Missing the taste and texture of a REAL bagel? These homemade gluten free bagels have just the right chew you've been looking, so you won't believe they're gluten free!!
Living in Virginia Beach since I was 5, I can't say that I've had a true New York bagel as I've never actually been to New York City. It's sad I know, but one day I'll get there and maybe enjoy a gluten free bagel. I've heard there are some fantastic gluten free bakeries up there.
Until then, these homemade gluten free bagels will just have to fill the void, but I'm totally okay with that. They have the wonderful chew that I remember from a great bagel.
Ingredients Needed to Make Gluten Free Bagels
- Kim's gluten free bread flour blend--there really is no substitute for my bread flour blend.
- Butter--you can substitute with a non-dairy (vegan) butter for dairy free. You may also be able to sub with canola or vegetable oil, but you may need to add slightly more flour.
- Baking soda and molasses--for the boiling water.
- Egg--this is only for an egg wash, but you can skip it if you need to be egg free. To add toppings without an egg wash, simply remove the bagels from the boiling water and immediately dip in or sprinkle on the toppings.
How to Shape the Bagels
Before shaping, put a large Dutch oven (or a wide pot) filled with water on the stove to begin boiling.
Knead the dough until smooth. This dough kneads really well and isn't sticky at all (thanks to the lower hydration), so you shouldn't need much (or any) extra bench flour. Divide the dough into 9 equal-sized pieces (about 3-3 ½ ounces each) and roll each into a ball. Dip your thumb into a little bit of extra gluten free flour blend and poke it through the center of each ball. Then begin spinning it on the surface to widen the hole (I use my pointer (index) finger to do this). Making the hole larger works the best because the hole will shrink as the bagel is boiled and baked. Place each bagel on a parchment-lined baking sheet and cover with plastic wrap until water bath is ready.
Poaching Bagels Before Baking
Once the water has come to a boil, add the baking soda and molasses and stir briefly to combine. Carefully lower a few bagels at a time into the water bath (I use this spider/strainer). Boil for about 20-30 seconds on each side and then remove to the baking sheet.
Flavor Suggestions
- Plain--for plain bagels, you don't need to add anything, but you could brush an egg wash on the bagels before baking (optional)
- Cinnamon raisin--add ½ cup raisins and 2 teaspoon cinnamon to dough before rising
- Everything--sprinkle with everything bagel seasoning as soon as you remove the bagels from the water bath. Alternatively, you can dip the bagels in a shallow bowl filled with everything bagel seasoning
- Blueberry--add ½ cup dried blueberries to dough before rising
- Sesame--sprinkle or dip the bagels in sesame seeds right after they come out of the water.
Gluten Free Bagel FAQs
Bagels will keep at room temperature in a large ziptop bag for a few days. If storing longer, they can be frozen for a few months. Cut bagels in half before wrapping individually in plastic wrap and placing in a large ziptop freezer bag. This makes it easier to pull them apart for toasting without thawing. Otherwise, thaw whole bagels at room temperature while still wrapped.
Yes, I do it all the time! Divide dough into however many sections you're making flavors. Reduce the amount of add-ins or toppings to compensate for how many flavors you're making.
Get rolling and bake up a little slice of New York with homemade gluten free bagels!
Homemade Gluten Free Bagels
Ingredients
Bagel Dough
- 3 cups (420g) Kim's gluten free bread flour blend
- 1½ teaspoon xanthan gum (in addition to what's already in the blend)
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 2½ tsp (8g) instant yeast
- 1¼ cups (300ml) water
- 2 tbsp (25g) brown sugar
- 2 tbsp (28g) butter, melted
Boiling Solution
- 2 tablespoon baking soda
- 1 tablespoon molasses
- toppings or add-ins of choice (see above in post for suggestions)
Instructions
- Place dough ingredients in bowl of a stand mixer (or handheld mixer) in the order in which they are listed. Using the dough hook, knead the dough for 5 minutes on medium speed. Cover and let dough proof in a warm draft-free area until puffed, but not doubled in size (1-2 hours). Refrigerate for at least 2-3 hours. (This dough is a stiffer dough and doesn't require as much refrigeration time as most of my doughs).
- Knead dough on lightly floured surface, adding more gluten free bread flour as necessary to avoid sticking. Divide dough into 9 equal pieces (about 3-3½ ounces each). Roll into smooth balls.
- With thumb dipped in gluten free flour, make hole in center of ball. Using thumb or index finger dipped in gluten free flour, place finger on surface and twirl bagel around in circle to increase size of hole in the middle. I like to make a large enough hole (about 1½-2 inches in diameter) as this hole will fill in considerably when bagels are boiled (poached) and baked.
- Place on parchment-lined baking sheet. Finish shaping the rest of the bagels and add them to the baking sheet. Cover bagels with plastic wrap and set aside.
- Preheat oven to 450°F.
