Overnight Bagel Recipe (6 Ingredients)

Craving that perfectly chewy and soft bagel, but don’t want to deal with heading to the store? It is time to learn the best overnight bagel recipe to satisfy that craving.

Enjoy the perfect bagels in the comfort of your own home. These overnight bagels are the perfect balance of soft, and chewy, with that iconic bagel crust. 

Baking takes lots of practice and time to master. Although at-home baking might be a challenge, with the help of a detailed explanation and access to a step-by-step video, you’ll be mastering this overnight bagel recipe in no time.

If you prefer to use a sourdough starter in your traditional bagel recipe, check out this overnight sourdough bagel.

• Step-by-step guide for making bagels at home.
• Why an overnight proof is so important for bagels.
• My secret tips and tricks for making high-quality bagels, just like they do in New York.
• The reasoning behind why certain steps in the bread making process help with the texture of the final product.

If you like this recipe post and want to learn more about baking, check out my free guide to instantly become a better baker.

For the perfect chewy New York-style bagels, it is important to pay attention to the ingredients. The ingredients and tips I have listed are the best way to achieve an amazing bagel. 

Let's dive in and see how to make this amazing overnight bagel recipe. There are lots of steps in baking recipes, so be sure to follow along for the best end product. 

I heavily recommend reading baking recipes the way through before you begin making the product. This helps provide a full understanding of what you're doing and why you are doing it as opposed to jumping in blindly.

It is very important to stay organized when cooking and baking. This saves you from stress and lowers the chances of making mistakes later on in the baking process.

Using a food scale, measure out all the ingredients into different bowls or containers. If you're measuring the flour volumetrically, fluff up the flour gently with a spoon before moving it to a measuring cup or a bowl.

If you are using ingredients that look similar, be sure to label the container with a sticky note or tape with writing on it.

1. After getting organized, it is time to proof the yeast to make sure it is alive. For active dry yeast, it needs to be rehydrated to ‘wake up’ because it is dormant in its dry form.

During the proofing process, you will be able to see if the yeast is still alive or if it has expired. If the yeast becomes bubbly, it is good to bake with. However, if you don't see any foamy bubbles, the yeast has expired. It is essential to purchase new yeast and start over. 

To proof the yeast, gently heat the water to 110º F (43º C). I prefer to use a small pot on the stove to heat the water since this allows me to measure the temperature constantly and more gently. If the water is too hot, it can kill the yeast. 

Once heated, add the water, molasses, and yeast to a bowl and allow it to sit for about 5 minutes until the mixture is visibly bubbly and foam on top. The foam and bubbles are the indicator that the yeast is in fact alive, active, and ready for use. If you don't see any bubbles after 10 minutes, take a trip to the grocery store to get more yeast.

The best way to mix this dough is with a stand mixer. Unless you’re looking for an arm workout, a stand mixer is the way to go.

If you don't own a stand mixer, ask a family member or friend to borrow theirs. If you can't get access to a stand mixer at all, follow the recipe notes for hand kneading.  

2. To begin, fix your stand mixer with a dough hook attachment and add in the flour and salt. Mix this together on a medium-low speed for a few seconds so the salt is evenly distributed.

Next, drop the speed to low and add in the yeast mixture. Allow this to mix until a shaggy dough forms. This step takes time, so be patient, and let the mixer do its work. As needed, use a silicone or rubber spatula to scrape down the sides of the bowl. When more of the flour starts to combine, you can begin to increase the speed. 

3. After the dough starts to come together, set a 10-minute timer, and increase the mixer to medium-high speed. The reason for the increase in speed is that we are both developing the gluten and incorporating some air into the dough. Don’t worry about mixing the dough for too long, bagel dough is hard to over-mix.

In this situation, it is better to err on the side of over-mixing as opposed to under-mixing. Under-mixing your bagel dough will result in a batch of bagels with little rise, few blisters, and potentially improper texture. 

Here are some ways you can check to see if your dough is ready. If you watch the step-by-step video, I show an example of what the do looks like at the 2-minute, 5-minute, and 10-minute mark. 

4. The ideal dough is flexible and bouncy to the touch. To physically check for readiness, grab a piece of dough between your fingers, and slowly stretch it. If your dough rips as soon as you start pulling, it needs more kneading. If your dough stretches and stays together, it is ready. 

Turn on your oven to 200ºF (93ºC). Once you have achieved the proper dough consistency, move the dough to a clean bowl, and cover it with plastic wrap. Allow the dough to rise on top of the warm oven (not in the oven) for 60 - 90 minutes until it’s doubled in size. 

5. Once the dough has doubled in size, it is time to shape the bagels. 

Gently punch the dough down. This releases some of the gas bubbles that were formed during the rising process. By knocking out some of these bubbles, it redistributes the yeast cells so they can rise again during the proofing stage. 

6. Dump out the dough onto a clean, unfloured surface. To shape your bagels, you will need to grab your food scale. Measure out 113 grams (3.8 ounces) of dough and shape into balls. It is easiest to weigh and roll the balls of dough all at once before moving on to the shaping process.

7. Once you have all your dough rolled, grab a ball of dough. Gently push through the center of the ball using both thumbs to make a hole. Then, gradually stretch the bagel out until it reaches about 4 inches (~10 cm) across. Be sure not to flatten the bagel too much during this process. 

The easiest way to check the size of your bagel during this shaping process is to use a ruler. If the bagels are made too small, they will end up closing during the boiling and baking process.  

During this entire process of shaping the dough, keep the dough you are not working with covered with a tea towel. This will prevent the dough from drying out.

11. With the bagels shaped, it is time to move to the proofing stage. This is the final rise before baking. Be sure to place down a thin layer of cornmeal on your baking sheet to prevent sticking. The cornmeal also provides a really nice texture to the bagels.

