Next Post
Slow Cooker Braised Hawaiian Pineapple Chicken Tacos.
This post may contain affiliate links, please see our privacy policy for details.
These are the bagels you’ll toast, butter, and devour—then immediately plan a second batch. A mix between a soft, buttery, salty pretzel and a slightly chewy bagel. They’re airy, perfectly salted, and every last bite is oh so buttery…the best of both worlds. These bagels are made using only pantry staples, require very little prep work, and are truly easier than heading out to your local bagel shop.
Why you’ll love this recipe
- Buttery, salty pretzel top with classic bagel chew.
- Pantry-friendly dough; no fancy equipment.
- Great bake for game day, snow days, or weekend brunch.
Ingredient notes
- Flour: Bread flour will be chewier; all-purpose works for a slightly softer pretzel.
- Yeast: Instant keeps things easy; if using active dry, proof first.
- Sweetener: Molasses or honey supports browning and that pretzel vibe.
- Salt: Pretzel salt is ideal; kosher or flaky sea salt also works (different crystal sizes = different “saltiness”).
- Butter: Brush mid-bake (your method) for that signature buttery finish.
- Optional color boost: A baking-soda boil deepens color and pretzel flavor
Recipe Inspiration
I think the one thing we can all agree on right now is that a good project is just what we need. Not that these bagels are difficult by any means, but they are bagels. They require using your hands, your focus, and they’re sure to distract your mind from any anxiety you might have. Even if it’s only for an hour or so. Some days (maybe more than others) just call for a good baking distraction.
Sure, watching TV is great, but the returns from baking are far more delicious, especially when the baked goods are salty, buttery, pretzel bagels.
In all seriousness, I made these bagels over the weekend after contemplating making them for weeks. I wasn’t really sure how you all would feel about baking homemade bagels. But I also knew a homemade pretzel bagel had the potential to be incredible, and truthfully, I was stressed. I needed the distraction myself. So, I decided to give them a try, and after just one test, I knew this was a recipe that needed to be shared. These aren’t your average bagels…they’re BETTER, and super easy too!
Fair warning, the butter plus salt combination does make these bagels a little bit addicting…
Step by Step Details
If you’ve never made bagels, I know they can be intimidating, but the truth is, they’re really pretty simple. Especially with this recipe.
Mix & knead
- Start by mixing the dough, then let it rise. This takes anywhere from one to two hours, it just depends how warm your kitchen is.
- Mix until dough is smooth and slightly tacky, not sticky.
- Knead to elastic—it should stretch thin (windowpane) without tearing.
- First rise: Dough should puff and feel lighter; a gentle finger dent should slowly spring back.
Shape like a bagel
- Divide evenly; keep pieces covered so they don’t dry out.
- Once the dough has doubled in size, shape the dough into bagels. Meaning, roll into balls, punch a hole through the center of each ball, and create a bagel shape. EASY.
- Shape tight balls → poke a hole → stretch to 1–1½-inch opening (it’ll shrink as it rests).
- Second rise: Rings should look slightly puffy yet hold their shape.
Boil
The trickiest part about bagels is the boiling process, which actually isn’t tricky at all. Simply drop the bagels, a few at a time, into the boiling water and boil until they float. Boiling the bagels before baking gives them that chew factor, and that classic “bagel” taste. Pretzels are cooked in the same way.
- Simmer, don’t violently boil (helps keep shapes neat).
- Bagels should float within seconds; if they sink and stay, give them a few more minutes of proof.
- Let excess water drip off so toppings stick.
- Optional: Use a mild baking-soda bath for a deeper bronze pretzel crust.
Bake & finish (your signature butter + salt)
- Brush each bagel with a beaten egg. This will give them a nice golden color.
- Mid-bake: This is KEY. Bake the bagels, but about halfway through cooking, remove them from the oven and brush each generously with melted butter, and then sprinkle the salt. That’s the “pretzel” portion…and honestly? It’s the best part.
- Return the bagels to the oven and minutes later you’ll have hot, buttery, salty pretzel bagels all ready to be eaten. And yes, your kitchen will smell better than your local bagel shop, trust me. Hints of butter, soft bread baking, and somehow you can almost smell the salt in the air.
- Doneness cues: Deep golden-brown, firm shell, and they sound hollow when tapped on the bottom. Cool on a rack to keep tops crisp.
- Oh! And one last idea, if you’re looking for something on the sweeter side, do this. Slice your pretzel bagel in half, toast it, butter it (be generous), and then sprinkle with cinnamon sugar.
