Celery Free Bagels (Boiled and Baked)
Homemade bagels are one of those kitchen projects that feel ambitious but deliver results so far beyond anything from a bag that you'll wonder why you ever bought them. The dough comes together with just yeast, bread flour, salt, sugar, and barley malt syrup — straightforward pantry staples with zero hidden surprises. That brief boil in a baking soda and malt syrup bath is the real secret, giving each bagel its signature chewy crust and that slightly glossy, crackly exterior before it ever hits the oven. A brush of egg white and a shower of sesame seeds, poppy seeds, or everything seasoning takes them from great to genuinely bakery-worthy. The high oven temperature locks in that deep golden color and hollow, satisfying thump on the bottom that tells you they're done just right. Every ingredient here is clean and straightforward, so you know exactly what went into your batch — no label-reading required.
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Learn more →Ingredients
8 servings
For the dough
- 1 ½ tsp active dry yeast
- 1 ½ tsp granulated sugar
- 1 ¼ cups warm water (105–110°f / 40–43°c)
- 3 ½ cups bread flour, plus more for dusting
- 1 ½ tsp salt
- 1 tbsp barley malt syrup or honey
For the boiling water
- 2 tbsp baking soda
- 1 tbsp barley malt syrup or honey
- 2 qt water
For topping
- 1 egg white, lightly beaten
- 2 tbsp sesame seeds, poppy seeds, or everything bagel seasoning (optional)
Instructions
- 1
In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the warm water, sugar, and yeast. Stir briefly and let stand for 5–8 minutes, until the surface is foamy and the mixture smells yeasty.
- 2
Add the bread flour, salt, and 1 tbsp barley malt syrup to the yeast mixture. Mix on low speed with the dough hook until the flour is incorporated, about 2 minutes, then increase to medium speed and knead for 8–10 minutes, until the dough is smooth, stiff, and pulls cleanly away from the sides of the bowl. The dough should feel firm and only slightly tacky — stiffer than a typical bread dough.
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