Cinnamon Crunch Bagel Recipe

The Panera Bread copycat Cinnamon Crunch Bagel recipe is HERE! And it’s even better than the original (but I’ll let you judge that).

You will love this Cinnamon Bagel Recipe

This has, by far, been my #1 requested bagel recipe in my bagel-a-week series. You guys are crazy for cinnamon crunch bagels! And for good reason. Whenever I fly anywhere, a Panera Bread cinnamon crunch bagel has always been my go-to snack stop. Until recently. The last few times I’ve grabbed one, the bagel has been dry and lacking flavor. If you’ve also encountered this tragedy, I’ve got you. 

This copycat panera Cinnamon crunch bagel is better than the original! From this recipe, you can expect a fluffy interior packed with delightful white chocolate and cinnamon chips and a wonderfully chewy exterior coated with crunchy cinnamon topping. So you’ll never have a disappointing cinnamon bagel experience ever again.

Cinnamon Bagel ingredients

• Warm water (105°F -113°F) – I like to use my instant read thermometer to make sure the temperature is perfect for fostering bubbly yeast. 
• Dry active yeast
• Brown sugar, packed 
• Bread flour – This is what really makes these bagels nice, tender and chewy! 
• Salt
• Cinnamon chips – I suppose you can use other brands of chips, but trust me – the Orson Gygi cinnamon chips are the ABSOLUTE BEST and absolutely worth every single penny. I do not suggest using the Hershey’s brand, they tend to melt and make the dough orange and don’t taste very good.
• Chopped white chocolate – You can also use white chocolate chips. Just make sure you use a high quality chocolate brand, like Ghirardelli. 
• Egg wash: 1 egg white + 1 tbsp water, whisked together

Cinnamon Crunch Topping

• Brown sugar – Don’t skimp on this. 
• Granulated sugar
• Bread flour– This is what thickens up the crunchy topping so it doesn’t melt off of the bagel.
• Butter, melted – I always use salted butter! 
• Cinnamon – It should go without saying, but cinnamon is the star here.

How to make a Cinnamon Crunch Bagel

1. In a small bowl, combine warm water, dry active yeast, and brown sugar. Stir and set aside.
2. In a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, mix together 4 1/2 cups of bread flour, 1/4 cup brown sugar, salt, cinnamon chips and chopped white chocolate.
3. Add the foamy and bubbly yeast mixture to the dry ingredients. If your yeast isn’t bubbly and foamy, your yeast isn’t activated (It could be that your water was too cold, too hot or your yeast is old). Throw that out and try again if it isn’t bubbly and foamy.
4. Using a Stand Mixer Attach the dough hook and knead for 10 minutes, adding up to 1/2 cup of extra flour to maintain a soft, workable dough.
5. By Hand: Stir the dry ingredients into the yeast mixture until a shaggy dough forms. Transfer the dough onto a clean surface and knead by hand for 10 minutes. Add extra flour as needed. Knead by pushing, turning, and folding the dough repeatedly.
6. After kneading, let the dough rest for 5 minutes.

Shaping your Cinnamon bagels

1. Use a sharp knife or bench scraper to divide the dough into 8 equal pieces (cut the dough in half, then each half in half again, and then once more).
2. Shape your bagels. Form each piece of dough into a tight ball. Press your thumb into the center of each ball, squeezing and rotating the dough around your thumb to create the bagel shape. Place on a parchment or silicone-lined 3/4 cookie sheet.
3. Cover the cookie sheet with plastic wrap and allow the bagels to rise for 20 minutes.
4. While the bagels are rising, Make the cinnamon crunch topping by combining all of the ingredients into a small bowl. Set aside.
5. Set the oven to 425°F after the bagels have risen for 20 minutes.
6. In a large pot, bring about 4 inches of water to a rolling boil.
7. While the water is coming to a boil, make the egg wash by whisking together the egg white and water. Set aside.
8. Carefully drop the risen bagels into the water, doing so in batches if necessary. Boil each bagel for 1 minute, flip, then boil for another minute. Use a slotted spoon or spider strainer to remove the bagels and place them back on the cookie sheet.
9. After the bagels have been boiled, brush each bagel with the egg wash mixture and then sprinkle generously with the cinnamon crunch topping.
10. Bake the bagels in the preheated oven for 15-17 minutes, or until golden brown.
11. Let the bagels cool for 10 minutes before cutting. Serve and enjoy!
12. Store the bagels in a zip-top bag at room temperature for up to 3 days.

Cinnamon Sugar Bagel variations

Because this is a panera bread copycat, I try to stick to the flavors of the inspo. But if you want to edit it a little bit, you can try omitting the white chocolate chips, adding raisins or even chopped nuts.

What to put on a Cinnamon Crunch Bagel

These cinnamon bagels are *delicious* on their own, but I’ve got to be honest that I am obsessed with toasting these and adding some butter. Other great options are plain cream cheese or a specialty version like honey walnut cream cheese!

Storing Cinnamon Bagels

Let your bagels cool and store your bagels in a zip-top bag at room temperature for up to 3 days!

Other Copycats you HAVE to try

• Cranberry Bliss Bars (Starbucks Copycat)
• Crumbl Kentucky Butter Cake Cookies
• Honey Wheat Bread

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