STAND MIXER BAGEL RECIPE: HOW TO MAKE BAGELS AT HOME

With their shiny, chewy crusts and dense doughy interiors, bagels are an in-demand baked good—whether they’re topped with smoked salmon for a hearty breakfast or homemade apple butter spread. Instead of purchasing bagels at a bakery, you can make them in your kitchen with help from a KitchenAid^® stand mixer. Read on to learn how to make bagels at home.

HOW ARE BAGELS MADE?

Bagels are made by kneading yeast dough into a ring, then boiling the dough in water for one to two minutes. Methods will vary as the composition of the water will affect the taste of the bagel. After bagels are boiled, they are then sprinkled with salt or other toppings before being baked in the oven to achieve a golden exterior.

WHY ARE BAGELS BOILED?

Similarly to pretzels, bagels are boiled to harden the starch on their exterior, which separates it from the dense, chewy interior inside. Time spent boiling will affect a bagel’s crust and interior: more time boiling makes for a thicker crust and denser interior, whereas a short boil leads to a thinner crust and softer interior.

WHAT HAPPENS IF YOU DON’T BOIL BAGELS?

If you do not boil bagels before baking them, they will rise like regular bread in the oven, albeit in a bagel shape. Boiling bagels is what separates them from other baked goods; this means that boiling is mandatory for making authentic bagels.

HOMEMADE BAGEL RECIPE

For this homemade cheese and onion bagel recipe, start by stirring yeast, water and honey together. Next, in your KitchenAid^® stand mixer bowl, mix flour and flavoring ingredients, incorporating the yeast mixture while beating to make your dough. After making the dough, shape into balls and set aside time to rise. Then drop each ball into a boiling water-and-sugar mixture, one at a time. Remove and bake in the oven. When the dough has finished baking, remove from the oven and serve.

SHOP KITCHENAID^® STAND MIXERS FOR MAKING BAGELS

HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE TO KNEAD BAGEL DOUGH IN A STAND MIXER?

When kneading bagel dough in a stand mixer, it will take about ten minutes with a KitchenAid^® dough hook accessory. This is much less time than kneading by hand, which can take anywhere from 15 to 20 minutes, depending on the recipe.

HOW DO YOU FLAVOR BAGELS?

To make flavored bagels as opposed to adding bagel toppings, you will want to introduce the flavoring when making your dough. For example, add ground cinnamon with light brown sugar to infuse its sweet and spicy flavor into your dough before kneading. To make a savory onion bagel, you can add minced or dehydrated onion at the same step.

HOW DO YOU ADD BAGEL TOPPINGS LIKE SESAME SEEDS?

To add bagel toppings like sesame seeds, you will first coat the exterior of the bagel with an egg wash before baking the bagel in the oven. This will help the toppings stick to your bagel. Then add your sesame seeds liberally but gently to ensure an even coating.

CAN YOU MAKE BAGEL DOUGH THE NIGHT BEFORE?

If you want to meal prep your bagels, you can make bagel dough the night before and store it in your refrigerator. After making your dough, place it in your fridge prior to boiling it in water. This will let the dough rise very slowly overnight. In the morning, take the dough out of the refrigerator and allow it to rise for 45 minutes before boiling.

CAN YOU FREEZE BAGEL DOUGH?

Not only can you freeze bagels, but you can also freeze bagel dough. Before boiling your bagels, wrap your dough in plastic wrap and aluminum foil, and store it in your freezer for up to three months. Then when you want to make bagels, simply place them overnight in your refrigerator to thaw before boiling.

EXPLORE KITCHENAID^® STAND MIXERS

Kitchenaid^® stand mixers are an outstanding tool for kneading dough and creating delectable baked goods. Whether you’re looking for an Artisan^® Mini Stand Mixer, an Artisan^® Tilt-Head Stand Mixer or a bowl-lift stand mixer model, you can select an electric mixer that is the right fit for your bagel baking as well as your countertop.