This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.
The king of all savory bagels, this cheddar bacon everything bagel is all the breakfast you’ll need in one soft round.
My New Favorite Homemade Bagel
The cheddar bacon everything bagel gives ALL the boujee brunch vibes without having to serve up lox. The cheesy, bacon-y, garlic/sesame-y flavors in this homemade bagel are not holding any punches (in the best way). After your first bite, your tastebuds will be screaming for another round.
Based on a bagel from my local grocery store, this bagel puts the everything bagel seasoning INSIDE the dough and garnishes the top with copious amounts of cheddar cheese and crunchy bacon bits. We made a breakfast sandwich on this bad boy and WOW. I don’t think I’ll ever be the same again.
Ingredients in Cheddar Bacon Everything Bagels
- Warm water (105° F- 113° F) – Make sure your water is warm, but not too hot! This will help foster yeast that is active and bubbly.
- Dry active yeast
- Brown sugar
- Bread flour – You have to use the bread flour here – it makes your bagel sooooo soft!
- Everything bagel seasoning – We put this in the dough so it doesn’t become crunchy on top.
- Salt
- Shredded cheddar cheese
- Real bacon bits – Trust me on this. You need to use real bacon here, none of the precooked bacon bits from the shelf.
How to Make Homemade Cheddar and Bacon Bagels
- In a small bowl, add the warm water, dry active yeast and brown sugar. Stir to combine and set aside.
- In a large bowl or in the bowl of a stand mixer, add the 4 1/2 cups of bread flour, everything bagel seasoning and salt. Stir to combine.
- At this point, your yeast mixture should be bubbly and foamy – go ahead and add the active yeast mixture to the dry ingredients.
- If using a stand mixer, use the dough hook and knead for 10 minutes, you will most likely need to add in a bit of extra flour to keep the dough workable but soft.
- If mixing by hand, start by stirring the dry ingredients into the yeast mixture until a shaggy dough forms. At this point, pour the contents onto a clean surface and knead by hand for 10 minutes. Add the extra 2-3 tbsp of bread flour as needed to keep the dough soft but workable. Knead by Pushing the dough, turning and folding it in half. Repeating this for 10 minutes.
- Once the dough has finished kneading, allow the dough to rest for 5 minutes.
Shaping and Baking Homemade Bagels
- Use a sharp knife or bench scraper to cut the dough into 8 equal sized pieces. (Cut the dough in half, then each half in half again and then once more).
- Take each portion of dough and shape your bagel. Knead into a tight ball – once in a ball, press your thumb into the center of the ball and gently squeeze and pull the dough while rotating it around your thumb to create the bagel shape. Place onto a parchment or silicone lined 3/4 cookie sheet (this is just a larger cookie sheet).
- Repeat with the remaining dough.
- Cover the cookie sheet with plastic wrap and allow the bagels to rise for 30 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 425°F once the bagels have risen for 30 minutes.
- In a large pot, boil about 4 inches of water. Once the water is at a rolling boil, carefully drop the risen bagels into the boiling water one by one. You may have to do this in a few batches. Boil the bagels for about 1 minute, flip over to the other side and boil for an additional minute.
- Using a large slotted spoon or spider strainer, remove the bagels and return to the lined cookie sheet.
- Repeat with the remaining bagels. While the next batch of bagels are boiling, top the boiled bagels with shredded cheese and bacon bits.
- Once all of the bagels have boiled and are topped with shredded cheese and bacon bits, bake in the 425° F oven for 15-17 minutes or until golden brown.
- Allow the bagels to cool for 10 minutes before cutting and enjoying.
- Store in a zip top bag in the fridge for up to 4 days. Enjoy!
How do I store homemade bagels?
Once your bagels have cooled, place them in a zip top bag and store in the fridge for up to 4 days!
Tips for making the BEST bagels at home
I have made A LOT of bagels and there are a few tools that make it significantly easier. First is this extra large cookie sheet + silicone mat so you can bake all of your bagels at once! Necessary? No. But it cuts down on time spent salivating by your oven. Second, this spider strainer is a must for boiling your bagels. A slotted spoon will get the job done, but this spider will allow the water to drip off of the bagels so much easier & quicker.
More Bagel Recipes to Test
Cheddar Bacon Everything Bagel
The king of all savory bagels, this cheddar bacon everything bagel is all the breakfast you’ll need in one soft round.
Ingredients
- 2 cups warm water (105° F- 113° F)
- 1 1/2 tbsp dry active yeast
- 1 tbsp brown sugar
- 4 1/2-4 3/4 cup bread flour
- 1 tbsp everything bagel seasoning
- 2 tsp salt
- 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
- 1/2 cup real bacon bits
Instructions
- In a small bowl, add the warm water, dry active yeast and brown sugar. Stir to combine and set aside.
- In a large bowl or in the bowl of a stand mixer, add the 4 1/2 cups of bread flour, everything bagel seasoning and salt. Stir to combine.
- At this point, your yeast mixture should be bubbly and foamy – go ahead and add the active yeast mixture to the dry ingredients.
- If using a stand mixer, use the dough hook and knead for 10 minutes, you will most likely need to add in a bit of extra flour to keep the dough workable but soft.
- If mixing by hand, start by stirring the dry ingredients into the yeast mixture until a shaggy dough forms. At this point, pour the contents onto a clean surface and knead by hand for 10 minutes. Add the extra 2-3 tbsp of bread flour as needed to keep the dough soft but workable. Knead by Pushing the dough, turning and folding it in half. Repeating this for 10 minutes.
- Once the dough has finished kneading, allow the dough to rest for 5 minutes.
- Use a sharp knife or bench scraper to cut the dough into 8 equal sized pieces. (Cut the dough in half, then each half in half again and then once more).
- Take each portion of dough and shape your bagel. Knead into a tight ball – once in a ball, press your thumb into the center of the ball and gently squeeze and pull the dough while rotating it around your thumb to create the bagel shape. Place onto a parchment or silicone lined 3/4 cookie sheet (this is just a larger cookie sheet).
- Repeat with the remaining dough.
- Cover the cookie sheet with plastic wrap and allow the bagels to rise for 30 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 425°F once the bagels have risen for 30 minutes.
- In a large pot, boil about 4 inches of water. Once the water is at a rolling boil, carefully drop the risen bagels into the boiling water one by one. You may have to do this in a few batches. Boil the bagels for about 1 minute, flip over to the other side and boil for an additional minute.
- Using a large slotted spoon or spider strainer, remove the bagels and return to the lined cookie sheet.
- Repeat with the remaining bagels. While the next batch of bagels are boiling, top the boiled bagels with shredded cheese and bacon bits.
- Once all of the bagels have boiled and are topped with shredded cheese and bacon bits, bake in the 425° F oven for 15-17 minutes or until golden brown.
- Allow the bagels to cool for 10 minutes before cutting and enjoying.
- Store in a zip top bag in the fridge for up to 4 days. Enjoy!
Nutrition
Calories: 445kcal | Carbohydrates: 62g | Protein: 20g | Fat: 13g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 38mg | Sodium: 1079mg | Potassium: 113mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 285IU | Vitamin C: 0.003mg | Calcium: 214mg | Iron: 1mg
Like this recipe? Rate and comment below!
Amazing! Delicious! Best bagel I’ve ever made. I I’ll be making again and again. Amazing!
AMAZING BAGEL RECIPE!!! Everyone in my family loved them. Best bagels we ever had.