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Breakfast will be a treat with a homemade whole wheat bagel! This bagel recipe with freshly milled flour is easy to make and creates beautifully soft and chewy bagels every time.
It’s no secret that my family loves homemade bagels!
After all, we have made quite a few different bagel recipes. We enjoy everything from decadent cinnamon sugar bagels and chocolate chip bagels to a savory homemade onion bagel (which is my husband’s favorite to make sandwiches with)!
I’ve been slowly working on switching all of my baked goods to fresh-milled whole grain, and bagels were next on the list. If you’re looking for more ideas, I rounded up our favorites in this freshly milled flour recipes post.
I love how this bagel recipe turned out! They have a delicious flavor and density from the whole grains while still offering the nice chewiness that we love in bagels.
Table of Contents
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Bagels are such a versatile food to have on hand! Use them for a variety of delicious breakfast options or make them into a lunch or dinner sandwich. They are a fun break from the usual homemade bread (though I do love an artisan loaf with fresh milled flour).
- This recipe is made with 100% fresh milled hard white wheat. If you’re trying to move away from store-bought all purpose flour, this recipe will make it a breeze. You can also learn how to mill your own flour here!
- Homemade bagels are very customizable. You can make a variety of flavors by swapping the Everything Seasoning for something else.
Key Ingredients
- Water: As with most yeast bread recipes, aim for a water temperature of 100-110°F.
- Yeast: Regular active dry yeast is what you want.
- Fresh milled flour: I used fresh milled hard whit wheat berries, but you can use hard red wheat flour as well.
- Honey, salt, and sugar: These give the dough a balanced depth of flavor.
- Everything bagel seasoning: To sprinkle on top and add some flavor to your bagels. Feel free to use poppy seeds or sesame seeds if you prefer!
- Baking soda: We will be boiling these bagels in a baking soda bath before they go in the oven. This gives them that nice shiny, chewy crust that bagels are known for.
How to Make Bagels with Fresh Milled Flour
Step 1. Pour the warm water into a bowl, sprinkle in the yeast, and give it a stir. Let it sit until the yeast dissolves completely, then set it aside.
Step 2. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook, add the flour, honey, salt, and sugar. Pour in the yeast and water, then mix on low for 2 minutes.
Step 3. Turn the mixer up to medium (I use speed 3 on my KitchenAid) and keep mixing until the dough turns smooth and elastic. This part takes about 4-5 additional minutes. If the dough gets stuck on the hook or splits apart, stop the mixer and push it back down into the bowl.
Step 4. Once the dough is ready, form it into a ball and place it in a large oiled bowl. Cover the bowl with a damp towel and set it in a warm spot to rise about 2 hours or until doubled in size.
Step 5. Turn the dough out onto a clean surface and divide it into 10 equal pieces. Shape the dough into a ball, and tuck it under the bottom so the top is smooth. Poke your thumb through the center of each ball and gently stretch it into a ring. Set the bagels aside to rise while you prepare your pot.
Step 6. Once the bagels are shaped, preheat your oven to 425°F. Fill a large Dutch oven about halfway with water and bring it to a boil. Once at a boil, whisk in 1 tbsp of baking soda.
Step 7. Boil the bagels a few at a time (I can fit three at a time). The main thing is that they have room between them. Cook for three minutes total, flipping once halfway through. Lift them out with a slotted spoon and place them on the wire rack. While they’re still damp, sprinkle on your everything bagel seasoning.
Step 8. Once they’re all boiled and topped, transfer the bagels to your lined baking sheets, spacing them about an inch apart. Bake for 18-20 minutes until they’re golden brown on top.
Step 9. Let the bagels cool on a wire rack for at least 20 minutes before slicing.
Tips for Success
- If the dough gets stuck on the hook or splits apart, stop the mixer and push it back down into the bowl before continuing to knead it.
- The dough is going to seem very doughy and dry at first, but keep letting it knead in the mixer. It will eventually get smooth.
- Be sure to spoon and level your flour into the measuring cups. Your measurement may be off if you pack it into the cups.
- Be careful not to boil too many bagels at a time. They need room to expand in the baking soda bath.
- Need homemade bagels fast? You can skip the rise time with my no rise Greek yogurt bagel recipe!
Storage
Bagels are best stored at room temperature in an airtight container. They will last 3-5 days this way.
For longer-term storage, bagels freeze very well. Simply pack them in an airtight container, such as a freezer bag, and keep them in the freezer for up to 6 months. When you’re ready to eat one, remove it from the freezer and let the bagel thaw at room temperature before toasting and enjoying.
How to Serve Freshly Milled Everything Bagels
You’ve probably enjoyed a bagel with cream cheese before, but that’s not the only way to eat a bagel! You can incorporate them into your meals in so many different ways.
One of our go-to breakfast recipes is eggs in a bagel. It’s easy to make and gives a little variety and extra protein with our bagel! You can also use homemade bagels as the base for my favorite omelette sandwich recipe.