- When water has come to a boil, add molasses and baking soda and gently stir to combine (you can use the spider for this). Lower about 3 bagels at a time (depending on size of pot) into boiling water and "poach" for 20-30 seconds before carefully flipping over and poaching for another 20-30 seconds. Remove from the water with spider and place back on parchment-lined baking sheet. If topping, add toppings now while bagels are still damp from the water.
- Bake for 12-15 minutes and then check. If they are puffed up considerably and well browned, remove from the oven. If they aren't, give it another 5 minutes and check again.
- Remove from the oven and allow to cool on wire rack before cutting and serving.
Mj says
Officially blown away. Speaking as a gluten eater (partner is gf) - nobody would clock these as gluten free. And this has become the exception to my "no psyllium husk = savory cake" rule. So delightfully chewy and bready!
Kim says
Awe, that's awesome!! So glad y'all liked them 🙂
Marla says
My first attempt at GF Bagels, and they came out GREAT!! I’ve started using your AP flour in any recipe calling for gluten free all purpose flour, and it’s been terrific every time. And your “hamburger buns” are the closest GF thing I’ve found to my Grandma’s yeast roll recipe. Thank you so much for taking the time to develop and test your recipes, and most of all, thank you for sharing them. ❤️
Kim says
Awe, thank you so much, Marla!!! It warms my heart so much to hear stories like yours 🥰
Jon says
Kim, I have been making these bagels for awhile now and they are excellent. With the summer heat I was thinking of baking these early morning and was wondering if longer refrigeration will negatively impact the final product. If I make them so they are ready to refrigerate right before I retire for the evening and bake them around 6am they should be fine. What has been your experience with longer refrigeration
Melanie says
Hi Jon, last night I decided to put the bagels dough in the fridge after proofing on counter for 1.5 hrs instead of the time Kim said 3hrs I had my dough in fridge for 7.5 hrs and they came out perfect as always 😀
Kim says
Hi, Jon. So sorry I didn't respond sooner. With a dough like this one without any eggs in it, I often leave it in the fridge for up to 6 days or so. It actually makes it better, in my opinion.
Jen says
How much baking soda? Where is psyllium husks in recipe bc it's mentioned in comments?
Kim says
There is no psyllium husks in this recipe, but the rest of the recipe has been recently corrected to show the baking soda amounts. There was a problem with the bagel recipe that needed to be fixed and it has now been fixed.
Vicky says
I don’t see a temp. Is this baked at 350 or 400 like your pretzels?
Heather says
Will any gluten free flour work
Kim says
No, that's why I created my own. However, there are some new flour blends out there, such as Caputo or King Arthur bread flour blend, which might work.
Kim says
Unfortunately, no. That's why I created my flour blend. However, there are two on the market now that might work. Those are Caputo and King Arthur Flour bread flour blend. You could try either of those and they may work, but I haven't tried them yet so I can't say for sure.
Cindy Kennedy says
Kim, I just tried these and want to confirm that you do not let them rise again after you shape them. Also mine were very very brown after about 9 minutes, is that normal? Should I tent them with tin foil if they brown to quickly?
Kim says
That is correct about the second rise. Yes, tenting would work if they're browning too quickly.
Cindy says
Thanks. I think I am doing something wrong though. I use your bread flour blend for these and weigh and measure everything; however the dough is not stiff and when I take them out of the oven they look great and then they kind of shrivel up. Any idea what I am doing wrong? These are delicious and we all really like them, they just don’t look great. All the recipes of yours that I make are amazing! Thanks for all the hard work you did to make these possible.
Kim says
Hmmm. I'm really not sure what's going on. Are you boiling them too long maybe? Often I find when people have problems, though, it stems from a substitute or difference within my bread flour blend. For instance, if you use a gritty rice flour and not a superfine or ultrafine one, you will have totally different results.
Cindy Kennedy says
I use Bob's Red Mill White Rice Flour so should be ok, but may be boiling them too long. Wil try less time boiling and boil only about 20 seconds per side instead of 30 or so.
Kim says
Bob's Red Mill white rice flour is too gritty and not fine enough (even though it says fine on the package). You'd think it wouldn't make much of a difference, but unfortunately it makes a HUGE difference.
Priscilla says
Thank you for this gluten-free recipe. I saw your video on YouTube, and the bagels look amazing! I’m eager to make your bread flour blend, but I need it to be dairy-free. What do you think is a good substitute for the whey protein isolate? Should I use pea or egg protein? I can have soy if that’s a better option. Several of your other recipes have psyllium powder. There’s someone in my family that can’t tolerate it. Can I use ground flaxseed instead?
Kim says
I have a few suggestions on my bread flour blend page, but I personally think the best is pea protein.
Psyllium husks aren't actually required for most of my bread recipes. I should have listed in the notes section that you can simply leave them out and change the liquid amount to compensate.
Priscilla says
Thank you for answering my questions. I ordered pea protein isolate yesterday before you replied. I'm glad I chose the pea protein. Do you think I should use finely milled flaxseed powder? According to my research, I can substitute psyllium husk powder with flaxseed at a 1 to 1 ratio. I subscribed to your YouTube channel. I'm excited to try your recipes!