Turmeric 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: yeast, bread flour, salt, barley malt syrup, and water, with no spice blends or pre-mixed seasonings that could sneak in unwanted additives. That matters more than you might think, because plenty of store-bought bagels and even some bakery versions use seasoning mixes that can contain hidden ingredients — including anti-caking agents or colorings derived from turmeric. Here, you're in full control of every component from dough to topping. The classic boiling step — with baking soda and a touch of barley malt syrup in the water — is what gives these bagels their signature chew and glossy, crackly crust before they ever hit the oven. A brush of egg white and your choice of sesame seeds, poppy seeds, or everything bagel seasoning (just check your blend's label) finishes them off beautifully. Once you pull that first batch from the oven, deep brown and hollow-sounding when tapped, you'll wonder why you ever settled for the packaged 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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