Cinnamon Free Bagels (Boiled and Baked)
Chewy, golden, and deeply satisfying, these boiled-and-baked bagels are the real deal — the kind you'd find at a proper bagel shop, made entirely in your own kitchen. The ingredient list is refreshingly straightforward: bread flour, yeast, barley malt syrup, and a few pantry staples that come together into a stiff, smooth dough with serious structure. That signature chew comes from the boiling step, where a baking soda and barley malt bath gives each ring its glossy crust and dense interior before it ever sees the oven. For anyone navigating a cinnamon sensitivity, store-bought bagels can be a minefield — flavored varieties, shared production lines, and seasoning blends all introduce risk — but every ingredient here is clearly listed and easy to verify. The optional toppings (sesame seeds, poppy seeds, or everything bagel seasoning) let you customize without any hidden spice surprises, as long as you check your everything blend. A blast of 450°F heat finishes them off into that deep, crackly, hollow-bottomed perfection that makes the whole process feel completely worth it. Slice one warm and you'll understand immediately why homemade bagels are hard to go back from.
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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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