Citrus Free Classic Cinnamon Raisin Bagels
Warm, chewy, and perfumed with cinnamon, these homemade bagels are the kind of baked good that makes a weekend morning feel genuinely special. The dough gets a long cold rest in the refrigerator — at least eight hours — which builds that deep, slightly tangy flavor you just can't get from a quick rise. Barley malt syrup goes into both the dough and the boiling water, giving each bagel its signature glossy crust and subtle sweetness that plays beautifully against the plump raisins folded in at the end. For anyone avoiding citrus, store-bought bagels can be a surprisingly tricky category — some brands sneak in citric acid as a preservative or dough conditioner, so baking your own is the cleanest solution. Every ingredient here is straightforward: flour, yeast, cinnamon, raisins, and a few pantry staples, with zero citrus in sight. The boiling step before baking is what sets a real bagel apart from a bread roll with a hole — it locks in that dense, satisfying chew that holds up beautifully to a generous schmear of cream cheese.
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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 fine salt
- 1 ½ tsp ground cinnamon
- 2 tbsp barley malt syrup or honey
- 1 cup raisins
For the boiling water
- 2 tbsp barley malt syrup or honey
- 1 tbsp baking soda
Instructions
- 1
In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the warm water, sugar, and yeast. Let stand for 5–8 minutes, until foamy and fragrant.
- 2
Add the bread flour, salt, ground cinnamon, and 2 tbsp barley malt syrup to the yeast mixture. Mix on low speed with the dough hook until a shaggy dough forms, 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.
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