Author: The Best Vegan Bagels are fluffy and chewy, sweet and salty, and super fun to make! Just 6 simple ingredients that you likely already have in your pantry. Making homemade bagels takes a few steps, but every step is simple and the results are so worth it! This is the perfect weekend project, and the bagels freeze wonderfully so you can enjoy them all week long.
The other day I woke up craving bagels with my homemade vegan carrot lox recipe (which is on page 25 in Fuss-Free Vegan cookbook). I didn't have any bagels in the house, and I didn't feel like going out to get any so I decided to make some from scratch. GOOD IDEA! These bagels turned out so perfectly delicious, they are a million times better than any store-bought bagel.
Making bagels is a really fun stay-at-home project that you can do alone, with friends, or with your kids. It also saves money as grocery store bagels can be quite expensive. The technique of making bagels is a little unique in that they must be boiled before they are baked. This is what makes the outside of the bagel chewier while keeping the inside fluffy. I like to top my bagels with sesame seeds, poppy seeds, or everything bagel seasoning (which is a mixture of seeds, salt, onion, and garlic), or you can keel them plain.
The best vegan bagels are perfect with my homemade vegan cream cheese recipes (there are 3 different flavor options), or they make an amazing bread for my breakfast sandwich recipe! I also like to toast the bagels and spread them with my pistachio butter or a bit of dairy-free butter to serve with soups, such as My Go-To Vegan Soup, Vegan Cream of Mushroom Soup, Smoky Tofu & Bean Soup, or my Hearty Lentil Stew.
You can also use this bagel recipe to make avocado toast, make a bagel sandwich with tomato and cucumber, or spread on some hummus. Yum! Trust me when I say, once you make a batch of these, you will always find more ways to enjoy them. My husband and I like to make a big batch on the weekends and enjoy them every day served in various ways. I just can't get enough!
How to make The Best Vegan Bagels:
To make the dough:
Mix the warm water, brown sugar, and instant yeast together in a large bowl. Cover with a clean tea towel and let sit for 10 minutes. The mixture should be very foamy. If it isn't foamy, your yeast is likely too old so you should purchase new yeast and try again.
Add the bread flour and salt and mix to make a shaggy dough.
Turn the dough onto a clean work surface and knead the dough for 5 minutes. The dough will be too tough for a mixer so you will have to knead it by hand to make a smooth tight ball.
Lightly grease a large bowl and add the dough. Turn the dough in the bowl to evenly coat it in oil. Cover with a clean dish towel.
Let rise somewhere warm for 1 hour until doubled in size. The oven with just the light turned on is a great place to rise dough.
To shape and cook the bagels:
Preheat your oven to 425°F (220°C). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
Once the dough has risen, punch the dough down and divided it into 10 equal pieces for normal-sized bagels. (For extra-large bagels divide the dough into 8 pieces). Take each piece of dough and form it into a ball, then poke a hole through the center of the ball dough using your fingers and stretch to make a bagel shape. Spread the bagels out on the prepared baking sheets.
Now the bagels need to be boiled. Add 8 cups of water and ¼ cup of brown sugar to a large pot and bring to a boil. Once boiling, add a few bagels at a time (do not crowd the pot), and boil for 1 minute. Use a slotted spatula to flip the bagels over and boil for another minute. Remove the bagels from the water and return them to the baking sheets. Repeat with the remaining bagels.
Once boiled, brush the tops of the bagels with aquafaba and then sprinkle the bagels with sesame seeds, poppy seeds, or everything bagel seasoning.
Bake the bagels for about 25 minutes or until lightly golden brown. Remove from the oven and let cool on the pan. They will be more tender when they are still warm and will get chewier as they cool. Store cooled bagels in an air-tight container at room temperature for up to 4 days, or you can freeze them for up to 4 - 6 months.
These vegan bagels are:
- Fluffy & chewy
- Lightly sweet & salty
- Fun to make!
What to put on homemade bagels:
Plain Vegan Cream Cheese
Fruity Vegan Cream Cheese (strawberry, pineapple, blueberry, or other flavors)
Herb & Garlic Cream Cheese
Jackfruit Salad
Vegan Egg Salad
The Ultimate Vegan Breakfast Sandwich
If you try this recipe let us know by leaving a comment, rating it, and don't forget to tag @itdoesnttastelikechicken on Instagram.
Bon appetegan!
Sam Turnbull.
