Today I'm bringing you a bagel recipe that's about to change your breakfast game forever. If there's one thing I've learned on my gluten-free journey, it's that great bread is possible. It's not only possible but also absolutely critical to enjoying our meals—and our lives—without feeling like we're missing out.
As a born and raised New Yorker, chewy, crusty authentic New York-style bagels have always been very important to me. Now I bring them to you, gluten free!
Bagels and I go way back. From the local bagel store of my childhood in New York, to the bigger, puffier bagels at the famed spots like Ess-a-Bagel and H&H Bagels when I lived in New York City, bagels have always been more than just bread to me. They're a connection to my past, a comfort food, a versatile snack or meal—and a baking challenge I was more than ready to tackle.
After many trials and a few too many ‘interesting' outcomes, I can confidently say I've cracked the code on baking gluten-free bagels that are not only as good as their gluten-filled counterparts but may even be better.
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Why you'll love this recipe
First off, the texture is simply unmatched. These bagels are crisp on the outside, satisfyingly chewy on the inside, just like real, boiled bagels are meant to be.
It’s not just about the texture. It’s also about the bready, yeasty taste that’s perfect whether you toast them or not. The process of making these bagels is genuinely enjoyable and almost therapeutic, with each stage of preparation becoming a part of the joy in creating something delicious from scratch.
And who doesn't love a recipe that's forgiving, right? You don't need to be a professional baker to pull off these bagels. It's all about simple ingredients and techniques.
Plus, the versatility these bagels bring to your kitchen is unique. You can enjoy them plain, toasted with a bit of cream cheese, or use them as the foundation for the perfect sandwich.
A New York gluten free bagel, of a kind
When I first started developing recipes for bagels, I was inclined to make a true New York bagel: one that has a relatively tight crumb, and is intensely chewy.
That's the kind of bagel I grew up in NY eating from the local bagel store in town. The kind where teens worked after school. The kind that is required at a proper gluten free breakfast or brunch.
When I lived in New York City, I ate at places like Ess-a-Bagel and H&H Bagels. They had bigger, puffier bagels.
They were still chewy, but they also had a much more airy crumb. To me, they tasted fluffy. But they're not truly fluffy. These gluten free plain bagels are like those bagels of my young adulthood.
They're not the roll with a hole that you get from somewhere like Dunkin Donuts (bless their hearts). No one aspires to that sort of bagel, not even Dunkin Donuts.
Same goes for all the packaged gluten free bagels you can buy—at least all the ones I've tried. They are bagel-shaped bread.
These bagels are amazing fresh out of the oven. Pile a chunky chicken salad on one, and try to conceal your pleasure before you even take a single bite.
They're also awesome toasted. First, why would anyone do that with a true fresh bagel?
But if you're planning to toast your bagel, you may as well make a big batch, let them cool completely, slice them through the middle, and freeze them. Defrost at room temperature, and toast to perfection.
How to make gluten free bagels
Making these gluten-free bagels is truly an enjoyable process, and while it might look a bit lengthy, it's not overly complex. Let’s break it down.
We begin by combining our gluten-free ingredients to create a soft, workable dough. There's no need for high-end, hard-to-find ingredients, just regular pantry-style gluten-free ingredients are all it takes.
Once the ingredients are combined, we beat them in a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment until the dough takes on a whipped appearance. Then, we chill it for a bit, which makes it easier to shape later and gives the yeast a chance to develop some flavor.
Speaking of shaping, that's our next step. We portion out our dough into individual pieces and start forming our bagels. But there's no complicated rolling and joining here. We just shape the dough into a round and then make a hole in the middle.
Once our bagels have been shaped, we give them some time to rise. They puff up to about 1.5 times their original size, creating a nice, light texture. They won’t double in size, so don’t let them overproof waiting for them to get even bigger.
Then comes the part that gives our bagels their authentic taste and texture – boiling them in a molasses bath! This step restricts the oven rise a bit and ensures that chewy, classic bagel texture we're after.
After a quick boil, the bagels are brushed with egg wash to give them a lovely golden color in the oven. Then, into the oven they go until they've reached a beautiful golden brown and the aroma fills your kitchen.
So, you see, while there are a few stages in the process, each one is straightforward and adds to the final result: chewy, tasty, authentic gluten-free bagels!
