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 almost all my life, 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.
THE DOUGH USED TO MAKE GLUTEN FREE BAGELS
If you’ve ever made my gluten free mall style pretzels, you already know how to make these gluten free bagels. Bagels and pretzels are very similar. They’re usually made from the same dough with the same technique. The only real difference is the shape and the toppings.
A normal bagel dough is about 60% hydration, which means it’s a more dense dough than a regular bread dough, which is about 75%. The density is required so the bagel won’t fall apart when it hits the water bath. The bagels get their chewy crust from taking a bath in a boiling solution of baking soda, and a little bit of molasses for color and flavor.
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.
Starting with my gluten free mall-style pretzel dough, knead it until smooth. This dough kneads really well and isn’t sticky at all (thanks to the lower hydration).
Divide the dough into 8 equal-sized pieces (about 3 1/2 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 it 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.
HOW TO “POACH” THE BAGELS
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 30 seconds on each side and then remove to the baking sheet.
ADDING TOPPINGS AND BAKING
I’m a purist when it comes to bagels, preferring plain over most other flavors (other than cinnamon raisin). For plain bagels, simply do nothing. You don’t even need to brush them with an egg wash.
However, if you are one of those who loves “everything bagels” or sesame seeds, poppy seeds, etc, sprinkle with toppings of choice immediately after removing from water bath. Alternatively, while bagels are still wet from poaching, turn over and dip or press bagels into a shallow bowl of seeds or seasoning.
Bake pretzels in a preheated 450 degree oven for about 20-25 minutes, or until puffed and golden brown.
Get rolling and bake up a little slice of New York with homemade gluten free bagels!
Homemade Gluten Free Bagels
Ingredients
- 1 recipe gluten free mall style pretzels dough
- 2 tbsp baking soda
- 1 tbsp molasses
Instructions
- Follow recipe for Gluten Free Mall Style Pretzels through step #4 (begin boiling water and preheating oven to 450°).
- Knead dough on lightly floured surface, adding more gluten free bread flour as necessary to avoid sticking. Divide dough into 8 equal pieces (about 3.5-4 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. 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.
- 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 4 bagels at a time (depending on size of pot) into boiling water and "poach" for 30 seconds before carefully flipping over and poaching for another 30 seconds. Remove from water with spider and place back on parchment-lined baking sheet.
- Bake for about 20 minutes and then check. If they are puffed up considerably and well browned, remove from oven. If they aren't fully browned and puffed, give it another 5 minutes and check again.
- Remove from oven and allow to cool on wire rack before cutting and serving.
Notes
Fabulous! I used to take cookies to my BFF in New York, but she developed an allergy to wheat a few years back, so I’m always looking for interesting things to bake. Next month I’ll take these bagels, along with packaged recipes of your artisan bread, so she can bake herself fresh bread in her tiny Manhattan kitchen. Thank you!
What a wonderful BFF you are!!! I bet your friend really cherishes your friendship as much as you seem to!
Thanks for trying my recipes 🙂
Just wondering: why do you freeze cut bagels? Just for convenience?
I suppose you don’t have to, but I don’t always want a whole bagel and want just one half, and it’s impossible to cut a frozen bagel.
Hi, Kim,
Now I need a little guidance. The first batch I made turned out perfectly. I tried making the dough a second time, and it was so dry/crumbly it wouldn’t hold any shape. I made a third batch, making sure to measure out the water more carefully, and though better, the dough was still a little crumbly…certainly not a smooth as yours and as I remember my first batch.
Did I over/undermix? Should I add more water/butter? Should the dough be sticky before the first proof? This second/third batch were dry. Also after the room temperature proof, a dry skin seemed to form and the dry bits wouldn’t hold together.
FYI All were made from the same batch of your flour mix and I weighed the flour.
Thanks for any suggestions.
Patty
Oh, no! I’m so sorry you’re having problems today Patty! It’s hard not being there to see myself, but I would start going through the ingredients and make sure everything is well mixed first. If it worked once for you, it HAS to be something is missing somewhere. There have been times when a dough I’ve made 100 times doesn’t come out right and I go back through and find out it’s that I forgot an ingredient or over or under measured something simple, like water. It’s so hard to tell not being there myself and seeing it done step by step.
I’d hate for you to have to do yet another batch of dough,but the dough is definitely not normally dry or crumbly. It’s soft, not too sticky, but firm enough to roll into a log for pretzels or a bagel shape. After mixing it in the mixer, it should be very similar to a gluten-filled yeast dough.
