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pile of sesame seed bagels on cutting board
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4.85 from 45 votes

Best Montreal Bagel Recipe (Step-by-Step, 1 hour)

In about 1 hour, you will be feasting on soft, warm, slightly sweet and chewy bagels covered in seeds. Montreal bagels are, hands down, the best bagels anywhere. (Full disclosure - I'm an ex-Montrealer.)
Prep Time20 minutes
Cook Time20 minutes
rest time20 minutes
Total Time1 hour
Course: Breakfast, brunch
Cuisine: Jewish
Servings (change as needed): 12 bagels
Author: Cheryl Avrich
US Measures - Metric

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 cups warm water (about 95-100F/ 35-37.8C)
  • 1/4 cup sugar
  • 1 tablespoon maple syrup
  • 2 teaspoon salt
  • 10 g active dry or instant yeast (1 package)
  • 1 egg (you can leave this out if you want)
  • 2 tablespoons oil canola or vegetable
  • 4 cups all purpose or bread flour, Note 1 plus an extra 1/2 cup/62g as needed

For boiling and baking

  • 12 cups water
  • 1/2 cup brown sugar or 1/2 cup/170g honey
  • 1 cup sesame seeds or poppy or everything bagel seeds
US Measures - Metric

Instructions

  • HEAT OVEN TO 425F/217C. [for mini bagels, heat oven to 450F/232C]. Line a large pan or two smaller ones with parchment paper.
  • MAKE DOUGH BY HAND: To use mixer instead, Note 2. In large bowl, mix warm water, sugar and maple syrup. Add yeast and let sit for 5 minutes. It will froth up a bit. Stir in egg, oil, salt and flour until dough begins to come together. Pull dough onto a sheet of parchment on the counter or a cutting board, lightly dusted with flour. Begin kneading, adding up to an extra 1/2 cup/62g of flour until the dough is no longer sticky. Knead for about 12 minutes. Here's a video on how to knead dough. The dough will lighten up a bit in color.
  • REST DOUGH: Cover smooth dough with a bowl and let it rest for 10 minutes.
  • SHAPE BAGELS: Cut dough into 12 equal parts for regular bagels (or 24 for mini bagels). Roll each piece on a lightly floured surface into a log 8-10 inches long (20-25cm). Curve each log into a bagel shape, overlapping 1-2 inches (2.5-5cm). Roll the overlapped part on the counter to smooth it or just pinch the dough together. No need for perfection - mis-shaped bagels are just fine. The dough will puff up when boiled.
  • LET BAGELS REST FOR 10 MINUTES. While they are resting, put sesame seeds in a bowl. And Fill a large pot or frying pan with about 2 1/2 to 3 liters of water, add brown sugar or honey and bring to a boil. Lower heat to simmer.
  • BOIL BAGELS: Put in 3-4 bagels at a time and boil for 45 seconds. Flip over and boil another 45 seconds. Remove with a slotted spoon to drain on a paper towel.
  • DIP IN SEEDS: Don't wait too long to dip each bagel in seeds (top, bottom, sides) and place them in a single layer in the prepared pan(s).
  • BAKE: Bake bagels for 8 minutes. Turn over, then bake another 6-8 minutes until a light golden brown. A total of 14-16 minutes, depending on how hot your oven is. If doing a second batch, they will bake quicker. Cool on a rack. For mini bagels, Note 3.

Notes

  1. Flour: you can use half white flour and half whole wheat flour. Let the dough rise for 20-30 minutes before cutting and shaping it. How to measure the flour: Either measure flour by weight or use the scoop and level method. This means scooping flour into a measuring cup and leveling it off with the back of a knife. 
  2. To knead the dough in a stand mixer, place warm water, salt, maple syrup and yeast in the mixer bowl and let sit for 5 minutes. Add the rest of the ingredients and knead with the dough hook for 10 minutes, starting slow, then speeding up (to about medium). Add flour as needed until the dough is firm and smooth and not sticky. 
  3. To bake mini bagels, place in 450F/232C oven for a total of 12 minutes, turning half way through. 
  4. Make ahead:
    • To store: Cool bagels and keep in sealed container or bag for a few days at room temperature.
    • To freeze:
      • Once cooked: Cool bagels, then freeze them for up to 3 months. Tip: I slice them before freezing so I can toss the frozen halves right into the toaster. 
      • When raw: After shaping the dough into bagels, freeze them. When ready to use, defrost them, boil and bake as per instructions. 
 
Nutrition values are estimated for one regular bagel with all-purpose flour and a sesame seed topping. 
Calories: 307kcal | Carbohydrates: 49g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Trans Fat: 0.01g | Cholesterol: 14mg | Sodium: 411mg | Potassium: 132mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 14g | Vitamin A: 21IU | Vitamin C: 0.003mg | Calcium: 148mg | Iron: 4mg