How to shape gluten free bagels the easy way
Bagels are sometimes shaped by rolling out a cylinder of dough, about 1 1/2-inches thick and then joining the ends together to create a round. That is not the way I shape or recommend shaping bagels.
If you shape your bagel like that, the edges may separate during boiling or even during baking. Plus, a bagel tastes no different if it's shaped that way. Maybe it's just for showing off? We do not need that.
I prefer to shape my bagels the easy way. Create a round of your portioned piece of dough as you would any other round of dough.
A smooth round piece of bread dough is shaped by cupping your hand around the dough, with the pinky edge of your hand resting on the surface and your hand in a C shape (or a backwards C if you're right handed like I am). Move your hand around in a circle, maintaining contact with the surface on the side of your hand at all times.
Then, poke a floured finger into the center and rotate the dough around that finger in concentric circles. If you're a visual learner and are sighted, watch the how-to video. You'll get the hang of it.
Why these gluten free bagels must be boiled and then baked
After the shaped pieces of dough rise just enough (you only want it to rise to be about 1 1/2 times its original size), you're going to boil them in a molasses bath. That's just 6 cups water with 1 teaspoon kosher salt and 1 tablespoon unsulphured molasses brought to a rolling boil.
If you have a cakey bread dough, no amount of boiling is going to give you a chewy dough. But if you have the right recipe with the proper balance of regular pantry-style gluten free ingredients like this recipe, boiling your shaped and risen bagels will keep them from rising too much in the oven and make them chewy.
When the bagels' oven rise is just a bit restricted, you are rewarded with a chewy bagel. Be sure not to let them rise too much once they're shaped, or your bagel dough will soak up water like a sponge and disintegrate during boiling.
Substitutions for gluten free bagel ingredients
I'd be careful with changing any of the ingredients here. This recipe works because of the right ingredients in the right quantities. But, if you do want to try, here are my best guesses. But no promises!
Gluten free dairy free bagels
The dairy in this recipe comes from butter and milk powder. The milk powder you use can be nonfat dry milk or whole milk powder. Whole milk powder makes a slightly richer result.
To replace the milk powder with a dairy-free alternative, coconut milk powder should work. I like Native Forest brand, but there are many others available now, including Anthony's brand.
In place of butter, vegan butter should work. I like Miyoko's Kitchen or Melt brand vegan butters best.
Gluten free egg free bagels
If you can’t have egg whites, you can try replacing the egg white with an equal amount, by weight, of aquafaba, which is the brine from a can of chickpeas. Try beating the aquafaba until foamy with a whisk before adding it to the dough.
In place of the egg wash on the outside of the bagels, try using melted butter or cream!
Do you have to use extra tapioca starch/flour, even if your all purpose GF blend contains it?
Yes! You must use tapioca starch as a separate ingredient.
All proper all purpose gluten free flour blends have tapioca starch in the blend. Here you need a touch more.
There is no other starch that I can recommend as a perfect substitute for tapioca starch/flour. It provides structure, stretch and a smoothness to the dough that I've really come to rely upon in many bread recipes.
Easy Gluten Free Bagels
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 ¾ cups (385 g) all purpose gluten free flour blend (I used Better Batter; click through for full info on appropriate blends)
- 2 ¾ teaspoons xanthan gum omit if your blend already contains it
- ½ cup (72 g) tapioca starch/flour plus more for sprinkling
- ¼ cup (40 g) milk powder
- 1 tablespoon (9 g) instant yeast (See Recipe Notes)
- 2 tablespoons (24 g) granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 (25 g) egg white at room temperature
- 6 tablespoons (84 g) unsalted butter at room temperature
- 1 ⅜ cups (11 ounces) warm water (about 95°F)
- Molasses bath 6 cups water + 1 teaspoon kosher salt + 1 tablespoon unsulphured molasses
- Egg wash 1 egg + 1 tablespoon lukewarm water, beaten
Instructions
To make the bagel dough.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, place the flour, xanthan gum, tapioca starch/flour, milk powder, instant yeast, and granulated sugar, and whisk to combine well. Add the salt, and whisk again to combine.
- Create a well in the center of the dry ingredients and add the egg white, butter, and warm water, and mix to combine well.
- Place the bowl in the stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and beat on medium speed. The dough will clump at first.
- Once it begins to smooth out, increase the speed to medium-high and continue to beat until the dough takes on a whipped appearance.
