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Homemade Blueberry Bagels: The Ultimate Recipe for Fresh, Delicious Bagels

Bagels have long been a breakfast favorite for people around the world. With their chewy texture, slightly crispy crust, and versatility in both sweet and savory toppings, it’s no wonder that they have remained popular for generations. Among the many variations of bagels, the homemade blueberry bagel stands out as a perfect blend of sweet, fruity, and comforting flavors. In this recipe, we’ll explore how to make these delightful blueberry bagels from scratch, providing you with a step-by-step guide, expert tips, and detailed instructions to ensure that your homemade bagels come out perfect every time.

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Homemade Blueberry Bagels: The Ultimate Recipe for Fresh, Delicious Bagels

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💙🥯 Homemade Blueberry Bagels are the breakfast of your dreams! Soft, chewy, and bursting with fresh blueberries, these bagels are a delightful combination of comfort and flavor. Whether you top them with butter, cream cheese, or your favorite spread, they’re sure to make your mornings extra special. Ready for a batch of homemade bliss? 😍

#BlueberryBagels 💙 #HomemadeHappiness 🧑‍🍳 #MorningTreats 🥯 #FreshBakedGoodness 🍞 #BakingJoy ✨ #BreakfastFavorites ☀️ #BagelTime 🧑‍🍳 #BlueberryLove 🍇 #SoftAndChewy 😋 #DeliciousMornings 💖

  • Total Time: 1 hour 25 minutes
  • Yield: 9 bagels 1x

Ingredients

Scale

Dough:

  • 4½ cups bread flour – Bread flour has a higher protein content than all-purpose flour, which helps develop the chewy texture that bagels are known for.
  • 1 cup warm milk – The warm milk activates the yeast and helps the dough come together.
  • 1 cup frozen wild blueberries – These blueberries retain their shape better than fresh berries when mixed into the dough, ensuring that you get a burst of juicy blueberry goodness in every bite.
  • ½ cup freeze-dried blueberries – Freeze-dried blueberries add concentrated blueberry flavor and a slight crunch, enhancing the overall taste and texture of the bagels.
  • 3 tablespoons granulated sugar – This adds sweetness to the dough, balancing the flavor of the bagels and enhancing the yeast’s fermentation process.
  • 2 teaspoons instant yeast – Instant yeast is the best option for bagels as it works quickly and doesn’t need to be activated separately.
  • ½ teaspoon sea salt – Salt is essential for flavor and helps control the fermentation process.
  • 1 large egg (for egg wash) – The egg wash gives the bagels a beautiful golden-brown finish after baking.

Water Bath:

  • 6 cups water – The water bath is a crucial step in making bagels, as it gives them their characteristic chewy crust.
  • 2 tablespoons baking soda – Baking soda increases the alkalinity of the water, helping the bagels achieve a golden color and enhancing their chewy texture.
  • 2 tablespoons honey – Honey adds a subtle sweetness to the bagels and helps with browning during the boiling process.

Instructions

1. Preparing the Dough

Before you begin, make sure you have all your ingredients measured and ready. This will make the process go more smoothly and help ensure accuracy, especially when working with yeast. If you have a kitchen scale, it’s a good idea to weigh the flour and liquids for the best results.

In a stand mixer bowl, combine the bread flour, granulated sugar, instant yeast, sea salt, and freeze-dried blueberries. If you’re using active dry yeast instead of instant yeast, follow the instructions in the notes section of the recipe.

With the dough hook attachment on your stand mixer, turn the mixer to low speed and gradually add the warm milk and the frozen wild blueberries. Continue mixing on low speed for 5-8 minutes. The dough should come together, pulling away from the sides of the bowl and feeling tacky but not sticky. It will be slightly tough at this stage, but after the first rise, it will become softer and fluffier.

Once the dough has come together, lightly coat both the dough and the bowl with oil. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and a tea towel, and let the dough rise in a warm spot for about 1½ hours, or until it has doubled in size. This stage is called bulk fermentation, and it’s when the dough’s flavor develops and the gluten structure forms.

2. Shaping the Bagels

After the dough has risen, it’s time to shape the bagels. Punch the dough down gently to release any air bubbles, and then divide it into 9 equal pieces, each weighing about 109 grams. If you want smaller bagels, you can divide the dough into 8 pieces instead.

