Julie Clark
Posted:
Whole Wheat Bagels
This post may contain affiliate links. Read our disclosure policy.
Learn how to make savory and delicious Whole Wheat Bagels with a perfectly chewy bagel texture. Top with everything seasoning.
Fun fact about me; One of my all-time favorite breakfasts is a warm toasted bagel, that has been buttered and smeared with a good dollop of tangy cream cheese.
The very idea of making homemade bagels was so foreign and daunting to me, that I actually avoided trying it for years.
When I finally got up the courage to try, I realized that not only are they really easy to make, but they are also be so much fun! If you have been wanting to try your hand at homemade bagels, I encourage you to give this simple whole wheat bagel recipe a try. They have an amazing outer crust, and a chewy texture that is to die for.
Bagel Additions:
Looking to add a different flavor to your bagels? Try raisins, chocolate chips or any other dried fruit. You could even add our cinnamon chips for a cinnamon crunch bagel.
Bagel Toppings:
This whole wheat bagel recipe calls for an “everything” topping, but honestly you could customize the topping to whatever suits your fancy. I often top them with just sesame seeds, or a seeded oat mixture, and if I am feeling like something a little sweet, these taste absolutely amazing when topped with cinnamon sugar.
So I definitely encourage you to play around with different flavor combinations to suite your family & just have some a good time baking them, because that really is half the fun!
We’ve served our grilled pork burgers on these whole wheat bagels. They are great even for breakfast!
Love whole wheat? Try our sourdough discard whole wheat bread, whole wheat sourdough pancakes or whole wheat cinnamon pancakes.
Whole Wheat Bagels
Learn how to make savory and delicious Whole Wheat Bagels with a perfectly chewy bagel texture. Top with everything seasoning.
Servings 8 servings
Prep Time 35 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Rise Time 45 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 40 minutes
Ingredients
For the everything seasoning:
- 3 tablespoons sesame seeds
- 3 tablespoons poppy seeds
- 1 1/2 tablespoons dried onion flakes
- 1 tablespoon dried garlic flakes
- 1 1/2 teaspoons coarse sea salt
For the bagels:
- 1 1/2 cups warm water 110-115ºF
- 1 package instant yeast
- 2 tablespoons molasses
- 2 cups whole wheat flour
- 1 3/4 cups bread flour
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1 pot of boiling water
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup cornmeal for the baking sheet
- 1 egg, to brush on bagels beaten
Instructions
- To make the seasoning, mix everything together in a small bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Set aside. 3 tablespoons sesame seeds, 3 tablespoons poppy seeds , 1 ½ tablespoons dried onion flakes, 1 tablespoon dried garlic flakes , 1 ½ teaspoons coarse sea salt
- Pour the warm water into the bowl of a stand mixer. Sprinkle the yeast over the top and allow the yeast to activate for 3-4 minutes. 1 ½ cups warm water, 1 package instant yeast
- Add in the molasses, flours and salt and begin mixing with the paddle attachment. Mix just until combined and let the dough rest for 5 minutes. 2 tablespoons molasses , 2 cups whole wheat flour , 1 ¾ cups bread flour , 2 teaspoons salt
- Switch to the dough hook and knead the dough for 5-7 minutes on low speed.
- Place the dough in a greased bowl and cover with a towel. Allow the dough to rise for 30-35 minutes or until the dough is nearly doubled.
- Preheat the oven to 425ºF and line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat. Once the dough has risen, punch it down to release the air and turn it out onto a lightly floured surface.
- Cut the dough into 8 equal portions. Shape into balls. Use your thumb to punch a hole through the center of each ball. Gently stretch the hole to the desired size, shaping the bagel. Set aside on the prepared baking sheet. Allow the dough to rest for 15 minutes.
- While the dough is resting, bring a large pot of water to a boil. Once the water is boiling, add baking soda and sugar, stirring to dissolve fully. 1 pot of boiling water, 2 teaspoons baking soda , 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
- Depending on the size of your pot, place 3-4 bagels into the boiling water at a time. Boil for 60 seconds on one side, flip the bagel and boil for another 60 seconds on the other side. Remove from boiling water with a strainer or slotted spoon, allowing excess liquid to drip off.
- Sprinkle cornmeal over the parchment paper, then place the bagels onto the baking sheet. Brush the bagels with the beaten egg and sprinkle with everything seasoning. Bake for 18-20 minutes or until golden brown. Allow to cool for at least 15 minutes before slicing and serving. ¼ cup cornmeal, 1 egg, to brush on bagels
Notes
- Swap out the molasses for the same amount of honey if desired. The bagels might not be quite as dark in color though.
- Makes 8 full size bagels.
- To freeze your bagels, allow them to cool completely and place them in a sealed plastic bag. Freeze for up to 6 weeks.
- Refer to the article above for more tips and tricks. The calories shown are based on the recipe making 6 bagels, with 1 serving being 1 bagel. Since different brands of ingredients have different nutritional information, the calories shown are just an estimate. **We are not dietitians and recommend you seek a nutritionist for exact nutritional information. **
Nutrition
Calories: 390kcal | Carbohydrates: 55g | Protein: 11g | Fat: 14g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Cholesterol: 51mg | Sodium: 1508mg | Potassium: 340mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 410IU | Vitamin C: 0.7mg | Calcium: 138mg | Iron: 3.7mg
It says that cuisine is American, but few of you know that it is actually Jewish.
Don’t see how this recipe can work. Most bagel recipes are from 55% to 64% hydration tops.
This recipe is at 77% hydration! The dough would be way too sticky. If use one cup of water plus 2 tbs of water your hydration would come out to 58%. I have not tried the recipe, but from making bagels in the past, that should work better.
Hello
Would you please tell me how many grams in one cup of flour in this recipe ?
Thank you
What would happen if you skipped the boiling?
can you make the bagels with all whole wheat flour and omit the ap flour?
How many grams is a ‘package’ of instant yeast?
hello! is there a better measurement for the amount of yeast to use, rather than ‘a packet’…thanks!
How many calories is one bagel ?
What a great recipe to do with the kids when they are off on a cloudy Monday. The bagels were delicious!!!!
Hi! I was wondering if the whole wheat flour is all-purpose, or bread (hard) type?
Can I leave out the molasses?
Hello. I tried this recipe today. Pretty straight forward and easy. I’ve attempted New York style bagels and Montreal bagels with success! I’m currently in Saudi Arabia and bagels are hard to come by. You may find them on occasion in the frozen section grocery store. I wanted a tasty whole wheat bagel and these turned out great. I couldn’t find regular molasses but had date molasses and used it instead. I had a hard time trying to figure out when the bagels were done… because the dough is a brown color already, Any tips? Also what the purpose of… Read more »
There have been so many positive comments. My dough was very sticky and difficult to work with. At the end the bagels are very flat. I am wondering if you have any thoughts about where I went wrong. I’d love to try this recipe again. Thanks!
how many grams is a cup for you?
thanks
My friend and I made these yesterday, and they came out wonderfully! It was our first time making bagels, and we are so happy with this recipe. We followed all the steps (our only substitution was maple syrup for molasses), and the bagels are perfectly fluffy inside and crispy outside. Thank you for such a fantastic recipe!