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If there was ever a weekend bake to fill the house with warm, cozy spice—it’s these cinnamon crunch bagels. Think classic soft and chewy texture under a crackly cinnamon-sugar top with that perfect crunch when you take a bite.
They’re nostalgic, a little over-the-top, and exactly what you want to toast, butter, and devour with coffee. Here’s how to get that signature crunch!
What makes these “crunch” bagels special
- Crackly cinnamon-sugar top that stays crisp.
- Chewy, bakery-style
- Make-ahead friendly
Ingredient notes
- Flour: Bread flour…all-purpose works but will be softer.
- Yeast: Instant or active dry; proof if using active. Note: Heavy cinnamon in dough can slow yeast—keep most of the cinnamon in the filling/topping for best rise.
- Sweetener: A touch of sugar/honey in the dough supports browning and balances spice.
- Tips: Barley malt syrup (classic), honey, or a pinch of baking soda.
- Topping: Cinnamon + brown sugar + a little granulated sugar. For a true “crunch,” mix with softened butter and a spoon of flour for a quick streusel.
Recipe Inspiration
Today it is Cinnamon Crunch Bagel time!
They are just, well, the best. Nothing is better than a fresh homemade bagel. Especially when it is covered in a crunchy cinnamon sugar-coating. This is a bagel that makes people’s eyes roll back upon their first bite.
Not pancakes, not toast, not waffles. Not eggs. Not even cinnamon rolls.
Yes, all those things are delicious. Really delicious, but today is all about the homemade bagel. The bagel you’re gonna want to have around at all times. You know for when that cinnamon sugar craving hits you hard and fast. These are going to be what you want.
When we used to live in Cleveland my mom would sometimes buy the cinnamon crunch bagels from Panera. I remember those things being the best thing ever! Gosh my brothers and I loved them.
We would toast them and then load them up with butter. Best breakfast ever.
Really these bagels could not be better. They are everything you love about a bagel + everything you love about a cinnamon roll + a little crunch! And the crunch? The crunch is good.
Step by Step
Dough & kneading
- Mix until the dough is smooth and slightly tacky, not sticky.
- Knead until elastic and it stretches thin without tearing (windowpane).
- First rise: Dough should puff and feel lighter; a gentle finger dent should spring back slowly.
Shape like a bagel
- Divide evenly; keep pieces covered to prevent drying.
- Shape into tight balls, then poke a hole and stretch to a 1–1½-inch ring.
- Second rise: Rings should look slightly puffy but still hold their shape. If they collapse, they’re over-proofed—chill to firm before boiling.
Boil for shine & chew
- Water should be at a lively simmer, not a rolling boil (prevents misshapen bagels).
- Float test: A bagel should float within seconds; if it sinks and stays, give the tray a few more minutes of proofing.
- Pat tops dry lightly after boiling so the topping sticks.
The cinnamon-crunch topping (and getting it to stick)
- Brush warm boiled bagels with a thin film of butter or egg wash.
- Spoon on a generous layer of cinnamon-sugar (or streusel) right away; press lightly so it adheres.
- For extra crunch, sprinkle a little granulated sugar over the top just before baking.
Bake—how to tell they’re done
- Look for deep golden edges, a set, crackly topping, and a firm shell that sounds hollow when tapped.
- If the topping looks wet or slides, they need a bit longer
Serving ideas
- Toast and slather with salted butter or cream cheese + honey.
- “Cinnamon roll” vibe: Option to drizzle a light vanilla glaze once cool.
Make-ahead, storage & freezing
- Overnight option: After shaping, proof briefly, then refrigerate covered. Boil and bake straight from cold for great flavor and structure.
- Storage: Best day-of. Store cooled bagels airtight at room temp 1–2 days; toast to refresh.
- Freeze: Slice, freeze individually wrapped; toast straight from frozen.
It’s Sunday so hopefully you have absolutely nothing to do and since these bagels are calling your name you should probably stop listening (reading) to me babble and just go make them. You should even double the recipe and throw some in the freezer. Ah yes, you should do that, it’s a genius idea!
How do I keep the cinnamon-sugar topping crunchy?
Apply it to warm, boiled bagels brushed with butter/egg wash so it adheres, and bake until the sugar looks set and crackly. Cool on a rack so steam doesn’t soften the top.