I hope this helps, Patty. I know it’s got to be frustrating for you.
Kim
Going in with an understanding of how the dough should look before proofing, I made new batch with warmed water, plus a little extra because it seemed a little dry. The final dough was still a little drier than I’d hoped, but it was so was much better than attempts 2 and 3. And more importantly, I gave some bagels to a local friend for his new wife and I got the thumbs-up this morning. Yay! And Thanks!
I’m so glad you had some success this time around! I didn’t even think to ask, do you live in a dry environment? Maybe that has something to do with it. It certainly does with gluten-filled baking. I’ve always lived in a very humid environment (Virginia Beach) so maybe you need more water than I do!!!
Hi Patty,
Anytime my favorite TV cook (Alton Brown) talks about flours, he talks about how they are agriculture products and therefore the cultivation and milling could affect outcome depending on the crop. These variations may be a reason why your flour needed more water. Typically when I bake, I add water, or flour, or something else if it doesn’t look or feel right, keeping in the back of my mind that this is true and may impact the final outcome. This usually creates outcomes with which I am pleased.
In the Portland, Oregon area, we’re not dry like Denver or the desert, but we certainly never have the humidity of the southeast. I’ll plan to add a bit more liquid if my doughs look dry. This morning I’m heading to the store for raisins for biscuits. I’ll let you know the outcome.
Oh, you’re going to make the cinnamon raisin biscuits? I hope you love them!!!
My 2yr old and I are both gluten free. I just made this dough as bagels and pretzel bites this morning for us. I’m obsessed! Your bread flour mix has been nothing but amazing in everything I have tried. I’ve even pulled other bread recipes I’ve found and use your bread flour mix instead of the one that’s listed to make those recipes.
Aww, that’s wonderful!! I’m so happy to hear this, and this is what I hope for everyone (that eventually we can all take any bread recipes and convert them to gluten free easily). I must make pretzel bites soon, too 🙂
Kim, this is an outstanding recipe. I tried another g/f bagel recipe from a g/f cookbook from another blogger. The bagels were flat and dense and not like bagels at all. These are the. Best. Bagels. Ever. I hail from NJ and we’re used to chewy bagels. These are better than any bagel shop’s non g/f bagel. My husband was almost in tears! Thank you so much!
Awe, you are so welcome!!!!!! Thank YOU for the wonderful comment! I’m so glad you and your husband liked them 😊😊😊
I am a Long Island, NY native, and these are just like eating the real thing!! I tried making another recipe 1st, created by another LI born & raised creator, and they do no even hold a torch to these. Even my husband, who is not GF, ate 2 today after they finished baking! Thank you so much for all of your hard work and amazing recipes, it has been really life changing! 😀 <3
Awe, that’s so awesome, Becky!!! Thank you so much for your kind words 🙂
I wish I could post a pic….but these were a dream come true. I made one batch just to see how they turned out. Since then, I’ve made plain, cinn raisin, asiago, cinnamon crunch, everything and blueberry. They were all perfectly chewy, like a real bagel. My non-celiac husband actually likes them better than Panera. My celiac daughter finally had her first bagel and is now addicted. This recipe is a god send!
Oh wow, Michele!! I’m so happy for your daughter to finally taste a great bagel! All of your flavors sound absolutely delicious, too! I miss Panera’s cinnamon crunch the most. How did you do it?
Kim, what temperature is best for the warm water with the fast rising yeast? The first time I made these the rise time was just about an hour. Unfortunately I can’t remember what temperature I used for the warm water. This time I’m at the 2 hour mark and the dough isn’t doing nearly as well. This time I used 115 degree water.
I never heat up my water. I just use it straight from the tap. It’s not necessary when using instant yeast. I would suggest, if it’s taking longer to rise, turn your oven on to the lowest it will go, heat it up for a few minutes, and then turn it off and place the dough inside. I find that in the winter months, all of my yeast breads take much longer to rise because my house is so cold. Yesterday I was proofing dough in the oven and it took over 3 hours and I had to restart the oven about 3 times! So if it’s cold in your area, that’s probably what’s happening.
Thank you. I had it in a proofer at 85 degrees which was the same temp as the
Last time. It was the only thing I could think of that was different since I was still on the same batch of your awesome bread flour! They still turned out wonderful and taste great even tho it took so much longer and they didn’t seem to rise as much. Thank you so much for all your recipes. Each one we’ve tried has been delicious. I’m so glad my friend introduced me to your website!