Simple Bagel Recipe (No Malt!)

A top-down view of several baked bagels scattered on a white surface, with two sliced in half to show the crumb.

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Course: Bread

Cuisine: Ashkenazi, Eastern European, Jewish

Servings:

Calories: 229kcal

Author: Candice Walker

Ingredients

255 grams cold water
25 grams molasses 4 teaspoons
416 grams bread flour
9 grams vital wheat gluten 4 teaspoons
7 grams active dry yeast 2 1/4 teaspoons
10 grams salt fine
flavorless oil like vegetable or canola
¼ cup cornmeal
2 quarts water
1 tbsp brown sugar
1 tbsp baking soda

Instructions

Mix the cold water and molasses until the molasses is dissolved, then combine it with the bread flour, vital wheat gluten, yeast, and salt in the bowl of a stand mixer. Mix on slow until incorporated, then on medium-low for 10 minutes. If using a KitchenAid stand mixer, that's setting #4.
255 grams cold water, 25 grams molasses, 416 grams bread flour, 9 grams vital wheat gluten, 7 grams active dry yeast, 10 grams salt
Lightly grease the bowl and seal it with plastic wrap or a silicone lid. Prove for 1-1.5 hours until just about doubled. If using a proving drawer/oven setting, an hour is enough.
flavorless oil
Add the cornmeal to a baking sheet (1/4-1/2 sheet pan).
Divide the dough into 8 equal pieces, approximately 90 grams each. Cup your hand over the dough and move your hand in small circular motions on the counter. As the dough rotates beneath your palm, it will naturally tighten and shape itself into a smooth ball.
Place the dough balls on the prepared baking sheet. Slide the baking sheet into a proving bag and gently puff the bag up before sealing, so the dough has room to rise without sticking. Let rise for 30 minutes before transferring to the refrigerator for 16-24 hours.
1/4 cup cornmeal
Remove from the refrigerator and let sit for 30 minutes, still covered. In the meantime, preheat the oven to 425°F/220°C and bring the water, brown sugar, and baking soda to boil in a medium pot.
If you want browned bagels: Place the rack in the top third of the oven.If you want softer bagels: Place the rack in the bottom/middle of the oven.
Prepare a baking sheet with a wire rack.
1 tbsp brown sugar, 1 tbsp baking soda, 2 quarts water
Use your thumb and index fingers to pierce the center of the dough, then stretch the opening to about 1.5–2 inches. It will bounce back slightly, and more after boiled then baked.
As you pierce each bagel, transfer it to the boiling water and boil for 30 seconds per side. When done, place on the prepared wire rack.
Pour ½ cup of boiling water into the baking sheet to generate steam in the oven. This can be the same water you used to boil the bagels or newly boiled water.
If you want browned bagels: Bake in the top of the oven for approximately 7-9 minutes per side.
If you want softer bagels: Bake in the bottom/middle of the oven for approximately 9-11 minutes per side.
The bagels are done when the internal temperature reaches 195-200°F/90-95°C.
Rest for 30 minutes on the rack before eating.

Notes

Since the protein content matters so much in this recipe, the brand and type of flour actually matters.

bread flour - I use King Arthur bread flour which has 12.7% protein. You can substitute with other bread flour that has the same protein, or compensate with how much vital wheat gluten you add.
vital wheat gluten - I use Bob's Red Mill vital wheat gluten which has 70-80% protein.

Nutrition