Bagels have a unique proofing process compared to many other breads. The best bagels are given lots of time to slowly ferment in a cold environment. To do this, we allow the bagels to proof overnight (12-18 hours) in the refrigerator. This helps release additional flavor into the bagel. 

During the proofing process, tightly wrap the bagels with plastic wrap. If you do not cover the bagels and expose them to air, a hard crust on the dough will form. This crust is not what we want.

Arrange the oven racks, so they are on the upper and lower thirds of the oven. Place a pizza/baking stone on each of the racks. Set the oven to 450º F (230ºC). Allow the stones and the oven to preheat for at least 30 minutes. 

When the next day arrives, it is time to test the bagels, and see if they’re ready. Because we gave the bagels plenty of time to proof, this shouldn’t be an issue.

Just to be sure, to test that they are in fact ready, fill a large pot or a large Dutch oven with lukewarm water. Place a bagel in the bowl and if it floats, it is good to go. Before returning the bagel back to the baking sheet, pat it dry. 

If the bagel sinks when placed in the water, it means it needs more time to proof. Remove the baking sheets from the refrigerator, and allow the bagels to sit at room temperature while they’re still covered. Check every 15 minutes until they float.

12. Another essential and unique step in the cooking process is the boiling stage. The reason bagels are boiled is because it helps give that iconic shiny and chewy exterior layer to the bagel. The longer you boil the bagel, the thicker and chewier the outside crust will be. 

The boiling time also affects the interior texture of the bagel. A longer boil will result in a more dense bagel. I boil my bagels for about 30 seconds on each side to get the perfect chewy, but not too tough, texture. 

To boil, bring the water from the float test up to a steady boil. Then, add in enough molasses to turn the water to a dark brown-black tea color. After the molasses is in, you can begin to boil your bagels. If the temperature of the water drops after adding molasses, allow it to come back to a steady boil before placing the bagels in the water. 

Add as many bagels as you can comfortably fit into the pot. Use a slotted spoon or a spider-strainer to flip the bagels. Take the boiled bagels, and place them on a wire rack to drain.

13. Once the bagels are freshly boiled, it is the best time to add your desired toppings. Some easy and tasty bagel topping ideas include:

• Everything seasoning: Use ¾ cup (126 grams) of everything seasoning blend. Immediately after the bagel has been removed from the water, gently dunk the top of the bagel into the everything seasoning.
• Sesame seeds: Use ¾ cup (96 grams) of sesame seeds. Immediately after the bagel has been removed from the water, gently dunk the top of the bagel into the sesame seeds.
• Poppy seeds: Use ¾ cup (84 grams) of poppy seeds. Immediately after the bagel has been removed from the water, gently dunk the top of the bagel into the poppy seeds.
• Sea salt flakes: Use 3 teaspoons (9 grams) of Maldon flakey sea salt. Immediately after the bagel has been removed from the water, gently dunk the top of the bagel into the Maldon flakey sea salt.
• Za'atar seasoning: Use ¾ cup (78 grams) za'atar seasoning. Immediately after the bagel has been removed from the water, gently dunk the top of the bagel into the za'atar seasoning.
• Cheddar cheese: Use 1 ½ cups (384 grams) finely shredded cheddar cheese. Immediately after the bagel has been removed from the water, top the bagel with 2 tablespoons (16 grams) of shredded cheddar cheese.
• Asiago cheese: Use 1 ½ cups (312 grams) finely shredded Asiago cheese. Immediately after the bagel has been removed from the water, top the bagel with 2 tablespoons (13 grams) of shredded Asiago cheese.
• Oatmeal: Use ¾ cup (108 grams) old fashioned oats. Immediately after the bagel has been removed from the water, gently dunk the top of the bagel into the oats.
• Cinnamon and sugar: Mix ½ cup (107 grams) firmly packed dark brown sugar, 6 tablespoons (45 grams) bread flour, 3 tablespoons (37 grams) granulated sugar, 3 tablespoons (42 grams) melted unsalted butter, and 3 teaspoons (8 grams) ground cinnamon in a small mixing bowl until combined. In a separate bowl, whisk 1 large (50 grams) egg and 1 tablespoon (14 grams) of water to make an egg wash. Immediately after the bagel has been removed from the water, brush the bagel with egg wash and top with cinnamon sugar mixture (about 1 tablespoon or 15 ml).

Place the toppings on a plate, and dip the top of the bagel into the toppings. This is the trick to getting the toppings to stick. You can fill in any holes by sprinkling additional toppings on top.

14. Finally, it's time to bake the bagels. To achieve that beautiful browned and glossy top on the bagels, you'll need to have a very hot oven. Through testing, I have found that using a baking stone helps to get the crusty outer texture. If you choose to use baking stones, be sure they are preheated. 

Many home ovens have hot spots, to achieve an even brown crust on all your bagels, be sure to move the baking stones (or baking sheet) around to guarantee that there is an even cook.

After baking is complete, the final step is to properly cool the bagels. As tempting as it is to slice into a hot, fresh bagel straight out of the oven, giving the bagel time to completely cool ensures the internal structure can fully settle, and any excess moisture can evaporate. A cooling rack is the best place to put the bagels to cool. 

Now you have the freedom to eat these bagels or freeze them for later. Check out this guide for bagel storage for full instructions. 

Want to master this overnight bagel recipe or even create your very own recipe? These resources will be just what you need:

• I really enjoyed reading this article from the Institute of Culinary Education on '10 Tips for Making Schmear-Worthy Homemade Bagels.'

• An interview with Daniela Moreira on how to make better bagels at home. Super interesting and an easy read!

• Another good article on the secrets of bagel making.