It should be known, I am a major bagel snob…major. I like my bagels to be crunchy on the outside, with a little struggle for the bite and a good chewy texture. I am not a fan of “bready” bagels with a “bready” taste. Finding a good bagel has always been a challenge and I thought I had to settle with mediocre bagels available around me. Well it turns out I don’t have to anymore. My sister came to visit and over the weekend we made Peter Reinhart’s bagels. These are flippin’ good bagels – perfection, the best bagels ever, so worth the time.
I never would have thought to attempt making my own bagels, thinking it would be too difficult and not worth all the effort. Boy was I wrong. Peter Reinhart’s recipe is easy to follow. At first glance, the recipe can appear daunting. Don’t let that scare you. While there are several steps, they are pretty simple. You do have to set aside time to make them because it’s a two day process. In order to achieve good flavor and texture, the bagels have to ferment in the fridge at least 12 hours.
If you are a bagel lover like me, in search for the perfect bagel…this recipe is for you, a must try!
Pinnable Image
NOTE: When I share a tried & true recipe, I always credit the source and often will send you to the site for the directions. All you need to do is click on “Print Recipe” below and it will take you to the full recipe. One extra step for an awesome recipe, that’s it! It’s important to me to share the love and send you to the original source.
Peter Reinhart’s Bagels Recipe
Sponge
- 1 teaspoon instant yeast
- 4 cups unbleached high-gluten or bread flour
- 2½ cups water, room temperature
Dough
- ½ teaspoon instant yeast
- 3¾ cups unbleached high-gluten or bread flour
- 2¾ teaspoons salt
- 2 teaspoons malt powder or 1 tablespoon dark or light malt syrup, honey, or brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon baking soda
- Cornmeal or semolina flour for dusting
Directions:
TIPS
- We made smaller bagels, 2.25 ounces (28 bagels). We used a kitchen scale, weighing the dough before forming each bagel. Having the bagels all the same size allows them to bake uniformly.
- When baking the bagels, be sure not to crowd them, this will allow for them to bake evenly and get that perfect crunchy texture all around.
- We boiled the bagels for two minutes on each side instead of one minute. We prefer a bagel with a nice crust and chewy texture – the additional boil time helps to achieve this.
- My sister likes to add 1/2 cup of honey along with the baking soda when boiling the bagels. This adds a nice sweetness to the bagels and helps to allow the toppings to stick.
- When making onion bagels or everything bagels, be sure to re-hydrate the dehydrated onions. This can be done by soaking them in a small bowl with a little water. Re-hydrating the onions prevents them from burning while baking.
- The recipe allows you to ferment the bagels up to two days. We formed the bagels on Friday night and they sat in the refrigerator until Sunday morning, when we boiled and baked them – they were prefect.
- These bagels freeze well.
- For high altitude (I live at high altitude, above 6000 ft), we reduced the yeast by 1/4 for both the sponge and the dough and they turned out perfect.
Thanks so much for stopping by!
Cheers!
Heidi
The link for the recipe does not work. Says it’s no longer available. Disappointed. Would be nice if the recipe was listed here and updated. Thank you
Mary Neumann
Heidi – I updated the link. https://www.nationalgeographic.com/culture/article/recipes-worth-trying-peter-reinharts-bagels
F
I can’t tell you grateful I am for this. I’ve tried so so so many times to bake better at altitude and you’ve changed the game! Bagels were perfect.
Thank youuuu!
Nancy
Hello, I was certainly challenged by this bagel recipe. I do have a question about the process of putting them in the refrigerator overnight. Everything was going great until that step. The next day they had not risen at all in the refrigerator and when I took them out of the fridge and put them directly into the water they just collapsed. I think I had one risen bagel. When I looked up the process of retarding the dough it said that the dough must sit out at room temperature before poaching. I am so confused. Thanks for everything.
Chris Leo
I am trying this recipe right now but I am unhappy with how dry the dough ball is. I did the 2 1/2 cups of water with 4 cups bread flour for the sponge and that grew perfectly. But then no more liquid and 3 more cups of flour was too dry to for a ball. I added a little tiny bit of water, just enough for a ball to form but never added the last 3/4 cup of flour. Did anyone else have this issue? I’d like to know what others did if you did have this happen.
Mary Neumann
The dough should be stiff, Chris, it’s not the same as bread dough. Bagel dough is stiff.
#3 – “….The dough should be firm, stiffer than French bread dough, but still pliable and smooth. There should be no raw flour–all ingredients should be hydrated.”
Mary Neumann
If you measured/weighed all of the ingredients, you are good. They will be formed and then rise again – which aerates the dough….it gets softer.
