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There’s nothing like a warm, chewy homemade bagel! These whole wheat cranberry bagels are such a fun twist on a classic New York-style bagel. With cinnamon, orange zest, and plenty of dried cranberries, they have a hearty dose of fall flavor.
I saw fresh cranberries in the store last week, and I knew fall had truly arrived!
I immediately started craving all of my favorite cranberry treats: cranberry French toast casserole, cranberry orange scones, and of course cranberry bread.
But it also inspired me to try something a little different: whole wheat cranberry bagels!
These are seriously so delicious topped with cream cheese, butter, or honey. The cranberries add just enough sweetness, and they are chock-full of warm autumn flavors.
The best part about these bagels is they are made with dried cranberries, so you can actually make them anytime of year! No need to wait for the fresh cranberries to hit the produce section.
They’re fun to prep at the beginning of the week to have an easy breakfast on hand, or make them fresh for a special Saturday brunch!
Table of Contents
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Soft and chewy bagel: These whole wheat bagels have that delicious New York-style texture, and the cranberries add a fun bite to the bagel.
- Warm fall flavors: The craisins, orange zest, and cinnamon add such a wonderful flavor to these bagels that just feels like autumn.
- Fresh milled flour: You really can’t beat that fresh and nutty flavor of freshly milled flour! I’ve made whole wheat blueberry bagels and cinnamon sugar bagels with it in the past, and they are always a hit.
Ingredients
- Fresh milled flour: Hard white wheat berries work best for bagels to develop a strong gluten structure and achieve a deliciously chewy texture.
- Yeast: Make sure it’s fresh instant yeast for a successful rise.
- Dried cranberries: I used sweetened dried cranberries. I haven’t tried unsweetened dried cranberries, but you are welcome to if that’s your preference!
- Egg white: Boiling your bagels gives them that shiny, chewy crust that bagels are known for. I like to add an additional egg white wash to get them extra golden and shiny.
Find the full list of ingredients and measurements in the recipe card below!
How to Make Whole Wheat Cranberry Bagels
Step 1. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a hook attachment, combine 1 tablespoon brown sugar, yeast, flour, salt, and water.
Step 2. Knead for 8-10 minutes on medium-low setting until smooth.
Step 3. Add cranberries, cinnamon, and orange zest, and knead for 1 more minute to combine.
Step 4. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and set aside for 1.5 -2 hours, until the dough has doubled in size.
Step 5. Once risen, preheat oven to 450°F and line a standard baking sheet with parchment paper.
Step 6. Transfer dough to a lightly floured surface and divide into 8 equal sections.
Step 7. Using your hands, roll each section into a smooth ball.
Step 8. Shape each ball into a ring, with a hole in the middle, using your thumb. Slowly work the hole with your fingers until it is pretty wide; it will get much smaller while cooking. Smooth out the top.
Step 9. Meanwhile, fill a large pot about halfway with water and bring to a boil. Add your baking soda and the remaining brown sugar to the pot and stir until dissolved.
Step 10. Add a few bagels to the pot at a time.
Step 11. Cook on the first side for 1 minute, then flip and cook for 30 more seconds. Transfer to the baking sheet and repeat with the remaining bagels.
Step 12. Brush bagels with egg white. Bake for 20-25 minutes, until deeply golden brown.
Step 13. Serve warm and enjoy!
Expert Tips
- The temperature of your house will affect rise time, so be flexible. Check the dough periodically and continue to the next step when it has doubled in size rather than when the timer goes off.
- This is a stiff dough by design; don’t add a lot of extra water to make it more pliable.
- Don’t overcrowd your bagels when boiling them. Work in batches, so they have plenty of room in the pot.
- Weighing is the most accurate way to measure flour. If you do go that route, be sure to weigh it after it’s been milled; don’t just weigh the wheat berries.
- If you are new to fresh milled flour, a little preparation will go a long way towards a successful first bake. Read up on my tips for baking with whole grains and how to mill your own flour before you get started.
