Vegan Bagel Recipe (soft & crispy) (2024)

We may earn money or products from the companies mentioned in this post.

(Last Updated On: August 16, 2023)

Jump to Recipe

This vegan bagel recipe is so delicious – it’s fluffy on the inside and crisp on the outside!

The yeast dough is soft and airy, and the bagels have a crisp exterior that is so irresistible.

They are brushed with vegan butter and sprinkled with everything bagel seasoning for the best homemade bagels with tons of flavor.

These plant based bagels are so quick and easy to make and much more delicious than store bought!

Vegan Bagel Recipe (soft & crispy) (1)

This recipe is especially perfect if you want to save money or save yourself a trip to the store.

These bagels are one of the most affordable bread recipes you can make, and the process is very straight-forward and easy to follow.

Vegan Bagel Recipe (soft & crispy) (2)

Homemade Fluffy Everything Bagels

If you’ve never made bagels from scratch, this is the perfect recipe for you – it’s simple to follow and only needs a few ingredients.

This recipe is perfect for beginners, especially if you don’t have much experience with yeast and rising dough.

This vegan bagel recipe also makes your home smell just like a bakery, and there’s nothing better than a fresh homemade bagel!

Vegan Bagel Recipe (soft & crispy) (3)

These vegan bagels are delicious with just about anything on top – some of my favorites are vegan cream cheese, vegan butter, hummus and avocado.

They make a great breakfast or afternoon snack, and you can even add some veggies and make it lunch (check out my tofu breakfast bagel sandwich if you’re interested)!

Vegan Bagel Recipe (soft & crispy) (4)

How to Make Vegan Bagels from Scratch

Preparing and Rising the Dough

To make your homemade bagels, begin by heating the water just until it’s warm, no hotter than 110 degrees F, then stir in the sugar.

Sprinkle the yeast on top and don’t mix it in, just let it sit for about 10-15 minutes until it becomes frothy. If it does not become frothy the water may have been too cold or hot or the yeast may be expired, try again with another packet until it’s frothy.

Then, mix in the oil, and stir in the flour and salt until it forms a dough – it will come together but you can use a spatula or your hands.

Flour a flat surface and begin to knead the dough for 3-5 minutes (see the recipe video for a visual) until it becomes smooth. Add more flour if it’s super sticky.

Place the dough in a lightly oiled bowl and cover with a towel, allow to rise for 1 hour.

Shaping, Boiling and Baking Bagels

Press the air out of the dough and then place on a flat surface and cut into 6 even pieces.

Start to shape the bagels by taking a ball of dough and pulling the sides up towards the middle and squishing down, then flip and roll the bottom on a flat surface in a circular motion without flour to seal it (see video for visual).

Once all bagels are done, cover them with a slightly damp towel and rise another 10-15 minutes. Then flour your thumb and pointer finger and squish them together in the middle of the dough to make a hole, and run two fingers along the inside to fully open it.

Heat your sugar water bath until it’s gently simmering, and then add bagels 3 at a time and boil for 2 minutes, flipping half way through, then place on a baking sheet covered in parchment paper and preheat your oven to 425 degrees F.

Add melted butter and seasoning of choice, and bake for 15-18 minutes or until a nice golden brown.

Vegan Bagel Recipe (soft & crispy) (5)

You can now eat them fresh or store them in an air-tight container with a paper towel on the bottom for up to 5 days.

You can also add any seasonings you’d like to these bagels!

I love using everything bagel seasoning, but you can also make your own by mixing together white and black sesame seeds, onion and garlic flakes and salt.

Vegan Bagel Recipe (soft & crispy) (7)

Dairy-Free, Eggless Homemade Bagels

These bagels are completely vegan and a great alternative to store bought bagels.

You know exactly what ingredients are in them and you can customize them to your liking, sometimes I just make garlic or sesame bagels!

Homemade bagels are one of my favorite things to bake – even though they take a bit of patience it’s totally worth it!

Vegan Bagel Recipe (soft & crispy) (8)

This recipe is:

  • Easy
  • Vegan
  • Homemade
  • Delicious
  • Fluffy
  • Crisp
  • From Scratch

Check out these other vegan baked goods:

Easy Vegan Garlic Knots

Vegan Soft Pretzels

Homemade Vegan Bread (no dutch oven)

Vegan Buttermilk Biscuits

Vegan Homemade Cornbread

Homemade Vegan Croissants

Vegan Bagel Recipe (soft & crispy) (9)

Pin this for later!