Work with one piece of dough at a time. Flatten it slightly with your fingertips to form a square, and then pinch the four corners together at the top. This will resemble a little dumpling. Let each piece rest for 5 minutes to make it easier to shape.

Once rested, use your thumbs to poke a hole through the center of the dough ball. Slowly stretch the hole with your fingers, rotating as you go, until it’s about 2 inches in diameter. This will create the traditional bagel shape. Place each bagel on a lightly floured baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Don’t worry if the holes shrink a little during the resting period – you can go back and stretch them again before boiling.

Let the bagels rise for 20 minutes while you preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C). This second rise, called proofing, helps the bagels expand and become lighter and fluffier.

3. Boiling the Bagels

While the bagels are rising, bring a large pot of water to a boil. Stir in the baking soda and honey. The baking soda will increase the alkalinity of the water, helping the bagels develop their characteristic chewy texture, while the honey will aid in browning the bagels.

Once the water is boiling, carefully drop 1-2 bagels at a time into the water. Let them boil for 30 seconds on each side. Use a slotted spoon to remove the bagels from the water and place them back on the baking tray. Repeat the process until all the bagels have been boiled.

4. Baking the Bagels

Brush the tops of the bagels with the beaten egg wash. This will give them a shiny, golden-brown finish when they bake. Place the bagels in the oven and bake for 20-22 minutes, or until they are golden brown and have a crisp crust.

Once baked, remove the bagels from the oven and allow them to cool on a wire rack for about 10 minutes. The bagels will be soft and slightly chewy on the inside, with a slightly crisp exterior. You can enjoy them as is, or add your favorite spreads, such as cream cheese, butter, or jam.

Notes

  • Use cold blueberries: Using frozen wild blueberries in the dough prevents them from breaking apart too much during mixing, helping to maintain their shape in the final product. If you use fresh blueberries, they might burst and mix into the dough more, causing the bagels to turn purple.
  • Be patient with the rise times: The dough requires two rises – one during the bulk fermentation stage and another after shaping the bagels. Allow enough time for these rises to ensure your bagels are soft and fluffy.
  • Add extra flavor: If you like, you can incorporate lemon zest or a sprinkle of cinnamon into the dough for an extra layer of flavor. Blueberries and lemon are a classic combination that works beautifully in bagels.
  • Use a pizza stone for even baking: If you have a pizza stone, use it to bake your bagels for a more even heat distribution and a better-crusted result.
  • Make ahead: You can shape the bagels and refrigerate them overnight before boiling and baking. This will give the dough more time to develop flavor. Simply take them out of the fridge for about 30 minutes before boiling and baking.
  • Author: Rosa
  • Prep Time: 1 hour
  • Cook Time: 25 minutes

Whether you’re a seasoned baker or a beginner looking to try your hand at bagels, this recipe is easy to follow and requires minimal effort while delivering outstanding results. These blueberry bagels have a chewy crust, a soft and fluffy crumb, and bursts of juicy blueberries in every bite. The slight sweetness of the fruit is complemented by the subtle tang of the dough, making them an irresistible choice for breakfast or as a snack throughout the day.

Why You Should Make Blueberry Bagels at Home

There are plenty of good reasons to make your own blueberry bagels rather than buying them from the store or a bakery. For one, homemade bagels are fresher, tastier, and free from any preservatives or artificial ingredients. The satisfaction of baking from scratch cannot be beaten, and the smell of freshly baked bagels filling your kitchen is worth the effort.

Homemade bagels also allow you to have complete control over the ingredients and customize them to your taste. If you prefer extra blueberries, you can easily add more. Additionally, making your own bagels allows you to experiment with different flour types, flavor variations, and toppings. Once you master this basic recipe, you can start playing with variations, such as adding lemon zest for a tangy twist or using whole wheat flour for a healthier version.

