Shellfish Free Bagels (Boiled and Baked)
There is something deeply satisfying about pulling a tray of golden, chewy bagels out of your own oven — and this from-scratch method delivers the real deal. The dough comes together with bread flour, yeast, and a touch of barley malt syrup, which is the secret behind that signature slightly sweet, malty depth you just can't fake. The boiling step — with baking soda and more barley malt syrup in the water — is what gives each bagel its glossy, chewy crust before it ever sees the oven. Finished with a brush of egg white and a shower of sesame seeds, poppy seeds, or everything bagel seasoning, these come out of the oven looking genuinely bakery-worthy. For anyone navigating shellfish concerns, homemade is the smart move — store-bought bagels and commercial bakeries can introduce unexpected cross-contact risks that are simply not a factor when you control every ingredient in your own kitchen. The ingredient list here is clean and straightforward: flour, yeast, water, salt, and a few pantry staples, with nothing to second-guess. Slice one warm with a generous schmear and you will wonder why you ever bought the bagged kind.
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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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