Vegan Bagel Recipe (soft & crispy) (10)
Vegan Bagel Recipe (soft & crispy) (11)

Yield: 6 Small Bagels

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 17 minutes

Rise Time: 1 hour 15 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour 52 minutes

These yummy everything yeast bagels are so delicious, flavorful and easy to make! Soft on the inside and crispy on the outside, perfect anytime of day!

Ingredients

Water Bath

Instructions

  1. For the bagels, heat your 3/4 cup water until it's just warm, no hotter than 110°F, (43°C). Mix in sugar and then sprinkle yeast on top - no need to stir it in, just let it sit for 15 minutes until it becomes frothy*.
  2. Add oil and then pour into a larger bowl if needed. Add salt and flour and mix until combined, if the dough is still very sticky you can add a touch more.
  3. Flour a flat surface and place the dough down, sprinkling more flour on top. Knead dough for about 3 minutes until it becomes more dense. Oil a bowl and place the dough inside. Cover and let rise for 1 hour.
  4. Once risen, gently pat down to release air, then place on a cutting board and cut the dough into 6 equal parts.
  5. Pull the sides towards the middle in a circular motion to make a ball, then flip and move the dough in a circular motion with the palm of your hand so the bottom comes together (see video for example).
  6. Once all are done, place a lightly damp towel on top and rise another 10-15 minutes.
  7. Once risen again, start heating your bath water with sugar and dip your thumb and pointer finger in flour - squish both together in the middle of the bagel dough to make a hole, then run two fingers along the edges to widen it up to 1 inch (see video for example).
  8. Once bath water is simmering, carefully add 3 bagels at a time and cook for 2 minutes, flipping halfway through. Once done, pick them up with a slated spatula so excess water can drip off, then place them on a baking tray covered in parchment paper.
  9. Once all bagels are done with the bath, add melted butter and any toppings you'd like** and preheat your oven to 425 degrees F.
  10. Bake for 15-18 minutes, or until nicely golden on top.
  11. Allow to cool on the baking tray for 5 minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack and enjoy!

Notes

*If the yeast does not become frothy, the water may have been too cold or hot, or expired. Try again with another packet until it becomes frothy - it also helps to pour the sugar water into a larger bowl so the yeast has more room to touch the water.

**For everything bagels, I used a mix of sesame seeds, onion and garlic powder and poppy seeds. You can also try this bagel seasoning, too!

Recommended Products

As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.

Nutrition Information:

Yield: 6Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving:Calories: 221Total Fat: 5gSaturated Fat: 0gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 4gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 397mgCarbohydrates: 39gFiber: 1gSugar: 6gProtein: 5g

Vegan Bagel Recipe (soft & crispy) (2024)

FAQs

What makes a bagel vegan? ›

There's nothing quite like the dense, toothy texture of bagels. In their most basic form, bagels are vegan, made from just flour, water, yeast, and salt. But other non-vegan ingredients—including dairy, honey, and eggs, along with less easily identifiable animal products—commonly appear in commercially produced bagels.

How do you make homemade bagels less chewy? ›

Swapping in ½ cup of whole-wheat flour for ½ cup of the bread flour will make the bagels slightly less chewy but will also give them a boost of flavor.

Why are my bagels not crispy? ›

When too much flour is kneaded in, bagels become dense, hard and tough, instead of crisp and chewy. It can easily take 10 minutes of mixing and kneading before the right texture and gluten strength is achieved.

What makes bagels so chewy? ›

Bread flour is the essential ingredient to creating that distinct chewy bite we all crave in a bagel. Its high protein content creates a stiff dough that holds its shape while baking and develops more gluten for more chew.

Is Trader Joe's bagels vegan? ›

Trader Joe's is known for its innovative and affordable food options, and their vegan bagels are no exception. From classic flavors like Plain and Everything to their seasonal Pumpkin variety, Trader Joe's has something for every palate.

What are bagels dipped in before baking? ›

After the bagels are rolled and shaped, they ferment in the refrigerator for another 20 hours. And he uses a secret ingredient: lye, or sodium hydroxide, in the water, a chemical base used for boiling pretzels, making soap and cleaning drains (that last phrase being one you don't want to see in a sentence about food).

Is Panera everything bagel vegan? ›

Many of Panera's bagels, including Plain, Blueberry, Sesame, and Everything, are vegan. There are no vegan spreads for the bagels at this time.

Are egg bagels vegan? ›

Regular bagels are vegan, but some types may include extra flavors, additives, or fillings that are animal-derived and thus not vegan. These include honey, eggs, or dairy in the dough, as well as cheese, meats, or fish in the fillings.

How to get crispy crust on bagel? ›

The oven should be preheated between 450-500℉. A relatively high temperature is necessary to achieve the distinctively crispy, golden-brown crust of a classic bagel. Bake the bagels for about 5-10 minutes, then flip over and bake for an additional 10-12 minutes.

