Classic bagels with a blueberry twist.
Growing up, we had a lot of homemade bread and pastries but never bagels. I always found it a treat to occasionally grab a blueberry bagel from the bakery. These Blueberry Bagels are unbeatable – even from your favorite, local bakery shop. Chewy crust with a soft, open crumb and minimal hands-on effort is required. I like to use frozen wild blueberries and freeze dried blueberries for an extra kick of flavor and color. If you’ve never made bagels before, consider this your ultimate guide! My recipe makes 8 bagels so don’t worry. There’s enough to go around.
Why you'll love my recipe.
Bakery quality
By now, you all know any type of bread homemade is better than store bought.
Quick and easy preparation
Directions are very straightforward and easy to follow. You will be blown away at how amazing it will turn out on your first try!
Healthier than store bought
Did you know a typical store bought bread has over 10-15 ingredients?! Most of which contain additives, emulsifiers and preservatives. My recipe contains 6-ish wholesome and fresh ingredients. Never any extra stuff.
Ingredient notes.
Flour
Bread flour is preferred and works best. My brand is imported from Canada and I purchase it from a local wholesale store but Costco has some great options too. Read more about the different types of flour here.
Milk
I personally like using milk instead of water. Milk adds a softer texture and an overall richness to the blueberry flavor.
Sugar
This recipe use a little bit of sugar to enhance the overall flavors of the blueberry bagels. The bagels alone are not that sweet. Trust me, we need it!
Yeast
This recipe uses instant yeast but you may use active dry yeast instead. See my notes in the recipe for special instructions. Read more about the different types of yeast here.
Frozen and freeze dry blueberries
I like using frozen wild blueberries because of its availability all year-round. Frozen blueberries also release more pigmented color, thus making the bagels even more pretty and purple. Freeze dried blueberries add an extra level of blueberry flavor without excessive moisture that may affect bagel texture.
For the rest of the ingredients, please see the recipe index card below!
What type of yeast should I use?
This recipe uses instant yeast but you may use active dry yeast instead. See my notes in the recipe for special instructions. You can substitute one for the other at a 1:1 ratio but keep in mind, proofing time will differ. If you are a seasoned baker, it will be a little easier to understand the visual cues and know when the dough is ready to use. Both types of yeast act differently and should be treated accordingly. Read more about the different types of yeast here.
How to activate yeast.
If using active dry yeast, first measure 240ml or 1 cup of the warm milk from the recipe in a wide mouth cup. Add in a teaspoon of sugar and sprinkle the yeast on top. Whisk together to combine and let it sit for 8-10 minutes until foamy and bubbly on top. Then, add to the dry ingredients, along with the remainder of the water and proceed with baking directions. For extended instructions, see Active Dry Yeast vs. Instant Dry Yeast blog post.
Why do I need to boil my bagels?
Crust development
Boiling bagels helps to create that characteristic chewy crust. It gelatinizes the starches on the surface, which helps form a crust during baking.
Texture
Boiling bagels helps set the exterior while keeping the interior soft. It forms a protective layer that keeps the bagels from rising too much, thus creating the classic chewy texture that is the iconic characteristic of a well-made bagel.
Flavor
The boiling water often contains baking soda and honey or barley malt syrup. It creates an alkaline enviornment that enhances
How to shape the bagels.
Shaping bagels are very simple and straightforward. The first step is to divide the dough. The best practice is to use a scale to equally weigh each ball. You can eyeball this process but if you notice the dough balls are significantly uneven, use a scale.
Step 1
Place all the dough on a kitchen scale and dividing that number by 9.Working with one ball at a time, use your fingertips to gently flatten into a square. Then, grab the four corners and pinch the seams together at the top. It will resemble a cute dumpling.
Step 2
Flip the ball seam side down and with the back of your palm, use the resistance of the surface to move in a circular motion. This smooths out the round shape. Repeat until all the dough pieces are rolled. Cover loosely with plastic wrap or a light tea towel until puffy and doubled in size. Repeat until all the dough pieces are rolled. Cover loosely with plastic wrap or a light tea towel until puffy and doubled in size.
Step 3
Use your thumbs poke a hole through the center of the dough ball. Gently stretch the dough by using two fingers, rotating as you go until the hole is about 2 inches in diameter.
Step 4
After forming, place the bagels on a lightly floured baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Then, go back and reinforce the holes again by stretching them. They tend to recoil back a little. Let them rise for 20 minutes. Then, proceed with baking directions
How to make blueberry bagels.
