This is an easy vegan Homemade Bagels recipe using just a few simple staple ingredients! These buns are dairy-free, egg-free, simple, fluffy and so delicious!
Best Homemade Bagel Recipe
I’ve already made these easy Homemade Bagels so many times because they’re so delicious and perfect for savory and sweet spreads alike! Honestly, I don’t know why I haven’t shared this recipe sooner! I mean, who doesn’t like homemade bagels?
Homemade bagels taste fresher, are cheaper, and you can be sure they contain only vegan ingredients and no unusual additives!
Anyway, these bagel buns are not only vegan, dairy-free, and egg-free but also easy to make! Most of the time is just waiting around for the dough to rise and bake. After making these at home, you will never want to eat store-bought bagels again!
Ingredients for Vegan Bagels
For the bagel dough, you’ll need just 4 ingredients + water and salt. They’re:
- Yeast: Allows the dough to rise. I recommend fresh yeast but instant or active dry yeast will work, too.
- Flour: I usually use all-purpose or light spelt flour, however bread flour makes these homemade bagels delightfully chewy because of its higher gluten content.
- Sugar: To feed the yeast.
- Warm Water: To bring the dough together.
- Oil: For richness and flavor.
- Salt: It’s the key to really flavorful homemade bagels.
How to make Homemade Bagels
Check out this step-by-step guide first, and then find the full recipe with exact measurements at the bottom of this post!
Step 1: making the yeast dough
I prefer using fresh yeast for this bagel recipe but you can also use instant or active dry yeast. Just consider that the rise time may be longer if using active dry yeast.
You can knead the yeast dough with your hands or use a mixer with dough hooks attached. Once it is kneaded, let it rise for around 45 minutes, or until it has doubled in size. Then punch it down to release any air. Divide into 8 pieces and shape into bagels.
Step 2: How to shape bagels
Shaping bagels is easier than it looks. Simply poke the back of a wooden spoon or your finger through the center of the ball of dough. Then widen the hole to about 1.5 inches, however, it doesn’t have to be perfect (just look at mine).
Step 3: Bagel water bath
Bagels are typically cooked for 30-60 seconds on each side in a pot of boiling water. This not only guarantees that they’ll hold their shape in the oven but it also gives bagels their signature dense, chewy interiors. You could also add some syrup to the water bath which ensures extra caramelization and crisp, giving the bagel its beautiful shine. However, brushing the boiled bagels with non-dairy cream (vegan egg wash) does the same!
Step 4: Add the toppings and bake!
Everyone has a favorite bagel topping, and I am definitely on team everything! My favorites are pepitas, sunflower seeds, sesame, and poppy seeds but you could also leave them plain. Add toppings if you like and bake your homemade bagels!
Serving suggestions
One of my favorite spreads for these bagels is homemade Vegan Carrot Lox or Tofu scramble, Vegan Egg Salad, or Vegan Omelet with fresh dill. These recipes taste just like the traditional salmon lox and eggs but made healthier and vegan! However, you can serve these bagels to your liking, whether you are vegan or not. Add guacamole, cashew dip, pesto, fresh tomatoes, cucumber, or even Vegan Nutella – whatever savory or sweet topping you want!
Make-ahead, storage and freezing instruction
Make-Ahead Instructions
Prepare the dough through step 4, but allow the dough to rise overnight in the refrigerator. In the morning, remove the dough from the refrigerator and let the dough rise for 30 minutes at room temperature. Then continue with step 5.
How to store bagels
Cover leftover bagels tightly and store at room temperature for a few days or in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
How to freeze Bagels
Baked bagels can be frozen for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator or at room temperature. Then warm them in the oven or on a toaster, depending on your liking!
These Homemade Vegan Bagels are:
- Dairy-free
- Egg-free
- Easy to make
- Require simple pantry staples
- Soft
- Chewy
- Fresh
- Cheap
- So delicious
- The Best Bagels ever!
More homemade vegan bread recipes to try:
- Vegan Naan Bread
- Buckwheat Chia Bread
- Homemade Tortillas
- Spinach Tortillas
- The Best Pizza Dough
- Aloo Paratha (Indian Flatbread)
If you try these homemade vegan bagels, please leave a comment and rating on how you liked the recipe! And if you take a photo of your buns, please tag me on Instagram @biancazapatka and use the hashtag #biancazapatka, because I love to see your pictures! Enjoy!
Best Vegan Bagels Recipe
Author:Ingredients
Bagel dough
- ½ cube fresh yeast 21 g (or 2 ¾ tsp instant or active dry yeast, *see notes)
- 1 ⅓ cups lukewarm water 100-110°F, 38-43°C
- 1 tbsp sugar or syrup
- 4 cups all-purpose or spelt flour or bread flour
- 2 tsp salt
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil e.g. canola oil
Toppings (optional)
- 2 tbsp non-dairy cream for brushing
- grains and seeds e.g. sesame, poppy seeds, sunflower seeds, pepitas
Instructions
- Note: For the best results, I recommend measuring the ingredients in grams. Simply click on the word "metric" right above the ingredient list. Also, make sure to check the step-by-step pictures above!
- Crumble the yeast into a small bowl. Add ⅓ cup of lukewarm water and the sugar and stir until the yeast has dissolved. Set aside for 5 minutes until it begins to foam.
- Mix the flour and salt in a large bowl. Form a well in the center and pour in the yeast mixture and the vegetable oil. Cover the yeast with flour, add the remaining 1 cup of water. Stir to combine and knead everything with your hands (or use a mixer fitted with dough hooks) for approx. 10 minutes, until a smooth dough forms.
- Place the dough in a lightly oiled bowl. Cover with a damp tea towel and allow to rise on a warm spot for about 45 minutes, or until it has doubled in size.