Recipe Tips
- My trick is to use instant yeast, which makes mixing up the dough easy and keeps the rising time very minimal. What’s really awesome is that these bagels require no fancy ingredients. Just water, yeast, molasses or honey, flour, salt, and butter.
- I will say that using pretzel salt can elevate your bagels just a smidge. But of course, you can also use a good Kosher salt or flaky sea salt. They’re all salt, just different sizes, so it all works!
- These bagels disappear quickly. If you want to have leftovers to freeze, I’d recommend doubling the recipe. Make a dozen for the week and a dozen to freeze and have ready at a moment’s notices.
- These bagels are insanely delicious right out of the oven served with additional butter or a smear of cream cheese. They’re also great toasted and enjoyed for breakfast. Or use them to make your favorite sandwich. You can even serve them alongside dinner. The salt makes them perfect for just about any time of day.
- I highly recommend freezing any bagels that aren’t eaten right away. The salt on top can cause the bagels to get soggy while being stored. Still perfectly good to eat, just not as enjoyable as when they are frozen and then toasted.
Do I need bread flour for pretzel bagels?
Bread flour gives the chewiest bite, but all-purpose works..the pretzel will just be softer.
Can I skip pretzel salt?
Yes—use kosher or flaky sea salt. Crystal size varies, so start light and adjust to taste.
How do I keep the tops from getting soggy?
Cool completely on a rack, then freeze what you won’t eat the same day. Toast to serve so the crust re-crispens.
Can I make the dough the night before?
Yes. Shape, cover, and refrigerate overnight; boil and bake straight from the fridge for great flavor and easy morning baking.
If you make these easy homemade pretzel bagels, be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love to hear from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every comment. And of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!
Homemade Pretzel Bagels
Servings: 10 bagels
Calories Per Serving: 364 kcal
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Ingredients
- 2 cups warm water
- 1 packet instant yeast (2 1/4 teaspoons + see notes)
- 1 tablespoon molasses or honey
- 5 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 6 tablespoons salted butter, at room temperature
- 1/4 cup baking soda
- 1 egg, beaten
- pretzel salt or flaky sea salt
Instructions
- 1. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook, combine the water, yeast, molasses, flour, salt, and 2 tablespoons softened butter. Knead until the dough comes together, about 1-2 minutes. Cover and let sit in a warm place for 1-2 hours, until doubled in size.2. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.3. Once the dough has doubled, punch it down and place on your counter, using a little more flour if needed to prevent from sticking. Divide dough into 10-12 balls. Working with one piece of dough at a time, use your finger to poke a hole in the middle. Gently stretch the dough until the hole is about 1/2-1 inch big. Place the bagel on the prepared baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining pieces of dough. Cover the baking sheet with a damp kitchen towel and let the bagels rise for about 15 minutes.4. Bring a large pot of water to a boil and add the baking soda. Lower 2-3 bagels at a time into the water. Boil for 3 minutes then flip to the other side and boil for 1-2 additional minutes. Using a slotted spoon, remove the bagels from the pot letting the water drain. Transfer to a parchment paper lined baking sheet. Repeat until you've boiled all of the bagels.5. Brush each bagel with the beaten egg. Make sure there is no water piled up next to the bagels. Transfer to the oven and bake 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and brush the remaining 4 tablespoons melted butter over each of the bagels. Generously sprinkle each bagel with salt. Return to the oven for another 10-15 minutes, or until the bagels are golden brown. Let cool. Slice, toast, eat whole, slathered with butter or cream cheese!
Notes
Storing: Bagels will keep for 4-5 days in a sealed storage bag. But you may prefer to freeze them, as the salt on the bagels will begin to make them soggy.
Freezing: Bagels can be frozen for up to 4 months in a freezer safe container.
To Use Active Dry Yeast: Mix 1 packet (2 1/4 teaspoons) active dry yeast with the warm water and honey/molasses. Let sit 5-10 minutes, until bubbly and foamy on top. Add the flour and follow the directions as listed for the remainder of the recipe.
To Make Gluten Free: Use an equal amount of your favorite gluten free flour blend in place of the all-purpose flour. I recommend Cup4Cup gluten free flour.
This post was originally published on March 24, 2020
Made today and this was delicious! Subbed salt for everything but the bagel seasoning since I didn’t have flaky salt and it was amazing! I omitted the egg wash and added molasses to the boiling water – mine turned out with a beautiful brown crust! So delicious
Hi Claire! I am so glad this recipe turned out so amazing for you! Thank you so much for trying it! xTieghan
What if you don’t have the dough hook attachment?? Is the paddle attachment ok to use as well?