Make the dough
Using a stand mixer will make the bread making process a lot easier but feel free to knead by hand.
Let it rise
This first rise is called bulk fermentation. It allows the yeast to ferment the dough, developing flavor and helping the gluten structure form. You’ll know it’s ready when it’s doubled in size.
Shape the dough
Refer back to my step-by-step photos and full video tutorial.
Let it rise
This second rise is called proofing. It occurs after the bagels are shaped. This shorter rise allows the dough to develop a little more volume and improves the final structure.
Boil and bake
Bring a medium size pot of water to a boil. Then, stir in baking soda and honey. Boil 1-2 bagels at a time for 30 seconds on each side. Place back on the baking tray. Repeat until no more bagels are left. Brush the tops lightly with egg wash. Discard any leftover. Depending on the strength of your oven, these bagels take 20-22 minutes to bake to golden perfection.
Why is my dough not rising?
There is nothing more frustrating than dough that refuses to rise. Below are four common reasons why your dough is not rising and practical solutions to get your dough back on track.
Yeast issues
The problem
Yeast is the driving force behind the rise but if it’s expired, stored improperly or not activated correctly, you dough won’t rise.
How to fix it
Check freshness. Store yeast in a dry cool place and check the expiration date. Opened yeast should be stored in the refrigerator. Mix your yeast with warm milk or water and a pinch of sugar. Within 5-10 minutes, it should foam. No foam? The yeast is dead – replace it!
Temperature problems
The problem
Babka dough is sensitive to temperature. If it’s too cold, the yeast slows down or stops working entirely.
How to fix it
Create the ideal environment for the dough to rise. Typically, your kitchen counter should be just fine! If your kitchen is drafty, use the oven method. Set the oven to 200°F for a few minutes, then turn it off. Leave it alone for a few minutes. The oven should feel toasty, not hot. If it feels too hot, crack the door and wait for it to slightly cool down. The ideal oven temperature inside should be between 70°F to 80°F. Place the bowl of dough wrapped in plastic wrap and a damp kitchen towel on the center rack. Make sure the oven is off first! Check the bowl warmth after a few minutes. Make sure its not too hot. Extreme heat kills yeast. Keep liquids and proofing environments under 120°F.
Too much sugar or salt
The problem
Excess sugar can dehydrate yeast and too much salt can inhibit yeast activity.
How to fix it
Follow the recipe and measure precisely. My dough recipe is less sweet than most. Mix the salt and sugar in the dry ingredients before adding the yeast. This helps the yeast avoid direct contact with the salt during activation.
Undeveloped gluten
The problem
In order for the dough to rise, it requires a well-developed gluten network to trap air and rise. Insufficient kneading results in flat dough.
How to fix it
Knead properly and be patient. Enriched doughs with eggs and butter take longer to knead, My recipe requires 5-8 minutes of kneading. Knead until the dough is smooth, elastic and tacky but not too sticky. And most importantly, give the dough enough time to rise. Sometimes dough simply just needs more time.
Expert tips from my test kitchen.
Do not rush the rise
If the dough doesn’t have enough time to rise, they won’t reach their fullest, fluffy potential. Follow the recipe directions for best results.
Shape and divide properly
Please see my step-by-step photos how to shape the dinner rolls below. The best practice for making dinner rolls is using a scale to weigh each dough ball. You can eyeball this process but if you notice the dough balls are significantly uneven, use a scale. We don’t want people fighting over which roll is the biggest and we definitely don’t want unevenly baked bagels.
How to store leftover bagels.
Fresh bread is always served best same day but these bagels taste even better the next day. Store in an airtight bag up or wrapped completely in plastic wrap for up to 3 days. If you have leftovers lasting more than 2 days, slice in half and freeze for up to one month.
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Homemade Blueberry Bagels
Ingredients
- 4½ cups bread flour
- 1 cup warm milk
- 1 cup frozen wild blueberries
- 1/2 cup freeze dry blueberries
- 3 Tablespoons granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons instant yeast see note for active dry yeast
- 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
- 1 large egg beaten, for the egg wash
For the water bath:
- 6 cups water
- 2 Tablespoons baking soda
- 2 Tablespoons honey
Instructions
- Read through the recipe before starting and measure all your ingredients in advance. Go back and watch my full video tutorial, read my expert tips and extended instructions with photos. I highly recommend using metric measurements and weighing the dry and wet ingredients for best accuracy. Toggle back and forth between US Customary and Metric measurements in the ingredients section.
