If you have a soft spot for warm, sweet, and slightly spicy breakfast treats, this Cinnamon Sugar Bagels Recipe is exactly what you need to brighten up your mornings. These bagels boast a perfect chewy texture with a lovely cinnamon aroma baked right into every bite. Whether you’re after a comforting snack or a unique twist on a classic bagel, this recipe brings together simple pantry ingredients to create an irresistibly delicious homemade treasure that fills your kitchen with warmth and coziness.
Ingredients You’ll Need
The magic behind these Cinnamon Sugar Bagels Recipe lies in using straightforward, quality ingredients that work together to give you the perfect balance of flavor, texture, and that gorgeous golden color you see on bakery shelves. Each component lends its charm, making the baking process both rewarding and approachable.
- Bread Flour: Provides the sturdy structure and chewiness bagels are famous for.
- Instant Yeast: Helps the dough rise beautifully, adding lightness without hassle.
- Salt: Enhances all the flavors, balancing the sweetness and cinnamon.
- Granulated Sugar: Adds subtle sweetness to the dough and the topping.
- Ground Cinnamon: Infuses the dough and topping with warm, fragrant spice.
- Warm Water: Activates the yeast and hydrates the dough for perfect elasticity.
- Molasses: Enriches the boiling water for that shiny, deep golden crust and a hint of sweetness.
- Egg White: Brushed on bagels to make the cinnamon sugar topping stick and give a lovely shine.
- Cinnamon Sugar Topping: A blend of granulated sugar and cinnamon that delivers that signature cinnamon sweetness and crunch.
How to Make Cinnamon Sugar Bagels Recipe
Step 1: Mix and Knead Your Dough
Begin by combining bread flour, instant yeast, salt, granulated sugar, and ground cinnamon in a large bowl or your stand mixer’s bowl. Gradually add the warm water and knead the mixture for 8 to 10 minutes. The dough should become smooth and stretchy, the hallmark of a well-kneaded batch ready for rising. This step sets the foundation for the bagel’s wonderful texture.
Step 2: Let the Dough Rise
Cover your dough with a clean kitchen towel or plastic wrap and set it somewhere warm to rise. This first rise generally takes about an hour, during which the dough should double in size. This period is crucial—it allows the yeast to work its magic, developing flavor and making the dough airy without losing its chewiness.
Step 3: Shape the Bagels
After the dough has risen, punch it down lightly to remove excess air. Divide it into eight evenly sized pieces. Roll each piece into a ball, then poke your finger through the center and gently stretch to create that iconic bagel shape. Once shaped, cover and let the bagels rest for 10 minutes to relax the gluten, making them easier to boil.
Step 4: Boil the Bagels
Preheat your oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit and bring a large pot of water to a boil. Stir in molasses to give the bagels their characteristic shiny crust and subtle sweetness. Boil 2 to 3 bagels at a time, cooking each for 1 minute on each side. This boiling step is what sets bagels apart from regular bread, creating that dense yet soft interior crust.
Step 5: Add Topping and Bake
Remove boiled bagels from the water with a slotted spoon and place them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Combine your cinnamon and sugar topping in a small bowl. Brush each bagel with egg white to help the topping adhere and then generously sprinkle the cinnamon sugar mix over the top. Bake the bagels for 20 to 22 minutes until they’re beautifully golden and fully cooked through.
Step 6: Cool Before Enjoying
Allow your cinnamon sugar bagels to cool on a wire rack before diving in. This helps set the crust and makes slicing easier. Plus, the aroma wafting through your kitchen will make waiting an enjoyable part of the process.
How to Serve Cinnamon Sugar Bagels Recipe
Garnishes
These bagels shine most when kept simple but elevated with a gentle touch. A pat of softened butter melting into the warm surface is pure bliss. For extra indulgence, a schmear of smooth cream cheese dusted with a pinch of cinnamon sugar elevates every bite.
Side Dishes
Pair your Cinnamon Sugar Bagels Recipe with fresh fruit like juicy berries or sliced apples for freshness and balance. A cup of rich coffee, chai tea, or even spiced hot chocolate rounds out a cozy breakfast or afternoon snack with a comfy vibe.
Creative Ways to Present
Get playful: slice your bagel and turn it into a sandwich with cinnamon-spiked cream cheese and thinly sliced pears. Or toast lightly and drizzle a tad of honey alongside butter for a delightful sweet-savory combo. These suggestions amp up the fun and keep your bagel routine exciting.
Make Ahead and Storage
Storing Leftovers
If you have any leftover cinnamon sugar bagels, store them in an airtight container at room temperature for 2 days to keep that just-baked feel. Keep them away from moisture to avoid sogginess but enjoy them fresh whenever you get the chance.
