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This easy chocolate chip bagel recipe is perfect for a quick breakfast or to bring to your next brunch get-together!
These simple chocolate chip bagels certainly fit the bill, whether you need a quick make-ahead breakfast or an easy brunch side recipe.
I love making these because even if you have picky eaters, no one can resist them!
If you haven’t noticed, I’ve been on a bagel kick for a while. Most recently was my Greek yogurt bagel recipe, which, if you haven’t already, I suggest you check out next!
Table of Contents
why you will love this chocolate chip bagel recipe
- It’s the perfect make-ahead treat for busy workweek mornings.
- With little hands-on time, there will be minimal interruptions to your schedule.
- Vegan approved! Yes, even these chocolate chip bagels are vegan.
Recipe ingredients
- All-purpose flour: The foundation of our chewy bagels. Feel free to use gluten-free flour if you prefer.
- Sugar: I just use pure granulated sugar!
- Salt: Enhances the overall flavor and helps to balance the sweetness.
- Warm water: You will want it to be slightly warm to activate the yeast and help the dough to rise.
- Yeast: Active dry yeast or instant yeast will be just fine here.
- Chocolate chips: I prefer using semi-sweet chocolate chips for their rich, bittersweet flavor. But feel free to experiment with milk chocolate or white chocolate chips if you prefer.
Variations
- Leave out the chocolate chips and sprinkle with everything seasoning for a savory treat. I actually use a very similar recipe to this to make onion bagels!
- Press in frozen blueberries in place of the chocolate chips.
- Leave it plain and use it to sandwich your next omelet or lunchmeat sandwich.
Chocolate chip bagel recipe
Step 1: Whisk the water and yeast together in a small bowl. Set aside for 5 minutes. Then, in a mixing bowl, combine flour, sugar and salt.
Step 2: Add the water with the yeast to the dry ingredients and stir until the dough becomes dry and flakey. Then, with lightly floured hands, knead the dough until it holds together. About 4-5 minutes. Cover with a tea towel to rise for 2 hours.
Step 3: After rising, punch the dough in the middle to deflate it. Then, separate the dough into small balls, press in chocolate chips, and shape it into a bagel. Let them rise for an additional 15 minutes.
Step 4: Bring water to a boil in a large pot with a dash of baking soda and sugar. Carefully lower in bagels for about 2 minutes total, turning once.
Step 5: Lightly oil a preheated cast iron skillet, position the bagels about an inch apart, and bake at 400°F for 18-20 minutes.
Step 6: Allow the bagels to cool on a wire rack before serving.
Expert tips
- Be very careful around the boiling water and hot cast iron skillet!
- The temperature of your house will play a HUGE role in rising time. We want it to nearly double in size.
- The bagel dough may appear dry when kneading it. Please don’t add any extra water; it will come together in the end.
- Always preheat the oven.
- Do not over-grease the skillet, or the bottom of the bagels may get too crispy.
- You don’t have to boil the bagels before baking, but it will result in a stronger, chewier crust.
What to serve with your bagels
As a breakfast bagel, this recipe is perfectly delicious as it is. But these bagels also make a great side or appetizer for your next brunch. Here are a few great recipes to serve bagels with.
Recipe FAQs
While some bagels are brushed with egg wash to give them a nice shine, Most bagels, including this recipe, are actually vegan-friendly
No, you don’t have to boil them. You can skip the boiling step, but you won’t get the bagel texture.
Related recipes
If you tried this Chocolate Chip Bagel Recipe or any other recipe on my website, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below. Thanks for visiting!
Chocolate Chip Bagels
Equipment
- 2 12" cast iron skillets
- Large dutch oven
Ingredients
- 1 3/4 cup warm water
- 1 tablespoon active dry yeast
- 4 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 4 tablespoons sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- Chocolate chips
Instructions
- Whisk the water and yeast together in a small bowl. Set aside for 5 minutes.
- Combine flour, sugar and salt in a mixing bowl.
- Add in the water and yeast and stir with a wooden spatula until the dough becomes dry and difficult to stir.
- With lightly floured hands, knead the dough until it holds together, about 4 or 5 minutes.
- Cover the bowl with a towel and let it rise for 2 hours or until doubled in size.
- When the dough is ready, punch it down, then divide it into 12 pieces. Next, press in chocolate chips and shape them into balls.
- Flatten the balls, poke a hole in the middle and shape them into bagels. Set aside while preparing the water.
- Preheat the oven to 400°F with a cast iron skillet. (you will need 2 12" skillets to fit the bagels)
- Bring 2 quarts of water to a boil and whisk in a tablespoon of sugar and baking soda.
- Carefully lower 2-3 bagels in at a time for 2 minutes, flipping once.
- Remove the skillets from the oven, lightly grease the bottom and place the bagels in.
- Bake for 18-20 minutes.
- Transfer bagels to a cooling rack for 15-20 minutes before serving.
Video
Notes
-
- Be very careful around the boiling water and hot cast iron skillet!
- The temperature of your house will play a HUGE role in rising time. We want it to nearly double in size. If it doesn’t double in size, try placing it near a sunny window.
- The bagel dough may appear dry when kneading it. Please don’t add any extra water; it will come together in the end.
- Always preheat the oven.
- Do not over-grease the skillet, or the bottom of the bagels may get too crispy. Alternatively, you can line the skillet with parchment paper to eliminate the need to preheat the skillets.
- You don’t have to boil the bagels before baking, but it will result in a stronger, chewier crust.
Oh my goodness! These came out absolutely perfect!