Vegan Bagel Recipe (soft & crispy) (2024)

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(Last Updated On: August 16, 2023)

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This vegan bagel recipe is so delicious – it’s fluffy on the inside and crisp on the outside!

The yeast dough is soft and airy, and the bagels have a crisp exterior that is so irresistible.

They are brushed with vegan butter and sprinkled with everything bagel seasoning for the best homemade bagels with tons of flavor.

These plant based bagels are so quick and easy to make and much more delicious than store bought!

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This recipe is especially perfect if you want to save money or save yourself a trip to the store.

These bagels are one of the most affordable bread recipes you can make, and the process is very straight-forward and easy to follow.

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Homemade Fluffy Everything Bagels

If you’ve never made bagels from scratch, this is the perfect recipe for you – it’s simple to follow and only needs a few ingredients.

This recipe is perfect for beginners, especially if you don’t have much experience with yeast and rising dough.

This vegan bagel recipe also makes your home smell just like a bakery, and there’s nothing better than a fresh homemade bagel!

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These vegan bagels are delicious with just about anything on top – some of my favorites are vegan cream cheese, vegan butter, hummus and avocado.

They make a great breakfast or afternoon snack, and you can even add some veggies and make it lunch (check out my tofu breakfast bagel sandwich if you’re interested)!

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How to Make Vegan Bagels from Scratch

Preparing and Rising the Dough

To make your homemade bagels, begin by heating the water just until it’s warm, no hotter than 110 degrees F, then stir in the sugar.

Sprinkle the yeast on top and don’t mix it in, just let it sit for about 10-15 minutes until it becomes frothy. If it does not become frothy the water may have been too cold or hot or the yeast may be expired, try again with another packet until it’s frothy.

Then, mix in the oil, and stir in the flour and salt until it forms a dough – it will come together but you can use a spatula or your hands.

Flour a flat surface and begin to knead the dough for 3-5 minutes (see the recipe video for a visual) until it becomes smooth. Add more flour if it’s super sticky.

Place the dough in a lightly oiled bowl and cover with a towel, allow to rise for 1 hour.

Shaping, Boiling and Baking Bagels

Press the air out of the dough and then place on a flat surface and cut into 6 even pieces.

Start to shape the bagels by taking a ball of dough and pulling the sides up towards the middle and squishing down, then flip and roll the bottom on a flat surface in a circular motion without flour to seal it (see video for visual).

Once all bagels are done, cover them with a slightly damp towel and rise another 10-15 minutes. Then flour your thumb and pointer finger and squish them together in the middle of the dough to make a hole, and run two fingers along the inside to fully open it.

Heat your sugar water bath until it’s gently simmering, and then add bagels 3 at a time and boil for 2 minutes, flipping half way through, then place on a baking sheet covered in parchment paper and preheat your oven to 425 degrees F.

Add melted butter and seasoning of choice, and bake for 15-18 minutes or until a nice golden brown.

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You can now eat them fresh or store them in an air-tight container with a paper towel on the bottom for up to 5 days.

You can also add any seasonings you’d like to these bagels!

I love using everything bagel seasoning, but you can also make your own by mixing together white and black sesame seeds, onion and garlic flakes and salt.

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Dairy-Free, Eggless Homemade Bagels

These bagels are completely vegan and a great alternative to store bought bagels.

You know exactly what ingredients are in them and you can customize them to your liking, sometimes I just make garlic or sesame bagels!

Homemade bagels are one of my favorite things to bake – even though they take a bit of patience it’s totally worth it!

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This recipe is:

  • Easy
  • Vegan
  • Homemade
  • Delicious
  • Fluffy
  • Crisp
  • From Scratch

Check out these other vegan baked goods:

Easy Vegan Garlic Knots

Vegan Soft Pretzels

Homemade Vegan Bread (no dutch oven)

Vegan Buttermilk Biscuits

Vegan Homemade Cornbread

Homemade Vegan Croissants

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Yield: 6 Small Bagels

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 17 minutes

Rise Time: 1 hour 15 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour 52 minutes

These yummy everything yeast bagels are so delicious, flavorful and easy to make! Soft on the inside and crispy on the outside, perfect anytime of day!

Ingredients

Water Bath

Instructions

  1. For the bagels, heat your 3/4 cup water until it's just warm, no hotter than 110°F, (43°C). Mix in sugar and then sprinkle yeast on top - no need to stir it in, just let it sit for 15 minutes until it becomes frothy*.
  2. Add oil and then pour into a larger bowl if needed. Add salt and flour and mix until combined, if the dough is still very sticky you can add a touch more.
  3. Flour a flat surface and place the dough down, sprinkling more flour on top. Knead dough for about 3 minutes until it becomes more dense. Oil a bowl and place the dough inside. Cover and let rise for 1 hour.
  4. Once risen, gently pat down to release air, then place on a cutting board and cut the dough into 6 equal parts.
  5. Pull the sides towards the middle in a circular motion to make a ball, then flip and move the dough in a circular motion with the palm of your hand so the bottom comes together (see video for example).
  6. Once all are done, place a lightly damp towel on top and rise another 10-15 minutes.
  7. Once risen again, start heating your bath water with sugar and dip your thumb and pointer finger in flour - squish both together in the middle of the bagel dough to make a hole, then run two fingers along the edges to widen it up to 1 inch (see video for example).
  8. Once bath water is simmering, carefully add 3 bagels at a time and cook for 2 minutes, flipping halfway through. Once done, pick them up with a slated spatula so excess water can drip off, then place them on a baking tray covered in parchment paper.
  9. Once all bagels are done with the bath, add melted butter and any toppings you'd like** and preheat your oven to 425 degrees F.
  10. Bake for 15-18 minutes, or until nicely golden on top.
  11. Allow to cool on the baking tray for 5 minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack and enjoy!