(click stars to vote)
The Best Vegan Bagels
Servings: bagels (or 8 extra-large ones)
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Ingredients
For the bagel dough:
- 1 ½ cups warm water, (think bath water temperature)
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar, (or barley malt syrup, see notes)
- 2 ¾ teaspoons instant yeast
- 4 cups bread flour, (see notes to make your own)
- 2 teaspoons salt
For boiling the bagels:
- 8 cups water, (2 liters)
- ¼ cup brown sugar, (or barley malt syrup, see notes)
For topping the bagels:
- 2 - 3 tablespoons sesame seeds, poppy seeds, or everything bagel seasoning
- 2 - 3 tablespoons aquafaba, (the liquid in a can of chickpeas)
Instructions
To make the dough:
- Mix the warm water, brown sugar, and instant yeast together in a large bowl. Cover with a clean tea towel and let sit for 10 minutes. The mixture should be very foamy. If it isn't foamy, your yeast is likely too old so you should purchase new yeast and try again.
- Add the bread flour and salt and mix to make a shaggy dough.
- Turn the dough onto a clean work surface and knead the dough for 5 minutes. The dough will be too tough for a mixer so you will have to knead it by hand to make a smooth tight ball.
- Lightly grease a large bowl and add the dough. Turn the dough in the bowl to evenly coat it in oil. Cover with a clean dish towel. Let rise somewhere warm for 1 hour until doubled in size. The oven with just the light turned on is a great place to rise dough.
To shape and cook the bagels:
- Preheat your oven to 425°F (220°C). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Once the dough has risen, punch the dough down and divided it into 10 equal pieces for normal-sized bagels. (For extra-large bagels divide the dough into 8 pieces). Take each piece of dough and form it into a ball, then poke a hole through the center of the ball dough using your fingers and stretch to make a bagel shape. Spread the bagels out on the prepared baking sheets.
- Now the bagels need to be boiled. Add 8 cups of water and ¼ cup of brown sugar to a large pot and bring to a boil. Once boiling, add a few bagels at a time (do not crowd the pot), and boil for 1 minute. Use a slotted spatula to flip the bagels over and boil for another minute. Remove the bagels from the water and return them to the baking sheets. Repeat with the remaining bagels.
- Once boiled, brush the tops of the bagels with aquafaba and then sprinkle the bagels with sesame seeds, poppy seeds, or everything bagel seasoning.
- Bake the bagels for about 25 minutes or until lightly golden brown. Remove from the oven and let cool on the pan. They will be more tender when they are still warm and will get chewier as they cool. Store cooled bagels in an air-tight container at room temperature for up to 4 days, or you can freeze them freeze them for up to 4 - 6 months.
Notes
Nutrition
⭐ Did You Make This Recipe?
I’d love if you left a rating and comment, it helps others find the recipe and makes my day! 💕More vegan recipes you might enjoy:
Kris says
Made these and they came out great. Thanks, Sam, for another excellent recipe. I use your cookbooks all the time, too.
Sam Turnbull @ It Doesn't Taste Like Chicken says
Yay! That makes me so happy. Thank you for your support Kris 🙂
Jen says
I decided to take the risk of putting all of this into my trusty thrift store bread machine and seeing what happened. Once the dough setting was done, I went straight to the shaping and boiling steps, and basted with plant based milk. I've made these three times and brought them to family breakfasts and they always disappear! They're perfectly chewy and flavorful. This is the only bagel recipe I'll use!
Sam Turnbull @ It Doesn't Taste Like Chicken says
That’s amazing, Jen! Love that your thrift store bread machine is getting bagel glory. So glad this recipe is now your go-to 🥯
Damon Isaacs says
I’ve made this recipe twice and I used Barley Malt Syrup. As with anything practice helps! I always try to make a new recipe three to four times within a month to learn the method and improve on how I do those methods these get better every time. I did decide to make mine smaller so I made 12 out of the batch. I do let them rise in the fridge over night. I get them out and let them sit on the counter for an hour and then boil them. They are delicious to eat warm!
Sam Turnbull @ It Doesn't Taste Like Chicken says
Thank you, Damon! 😊 I love your dedication to mastering the method and your tweaks sound perfect. So glad you’re enjoying them warm and fresh from the oven!
Kelly says
I have made these twice now. Recipe is easy to follow. They come out light and chewy. They freeze well.
My husband loves them as do I
Thank you for sharing your recipes
Sam Turnbull @ It Doesn't Taste Like Chicken says
Thank you so much, Kelly! 🥯 I’m so happy you and your husband are loving the bagels, and I’m glad to hear they freeze well too!
maddi says
these came out better than when i had followed a baking company's recipe! delicious (:
Jess @ It Doesn't Taste Like Chicken says
Hooray! That's a great review!