You don’t have to save them just for breakfast, though. Bagel sandwiches make an easy and delicious lunch or dinner! Top them with your favorite veggies, cheese, and lunch meat to make a unique and hearty sandwich.
Now, my new favorite way to enjoy these is with my sheet pan eggs! I make a big batch of these bagels along with my sheet pan eggs, and we have them for breakfast throughout the week!
Frequently Asked Questions
It’s not absolutely necessary, but it will take a lot of hand-kneading. This dough is relatively stiff and takes a lot of kneading to become smooth and elastic, so a stand mixer is certainly recommended.
Yes! Other than everything seasoning, you can use poppy seeds, sesame seeds, dried minced onion, or even shredded cheese to top your bagels. Plain bagels are also an option!
I use hard white wheat berries.
More Fresh Milled Recipes
- Biscuits with Fresh Milled Flour
- Hamburger Buns with Whole Grain Flour
- Freshly Milled Pizza Dough
- Dinner Rolls with Fresh Milled Flour
If you tried this Fresh Milled Bagel Recipe or any other recipe, I’d love for you to leave a star rating and share how it went in the comments below. Thanks for visiting!
Fresh Milled Bagels with Everything Seasoning
Equipment
- Dutch oven for boiling
Ingredients
To Make the Bagels
- 1 ½ cups warm water
- 2 ¼ teaspoons active dry yeast 1 packet
- 4 cups hard white wheat flour* spooned and leveled (520g)
- 2 tbsp honey
- 1 tsp salt
- 4 tsp sugar I use organic cane sugar
- everything bagel seasoning or sesame seeds or poppy seeds for topping
For Boiling
- 1 tbsp baking soda
- 3-4 quarts water
Instructions
- Pour the warm water into a bowl, sprinkle in the yeast, and give it a stir. Let it sit until the yeast dissolves completely, then set it aside.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook, add the flour, honey, salt, and sugar. Pour in the yeast water, and mix on low for 2 minutes.
- Turn the mixer up to medium (I use speed 3 on my KitchenAid) and keep mixing until the dough turns smooth and elastic. This part takes about 4-5 additional minutes. If the dough gets stuck on the hook or splits apart, stop the mixer and push it back down into the bowl.
- Once the dough is ready, form it into a ball and place it in a large oiled bowl. Cover the bowl with a damp towel and set it in a warm spot to rise for about 2 hours or until doubled in size.
- Turn the dough out onto a clean surface and divide it into 10 equal pieces. Shape the dough into a ball, and tuck it under the bottom so the top is smooth. Poke your thumb through the center of each ball and gently stretch it into a ring. Set the bagels aside to rise while you prepare your pot.
- Once the bagels are shaped, preheat your oven to 425°F. Fill a large dutch oven about halfway with water and bring it to a boil. Once at a boil, whisk in 1 tbsp of baking soda.
- Boil the bagels a few at a time (I can fit three at a time). the main thing is that they have room between them. Cook for three minutes total, flipping once halfway through. Lift them out with a slotted spoon and place them on the wire rack. While they’re still damp, sprinkle on your everything bagel seasoning.
- Once they’re all boiled and topped, transfer the bagels to your lined baking sheets, spacing them about an inch apart. Bake for 18-20 minutes until they’re golden brown on top.
- Let the bagels cool on a wire rack for at least 20 minutes before slicing.
Notes
- *I use hard white wheat berries, milled for this recipe. You can also substitute it equally for store-bought whole wheat. Do not use soft white wheat berries – the measurements will be off.
- Be sure to spoon and level your flour into the measuring cups. Your measurement may be off if you pack it into the cups at all.
- If the dough gets stuck on the hook or splits apart, stop the mixer and push it back down into the bowl before continuing to knead it.
- The dough is going to seem very doughy and dry at first, but keep letting it knead in the mixer. It will eventually get smooth.
- Be careful not to boil too many bagels at a time. They need room to expand in the baking soda bath.
- Need homemade bagels fast? You can skip the rise time with my no rise Greek yogurt bagel recipe!
these turned out amazing!
I am so happy to hear!
Wonderful recipe!
Thank you so much!
I was pleased when I removed the bagels from the oven and then I wasn’t. My bagels stuck to the lined baking sheet. How was I to line the baking sheet? I used parchment paper. I’m so sad about the outcome. Any suggestions?
I’m so sorry they stuck for you! Usually I don’t have to do anything special with these, but I do know some people like to let the water drip off a bit before placing them on the baking sheet. I’ll usually set them on a wire rack for few seconds. You can also lightly spray the parchment with nonstick spray. Hope that helps!
I will definitely try again. My husband found a way to remove the paper and liked them. They reminded me of soft pretzels, which I like.
Delicious! Made this using hard white wheat.
Yay, that’s awesome! Hard white wheat is such a great choice. I’m so glad they turned out delicious for you!
I just go into milling my own grains, and this is one of the first recipes I tried! Thank you!
What a great recipe to start with! I love making bagels!