Notes

*If the yeast does not become frothy, the water may have been too cold or hot, or expired. Try again with another packet until it becomes frothy - it also helps to pour the sugar water into a larger bowl so the yeast has more room to touch the water.

**For everything bagels, I used a mix of sesame seeds, onion and garlic powder and poppy seeds. You can also try this bagel seasoning, too!

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Nutrition Information:

Yield: 6Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving:Calories: 221Total Fat: 5gSaturated Fat: 0gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 4gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 397mgCarbohydrates: 39gFiber: 1gSugar: 6gProtein: 5g

Vegan Bagel Recipe (soft & crispy) (2024)

FAQs

What makes a bagel vegan? ›

In their most basic form, bagels are vegan, made from just flour, water, yeast, and salt. But other non-vegan ingredients—including dairy, honey, and eggs, along with less easily identifiable animal products—commonly appear in commercially produced bagels.

Why are my bagels not crispy? ›

When too much flour is kneaded in, bagels become dense, hard and tough, instead of crisp and chewy. It can easily take 10 minutes of mixing and kneading before the right texture and gluten strength is achieved.

How do you make bagels less dense? ›

If you want a thinner crust and airier texture in your bagels, shorten the boiling time slightly (around 45 seconds, instead of the 60 seconds called for in the recipe). The shorter boil means the crust has less opportunity to preset, which allows more rising, and thus a “fluffier” bagel.

Are vegan bagels healthy? ›

Vegan Bagels and Cream Cheese Make The Best Vegan Breakfast

Carbs get a bad rap sometimes, but studies have shown that a vegan breakfast rich in fiber and carbohydrates will leave you feeling fuller for longer, which results in a lower caloric intake over the entire day.

How to tell if a bagel is vegan? ›

Regular bagels are vegan, but some types may include extra flavors, additives, or fillings that are animal-derived and thus not vegan. These include honey, eggs, or dairy in the dough, as well as cheese, meats, or fish in the fillings.

What bagel flavors are vegan? ›

Western Bagel offers a variety of vegan-friendly options, including their Everything, Blueberry, and Cinnamon Raisin bagels. With a soft texture and satisfying taste, these bagels are perfect for spreading your favorite plant-based cream cheese or topping with avocado and veggies.

How do I make my bagels softer? ›

The microwave is a quick solution for many kitchen tasks. To help soften a hard bagel, simply wrap it in a moist paper towel and microwave it for 15 seconds. You can also set the bagel on a microwave-safe plate, then surround it with a few water drops or lightly mist it and put it in the microwave for 30 seconds.

How to get crispy crust on bagel? ›

The oven should be preheated between 450-500℉. A relatively high temperature is necessary to achieve the distinctively crispy, golden-brown crust of a classic bagel. Bake the bagels for about 5-10 minutes, then flip over and bake for an additional 10-12 minutes.

What flour is best for bagels? ›

Bread flour – Because of its high protein content, bread flour makes these homemade bagels delightfully chewy. This recipe also works with all-purpose flour, they're just a bit less chewy than bagels made with bread flour. Maple syrup – It activates the yeast and gives the bagels a hint of sweetness.

What keeps bagels soft? ›

If you plan to enjoy your bagels within a week, a zip-top bag can help maintain freshness. Just be sure that they cool down first, as warm bagels can sweat and lose their crisp exterior in the bag. You'll also want to ensure there's minimal air inside the bag; otherwise, the bagels might turn hard.

What does baking soda do to bagels? ›

Baking soda makes the water more alkaline, giving the bagels a pretzel-like quality that contributes to their chewiness. Just one teaspoon helps the bagels develop a shiny, dark-brown exterior as they bake.

What is the secret to making bagels? ›

10 Tips for Making Schmear-Worthy Homemade Bagels
  1. Moisture: Wetter dough means crispier bagels. ...
  2. Water temp: The colder the better. ...
  3. Dry active yeast: Let it chill. ...
  4. Flour: Embrace the gluten. ...
  5. Mixing: Low and slow is the way to go. ...
  6. The rise: Your kitchen climate is A-okay. ...
  7. Flavor kick: After the proof.
Jan 13, 2023

Are any Panera bagels vegan? ›

Bagels. Vegan bagels include everything, plain, blueberry, and sesame varieties. While Panera doesn't offer a dairy-free cream cheese spread, you don't have to eat your bagel plain! You may be able to snag some avocado or hummus to round out your brekkie handheld.

Is Dave's Killer bread vegan? ›

A: All DKB bread products are considered vegan and do not contain any animal products, however, our limited edition DKB Snack Bars (Trail Mix Crumble and Oat-Rageous Honey Almond™) are NOT considered vegan as they contain organic honey.

Can vegans eat yeast? ›

Although yeast is technically alive—it's a single-celled organism that metabolizes food into energy—it's no more an animal than other fungi such as mushrooms. Therefore, yeast is generally accepted as part of a vegan diet.

Are enzymes in bagels vegan? ›

Enzymes. Although the enzymes used in bread seem to generally be fungal-based, there are several non-vegan enzymes used in commercial bread production. This includes one such ingredient called phospholipase, an enzyme derived from pig pancreatic tissue.

Are New York style bagels vegan? ›

Bagels are traditionally vegan-friendly. At their core, New York-style bagels are a type of bread that's typically made with a mix of flour, yeast, and water, according to Kathy's Vegan Kitchen.

Is cream cheese vegan? ›

We've yet to come across a dairy-free cream cheese that wasn't vegan, largely due to the fact that other animal ingredients typically are not used to make the basic schmear. Packaged cream cheese is made of pasteurized whole milk, salt, carob bean gum (a thickener, stabilizer, and emulsifier), and cheese cultures.

References

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