Soft and Chewy Gluten-Free Bagels Recipe | GFP (2024)

These soft and chewy Gluten-Free Bagels are going to be your new favorite baking obsession!

Once you take a bite of a homemade gluten-free bagel with cream cheese or your favorite bagel spread, you may not be able to resist making them from scratch every weekend.

9 easy ingredients and a bit of patience are all you need to make these tasty, traditional boiled and baked bagels.

GLUTEN-FREE BAGELS RECIPE

I'm not sure how you feel about store-bought gluten-free bagels, but I've never been a huge fan. I appreciate that someone is trying to make bagels for those of us who can't enjoy the real thing, but they just aren't the same as a fresh bagel from a local bagel shop.

These are the best gluten-free bagels! We've tested the recipe to make sure that they are easy to make, with a soft and chewy texture. Follow this easy recipe to learn exactly how to make yeasted bagels just like the best bakeries do.

If you're looking for more homemade gluten-free bread recipes, you should check out our basic Gluten Free Bread. You can make it in your bread machine or in the oven, and it's perfect for toast or sandwiches.

EQUIPMENT NEEDED

You don't need any fancy equipment to make gluten-free bagels, but you should have these items handy:

• Measuring cups and spoons
• 2 large mixing bowls
• Whisk
• Electric mixer (or stand mixer)
• Baking sheet and parchment paper
• Plastic wrap (to cover the dough while it rises)
• Large pot
• Pastry brush
• Cooling rack

TIP: If you're new to this site, be sure to check out our post on Gluten Free Baking Tips to get answers to many common GF baking questions.

INGREDIENTS IN GLUTEN-FREE BAGELS

All-Purpose Gluten-Free Flour - This recipe should work with most flours that are labeled as all-purpose gluten-free flour. Choose your favorite, or learn to make our favorite flour blend.

Xanthan Gum - If you've done much gluten-free baking, you should be familiar with this thickener that helps to replicate some of the properties of gluten. Check your flour bag though - if it already contains xanthan gum, you don't need to add any extra.

Brown Sugar - These bagels aren't sweet, but a small amount of sugar gives them a balanced flavor and helps to feed the yeast.

Instant Yeast - Look for Instant rather than active or quick yeast for this recipe.

Sea Salt - Flour doesn't have much flavor on its own, so we'll season it with salt.

Milk - To properly activate the yeast, you should warm the milk to around 110 - 115°F. You can use a thermometer to check to be sure that it's in that range.

Boiling Mixture - To get the delicious crust on your homemade gluten-free bagels, we will boil them in a mixture of water, sugar, and baking soda before baking them in the oven.

Egg - This is optional, but an egg wash will make your bagels brown up beautifully, and help any seasonings stick to them firmly.

Optional Toppings - Everything Bagel seasoning is a favorite, but you can choose from any bagel toppings you enjoy.

You'll also need a small amount of oil or cooking spray to make the dough easier to handle.

If you have any questions, please leave a comment below and we will get back to you!

HOW TO MAKE GLUTEN-FREE BAGELS

1. Mix the Dough: In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, yeast, salt and xanthan gum (if using). Slowly add the milk, and mix with an electric mixer on medium-high speed until a smooth and thick batter forms. This takes about 3 minutes.
2. Let Rise: Transfer the dough to a lightly greased bowl. Add oil to the top of the dough as well, then cover the bowl and let the dough rise at room temperature for 2 hours, or until it's visibly puffy.
3. Knead and Roll: Turn the dough out onto a clean, oiled surface and gently knead the dough until smooth. Divide the dough into 6 equal pieces and roll each piece so that it's about 10 inches in length. Press and roll the ends together to create round bagels.
4. Rest: Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and generously grease it. This is important, as the dough can get sticky. Place the formed bagels on the baking sheet, cover them, and allow to rest for 1 hour.
5. Boil: While the bagels are resting, get ready to cook them. Preheat the oven to 450°F/230°C. Combine the sugar and baking soda in a large pot and fill it halfway with water. Bring to a boil. Add the bagels to the boiling water, 3 at a time, and boil for 1 minute per side.
6. Remove: Use a slotted spatula to gently remove the boiled bagels from the water and place them back on the baking pan.
7. Egg Wash: Whisk the egg with 1 tablespoon of water and brush the tops of the bagels with the mixture. Sprinkle on the Everything But the Bagel seasoning. If you'd rather not use egg, you can simply press the seasoning lightly into the dough.
8. Bake: Bake the bagels in the preheated oven for 20-25 minutes, or until they are golden brown. Rotate the pan from front to back halfway though to ensure even browning. Transfer the bagels to a wire rack to cool.