- Transfer the dough to a container with a lid, cover, and chill for about 30 minutes (and up to 2 days) to make the dough easier to work with.
Shape the bagels.
- When you’re ready to shape the bagels, line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper, spray it lightly with cooking oil spray, and set it aside.
- Sprinkle a surface lightly with tapioca starch, and turn out the chilled dough onto it. Sprinkle again lightly with more tapioca starch, and turn the dough over a few times to smooth the surface.
- Using a sharp knife or bench scraper, divide the dough in half, then each half into 4 equal pieces to make 8 pieces total.
- Working with one piece at a time, sprinkling very lightly with additional tapioca starch to prevent sticking, press the dough into a roughly shaped round, pinching together any cracks.
- Shape the dough into a round by placing it flat on the shaping surface and moving a cupped hand around in a circular motion to coax it into a round. Sprinkle the top liberally with more tapioca starch and poke a floured finger into the center.
- Move that finger in a circular motion to create a hole about 1 1/2-inches in diameter. Place the shaped dough on the prepared baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining dough.
Let the bagels rise.
- Cover the baking sheet with lightly oiled plastic wrap, and set aside to rise until the bagels are about 150% of their original size.
- Rising could take as little as about 40 minutes, or it could take much longer. It depends upon the environment in your kitchen. If you see the surface of the bagels begin to become very uneven, with craters forming, stop proofing immediately.
- Preheat your oven to 375°F.
Boil the risen raw bagels.
- As the bagels are nearing the end of their rise, place the ingredients for the molasses bath in a heavy-bottom saucepan and bring to a rolling boil over medium heat.
- Place as many of the bagels in the bath as you can fit without crowding them at all, and boil for about 45 seconds total, turning the dough over for even boiling.
- Remove the bagels from the bath with a slotted spoon or strainer, and return them to the baking sheet. Brush the bagels generously with the egg wash.
Bake the bagels.
- Place the baking sheet in the center of the preheated oven and bake for 15 minutes.
- Rotate the baking sheet in the oven and continue to bake for another 10 to 15 minutes or until golden brown all over and a thermometer inserted into a bagel reads 180°F.
- For a thicker crust, increase the oven temperature to 400°F and bake for another 7 or 8 minutes. Remove the baking sheet from the oven and allow the bagels to cool until they’re no longer too hot to handle before serving.
Notes
If you don’t have instant yeast, you can use active dry yeast in a larger quantity. The conversion is to multiply the weight of the instant yeast (here, 9 grams) by 125% (9 grams x 1.25 = 11.25 grams; just use a tiny bit more than 11 grams). All purpose gluten free flour
Please follow the link in the recipe for a full discussion of the all purpose gluten free flour blends will and will not work in my recipes. This is particularly important in bread recipes. I always get a lot of comments and emails from readers who have used a gluten free flour blend like Bob’s Red Mill, King Arthur Flour, or Namaste, complaining that the recipe doesn’t work as written. You cannot use these blends in my recipes and expect consistent, if any good, results. Nutrition information. Nutrition information is an estimate only from online calculators, provided as a courtesy, and should not be relied on under any circumstances. In this particular case, it excludes any effect of the molasses bath and egg wash.
Nutrition
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Hi, I’m Nicole. I create gluten free recipes that really work and taste as good as you remember. No more making separate meals when someone is GF, or buying packaged foods that aren’t good enough to justify the price. At Gluten Free on a Shoestring, “good, for gluten free” just isn’t good enough! Come visit my bio!
Lois Weinstein says
I bought your personal flour blend and would like to make these bagels with it. How much xanthan gum by weight should I use? I have a scale that I use for baking. Thanks.
Nicole Hunn says
Hi, Lois, for yeast bread like bagels, you need 1 teaspoon of xanthan gum per cup of flour. Here, that would be 2 3/4 teaspoons of xanthan gum for one single batch of these bagels. You follow the Nicole’s Best Usage Guide on the Nicole’s Best website for how much xanthan gum to use for each category of recipe, which is on every page of the sales site. Here is a link to download it for your convenience. Xanthan gum is measured by volume, not weight, as the amounts are too small and most food scales aren’t sensitive enough to accurately measure such small amounts.
