Celery Free Classic Bagels

Total time2 hr 20 min

Prep time40 min

Cook time25 min

5.0

(15)

Chewy, golden, and deeply satisfying, these homemade bagels deliver that signature dense crumb and glossy crust that store-bought versions rarely get right. The dough comes together with just five pantry staples — yeast, sugar, water, bread flour, and salt — making it naturally free from celery and any of its derivatives without any substitutions required. What sets a great bagel apart from ordinary bread is the boiling step, and here a bath of barley malt syrup, baking soda, and sugar gives each ring its characteristic chew and beautiful sheen before it ever hits the oven. The stiff dough and that two-minute boil are doing all the heavy lifting, so you end up with a bakery-quality result from your own kitchen. Finish them with sesame seeds, poppy seeds, or everything bagel seasoning for a little extra personality, or keep them plain and let the crust speak for itself. They come out of the oven deeply bronzed and crackling, and the hardest part is genuinely waiting the fifteen minutes before you slice into one.

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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)
4 cups bread flour, plus more for dusting
1 ½ tsp fine salt

For the boiling water

2 tbsp barley malt syrup
1 tbsp baking soda
1 tbsp granulated sugar

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, yeast, and 1 1/2 tsp sugar. Stir briefly and let stand for 5–8 minutes, until foamy and fragrant.
2
Add the bread flour and salt to the yeast mixture. Mix on low speed with the dough hook for 2 minutes to bring the dough together, 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 not tacky — stiffer than a typical bread dough.

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