Homemade Sesame Bagels

Indulge in freshly baked homemade Sesame Bagels this weekend! These soft and chewy bagels are baked to perfection and topped with sesame seeds for a delicious breakfast any day of the week.

If you're one of those bakers who love making homemade breakfast as much as I do, be sure to check out some of my other favorite recipes like Bone Broth Sausage Mushroom Frittata, Honey Almond Coconut Granola, or Eggless Apple Cinnamon Waffles.

A Quick Look At The Recipe

• Recipe Name: Homemade Sesame Bagels
• Ready In: 3 hours 45 minutes
• Makes: 8 bagels
• Main Ingredients: yeast, bread flour, all purpose flour, sesame seeds
• Flavor Profile: chewy, golden-brown, nutty aroma and subtle crunch
• Dietary Info: eggless, no seed oils, dairy free
• Difficulty: Medium
• Why You’ll Love It: homemade chewy sesame bagels

Why You'll Love This Recipe

• Easy Recipe: You will love these homemade Sesame Bagels because they are so easy to make! They only require a few simple ingredients and you have homemade sesame seed bagels in just a few hours.
• Chewy Bagels: I use a mix of all purpose flour and bread flour for a perfectly chewy fresh bagels!
• Easily Adaptable: I top these organic bagels with sesame seeds, but you could use poppy seeds or even an everything bagel spice mix if you want to make different varieties. It's incredibly easy to switch it up this sesame seed bagel recipe with whatever you have on hand.
• Eat with Everything: Enjoy these soft and chewy Sesame Bagels with cream cheese, butter, or peanut butter. Or use them to make a delicious bagel sandwich with Everything Bagel Turkey Breakfast Sausages, eggs, or bacon, and avocado!

Ingredients

• Yeast: I use organic instant yeast, which makes for the quickest rise for easy bagels.You can use active dry yeast instead, the rising may just take a little bit longer, so be sure to look for visual signs the dough is ready.
• Honey: I use organic raw honey for sweetener. But, if you want to make these vegan, feel free to use maple syrup here.
• All Purpose Flour: My favorite is Cairnspring Mills.
• Bread Flour: I use King Arthur Organic Bread Flour, which gives these bagels a chewy texture.
• Coconut Oil: I use organic coconut oil to grease the bowl, you can also use extra virgin olive oil if you prefer.
• Sesame Seeds: I top these organic bagels with sesame seeds.

*For a full list of ingredients and measurements, visit the recipe card below.

Flavor Variations

• Plain: Leave off sesame seeds.
• Poppy Seed: Add poppy seeds on top in place of sesame seeds.
• Everything: Add organic everything bagel spice on top in place of sesame seeds.
• Pumpkin Chia Seed: Add a mixture of pumpkin seeds and chia seeds on top in addition or in place of sesame seeds.

Baker's Tips

• Always weigh ingredients for the best results.
• Always be sure to let the dough rise until it has doubled in size, no matter how long it takes. I give a time for reference, but always look for visual signs whenever making bread.
• If you live in a dry climate, you can cover the second rise with plastic wrap to prevent the dough from drying out. If you do this, be sure to grease the plastic wrap so it doesn’t stick to the tops of the dough.
• If you don’t have coconut oil, you can also use extra virgin olive oil or avocado oil.
• If you need to bake a little longer, you can do that! Bake until lightly golden brown on the bottoms.
• Be sure to store bagels in an airtight container so they retain their soft and chewy texture. You can use a big Ziploc bag or Tupperware. You can even store bagels in the freezer to make them last even longer!
• High Altitude — Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until golden brown on the bottoms.

How to Make Homemade Sesame Bagels

1. To make the dough: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook, add the warm water and yeast. Stir the yeast mixture to dissolve completely. 

2. Add the bread flour, all purpose flour, honey, and sea salt to the mixing bowl and mix on low.

3. Once the dough comes together, mix for 2 minutes on low speed or until smooth. 

4. Grease a large bowl with the coconut oil. Form the dough into a ball. Place the dough in the greased bowl.

5. Cover with plastic wrap, and let rise for 1 to 2 hours or until it has doubled in size. It helps to keep it in a warm place. 

6. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and grease the parchment paper with coconut oil. Once the dough has doubled in size, remove from the bowl and place on a lightly floured surface.

7. Divide the bagel dough eight equal pieces, about 97 grams each.(I use a bench scraper to cut the dough up!).

8. Form the pieces of dough into round balls, smooth the tops by pulling and tucking the dough into the bottom of the ball. They should be 3 to 4 inches in diameter.

9. Place them on the prepared parchment paper. Cover with a kitchen towel and let rest for 30 minutes to 1 hour, until the dough feels springy. If you live in a dry climate, you can cover this with plastic wrap instead, but be sure to grease it.

10. Make a hole in the center of each ball of dough by pressing your thumbs into the center. The holes should be much bigger than you would think because the dough will rise and expand when baking, about 2-inches in diameter. 

11. To make the poaching liquid: Add the 4 quarts water to a 6-quart pot. Add in the 2 teaspoons cane sugar and 1/2 teaspoon sea salt. Bring the large pot of water to a boil. When the water is boiling, drop the bagels into the water, make sure you don’t overcrowd the pot. Boil for 25 seconds on each side. 

12. Remove the bagels from the boiling water using a spatula or slotted spoon (so excess water drips back into the pot), and place back on the parchment paper. Sprinkle the tops with sesame seeds.

13. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until golden brown on the bottoms. (If you're baking at high altitude, be sure to check the Notes at the bottom of the recipe for high altitude baking instructions.)

14. Allow them to cool slightly, then they are ready to serve.

Recipe FAQ's

What to Serve With Homemade Sesame Bagels

There's nothing better than a fresh bagel popped into the toaster with butter, jam, or cream cheese. But, try these sesame bagels along with some other breakfast faves!

• Top with flavored gourmet cream cheese like Raspberry Cream Cheese Spread, Dill Cream Cheese Spread, Cinnamon Honey Cream Cheese Spread, Maple Cream Cheese Spread or Strawberry Cream Cheese Spread. Can you tell we love cream cheese around here?
• Enjoy with butter (my personal favorite way). Try flavored butter like Blueberry Butter Spread or Cinnamon Honey Butter Spread Recipe. Try alternating the blueberry butter with blackberry jam (as shown in the photo below!) and add a drizzle of honey and sprinkle of sesame seeds.
• Enjoy alongside Fluffy Scrambled Eggs With Sour Cream or breakfast sausages like Maple Turkey Breakfast Sausages or Homemade Pork Breakfast Sausage Patties.

More Brunch Recipes

Turkey Avocado Brunch Bowl

Crispy Chocolate Olive Oil Granola

Rainbow Smoothie Bowl With Greek Yogurt

Fluffy Scrambled Eggs With Sour Cream