- In a stand mixer bowl, add flour, sugar, yeast, salt and freeze dried blueberries. See notes below if using active dry yeast. Use the dough hook attachment and while the mixer is on low speed, add warm milk and thawed frozen blueberries.4½ cups bread flour, 1 cup warm milk, 1/2 cup freeze dry blueberries, 3 Tablespoons granulated sugar, 2 teaspoons instant yeast see note for active dry yeast, 1/2 teaspoon sea salt, 1 cup frozen wild blueberries
- Mix on low speed for 5-8 minutes. The dough should pull away from the bowl, feel tacky but not sticky. It will feel tough but after the first rise, the texture will become very soft and fluffy. Lightly coat the bowl and dough with oil, cover with plastic wrap and a tea towel.
- Let it rise in a warm spot at room temperature for at least 1½ hours. Note: This first rise is called bulk fermentation. It allows the yeast to ferment the dough, developing flavor and helping the gluten structure form.
- Punch the dough down. Divide into 9 equal pieces, about 109g each. Working with one ball at a time, use your fingertips to gently flatten into a square. Then, grab the four corners and pinch the seams together at the top. It will resemble a cute dumpling. Set aside to rest for 5 minutes. This makes them easier to shape.
- Use your thumbs poke a hole through the center of the dough ball. Gently stretch the dough by using two fingers, rotating as you go until the hole is about 2 inches in diameter.
- After forming, place the bagels on a lightly floured baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Then, go back and reinforce the holes again by stretching them. They tend to recoil back a little. Let them rise for 20 minutes. In this time, pre-heat the oven to 400°F.Note: This second rise is called proofing. It occurs after the donuts are shaped. This shorter rise allows the dough to develop a little more volume and improves the final structure.
- Bring a medium size pot of water to a boil. Then, stir in baking soda and honey. Boil 1-2 bagels at a time for 30 seconds on each side. Use a slotted spoon to drain excess water off and place each bagel back on the baking tray. Repeat until no more bagels are left.6 cups water, 2 Tablespoons baking soda, 2 Tablespoons honey
- Brush the tops lightly with egg wash. Discard any leftover. Depending on the strength of your oven, bake the bagels for 20-22 minutes until the tops are golden brown.1 large egg
Notes
- I suggest using metric measurements and weighing the dry and wet ingredients for best accuracy. If you don't have scale, please measure liquids at eye level and flour with the fluff, spoon and level method. Measuring flour the accurate way is important for baking recipes. See How to Measure Flour blog post.
- If using active dry yeast, first measure 240ml or 1 cup of warm milk from the recipe in a wide mouth cup or bowl. Add in a teaspoon of sugar and sprinkle the yeast on top. Whisk together to combine and let it sit for 8-10 minutes until foamy and bubbly on top. Then, add to the dry ingredients, along with the remainder of the milk and proceed with baking directions. For extended instructions, see Active Dry Yeast vs. Instant Dry Yeast blog post.
Nutrition
The provided nutritional value above is an estimate per serving. 100% accuracy is not guarenteed. Please see Nutrition Information Disclaimer in our Privacy Policy.
Nutrition Information Disclaimer
These bagels were out of this world. Sooooo soft and flavorful. We like to combine the subtle sweet blueberry bagels with cream cheese, salmon, red onion and capers. You have to try this combo!! It’s the only reason why I made this recipe!
Thank you, Alina! That combination sounds amazing. We have to try it. 🙂
I would love to know how you made that beautiful filling as well please. Do you have a recipe for it? Many thanks!
Hi Kristina, I used one 8 ounce package of cream cheese, 1/2 cup powdered sugar and 1 cup of frozen wild blueberries. Whisk it together until smooth and that’s it! 🙂 I hope this helps.
I’ve never made bagels before but Patricia’s directions were very easy to follow. I loved the extra effort put into step by step photos. It gave me the confidence to attempt and succeed. New favorite bagel recipe. Do not hesitate any longer! Give it a try.
Thank you, Denise! We are so proud of this recipe and I’m happy to see you’re enjoyed it too. 🙂
These bagels were simply put – amazing. So soft and fluffy but that iconic chewy crust was the best part. They taste ever better the next day toasted for breakfast. I don’t know how she does it!
Thank you!