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Whole Wheat Bagels

These Whole Wheat Bagels are perfectly dense & chewy and easy to make with no special equipment or ingredients, and no refined sugar!
Course Bread, Breakfast, Brunch
Cuisine American, Canadian, Montreal, New York, North American
Keyword Easy Homemade Bagels, Plain Bagels, Whole Wheat Bagels
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 18 minutes
Rise Time 1 hour 30 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 58 minutes
Servings 12 bagels
Calories 237kcal
Author Chrissie

Ingredients

For the bagels:

For boiling:

  • 10 cups water
  • 1/4 cup liquid honey

For the egg wash:

  • 1 egg
  • 2 tablespoons water

Instructions

  • Add the water, honey and yeast to a liquid measuring cup and set aside for the yeast to begin to grow (about 5 minutes).
  • Measure the flours and salt into a large bowl and whisk together.
  • Add the yeast mixture to the flour mixture and mix together well with a wooden spoon or a rubber spatula until a rough dough forms.
  • Turn the dough out onto a well floured surface and knead for about 10-15 turns until the dough forms a ball and isn't too sticky.
  • Add the dough ball back into the bowl and cover with plastic wrap, letting it rise for about 60-90 minutes or until the dough doubles in size.
  • Once the dough has risen, turn it out onto your work surface (flour the work surface a little bit, but this dough is a bit on the dry side to don't add too much flour!)
  • Add the water and honey to a pot and let it come to a low boil, turning the heat to medium after it boils to maintain a very gentle boil.
  • Preheat your oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit and prepare 2 baking sheets by lining them with parchment paper.
  • As you wait for the water to boil, divide the dough into 12 pieces (as evenly sized as possible). Roll each piece into a ball with a smooth surface.
  • To form a bagel shape, press your middle and ring finger (together) into the centre of one ball to make a hole right through the middle. Move your fingers gently in a circular motion to make the hole a little bit bigger.
  • Then, holding the bagel with your thumbs inside the hole, pick it up off the work surface and stretch it gently to make the hole bigger. The goal is to make the hole a little bigger than you actually want it, as the dough will shrink back slightly during baking.
  • Let the bagels you've formed sit on the work surface for about 5 minutes before gently lowering them into the boiling honey water 1 or 2 at a time.
  • Let the bagels boil for about 1 and a half to 2 minutes per side. Don't skip this step! This is what gives bagels their chewy texture and perfect crust and baking them without boiling will not give you the same result.
  • After boiling, place the bagels on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet (6 bagels per large baking sheet).
  • Whisk the egg and water together and brush the mixture lightly over the tops of the bagels.
  • Bake at 425 degrees Fahrenheit for about 15-18 minutes, or until golden brown.
  • Let the bagels cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes before moving them to a wire rack to cool completely.
  • Enjoy with some cream cheese or butter, toasted, or however you like!

Notes

These bagels freeze well in an airtight bag or container. They stay fresh in a plastic bag or airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days. 

Overnight Instructions: 

Make the dough as directed and rise for one hour at room temperature. Place the bowl in the fridge overnight and in the morning let the dough rest at room temperature for about 10 minutes before forming the bagels, boiling, and baking as directed in the recipe. 

Options:

Add sesame seeds, poppy seeds, coarse sea salt or sugar, or any other desired topping after brushing the bagels with egg wash (before baking). 

Can I use 5 3/4 cups of whole wheat flour instead of part all purpose and part whole wheat?

I don't recommend this. Adding part all purpose flour helps these bagels to rise better and contributes to a more chewy texture. 

Nutrition

Serving: 1bagel | Calories: 237kcal | Carbohydrates: 51g | Protein: 8g | Fat: 2g | Saturated Fat: 0.3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 0.3g | Trans Fat: 0.002g | Cholesterol: 14mg | Sodium: 455mg | Potassium: 178mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin A: 23IU | Vitamin C: 0.05mg | Calcium: 27mg | Iron: 2mg