How to Make New York-Style Bagels

Make the sponge

In a large bowl, combine the bread flour, water, and yeast for the sponge. Stir with a silicone spatula until you no longer see streaks of flour throughout. Cover the bowl with a towel, plastic wrap, or shower cap (my preference) and let sit at room temperature for at least 1 hour and up to 12 hours. The longer this sits, the more depth of flavor your bagels will have.

For fresh bagels in the morning, make the sponge the night before and let the mixture ferment overnight. This creates a more intense flavor.

Make the final dough & Knead

To the bowl with the sponge, add the rest of the bread flour, yeast, salt, and barley malt syrup (or molasses). Use clean hands to mix and bring the dough together. Once the ingredients have come together to form a rough dough, transfer it to a clean work surface and knead by hand for at least 8 minutes and up to 15 minutes.  The more you knead, the chewier the bagels will become.

You’ll notice this is a very stiff dough – which results in dense, chewy bagels. Unless you have a very high-powered stand mixer, knead this dough by hand. My KitchenAid stand mixer is not powerful enough to knead this stiff bagel dough.

Divide the dough

After kneading, divide the dough into 8 equal portions. The easiest way to ensure equal pieces is to use a kitchen scale. Weigh the entire dough ball and divide the total amount by 8. Each piece of bagel dough should weigh that amount. This is typically around 130-135 grams of dough each.

To shape, pull the edges of a piece of dough all towards a center point to create a round piece of dough. Place the piece of dough seam-side down on an un-floured part of the countertop. Cup your hand over the dough and roll it under your palm to form a smooth dough ball. Repeat until all 8 portions of dough are rolled into balls.

Cover the dough balls with a clean kitchen towel and let rest at room temperature for 20 minutes if using instant yeast or 30 minutes if using active dry yeast.

Shape the dough

After the dough has rested, shape one dough ball at a time. For the easiest shaping method, pick up the ball of dough and gently press your thumb through the center to create a hole. Stretch the dough so that the hole is about 1-2 inches (2.5-5 cm) wide. Stretch the hole to about 2 inches (5 cm) wide.

The most traditional way to shape a bagel is roll the piece of dough into a rope and then connect the two ends together, rolling it under your palm to seal. Some claim this makes the chewiest bagels, however, I don’t find there is a noticeable difference between the two methods.

Line 2 sheet pans with parchment paper and spray them with non-stick spray. Place each shaped bagel on the parchment-lined baking sheet (ideally 4 bagels per sheet pan, no more than 6 per sheet pan). Cover with a clean kitchen towel or plastic wrap and let the shaped bagels rest for 10 minutes if using instant yeast or 20 minutes if using active dry yeast.

Boil

While the dough is proofing, preheat the oven to 450°F/230°C and prepare the boiling liquid. Fill a large skillet or dutch oven with water mixed with barley malt syrup. Heat over medium heat until rapidly simmering.

Once the water is rapidly simmering and the dough has proofed, gently pick up a bagel and drop it into the water. Add as many bagels to the pan as will fit. Boil for 45 seconds. Use a fork or tongs to gently flip them over (flip away from yourself so that you do not splash yourself with hot water). Boil for another 45 seconds. Carefully remove the bagels with a slotted spatula and place back onto the parchment-lined baking sheets. 

Add toppings and bake

Sprinkle your toppings of choice onto the bagels as soon as they come out of the boiling water.

Bake both baking sheets at the same time for about 20 minutes until golden brown. If your oven temperature is uneven, swap the trays halfway through. Let cool for at least 10 minutes before slicing.

FAQ

What are New York-Style Bagels?

New York-style bagels are the most popular type of bagel made in the U.S. Originating from the Jewish community of New York City, they have a crackly crust with a chewy, dense interior. They should be so chewy that they’re almost a struggle to bite into.

The secret to their chewiness is in the cooking process. New York bagels are boiled (not steamed!) in water with barley malt syrup. Boiling the dough sets the exterior before it bakes so that it has a crispy outside and a chewy center.

What should I serve with bagels?

Bagels and cream cheese go hand in hand. If you’re feeding a crowd, set up a cream cheese bar with a variety of mix-ins (honey, chopped strawberries, herbs, chives, etc.) and have each person create their own cream cheese flavor.

For a classic New York bakery experience, make a bagel and lox. The word lox comes from the Yiddish word for salmon, “laks.” Slice a bagel in half and serve open-faced topped with cream cheese, lox (a thinly sliced salmon fillet), red onion, and capers. It is traditionally served open-faced.

Create your own bagel sandwich! One of my favorite breakfast meals is a bagel sandwich with eggs, melted cheese, and crispy bacon. Customize your own sandwich with sausage or ham and a variety of cheeses, or loaded with fresh veggies and a layer of cream cheese.

How to store homemade bagels

Room Temperature: After baking, let the bagels cool completely. Store any leftover bagels in an air-tight container at room temperature. Do not pre-slice the bagels so they stay fresher longer. They are best enjoyed within 2 days of baking (at most 3-4 days).

Refrigerator: I do not recommend storing homemade bagels in the refrigerator. Bagels stored in the refrigerator will dry out and stale faster than at room temperature or in the freezer.

Freezer: After baking, let the bagels cool completely. For ease of toasting and enjoying in the future, pre-slice the bagels. Wrap each bagel half in plastic wrap or parchment paper and store together in a zipper bag. Freeze homemade bagels for up to 3-4 months. To refresh, place each half directly into the toaster.