How to get softer bagels? ›

To help soften a hard bagel, simply wrap it in a moist paper towel and microwave it for 15 seconds. You can also set the bagel on a microwave-safe plate, then surround it with a few water drops or lightly mist it and put it in the microwave for 30 seconds.

What flour is best for bagels? ›

Bread flour – Because of its high protein content, bread flour makes these homemade bagels delightfully chewy. This recipe also works with all-purpose flour, they're just a bit less chewy than bagels made with bread flour.

Why does New York water make bagels better? ›

The New York Water and Local Ingredients

These include low concentrations of calcium and magnesium and a high level of sediment. This makes the water softer, which is thought to strengthen the gluten in the bagel dough. However, the water is not the only factor in the New York bagel experience.

What is the difference between a New York style bagel and a regular bagel? ›

Texture and flavor

Many people claim the main difference in taste and texture of a real New York bagel compared to other styles of bagels is due to the use of New York City tap water, which contains certain minerals which they attribute to creating a better bagel.

How do you keep homemade bagels soft? ›

It is not recommended to store bagels in the refrigerator. Refrigerating bagels can cause them to become stale faster. Keep your bagels on the counter in a paper or zip-top bag, or freeze them for long-term storage.

Are Dave's Killer bagels vegan? ›

Q: Are your products vegan? A: All DKB bread products are considered vegan and do not contain any animal products, however, our limited edition DKB Snack Bars (Trail Mix Crumble and Oat-Rageous Honey Almond™) are NOT considered vegan as they contain organic honey.

Are Sara Lee plain bagels vegan? ›

Sara Lee started off as a cake business in the 1940s, but it has since expanded to offer a wide variety of breads, including bagels. The brand's Blueberry, Cinnamon Raisin, Everything, Onion, and Plain bagels are all made vegan-friendly.

Are Costco bagels vegan? ›

Did you know that the plain bagels from Costco are vegan??? Game changer.

Why do people boil their bagels before baking? ›

The reason we boil the dough first is so that the outside crust sets before it goes in the oven. We generally let the dough boil for 30 to 60 seconds on each side, but the longer you let it boil, the thicker and chewier the crust. The amount of time the bagel is boiling also affects its interior texture.

Why boil bagels with baking soda? ›

Baking soda makes the water more alkaline, giving the bagels a pretzel-like quality that contributes to their chewiness. Just one teaspoon helps the bagels develop a shiny, dark-brown exterior as they bake. One thing to keep in mind: Keep the water bath at a constant simmer.

Why do you put a hole in a bagel? ›

Ever wondered why bagels have holes in the middle? The basic shape is hundreds of years old and serves lots of practical advantages besides an even cooking and baking of the dough. The hole also allowed them to be threaded or piled high on a dowel which made them easier to transport and display.

Can vegans eat bagels with cream cheese? ›

Vegan Bagels and Cream Cheese Make The Best Vegan Breakfast

Simply check the bagels—or English muffins, if you prefer—and the cream cheeses available at your local grocery or health-food store for animal-derived ingredients such as eggs, dairy products, or honey.

Do bagels have egg wash? ›

You know those bagels that are very shiny and almost a bit thick on top? Well those bagels may have a light egg wash applied. Sometimes bakers like to add an egg wash after boiling the bagels, before adding the toppings and before baking. It's totally unnecessary, but definitely can happen.

Are store bought bagels vegan? ›

In Summary. So, in summary, most classic bagels are vegan unless they include milk, honey, and eggs in the ingredient list. Thankfully, it's fairly easy to avoid these unwanted ingredients, as most places and grocery stores carry vegan options for bagels!

Are New York bagels vegan? ›

Are New York Bagels vegan? - Quora. Yes… unless the bagel is an egg bagel and in that case it is not. Bagels, like pizza dough or most breads are basically made up of flour, water, salt, sugar(if honey used/not vegan) and yeast.

Top Articles
Latest Posts
Article information

Author: Francesca Jacobs Ret

Last Updated:

Views: 6397

Rating: 4.8 / 5 (48 voted)

Reviews: 87% of readers found this page helpful

Author information

Name: Francesca Jacobs Ret

Birthday: 1996-12-09

Address: Apt. 141 1406 Mitch Summit, New Teganshire, UT 82655-0699

Phone: +2296092334654

Job: Technology Architect

Hobby: Snowboarding, Scouting, Foreign language learning, Dowsing, Baton twirling, Sculpting, Cabaret

Introduction: My name is Francesca Jacobs Ret, I am a innocent, super, beautiful, charming, lucky, gentle, clever person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.