How to Make Mini Bagels
These homemade mini bagels are soft and chewy, and so easy to make. Perfect for making homemade bagel bites, on brunch platters, in school lunches, and more!
Ingredients
- 375 grams all-purpose flour
- 14 grams sugar
- 8 grams diamond crystal kosher salt
- 3 grams instant yeast
- 225 grams warm water
- 1 egg (for egg wash)
- ⅛ cup any desired bagel toppings (optional)
Instructions
- Mix. Mix flour, salt, sugar and yeast in the bowl of your stand mixer. Make a well in the middle and add the water. Connect the dough hook attachment, start the mixer on the a low-medium speed and give the dough a minute or two to incorporate, pausing and scraping down the bowl as needed until the dough comes together in a shaggy, messy ball in the bowl.
- Knead. Increase the speed to low-medium and let the mixer run for 3-4 minutes, dusting in more flour if the dough is sticking to the bowl. You’re looking for a dough that is smooth and elastic and just slightly tacky to the touch. It shouldn’t cling to your hands or the bowl.
- Rise. Shape the dough into a smooth round ball, and place it in a lightly oiled bowl. Let it rise for an hour in a warm spot (70-75°F) until about doubled in size. When you press a finger into the dough, it should fill in partially but not completely.
- Preheat your oven to 425°F and fill a wide, high-sided skillet with at least 3 inches of water, and bring it to a low boil on the stove. Line a sheet pan with parchment paper or a silicone mat and set aside.
- Deflate. Gently deflate the dough, knocking the air out of it. Gently knead it back into a ball.
- Divide. Use a kitchen scale to divide the dough into twelve equal pieces (about 50-55 grams each). Flatten the dough gently against the counter, tuck the edges up and pinch them together on top. Flip the dough over and cup your hand around it. Drag your hand toward your body against the counter to create surface tension and shape the dough into an oval. Rotate the dough 90 degrees and repeat to create a circle shape.
- Shape. Starting with the first dough ball, dust your hands in flour and poke a thumb through the bottom, pushing any extra seams into the middle. Squeeze gently and slide your other thumb in. Slowly stretch the dough out, rotating it through your hands until the hole in the middle is at least twice as wide as the sides.
- Boil. Right before dropping each bagel into the water, quickly stretch it out again to prevent the hole from closing up. Boil mini bagels in batches for 30 seconds per side, then remove to a lined baking sheet.
- Egg wash and toppings. Brush each mini bagel with egg wash (1 large egg + 1 teaspoon water, whisked together) and add any desired toppings.
- Bake. When all the bagels have been boiled, egg washed, and topped, transfer the baking sheet to the oven and bake them for 17-19 minutes, until golden brown and shiny.
- Cool. Remove the bagels from the oven. Let cool for a few minutes, then transfer a wire rack to finish cooling before slicing.
If your kitchen is humid, hold back ⅛ cup of water and add it 1 teaspoon at a time only if the dough isn't coming together or seems very dry.
You'll know the bagel dough needs water if it looks like it's tearing, it's not smoothing out after a few minutes of kneading, or if you can still see dry bits in the bowl that aren't incorporating. If your mini bagel dough does need more water, the best way to add it is by dipping your fingers in water and flicking droplets onto the dough. This will help keep you from adding too much water.
The temperature of the water and the temperature of the room will affect how quickly it rises. Cool temperatures slow yeast activity; warm temperatures speed it up. Put the dough somewhere warm (~72°F) so it rises on time!
RECIPE NOTES
- Store mini bagels in an airtight bag with a paper towel to absorb moisture or in a paper bag inside an airtight bag. Stored properly, they will stay good for 3-4 days. Do not refrigerate bagels.
- If you need to let the bagel dough rest or relax at all during the shaping process, cover it with a damp paper towel to prevent it from drying out.
- To make a mini bagel version of my everything bagels that have everything bagel seasoning in the dough, add 3 tablespoons everything bagel seasoning to the dry ingredients and increase the amount of yeast by 1 gram.
- If using Active Dry yeast, increase the amount to 5 grams, mix it with the warm water for the recipe, let sit for 5 minutes to get foamy before adding the water to the recipe.