Hi Kendra,
You could use the paddle until it comes together and then knead the dough with your hands.
Made these today. May have eaten 2 straight out of the oven….! I was giggling with joy so much that my keto husband took a small bite- after looking surprised and delighted, he said “…. yeah ok. I get it.” Off the charts amazing- hoping the ones I put in the freezer once they had cooled are just as tasty reheated (in a toaster oven & on a pan?)
Thank you forever for sharing this recipe with the world!
Hi CLaire! That is so amazing! I am so glad you both loved this recipe Claire! Also, yes just throw them directly in the toaster or toaster oven! xTieghan
Hi! Just made these, and they turned out ok… they didn’t puff up like a bagel. They look more like a fritter.. just wondering as to why that happened as I followed all the instructions correctly.
Hi Shannon,
So sorry you had some trouble with the bagels. How warm was your water? If it is too cold, the yeast will not activate, but if it is too hot it will kill the yeast. The water should be like warm bath water. Also, was there any leftover water piling up around the bagels before you baked them? If so, make sure the bagels have no water surrounding them by dabbing a paper towel against each bagel to ensure they are dry, then brush with egg and bake! Please let me know if you have any other questions. Thank you! xTieghan
Blew the recipe because like a few bakers added the baking soda to the dough and ran out of ingredients. Don’t you have “ proof” readers.
Hi Mary Beth! I am really sorry about that, but I have had the recipe fixed since the 25th. Is is possible you just misread it? I also ask you all to remember that I have a small team and we are all just human and we all make mistakes. xTieghan
Hi there, I only have unsalted butter. How much salt should I add and when should I add it?
Hi Stephanie,
I would add 1/4 teaspoon of salt. I hope you love the recipe!
Hard to find yeast. My husband found a block of fresh yeast and I have no idea how to use it ? is it still the same measurement? 1 1/2 tsp dry would be 1 1/2 tbsp of the block? How much water would I use? Thanks! Hoping to become a baker by the time quarantine is over ?
Hi Monika,
Yes, I would use 1 1/2 tsp off the block and dissolve in 2 cups of water. Hope this helps!
These have a great taste, but something was off. The bottom of the bagels were mushing and they failed to rise once baked. They seemed to flatten and mush out during the baking soda boiling process. I still love the flavor, but they did look anything like the post.
Hi Lily! I am glad these still tasted great for you! Please let me know if anything could have gone wrong while making! xTieghan
I made these today. Mine are a bit soft. Not sure if that’s correct. Really good once toasted but more like bread than bagel. Any recommendations?
Hi Kathleen,
Did you happen to adjust the recipe at all? I would recommend baking them for a bit longer. Thanks for trying the recipe!
Just found your instagram and i am OBSESSED during this quaretine i wanted a fun activity to do and i’mnot sure how to bake so i thought i would easily give something tough a try!
Yes that is so great! I hope you love these bagels, Tatianna! And everything else you decide to try haha! Thank you! xTieghan
This was the first recipe I’ve made of yours that did not turn out perfectly! First if you are using Active yeast don’t use Molasses as the sugar. I tried several times and couldn’t get it to work finally it worked with Honey. Then the boil time is also wayy to long they turned into mushy hott messes and there was no saving them. I only did 1 minute and they turned out way better. Mine still didn’t rise or get as big nor did they ever have the perfect look but the taste was great!
Yes!! I am so glad this turned out so well for you Courtney! Thank you so much! xTieghan
Hello — if I forgot to add the baking soda to the water, what would be the impact to the end result? Off the bat my bagels don’t look as brown after their last stint in the oven as yours look in the photos.
Hi Ashley,
The baking soda helps give the bagels their chewy texture and the molasses gives the bagels a nice dark color. Hope this helps!
They look amazing but were doughy inside? I’m wondering what I should change? Should they cool right off before they go in the oven after boiling? I put them back in the oven so we’ll see what happens ??♀️
Hi Kim,
Did you happen to adjust the recipe at all? No need to let them cool before putting them into the oven. Hopefully putting these back into the oven will help!
I made these today and they were yummy, but a bit undercooked under the tops… Too much eggwash?
Very easy, left mine rising for a few hours as I had an online meeting. I put them back in the oven to cook longer to help with the soggy bits.
Hi Ati,
Thanks for trying the recipe, as long as you didn’t adjust the recipe, your egg wash could have been a slight issue. I am glad that it helped to put them back into the oven.
I made these today. They are delicious.
Thank you so much Sonya! xTieghan