Storage and Freezing
Homemade cranberry bagels can be stored at room temperature for 3-5 days in a sealed container. They taste best when they’re freshly baked, so I recommend freezing them if you won’t eat them soon.
Bagels freeze extremely well for longer-term storage. Once they are cool, place them in a freezer-safe bag and remove as much air as possible. Freeze for up to 6 months and thaw at room temperature. I also like to pre-slice mine so they can go straight into the toaster without thawing first!
How to Serve Cranberry Bagels
Cranberry bagels are delicious fresh from the oven or toasted and topped with cream cheese, butter, or honey! They add a fun, from-scratch touch to a brunch spread, served with fruit, pumpkin yogurt, cast iron quiche, or homemade breakfast sausages.
They also make the tastiest addition to a sandwich for breakfast or lunch. Use them as the base of a turkey, chicken salad, or egg sandwich!
Recipe FAQs
You don’t have to, but boiling them is how you get that shiny, chewy exterior. If you bake them unboiled, they will be more like bread or dinner rolls.
I buy all of my whole grains from Azure Standard. You can read more about my other top picks and why I prefer them in my post about the best places to buy milling grains!
A stand mixer is strongly recommended because it is such a stiff dough, and you would have to knead by hand for a long time. But if you don’t have one and you’re willing to put in a little elbow grease, you can certainly knead the dough by hand instead!
Related Recipes
- Onion Bagel Recipe
- Fresh Milled Whole Grain Bagel Recipe
- Chocolate Chip Bagels
- No Rise Greek Yogurt Bagels
- Eggs in a Bagel Recipe
If you tried these Whole Wheat Cranberry Bagels 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!
Whole Wheat Cranberry Bagels
Equipment
- Large pot
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons brown sugar divided
- 2 ¼ teaspoons instant yeast (1 packet)
- 3 ¾ cups freshly milled hard white flour (490g)
- 1 ½ teaspoons salt
- 1 ¼ cups lukewarm water
- ½ cup dried cranberries I use sweetened cranberries
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon orange zest
Boiling and Egg Wash
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 large egg white beaten
Instructions
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a hook attachment, combine 1 tablespoon brown sugar, yeast, flour, salt, and water.
- Knead for 8-10 minutes on medium-low setting until smooth.
- Add cranberries, cinnamon, and orange zest, and knead for 1 more minute to combine.
- Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and set aside for 1.5 – 2 hours, until the dough has doubled in size.
- Once risen, preheat oven to 450°F and line a standard baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Transfer dough to a lightly floured surface and divide into 8 equal sections.
- Using your hands, roll each section into a smooth ball.
- Shape each ball into a ring, with a hole in the middle, using your thumb. Slowly work the hole with your fingers until it is pretty wide; it will get much smaller while cooking. Smooth out the top.
- Meanwhile, fill a large pot about halfway with water and bring to a boil. Add your baking soda and the remaining brown sugar to the pot and stir until dissolved.
- Add a few bagels to the pot at a time.
- Cook on the first side for 1 minute, then flip and cook for 30 more seconds. Transfer to the baking sheet and repeat with the remaining bagels.
- Brush bagels with egg white. Bake for 20-25 minutes, until deeply golden brown.
- Serve warm and enjoy!
Video
Notes
- The temperature of your house will affect rise time, so be flexible. Check the dough periodically and continue to the next step when it has doubled in size rather than when the timer goes off.
- This is a stiff dough by design; don’t add a lot of extra water to make it more pliable.
- Don’t overcrowd your bagels when boiling them. Work in batches, so they have plenty of room in the pot.
- Weighing is the most accurate way to measure flour. If you do go that route, be sure to weigh it after it’s been milled; don’t just weigh the wheat berries.
- If you are new to fresh milled flour, a little preparation will go a long way towards a successful first bake. Read up on my tips for baking with whole grains and how to mill your own flour before you get started.