Freezing
Bagels freeze wonderfully when wrapped tightly in plastic wrap and placed in a zip-top freezer bag. Freeze for up to 1 month. To thaw, simply leave them out overnight or pop frozen bagels in a toaster or oven for a few minutes to recapture that fresh-from-the-oven magic.
Reheating
Reheat bagels by toasting or warming them in the oven at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for about 5 to 7 minutes. Brushing a bit of butter before reheating enhances that freshly baked flavor and keeps the texture delightfully chewy outside while soft inside.
FAQs
Can I use all-purpose flour instead of bread flour?
While all-purpose flour can work in a pinch, bread flour is ideal because of its higher protein content, which develops more gluten and gives bagels their signature chew and structure. Using bread flour ensures better texture and a more authentic bite.
Why do you boil bagels before baking?
Boiling bagels gelatinizes their starches, which forms a shiny crust and helps them keep a dense, chewy interior. This step is crucial for traditional bagel texture and sets them apart from regular baked bread.
Can I make the dough the night before?
Absolutely! After kneading, cover the dough and refrigerate overnight. This slow fermentation deepens the flavor. Be sure to let it come to room temperature before shaping and boiling for best results.
Is this Cinnamon Sugar Bagels Recipe vegan?
As written, the recipe includes egg white for brushing, so it is not vegan. You can substitute with a plant-based milk wash or simple water to achieve a good crust, although the topping adhesion might be a little different.
How do I make the bagels sweeter?
For a sweeter dough, simply increase the sugar content slightly or swirl additional cinnamon sugar into the dough before shaping. You can also add a drizzle of honey or maple syrup over the finished bagels for extra sweetness on top.
Final Thoughts
This Cinnamon Sugar Bagels Recipe is truly a delightful game changer when you want a sweet, cozy breakfast that fills your home with irresistible cinnamon aromas. It’s straightforward enough for bakers of all levels and wonderfully satisfying every single time. So gather your ingredients, dust off that mixing bowl, and treat yourself to homemade bagels with a cinnamon sugar twist—you deserve it!
Print
Cinnamon Sugar Bagels Recipe
- Prep Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 22 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 52 minutes
- Yield: 8 bagels
- Category: Breakfast, Snack
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegetarian
Description
These homemade Cinnamon Sugar Bagels are perfectly soft with a sweet cinnamon flavor, ideal for breakfast or a snack. Made with a cinnamon-infused dough, boiled with molasses for shine and chewiness, then baked and topped with a cinnamon sugar blend, they offer a delightful twist on classic bagels.
Ingredients
Dough Ingredients
- 4 cups bread flour
- 2 teaspoons instant yeast
- 1 ½ teaspoons salt
- 1 ½ tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1 ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1 ¼ cups warm water
Boiling Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon molasses (for boiling water)
Topping Ingredients
- 1 egg white (for brushing)
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
Instructions
- Prepare the Dough: In a large bowl or stand mixer, combine bread flour, instant yeast, salt, granulated sugar, and ground cinnamon. Add warm water and knead the mixture for 8 to 10 minutes until the dough becomes smooth and elastic.
- First Rise: Cover the dough and let it rise in a warm place for about 1 hour, or until it has doubled in size, allowing the yeast to activate and the dough to develop flavor and texture.
- Shape the Bagels: Punch down the risen dough to release air. Divide it into 8 equal portions. Shape each piece into a ball, then poke a hole through the center and gently stretch it out to form a traditional bagel shape. Cover and rest the shaped bagels for 10 minutes to relax the gluten.
- Preheat Oven and Prepare Boiling Water: Preheat your oven to 425°F (220°C). Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to a boil and stir in the molasses to add sweetness and a subtle color to the bagels’ crust.
- Boil the Bagels: Boil the bagels in batches of 2 to 3 at a time for 1 minute on each side. This step develops the characteristic chewy crust of bagels. Use a slotted spoon to remove them carefully from the water.
- Prepare Topping: Combine the granulated sugar and ground cinnamon in a small bowl, creating the cinnamon sugar topping.
- Apply Egg Wash and Topping: Place the boiled bagels on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Brush each with egg white to give them a glossy finish, then generously sprinkle the cinnamon sugar mixture over the top for sweetness and crunch.
- Bake: Bake the bagels in the preheated oven for 20 to 22 minutes, or until golden brown and fully cooked through.
- Cool and Serve: Transfer the bagels to a wire rack to cool before serving. Enjoy them fresh or toasted with butter or cream cheese.
Notes
- For a sweeter dough, increase the granulated sugar or consider swirling in a cinnamon-sugar mixture inside the dough before shaping the bagels.
- Bagels are best enjoyed fresh or lightly toasted with butter or cream cheese for added richness.
- You can freeze any leftover bagels after baking for longer storage. Simply thaw and toast before eating.
