are roughly the same size so they cook evenly.
Water temperature: The water should be warm, not hot, to properly activate the yeast.
Boiling is essential: Don’t skip the boiling step—it’s what gives bagels that chewy, authentic texture.
Storage tip: Bagels keep for 1–2 days at room temperature in an airtight container. You can also freeze them for later use.
More Bread Recipes
Check out these other delicious bread recipes you might enjoy:
Super Easy Plain Bagel Recipe
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.
If I could give this ten stars I would. So delicious, so tender! Will definitely add this to my recipe book.
Thanks so much for making this recipe!