How to Make Homemade Bagels

1. 1

   Measure out the dough ingredients. Place 4 cups bread flour, 1 tablespoon packed light brown sugar, and 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt in a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook. (Alternatively, place in a large bowl if mixing by hand.) Whisk to combine. Stir 1 tablespoon active dry yeast into 1 1/2 cups warm water until dissolved.

2. 2

   Mix the dough. With the mixer on the lowest speed, slowly pour in the water-yeast mixture and continue mixing until the dough forms a tight ball and the sides of the bowl are clean, about 8 minutes total. (If kneading by hand, slowly pour in the water while mixing with a wooden spoon. Transfer the dough to a clean work surface and knead by hand until a tight ball forms, 6 to 8 minutes.)

   8 min
3. 3

   Let the dough rise. Remove the dough from the bowl. Coat the bowl with cooking spray. Place the dough back in the bowl. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap or a kitchen towel and let rise in a warm place until puffy and doubled in volume, 1 to 1 1/2 hours.

4. 4

   Shape the dough into balls. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper and coat with cooking spray. Transfer the dough onto a clean work surface and divide into 12 pieces. Roll each piece of dough into a smooth, round ball.

5. 5

   Let the dough balls rise. Place 6 on each baking sheet, spacing them at least 2 inches apart. Spray the tops of the balls with cooking spray, loosely cover with plastic wrap, and let them rest for 30 minutes at room temperature.

   30 min
6. 6

   Preheat the oven and prepare a water bath. Arrange 2 racks to divide the oven into thirds and heat the oven to 425°F.

7. 7

   Prepare a water bath. Place 8 cups water, 3 tablespoons packed light brown sugar, 1 teaspoon baking soda, and 1 teaspoon kosher salt in a large heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven. Bring to a simmer over high heat. Reduce the heat to medium to maintain a gentle simmer.

8. 8

   Shape the bagels. Poke a hole through the center of each dough ball with your finger, then gently stretch the center by twirling it around your fingers until the hole is 1 inch in diameter.

9. 9

   Boil the bagels. Carefully transfer 4 of the bagels into the simmering water. Simmer for 3 minutes. Flip the bagels with tongs and simmer for 2 minutes more. Remove the bagels from the water bath, hold them over the pot for a minute to drain off excess water, and place back onto the baking sheet. Immediately sprinkle each bagel with 2 teaspoons topping if desired. Repeat with the remaining bagels, making sure the water comes back up to a simmer between each batch.

   3 min
10. 10

    Bake the bagels. Bake the bagels for 12 minutes. Flip the bagels so that they are bottom-side up (this helps them maintain their shape). Bake until they are deep golden-brown, 8 to 12 minutes more. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

    12 min

Recipe Notes

1. 11

   Overnight rising: The bagels can be prepared and shaped into balls the night before (prepare through Step 4). Place all 12 balls on one of the baking sheets, spacing them at least 1-inch apart. Spray the tops with cooking spray and cover loosely with plastic wrap. Refrigerate overnight. When ready to bake, transfer 6 of the dough balls onto the second baking sheet. Arrange all the bagels so they are evenly spaced out on the baking sheets and cover loosely with greased plastic wrap. Let sit at room temperature until slightly puffy, about 1 hour. Proceed with the shaping and boiling steps (Step 6).Storage: Leftover bagels can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days.

   60 min