Chris Leo
Yes, I do understand that. However, the dough was sooooo dry that when you try the windowpane test, the dough immediately just pulled apart; no stretch at all. I am certain my measurements were correct but there was clearly too little hydration. Am I correct that the only liquid is 2 1/2 cups water? That for almost 8 cups of flour just seems like too little in my experience with pizza dough. Maybe I will try again soon. Once I added more water and finished the dough, the bagels weren’t bad but they dropped too quickly and were thinner than I like.
billy patscher jr.
hi, i've been cooking for 5 yrs since my mom's death looking for a bagel reicpe that's easy i've already made bread but i don't know what i'm doing what's the recipe for the montral bagel also ny bagel what's the better one taste wise wanna know how to make crispy homemade bread no knead brioiche pretzels please send me some reicpes i'm handicapped help me please ? thanks billy billytophat@optonline.net
marysweetlittlebluebird
Hi again (@Anonymous) – Glad you gave the recipe a try! We also used barley malt syrup – I just added a photo of the ingredients from King Arthur Flour. And we also boiled them for a total of 4 mins, two minutes for each side. Oh, and added honey to the water. And yes, you need to spray parchment paper with oil and sprinkle with cornmeal – that's a must! I can't wait to try your cinnamon crunch topping – my girls will LOVE them! So, will you make these again??? Thanks for stopping by with your results! Now I want one of these bagels. Time to make a batch for the freezer.
Anonymous
one more thing..I also brushed some with butter and generously topped them with a brown sugar to granulated sugar mixture (2 to 1) and cinnamon mix. Really yummy! It gave a nice, cinnamon crunch topping.
Anonymous
I'm back with results! (I had a couple questions above) I ended up using bread flour and adding vital wheat gluten as shipping KAF high gluten flour is outrageous. I subbed a barley malt syrup instead of the powder, which I believe is an acceptable substitute. After THREE tries, I have some do's and don'ts to share. DON'T use a Silpat mat…they will stick and deflate. Parchment SPRAYED is a must and a sprinkling of cornmeal, even better to ensure they don't stick. It's disastrous if they stick while still pliable. Then, using information for an America's Test Kitchen book and Peter's, between the two sources they suggest a range of boiling times from 45 seconds per side to a minute…or longer if you prefer. Let me tell you, after boiling (and tossing many) three batches, you HAVE to boil them for at minimum three minutes to get them to hold their shape. Shorter boiling and the air bubble under the surface can't hold the structure of the dough and they deflate. Four minutes is perfect. The outside gets firm enough to hold the beautiful rounded shape. The weighted suggestion you have is perfect at 2.25 ounces. It seems like they won't be big enough, but once risen and boiled, they are plenty big!! Thanks for your help along the way!
Anonymous
I am truly looking forward to making these! Thank you for the recipe AND the review. Ever since I moved away from Pumperknickle's (none in our state) I never thought I would eat another good bagel. Homemade are better than stores, but the recipes didn't compare. It has been years and years.
marysweetlittlebluebird
HI again, Anonymous – No we did not spary the plastic wrap when covering up. You can eat the bagels while they are still warm, fresh out of the oven. You will want to consume them within in 24 hours, if not, be sure to freeze any leftovers – these freeze great! We baked them in a conventional oven. This recipe makes the BEST bagels – ever. You're going to love them!
Anonymous
Thanks for your help Mary! A couple other questions…did you spray your plastic wrap before covering and refrigerating? Were you able to try these several hours after baking? I'm wondering if I can bake them later in the evening, the night before I need them? Also, did you convect or use conventional baking? Sorry for all the questions!! Thanks so much for your time:)
marysweetlittlebluebird
Anonymous – here is a link to the post of the box of ingredients my sister sent before she arrived from Alaska…they are from King Arthur flour – https://sweetlittlebluebird.com/2015/01/weekend-adventure.html
Sir Lancelot FLour
Organic Barley Malt
Saf Instant Yeast
Let me know if you have any other questions. These are hands-down, the BEST bagels….ever.
Anonymous
Hi! These look great (better than his photos in his book!!!) I was curious if you could tell me which ingredients specifically you used…high gluten OR bread flour? And malt powder OR malt syrup OR corn syrup/brown sugar?? I know what you have listed are acceptable substitutions, but what exactly did you do to get THOSE bagels? Just wondering if I need to order special ingredients or not. Thanks so much for your help! PINNED!!
Anonymous
I love bagels, but live in Europe where it is hard to find good ones. I'm just curious before I try this recipe — I have a sourdough that I keep regularly. Do you know if it's possible to use the sourdough starter that I already have instead of making a brand new sponge for this recipe?
marysweetlittlebluebird
Hi Kathy, We didn't measure when we made the everything bagel toppings, just mixed it up. Here are the seasonings we used and a great recipe to help you. You will LOVE these bagels – they are THE BEST!!! So worth the time.
http://www.food.com/recipe/everything-topping-mix-for-bread-and-bagels-384750
If you make them, please stop by and share your results!
Kathy Houston
These look amazing! Can you tell me how to make the everything Beagle? A friend of mine, when I was growing up, was from New Jersey but they lived here in Alabama when I knew her. Anyway, they went back home & brought back some fresh beagles, which I had never had before. I've been in love with them ever since but the ones that you get in the stores DO NOT compare to the fresh ones from New Jersey. I can't wait to try these. Thanks for the recipe!
Mel@Mellywood's Mansion
Oooh yum!! Winter I'm going to try these yum.