Jennifer says
I tried these with the do-it-yourself mock cup-for-cup flour. I’m not sure what I did wrong but they fell apart in the water bath. Was I supposed to”Punch them down” a little more when I shaped them, I just barely touched them to make them into circles with the hole in it.
Nicole Hunn says
If they fell apart during the water bath, it’s usually because you overproofed them and they were too fragile. But of course there are many other factors, including how well they were shaped at the start, whether you measured by weight, not volume, and whether you made any ingredient substitutions.
Barbara A ODonahue says
Calories?
Nicole Hunn says
I’ve added approximate nutrition information, but it is an estimate only from online calculators, provided as a courtesy, and should not be relied on under any circumstances.
Astrid says
My mom and I love these bagels! We also really appreciate the dairy-free options you provide. I’m finally getting the hang of baking thanks to your detailed instructions and videos. (We also absolutely love your apple custard cake!!) So very grateful to you! Thanks!!
Nicole Hunn says
I’m so glad you’re feeling a sense of possibility, Astrid. Yeast bread baking is always part art, part science, so I’m really glad that the language plus all the visuals are helping bring it to life! You’re very welcome, both of you. :)
Christina says
Hello! Any substitute for milk powder?
Nicole Hunn says
Please see the text of the post under the heading “Gluten free dairy free bagels”
Sonia says
I just made the dough and realized that I did not add extra xantham gum as the flour had it . Will my bagels turn out or should I throw the dough out
Nicole Hunn says
Sonia, you did just as you were meant to do! As the recipe states, you only add more xanthan gum if your blend doesn’t already contain it. In the recipe, that ingredient states: “1 ½ teaspoons xanthan gum, omit if your blend already contains it”
Sonia says
Mine came out very dense also a very buttery taste . Can I substitute butter with margarine . Also it fell apart during water bath . Any suggestions ?
Nicole Hunn says
I’m afraid there are so many variables that I really can’t know, Sonia, but here are the troubleshooting questions I always recommend asking yourself:
Here are some considerations and questions to ask yourself as you attempt to figure out where you deviated from the recipe as written:
Did you make ingredient substitutions, particularly the gf flour blend? They are not all created equal at all. Please see the AP GF flour blends page on the blog, which is linked in every recipe that calls for one.
Did you measure by weight, not volume? You can’t measure properly by volume, especially dry ingredients like flour, as human error is unavoidable.
With respect to yeast bread, did you allow the dough to rise long enough, and was your dough covered properly? Overproofing is a function of rising too much, not too long. It can take a long time for yeast bread to rise properly in a cool, dry environment, especially.
Katie Starbuck says
Your recipes are very detailed and exact- thank you! Following as closely as I can, and using a scale to measure, I have made these bagels three times. The first time, I used better batter and they worked well. However, in previous bakes at my altitude, I have noted that better batter suffers more than Cup 4 Cup. So, the second time I used Cup 4 Cup and chilled dough for 1.5 days before continuing with making, rising, boiling and baking the bagels. The third time I used Cup 4 Cup and made them right away. I definitely had a consistency problem both of the last two batches. They were so very sticky and also tender and difficult to move, threatening to fall apart even before going for a rise. After the rise, they were even more delicate and the boiling was a big struggle as the dough was still trying to stick to the spatula and knife that I was using to transfer them to the water. Strangely as awkward as the boiling step was, and as unattractive as my bagels were- they still look like almost decent bagels.
Nicole- do you have any guesses as to what is causing the tender/sticky dough? I see that Cup 4 Cup is one that you do generally recommend. Any ideas what could be causing my issues? Thanks for your efforts!
Nicole Hunn says
Being at high altitude, as you mentioned you are, is almost certainly your issue, Katie. You must make high altitude adjustments in baking, and since I can’t reproduce that condition, I can’t begin to offer any guidance. All I can tell you is that readers over the years have told me that they make the same high altitude adjustments with gluten free baking as they do with conventional. A more minor issue is that Cup4Cup is not as good yeast bread recipes as Better Batter. Better Batter, or my mock Better Batter, is definitely better, since it’s less starchy. It will still work, but Better Batter is just, well, better. Chilling the dough not only makes it easier to handle, it allows more of the moisture to be absorbed so the dough holds it shape best. I would not ever make it, as you described, right away without chilling it.
