Professional Baker Teaches You How To Make BAGELS!

Classic Sesame and Poppy Seed Bagels are on the menu in Chef Anna Olson's amazing kitchen, and she is going to teach you how to make this delicious recipe from scratch! Follow along with the recipes below!

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Recipe

Yield: 12 x 110 g bagels
Prep Time: 60 minutes
Resting Time: 75 minutes + overnight
Cook Time: 35 minutes

Ingredients

Sponge
2 ¼ cups (550 mL) warm water (110 F/43 C)
1 tsp (4 g) instant dry yeast
3 cups (450 g) bread flour

Dough
¾ tsp (3 g) instant dry yeast
2 Tbsp (30 g) honey
2 ½ cups (375 g) bread flour
1 Tbsp (15 g) salt

Assembly
2 Tbsp (30 g) honey
1 tsp (5 g) baking soda
1 egg white, lightly whisked
poppy seeds, sesame seeds, onion flakes, etc for topping

Directions

1. For the sponge, stir the water, yeast and flour together in the bowl of a mixer (but you can mix by hand) or in a big bowl. Let this sit 10 minutes.

2. For the dough, add the yeast, honey, flour and salt to the sponge and mix using a dough hook on low speed until the dough comes together and then increase the speed one level and knead the dough until it is elastic, about 7 minutes. Place the dough into an ungreased bowl, cover and let sit at room temperature for an hour and then chill overnight. If mixing the dough by hand, mix the ingredients into the sponge with a wooden spoon until the dough becomes too stiff and then turn out onto a work surface and knead the dough by hand for about 10 minutes, until elastic.

3. Preheat the oven to 425 F (218 C) and line 2 baking trays with parchment paper.

4. Turn the chilled dough out onto a very lightly dusted work surface and divide the dough (using a scale) into 12 pieces of 110 g each. Shape each piece of dough into a ball. No need to rest the dough here.

5. There are two styles of shaping the dough, and the choice is yours:

a) Roll & Twist – for a bagel that sits taller and with a more defined hole, roll each ball of dough into a rope about 8-inches (20 cm) long and loop up the ends to overlap each other about 2-inches (50 mm) rolling them together with your hand in the middle of the bagel, and placing them on the baking trays (6 per tray), covering with a tea towel and letting rest 15 minutes.

b) Make a Hole – for a bagel that is a little flatter but also wider, use your thumb to poke a hole in the centre of the dough ball and roll it into its shape with your floured hand in the middle. Place them on the baking tray (6 per tray), covering with a tea towel and resting 15 minutes.

6. Place a large stockpot filled halfway with water up to a full boil and have your egg white and bagel toppings on hand. For every 2.5 L of water add 2 Tbsp (30 g) of honey and 1 tsp (5 mL) of baking soda. Using a slotted spoon, gently drop the bagels into the water one at a time, taking care not to overcrowd the water (3-4 bagels at a time). Boil the bagels for 90 seconds to 2 ½ minutes (the longer the boil, the chewier the crust) and remove with the slotted spoon to place back on the baking trays.

7. Brush each bagel with the egg white and sprinkle with toppings as you wish. Bake the bagels for 20 minutes and then turn the oven off and open the door, leaving the bagels in there for 10 minutes more. Remove the bagels to a cooling rack to cool before eating, warm or toasted.

The bagels are best enjoyed the day they are made, but are perfect for toasting for up to 2 days.

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[dawnmacdonald]

If anyone is hesitant about making bagels, please try this recipe. I followed Anna’s video tutorial and recipe and honestly, the bagels are perfection. Thank you Anna once again, for passing on your expertise. So appreciated.

[davidbrooks]

I was a professional baker for 20 years. Managing shops that we're not ma and pa. (Good job girl)! You are spot on.

[raqueleherrera]

Dearest Chef Anna - I've been watching you many years ago with great admiration. You are a very good teacher, your instructions are well organize and in full details. Thank you so much for sharing your very yummy and wonderful recipes.

[dakotamae]

I made these and they turned out so good! By far my favorite bagel recipe I've tried!

[conniestilts]

I am cooling these right now, i cant wait to try one. Glad to see you havent forgotten about us people using something beside the metric system.😊

[farzanehbr]

Thanks for sharing and complete description . in my country (Iran 🇮🇷)we don’t have this bread but I am going to bake it and enjoy baking it

[xalpha]

I tried these and they're delicious. Don't be discouraged by the slow fermentation over night. It makes all the difference between bagel and normal bread. I didn't add baking soda to the last step, because from past experience it left a taste that I didn't like.

[Davewww]

I used this recipe every time I make bagels. Can't go wrong!

[sheonecam]

thanks chef Ana, for sharing.God blesses you more to come. i saw your demonstration at glorieta makati, phil. long time ago.

[suranahomestead]

Amazing recipe, love the way you explain everything. Thanks anna you are one of the best baker ❤

[halimac]

I’ve made these twice in two weeks! YUM!!! Thank you!!!

[lisacostello]

I made these but cooked them in my kettle BBQ that I turned into a pizza oven, used wood and charcoal, absolutely delicious !!! Took a few days to get the dough fermented but so worth the efforts. Thank you Anna for your easy to follow recipes. I know I can always have success with your recipes.

[ligiasoaresrodrigues]

Thank u for sharring your recipy. Ana I love your technics in your baking. You are a fabulous chef. I wish to meet you personally.

[francisR]

Excellent recipe! I have tried several recipes and we were never satisfied with the results. Most ended up too flat. These came out looking and tasting perfect.

My only small issue was after cooking on parchment the bottoms were a little too wet, even after cooking. Solved that by cooling on a wire rack after removing from oven.

Thank you!

[ilyaspathan]

Chef very nice & excellent recipe nice explain🎉🎉🎉❤❤❤ Perfect explanation. Thanks.

[kasiacybelius]

I've tried different bagels but they never turned out.
2 days ago I came across this video and gave it a try. They turned out amazing!!! Thank you for easy directions and for this delicious recipe. Can't wait to try your pretzels.

[kennethcarlsen]

What a great presenter. Calm and natural.

[AlexWilliams-qfrp]

I'm happy to see your method. I've tried in the past, wasn't too satisfied. But your way gives me a better idea. I think that allowing the sponge ferment over night is the choice I'd choose and again I'd also let the dough rise overnight as well, just to make sure this time around it would be perfect. I absolutely love bagels and I go out of my way to buy really good ones. So I want to make them the right way.

[johnvarner]

Just made my first dozen bagels using your instructions. Delicious results. Thank you.

[paulinebuttigieg]

So glad you're using metric weights. Love watching your tutorials. Pauline from Australia