Ingredients
- 3 1/4 cups unbleached bread flour divided, plus more if needed
- 1 1/2 teaspoons active dry yeast
- 3 tablespoons granulated sugar divided
- 1 1/4 teaspoons salt
- 1 cup warm water about 100°F
- 1 large egg
- 1 large egg white at room temperature
- 1 tablespoon water for egg wash
- Poppy seeds optional, for topping
Instructions
- In a large bowl, whisk together 3 cups of the flour, the yeast, 1 1/2 tablespoons of sugar, and the salt.
- In a separate bowl, whisk the egg and warm water until combined.
- Pour the wet mixture into the dry ingredients. Stir until a soft dough forms. If the dough is sticky, add the remaining 1/4 cup of flour, and then keep adding 1 tbsp of flour at a time until it comes together. Knead the dough on a lightly floured surface until it's smooth and elastic, about 10 minutes.
- Place the dough in a lightly greased bowl. Cover and let it rise until doubled in size, about 1 hour.
- Divide the risen dough into 8 equal parts. Form each piece into a ball, then poke a hole in the center and gently stretch it into a bagel shape, creating a hole that's roughly 1 1/2 to 2 1/2 inches wide. Cover and let rest for 15 minutes.
- Preheat your oven to 400°F. Bring a large pot of water to a boil with the remaining 1 1/2 tablespoons of sugar. Boil the bagels in batches for about 1 minute per side.
- Transfer the bagels to a parchment-lined baking sheet. Brush them with a light egg wash (reserved egg white and 1 tablespoon water) and sprinkle poppy seeds if you like.
- Bake until golden, about 20-30 minutes. Cool completely on a wire rack before serving.