Katie Starbuck says
Yes, of course, Nicole! I meant right away after the 30 minutes rest as opposed to the 1.5 days I had previously done. I appreciate your thoughts and time. Out of curiosity, have you had anyone at elevation test your own personal baking mix that is for sale?
Nicole Hunn says
Hi, Katie, you wouldn’t test the flour blend, Katie, but instead each recipe. Using that flour blend as opposed to, for example, Better Batter wouldn’t be any different. It’s recipe-specific, not ingredient specific.
Samantha Nelson says
I’m looking forward to trying these! I live at high altitude (around 5000 ft) and bake a lot of GF desserts, but breads are a whole new adventure. I assume I will need to adjust for altitude. Would the adjustments be similar to a cake?
Nicole Hunn says
No, the adjustments are different for cake than they are for yeast bread, Samantha, but I can’t advise on what they are because altitude is one condition I can’t reproduce! Please research what appropriate adjustments are for altitude with yeast bread from someone who knows before attempting.
Laura says
These rocked!Sprinkled two in cinnamon sugar, two with sesame seeds, two with maldon salt and left two plain. Our GF family members are elated. Thank you for the flour blend tip. Now I have some on hand for next time 🙌
Nicole Hunn says
You’re very welcome, Laura! So glad you and your family enjoyed them.
Jayne Granter says
Hi Nicole, I have my first batch of bagels rising, water bath reading to be brought to a boil.
As breaky-ready belly rumbles impatiently, I sit here wondering if I’d shaped and risen my bagel, popped them in the refrigerator overnight whether I’d be able to do a simple boil, bake, brekky! next day? Any thoughts?
Nicole Hunn says
Please see step 5 of the first set of recipe instructions, Jayne, for the limits on that.
Lisa says
Love your recipes and can’t wait to try this! Can dry buttermilk powder be used instead of milk powder?
Nicole Hunn says
Hi, Lisa, I haven’t tried that and buttermilk powder has acidity that milk powder doesn’t have, so maybe add 1/8 teaspoon baking soda to neutralize it so it doesn’t inhibit the rise.
Maxine Mansfield says
made these and they were perfect!!
Rachael says
I grew up in the Metropolitan New York City area. Bagels or a special treat there and bagels and the rest of the country just aren’t the same. Throw in being gluten-free for the past 15 years and I had given bagels up for lost. I tried this on a whim, thinking that it might make a good breakfast food, but wouldn’t be at all like bagels. They are pretty close! This recipe is absolutely amazing! It has a number of steps – but it’s super easy overall. I’m so excited and highly highly recommend.
Nicole Hunn says
That’s so great to hear, Rachael! Yes, most of the country, even in other states in the northeastern U.S., simply serve a roll with a hole. I’m happy that you have bagels back in your life!
Rachael says
PS. I made mine a little smaller and turned the oven up to 400* to get the crispier outside. Then I topped with “Everything but the Bagel” seasoning from Trader Joe’s. My husband ate three before they had even cooled!!
Anyone have recommendations for storing them?
Ana Petrova says
Hello, Can I use honey instead of molasses?
Nicole Hunn says
If you want the bagels to taste authentic, you need to boil them in a molasses bath specifically. You can try honey, but the color won’t be the same.
Phyllis Doulaveris says
I too grew up eating bagels and once diagnosed with celiac, my bagel days sadly came to an end as every GF bagel I tried was a disappointment, not even close to the real thing. I made these last night and WOW, these are the real deal! They turned out perfectly. I did do the final step where I upped the oven temp and baked a few more minutes. I measured carefully and followed the instructions to a “T” and the recipe is perfection. For those newer to GF baking, invest in a food scale. For example, last night I weighed my egg white and it was 33g – almost 1/3 more than needed. It’s the little details that make the difference in a successful or failed recipe. Thanks for the wonderful recipe.
Nicole Hunn says
Phyllis, this comment is everything I dream of. You used a food scale! You paid attention to detail! And you were rewarded. No more rolls with holes. Only a real bagel is a real bagel! Thank you for sharing that. It means so much to me.
Nanette says
Do you think I could successfully make sheet pan pancakes using your buttermilk pancake recipe? Are there any modifications you could foresee? I’m looking to make the richest, special event sheet pan pancake. Thank you!
Nicole Hunn says
I don’t recommend that, no. I have a separate recipe for sheet pan pancakes. You’ll find it using the search function!