Homemade Bagels – Easy, Chewy, Best Ever Bakery-Style

by
Homemade bagels on a cooling rack with sesame seeds and one sliced open showing chewy interior

Golden homemade bagels with a shiny crust and chewy center, topped with sesame seeds.

These Homemade Bagels are chewy, golden, and better than store-bought. The quick boil before baking is what gives you that signature bite and shine.

Why You’ll Love This Homemade Bagels

Table of Contents show
  • Better than bakery: Chewy centers with glossy crust.
  • Freezer-friendly: Make once, enjoy for weeks.
  • Custom toppings: Sesame, everything, poppy.
  • Meal prep friendly: Great for breakfasts and snacks.

Ingredients for Homemade Bagels

Flour, yeast, water, sugar, salt, honey, and toppings for homemade bagels
Simple pantry ingredients make chewy bagels at home
  • Bread flour
  • Yeast
  • Sugar
  • Salt
  • Warm water
  • Honey for boiling water
  • Egg optional for wash
  • Toppings

How to Make Homemade Bagels

Four panel collage showing kneading bagel dough, shaping rings, boiling bagels, and baked golden bagels cooling
Knead, shape, boil, and bake for the best homemade bagels
  • 1. Mix and knead. Knead until smooth, 8–10 minutes.
  • 2. Rise. Rise 60–90 minutes until doubled.
  • 3. Shape. Form rings and rest 15 minutes.
  • 4. Boil. Boil 30–60 seconds per side in honey water.
  • 5. Bake. Bake at 425°F for 20–25 minutes.

Make-Ahead & Freezing

  • Store 3–4 days.
  • Freeze sliced up to 2 months.

Reader Review

Chewy and shiny like a bagel shop. The boil step was easy and totally worth it.

Homemade Bagels Recipe Card

Prep Time:** 25 minutes
Cook Time:** 25 minutes
Total Time:** about 2 hours 30 minutes
Yield:** 8 bagels
Category:** Bread
Method:** Boiling and baking
Cuisine:** American
Diet:** Vegetarian

If you make these Homemade Bagels, leave a rating and a comment. What topping is your favorite—everything seasoning or sesame?

Leave a Comment