These numbered steps match the numbered photos above and are for illustration purposes. For the complete list of ingredients and instructions, please see the recipe below.

TIPS FOR MAKING THE BEST GLUTEN-FREE BAGELS

• You can decide if you want to add the egg wash or leave it out. The egg is optional in this recipe, but it does help the seasoning stick better. It's also what gives these bagels their beautiful browned color.
• Be sure to check your flour to see if it includes xanthan gum. Many of the available all-purpose GF flours do. Only add the additional xanthan gum if your flour does not have any in it.
• Be sure to follow each step in the recipe, as they are all important for getting the perfect gluten-free bagel texture.
• Bread dough will proof faster in warmer temperatures. If it's particularly cold in your home when you're making this recipe, you may want to find a warm place for the dough to rise. On top of the refrigerator is often a warm spot, or you can turn your oven on and place the dough near it.
• The dough for these bagels can be sticky. Rather than adding additional flour to make it less sticky, use oil to keep the dough from sticking to surfaces. You can use vegetable oil, light olive oil, or any type of cooking oil with a high smoke point. Cooking spray also works well for this purpose.
• We haven't tried this recipe with any gluten-free flours that aren't designed to work like all-purpose flour. You won't get the same tasty bagel results if you make substitutions to the recipe. If you decide to experiment with different ingredients, please let us know how they worked!
• If you'd like to make bagels that are thicker (with a smaller hole in the middle) you can roll the dough into balls rather than snakes. Press a hole in the center of each ball with your thumb and then smooth all of the edges with your fingers.

HOW TO STORE HOMEMADE GLUTEN-FREE BAGELS

These bagels are best enjoyed fresh from the oven, but they can be made and stored for 2 days or so. Keep them at room temperature in an airtight container or zipper bag. We suggest toasting them to get them nice and crispy.

CAN I FREEZE THE BAGELS?

Freezing bagels is a great idea, especially if you don't plan to eat them right away. You can wrap these gf bagels individually with plastic wrap and freeze them for up to 3 months. Allow them to thaw for a few hours or overnight in the fridge before toasting.

CAN I MAKE GLUTEN-FREE DAIRY-FREE BAGELS?

Replace the milk in this recipe with warm water to make your bagels dairy-free. Leave out the egg wash and you will also have a vegan bagel.

CAN CELIACS EAT BAGELS?

If bagels are made without any gluten-containing ingredients (like this recipe!) then celiacs can eat bagels. This recipe for gluten-free bagels is very close to a traditional bagel recipe, so if you are looking for a celiac-safe bagel, this recipe is exactly what you've been looking for.

ARE GLUTEN-FREE BAGELS HEALTHIER?

Generally speaking, these bagels aren't any different than regular bagels, nutrition-wise, except for the fact that they're made without wheat or gluten. They have about the same number of calories as a traditional bagel, but they're safe!

BAGEL TOPPING IDEAS

Everything Bagel Seasoning is amazing, but you don't have to stop there. Try some of these great ideas for topping your fresh gluten-free bagels:

• Coarse Sea Salt
• Chili Flakes
• Poppy Seeds
• Sesame Seeds
• Grated or shredded cheese (try cheddar, parmesan, or asiago)
• Cinnamon and Sugar
• Rolled Oats

MORE GLUTEN-FREE BAKING RECIPES

If you love this GF Bagel Recipe, you should check out more of our recipes! Here are some reader favorites to start with:

• Gluten Free Pizza Dough
• Easy Gluten Free Vanilla Cake
• Gluten Free Cake Donuts
• Gluten Free Coffee Cake

Did you make this Gluten Free Bagels Recipe? Please leave a comment and let us know what you thought!