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The absolute best homemade bagel just got a whole lot cuter! Mini bagels pack the flavor of a full bagel in one small package.
You’re going to LOVE these Mini Bagels
This recipe for mini bagels takes everything you love about my regular homemade bagels but makes them MINI. Which, if you’re anything like me and are obsessed with tiny things, somehow makes them 10x better. I especially love serving these mini bagels to my kids or packing them up as a more manageable lunch option.
Another bonus of the mini bagels is that one batch creates 16 instead of 8! This means it’s easier to bake a lot of different flavors of bagels at once – satisfying everyone’s craving in one swoop.
Ingredients in Mini Bagels
- Warm water – You want to make sure the water isn’t too hot or cold to foster perfect yeast growth. I recommend using water that is between 105° F- 113° F.
- Dry active yeast
- Brown sugar
- Bread flour – Using bread flour is super important here! It will keep your bagels incredibly soft for DAYS.
- Salt
- Toppings – You can use any toppings you’d like, like cheese, everything bagel seasoning, etc. If you need inspo, check out my bagel series!
- Egg wash– Make this by combining 1 egg white + 1 tbsp water to brush on top of the bagels.
How to Make Homemade Mini Bagels
- In a small bowl, mix warm water, dry active yeast, and 1 tbsp brown sugar. Stir and set aside to allow the mixture to become bubbly and foamy.
- In a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, combine 4 1/2 cups of bread flour and salt.
- Add the yeast mixture to the flour mixture.
- If using a stand mixer, attach the dough hook and knead for 10 minutes, adding up to an additional 3 tablespoons of flour as needed to keep the dough soft yet workable.
- If kneading by hand, mix the wet and dry ingredients until a rough dough forms. Turn out the dough onto a clean surface and knead by hand for about 10 minutes, using a push, turn, and fold technique. Add an extra 2-3 tablespoons of bread flour as necessary.
- After kneading, let the dough rest for 5 minutes.
- Use a sharp knife or bench scraper to divide the dough into 16 equal pieces.
Shaping & Baking Mini Bagels
- Shape your mini bagels. Start by shaping each piece of dough into a tight ball. Then, press your thumb into the center of each ball, gently stretching and rotating the dough around your thumb to form a bagel shape. Place on a parchment or silicone-lined baking sheet.
- Cover the bagels with plastic wrap and let them rise for 20 minutes.
- While the bagels are rising, bring 4 inches of water to boil in a large pot and preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C).
- Once the water is boiling, carefully place the bagels in the water, working in batches. Boil each bagel for 30 seconds on each side.
- Use a slotted spoon or spider strainer to remove the bagels from the water and place them back on the baking sheet.
- While boiling the next batch of bagels, brush the boiled bagels with egg wash and add toppings to the top, if desired.
- Repeat until all bagels are boiled and topped with toppings.
- Bake the bagels in the preheated 425°F (220°C) oven. Bake for 13-15 minutes, or until they turn golden brown.
- Once baked, remove the bagels from the oven and let them cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes. This allows them to set and makes them easier to cut.
- For storage, place the cooled bagels in a zip-top bag and keep them at room temperature. They will stay fresh for up to 3 days. Enjoy!
What toppings can I use on my Mini Bagels?
The sky’s the limit! Feel free to top these bad boys with anything you’d like. A few of my favorite toppings are found in my Asiago Bagel Recipe, Everything Bagels, Italian Herbs and Cheese Bagels.
How do I store my Mini Bagels?
Allow your bagels to cool and place in a zip-top bag and keep them at room temperature. They will stay fresh for up to 3 days.
Other Homemade Bagels
Mini Bagels
The absolute best homemade bagel just got a whole lot cuter! Mini bagels pack the flavor of a full bagel in one small package.
Ingredients
- 2 cups warm water (105° F- 113° F)
- 1 1/2 tbsp dry active yeast
- 1 tbsp brown sugar
- 4 1/2 cups bread flour
- 2 tsp salt
- Toppings like cheese, everything bagel seasoning etc
- egg wash: 1 egg white + 1 tbsp water.
Instructions
- In a small bowl, mix warm water, dry active yeast, and 1 tbsp brown sugar. Stir and set aside to allow the mixture to become bubbly and foamy.
- In a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, combine 4 1/2 cups of bread flour and salt.
- Add the yeast mixture to the flour mixture.
- If using a stand mixer, attach the dough hook and knead for 10 minutes, adding up to an additional 3 tablespoons of flour as needed to keep the dough soft yet workable.
- If kneading by hand, mix the wet and dry ingredients until a rough dough forms. Turn out the dough onto a clean surface and knead by hand for about 10 minutes, using a push, turn, and fold technique. Add an extra 2-3 tablespoons of bread flour as necessary.
- After kneading, let the dough rest for 5 minutes.
- Use a sharp knife or bench scraper to divide the dough into 16 equal pieces.
- Shape each piece into a tight ball. Then, press your thumb into the center of each ball, gently stretching and rotating the dough around your thumb to form a bagel shape. Place on a parchment or silicone-lined baking sheet.
- Cover the bagels with plastic wrap and let them rise for 20 minutes.
- While the bagels are rising, bring 4 inches of water to boil in a large pot and preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C).
- Once the water is boiling, carefully place the bagels in the water, working in batches. Boil each bagel for 30 seconds on each side.
- Use a slotted spoon or spider strainer to remove the bagels from the water and place them back on the baking sheet.
- While boiling the next batch of bagels, brush the boiled bagels with egg wash and add toppings to the top, if desired.
- Repeat until all bagels are boiled and topped with toppings.
- Bake the bagels them in the preheated 425°F (220°C) oven. Bake for 13-15 minutes, or until they turn golden brown.
- Once baked, remove the bagels from the oven and let them cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes. This allows them to set and makes them easier to cut.
- For storage, place the cooled bagels in a zip-top bag and keep them at room temperature. They will stay fresh for up to 3 days.
Nutrition
Calories: 131kcal | Carbohydrates: 26g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 0.1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 0.1g | Sodium: 292mg | Potassium: 40mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 1IU | Vitamin C: 0.001mg | Calcium: 6mg | Iron: 0.3mg
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