- When the dough is ready, punch it down to release any air bubbles, then divide it into 8 pieces of approx. 119 g each. Shape the pieces into round balls and place them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Allow to rest covered for another 5-10 minutes.
- In the meantime, bring a large pot of water to a boil and preheat the oven to 428°F/220°C top/bottom heat (or fan 392°F/200 °C).
- Now use the back of a wooden spoon (or your finger) to press a hole through the center of each dough ball, and carefully widen it to be about 1.5 inches in diameter (if the hole is too small it will close during baking, *see photo above).
- Carefully, place the bagels in the boiling water, making sure not to overcrowd the pot. Simmer for about 45 seconds to a minute on each side. Use a slotted spoon to remove them onto a wire rack to drain.
- Place the bagels back on the baking sheet lined with parchment. Brush with a little non-dairy cream and sprinkle with seeds as desired.
- Bake in the preheated oven for about 22-25 minutes. Then remove and allow to cool. Enjoy!
Notes
- Yeast: You can also use 2 ¾ tsp instant or active dry yeast (7 g). If using active dry yeast, consider that the rise time may be longer.
- See blog post for make-ahead, storage, and freezing Instructions + further information, including step-by-step photos!
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This result is absolutely amazing and the recipe is super easy!!! Make sure you follow Bianca’s guidelines! Really enjoyed them with vegan cream cheese and lox! Happy to share my recipes 😋
So glad you enjoyed these bagels!
Thank you so much for your great feedback!
Best, Bianca 🙂
very delicious 10/10
Thank you! 🙂
Amazing bagels! This was my second time making bagels, and the first time the recipe was like slime. Thank you Bianca!! BTW I love the name Bianca!
So glad you love these bagels and my name! 😀 Thanks for the feedback! 🙂
Hi!
Is proofing time different between using instant yeast vs. dry active yeast? If I use instant yeast, do I skip the addition of water/sugar completely or still do that?
Hi there,
the proofing time can always vary slightly, depending on the temperature of the area. However, it’s always pretty the same time! 😉
Please still do add the sugar as it feeds the yeast! 🙂
Just tried out your recipe yesterday (first time making bagels ever!) and the they turned out perfect! They were really soft and chewy. Thank you so much for posting. This will be my go to recipe for bagels moving forward. 😀
So glad you love these bagels!
Thank you so much for your wonderful feedback! <3
I know, right?
Made these bagels yesterday – my first time working with a yeast dough! Definitely have to work on my kneading and rolling techniques, but they turned out super yummy! I just made plain bagels, but I can’t wait to try out different flavour combinations!! Thanks for the great recipe!
So glad they turned out delicious! I’m sure you’ll improve your technique when you make them often! Thank you so much for your great feedback! 🙂
I made these today and they came out amazing!!! Recipe is so easy to follow and simple!! Will be saving this recipe!!! Thanks for making an amazing bagel recipe!! Xoxoxo
So glad you love this bagel recipe! Thank you so much for your great feedback! 🙂
What’s the temperature of the oven?
428°F/220°C top/bottom heat (or fan 392°F/200 °C) as mentioned in the recipe! 🙂
I love your blog and I am very grateful to you for the wonderful recipes you publish. I’ve made several and they were all delicious. Bagels are also divine. I’m very happy about it. Thank you 🥰
So glad you love my recipes!
Thank you so much for your wonderful words. 🙂
Lots of love,
Bianca <3
I made these today and they are fantastic! I’m a huge bagel lover and these tasted great even on their own. So glad I found your blog 🙂
So glad you love my recipes and my blog! Thank you so much for your lovely feedback! 😊
Can I sub in my sourdough starter for the yeast, and if so how much? Thanks!
I haven’t tried it yet.
Those bagels changed my life!
I am not a big baker but they are so easy to handle and are delicious!!
Will definitely make them again 😍🙌🏽
Thank you so much for the recipe!
So glad you love them so much! 😊
Thank you for your great feedback! ❤️
Recipe says after shaping the dough into 8 pieces to let them sit 5-10 minutes “covered”, is that correct or should that read “uncovered”?
Covered is correct! 😊 otherwise, they may get dry!
Thank you! They turned out perfect!
So glad you love this recipe! Thank you so much for your feedback! ❤️
The Bagles are awesome!!! They taste so so good and the dough is very quick to prepare and the recipe Is super easy to implement…i will definetley make them again and then also try the vegan Egg salad 🙂
So glad you enjoyed my Bagels! Thank you for your amazing feedback! Hope you’ll love my egg salad, too! 😊
Super lecker, das wird jetzt öfter mal gemacht!
Dankeschön, das freut mich sehr! 😊
Hey I think you have a mistake in 3rd step. It says to boil bagels 30-60 MINUTES. And later it’s written to boil them for 45 sec per side. 🙁 Of course I didn’t read the rest of the recipe at the begging and just followed the steps xD well will see haha they are in the oven but I think I just made a giant noodles.
Best
Hi there,
I checked the recipe again but there’s no mistake. You must boil them only about 45 seconds on each side as written in the recipe.
But the rise time is up to an hour!
These look gorgeous! Could I use whole wheat flour instead, though? Thank you!
Yes, you can but they won’t get as fluffy and soft. I rather recommend using a mix of whole wheat and all-purpose flour! 😊
I made these today and they were lovely!!
Didn’t brush them with the cream though, didn’t have that.. It was a little challenging to get the dough into the boiling water without making a mess of the round form and the hole, but I managed. They aren’t as pretty, but who cares when you eat them! 😅
So glad you enjoyed these bagels! 😊
I‘m sure yours were pretty, too!
Best,
Bianca ❤️