Why did my bagels bake up dense?
They likely needed more kneading or proofing. Look for a smooth, elastic dough and use the finger-dent test—slow spring-back means it’s ready.
Can I make the dough the night before?
Yes. Shape, cover, and refrigerate overnight; boil and bake straight from the fridge. The cold rest adds flavor and helps the bagels keep their shape.
Do I have to use bread flour?
Bread flour delivers the chewiest crumb, but all-purpose works in a pinch. Expect a slightly softer interior—great for those who prefer a tender bite.
Cinnamon Crunch Bagels
Servings: 15 Bagels
Calories Per Serving: 305 kcal
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Ingredients
Bagels
- 2 cups warm water
- 2 teaspoons packets active dry yeast 4 1/2
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon cinnamon
- 3 cups bread flour
- 2 1/2 cups white whole wheat flour or pastry flour
- 1/2 cup white chocolate chips
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar for the water bath
Cinnamon Crunch Topping
- 3/4 cups brown sugar
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 1/4 cup cinnamon
- 4-6 tablespoons butter melted
Instructions
- In the bowl of your electric mixer fitted with a dough hook, combine water, yeast and honey, stir to combine, then let sit until foamy, about 10-15 minutes. Once foamy, gradually add in salt, cinnamon, 2 cups of flour and 2 cups of white whole wheat flour with the mixer on low speed. After 5 minutes or so, if the dough is still sticky, add the remaining bread flour and white whole wheat flour a 1/4 cup at a time until the dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl. Knead for 3 minutes longer and then knead in the white chocolate chips and knead until evenly distributed. Remove the dough from the bowl (it should be thick and stiffer than most yeast breads) and knead a few times with your hands, forming it into a ball. Some of the white chocolate chips are going to want to fall out, just push them back in.
- Brush a large bowl with oil. Place the dough inside, turning to coat. Cover the bowl with a wet towel or plastic wrap. Allow the dough to rise in a warm place until doubled in size – about 1 hour.
- Once doubled, punch down the dough and place on your counter, using a little more flour if needed to prevent from sticking. Divide dough into 13-15 balls. Sometimes I use my scale to weigh the dough and then figure out how big each piece should be, but for these bagels I just eyeballed it and ended up with some larger bagels and and some smaller. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper and preheat the oven to 425 degrees.
- Working with one piece of dough at a time, shape it into a ball and then use your fingers to poke a hole in the middle. Gently stretch the dough until the hole is about 2 inches big. Place the bagel on the prepared baking sheet. Repeat with remaining pieces of dough. Cover the baking sheet lightly with plastic and let the bagels rise for about 15-20 minutes.
- While the bagels rise, melt the butter for the topping. In a separate bowl combine the dry ingredients for the crunchy topping (brown sugar, sugar, cinnamon). Don’t mix the dry ingredients with the butter.
- Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to a boil. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and spray with nonstick cooking spray. When the bagels are ready, lower two or three at a time into the water. Boil for 3 minutes then flip to the other side and boil for 1 additional minute. Using a slotted spoon or spider strainer, remove the bagels from the pot letting the water drain. Transfer to the second baking sheet you prepared. Continue until you’ve boiled all of the bagels.
- Once the bagels are all boiled, brush each bagel with butter and then generously sprinkle cinnamon sugar. Try to clump the cinnamon sugar together so some of it will get crunchy (I did not use all the cinnamon sugar, I had about a 1/4 cup left).
- Bake for 20-30 minutes, or until the bagels are golden brown and the cinnamon sugar has hardend. Allow the bagels to cool. Slice, toast, eat whole, slather with butter or cream cheese!
Crunch! Crunch!
This post was originally published on April 21, 2013
These are delicious and hit the spot! Only downside was that they did stick to the parchment pretty badly after baking. Perhaps greased parchment would be better? Thanks for the delicious recipe!
Hey Emily,
Happy Sunday!! I appreciate you trying this recipe and your feedback, so glad to hear it turned out nicely for you! Yes, I would spray the parchment with non-stick spray next time! xx
Thank you very much for this recipe! Me and my husband, we love bagels. And these are chewy, crunchy, sweet and cinnamony) Great with some good butter and Coffee!
So glad you are enjoying this recipe! Thanks so much! xT