Homemade Vegan Everything Bagels

Making your own vegan bagels is so fun and easier than it looks like! This recipe only requires a handful of simple ingredients and makes for firm yet fluffy bagels that are also super flavorful. Includes easy to follow step-by-step guide, pictures and video. Egg-free, dairy-free and so delicious!

Have you tried making your own vegan bagels from scratch? Yes yes, your own bagels!?

Making bagels from scratch sounds like so much work, especially when you can easily find them everywhere. BUT, they are easier to make than you might think!

Plus, fresh homemade bagels are so much better: tastier, fresher and can be flavored just the way you want. You can also be sure they are made with wholesome ingredients and excluding all preservatives. Plus, you will definitively save some money. Imagine fresh and chewy, still a little warm, fluffy yet dense bagels made right into your kitchen!

As you can see, we are obsessed with making our own. Really. Ask my bagel-obsessed-husband.

So, obviously they take a little time to make, which is mostly hands-off waiting time for the dough to rise with a quick boil and minimal prep. You can make more and freeze for later. Use for breakfast or turn into sandwiches. Delicious.

One more thing: I made these vegan bagels using everything bagel seasoning just because we normally use them in savory meals, but feel free to top with whatever you prefer!

What you will need

• All-purpose flour
• Whole wheat flour
• Salt
• Dry active yeast
• Maple syrup (or other sweetener)
• Coconut oil
• Warm water
• Plant-based milk + everything seasoning to garnish

What kind of flour to use?

As described above, I used a combination of all-purpose flour with whole wheat flour. The addition of WW flour gave the bagels a more dense texture typical of bagels. Plus, it added extra fiber and nutrition too.

But, I believe you could also use bread flour to make them. This kind of flour contains more protein than regular flour, which help develop the gluten while kneading. This might create a better chewy texture to the bagels.

Also, I haven't tried using 100% whole wheat flour yet, but it is worth a try! If doing so, I suspect you might need to add a few extra tablespoons of water to hydrate the dough as the whole wheat flour is more thirsty for water. The bagels would also be more dense.

How to make them

Make the dough

In a medium bowl, combine the warm water with the maple syrup and the yeast. Whisk and let sit for about 5 minutes. The mixture should become frothy with some foam on top. This means the yeast is active. If you cannot see any activity at all, then this might means that the yeast isn't active anymore.

Then, in a large bowl, combine the all-purpose and whole wheat flours with the salt. Then, pour the yeasty mixture over and add the melted coconut oil. Stir well until roughly combined (it won't get smooth in the bowl). I love to use a spatula to do this.

Knead + Rise #1

Once the dough has mostly come together, then transfer to a lightly floured surface. Don't use too much flour or it can dry out the dough.

Knead for at least 5 minutes, but I'll usually knead for 7-10 minutes. The dough should become ultra soft and almost not sticky/tacky anymore.

Transfer back to your bowl and cover with a damp towel. Place in a cozy area that's not too drafty either. Let the dough rise for 1 hour.

Shape into bagels + Rise #2

Once the dough is done rising, transfer back to a clean surface (don't add any more flour). Punch/knead the dough for about 1 minute: you want to deflate it and remove most of the larger air bubbles.

Then, divide the dough in 6 equal portions. I love to use my scale to do that: weight the whole ball of dough, then divide the total in 6 to indicate how heavy each balls should be. Then, weight each ball one by one to the appropriate amount.

And here is the fun part: shape each ball into bagels! Take one ball at the time and roll it against the counter into the shape of a stick of about 6-8 inches long. Then, join each extremity and allow an overlap of about 1-2 inches. Finally, press/squeeze the overlapping dough together to seal the bagels. Transfer on a baking sheet (covered with parchment paper) and keep going with the remaining 6 balls of dough.

Cover the bagels once more with the damp towel and let them rise for 1 hour in a cozy area.

Boil

Ok, this next step might look a little odd, but you will have to boil the bagels before baking them in the oven. This locks their shape and prevents them from rising too much in the oven, which is responsible for a texture that's more dense compared to regular light bread. It also provides that shiny coating on the bagels. So don't skip!

To do it, bring a large pot of water to a boil. I usually do that during the end of the second rise. This is also a good time to pre-heat your oven to 400º.

Once the bagels are done with their second rise, plunge them in the boiling water and let them simmer for 45-60 seconds on each side. Once done, take them out, gently pat dry the excess of water without manipulating them too much and transfer back on the baking sheet. You can boil 2 or 3 bagels at the time.

Bake

Brush some plant-based milk over the bagels and sprinkle with everything bagel seasoning (or your favorite seasoning).

Then, bake for 20 minutes. Let them cool down for 10-15 minutes before slicing them.

Watch how to make them

Baking tips

• Make sure to keep the holes from the bagels wide enough when shaping them or they might close as they bake.
• Try no to add too much flour when kneading. I'll usually use a little sprinkle at first, but not much more afterwards so the dough stays soft and hydrated. Only add a little if the dough is too sticky.
• Always keep the dough or bagels covered so they don't dry out.
• You will need to use warm water when proofing the yeast. Aim for a water temperature of about 110ºF.
• The dough will rise better and quicker in a cozy environment. If your house is on the chilly side, then create your own cozy spot to rise the dough. You can either place your dough in the oven with the light on (the oven needs to be off!) or place in your microwave with a large glass of warm water right beside it.

Favorite seasonings

We absolutely love everything bagel seasoning! I use this seasoning from the brand 365. Other savory toppings include dried onions or simply large flaky salt.

But, use your favorite one. If making bagels for sweet toppings, such as jam or peanut butter, then you can sprinkle the bagels with sesame seeds, poppy seeds, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds or simply keep them plain. Or try cinnamon and brown sugar!

Vegan bagel topping ideas

These are perfect for either breakfast or lunch!

As for savory ideas, one of my favorite ways to enjoy these bagels is simply by spreading hummus (extra delicious with broccoli hummus!), lettuce, tomatoes and pickled onions. This makes for a tasty quick lunch. Check out this bagel hummus sandwich recipe for more filling ideas!

You can also use them to make vegan bagel pizza or top with vegan carrot lox, sliced avocados, vegan tofu cream cheese, nut-free sunflower seed cream cheese, walnut pesto or vegan eggless salad.

If topping with sweet ingredients, then you could garnish your bagels with sesame seeds instead of everything bagels. Sweet ideas includes peanut butter + chia jam, vegan mascarpone cheese with fresh strawberries and pumpkin seed butter topped with sliced pear and a sprinkle of cinnamon.

Storage tips

These bagels store very well. Let them cool down completely first and then, transfer in an air-tight container. Keep at room temperature for a few days, but transfer to the fridge for longer storage.

They also freeze well for up to 3 months. Simply thaw overnight in the fridge before using.

How to make them ahead

You can definitely make a batch of these bagels to use throughout the next few days.

But, if you want to get a head start the day before baking them, then here is what you could do:

• Prepare the dough as directed, knead the dough nicely and let it rise covered with a towel in the fridge overnight instead of for one hour at room temperature.
• Then, in the morning, take the dough out to let it rise/warm up at room temperature for 30 minutes.
• Then, shape in bagels and keep going with the rest of the recipe as described.

FAQ's

More bread recipes you might like

• Buckwheat chia bread
• Whole wheat vegan buns
• Homemade soft tortillas
• Buckwheat wraps
• Whole grain oat milk bread

I hope you like these DIY vegan bagels as much as we do! If you try them, please leave a comment below and rate the recipe to let me know how they were. Your feedback is so helpful!

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