The Ingredients You’ll Need for Homemade Blueberry Bagels

To make these delicious blueberry bagels, you’ll need the following ingredients:

Dough:

  • 4½ cups bread flour – Bread flour has a higher protein content than all-purpose flour, which helps develop the chewy texture that bagels are known for.
  • 1 cup warm milk – The warm milk activates the yeast and helps the dough come together.
  • 1 cup frozen wild blueberries – These blueberries retain their shape better than fresh berries when mixed into the dough, ensuring that you get a burst of juicy blueberry goodness in every bite.
  • ½ cup freeze-dried blueberries – Freeze-dried blueberries add concentrated blueberry flavor and a slight crunch, enhancing the overall taste and texture of the bagels.
  • 3 tablespoons granulated sugar – This adds sweetness to the dough, balancing the flavor of the bagels and enhancing the yeast’s fermentation process.
  • 2 teaspoons instant yeast – Instant yeast is the best option for bagels as it works quickly and doesn’t need to be activated separately.
  • ½ teaspoon sea salt – Salt is essential for flavor and helps control the fermentation process.
  • 1 large egg (for egg wash) – The egg wash gives the bagels a beautiful golden-brown finish after baking.

Water Bath:

  • 6 cups water – The water bath is a crucial step in making bagels, as it gives them their characteristic chewy crust.
  • 2 tablespoons baking soda – Baking soda increases the alkalinity of the water, helping the bagels achieve a golden color and enhancing their chewy texture.
  • 2 tablespoons honey – Honey adds a subtle sweetness to the bagels and helps with browning during the boiling process.

Step-by-Step Instructions for Making Blueberry Bagels

1. Preparing the Dough

Before you begin, make sure you have all your ingredients measured and ready. This will make the process go more smoothly and help ensure accuracy, especially when working with yeast. If you have a kitchen scale, it’s a good idea to weigh the flour and liquids for the best results.

In a stand mixer bowl, combine the bread flour, granulated sugar, instant yeast, sea salt, and freeze-dried blueberries. If you’re using active dry yeast instead of instant yeast, follow the instructions in the notes section of the recipe.

With the dough hook attachment on your stand mixer, turn the mixer to low speed and gradually add the warm milk and the frozen wild blueberries. Continue mixing on low speed for 5-8 minutes. The dough should come together, pulling away from the sides of the bowl and feeling tacky but not sticky. It will be slightly tough at this stage, but after the first rise, it will become softer and fluffier.

Once the dough has come together, lightly coat both the dough and the bowl with oil. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and a tea towel, and let the dough rise in a warm spot for about 1½ hours, or until it has doubled in size. This stage is called bulk fermentation, and it’s when the dough’s flavor develops and the gluten structure forms.

2. Shaping the Bagels

After the dough has risen, it’s time to shape the bagels. Punch the dough down gently to release any air bubbles, and then divide it into 9 equal pieces, each weighing about 109 grams. If you want smaller bagels, you can divide the dough into 8 pieces instead.

Work with one piece of dough at a time. Flatten it slightly with your fingertips to form a square, and then pinch the four corners together at the top. This will resemble a little dumpling. Let each piece rest for 5 minutes to make it easier to shape.

Once rested, use your thumbs to poke a hole through the center of the dough ball. Slowly stretch the hole with your fingers, rotating as you go, until it’s about 2 inches in diameter. This will create the traditional bagel shape. Place each bagel on a lightly floured baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Don’t worry if the holes shrink a little during the resting period – you can go back and stretch them again before boiling.

Let the bagels rise for 20 minutes while you preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C). This second rise, called proofing, helps the bagels expand and become lighter and fluffier.

3. Boiling the Bagels

While the bagels are rising, bring a large pot of water to a boil. Stir in the baking soda and honey. The baking soda will increase the alkalinity of the water, helping the bagels develop their characteristic chewy texture, while the honey will aid in browning the bagels.

Once the water is boiling, carefully drop 1-2 bagels at a time into the water. Let them boil for 30 seconds on each side. Use a slotted spoon to remove the bagels from the water and place them back on the baking tray. Repeat the process until all the bagels have been boiled.

4. Baking the Bagels

Brush the tops of the bagels with the beaten egg wash. This will give them a shiny, golden-brown finish when they bake. Place the bagels in the oven and bake for 20-22 minutes, or until they are golden brown and have a crisp crust.

Once baked, remove the bagels from the oven and allow them to cool on a wire rack for about 10 minutes. The bagels will be soft and slightly chewy on the inside, with a slightly crisp exterior. You can enjoy them as is, or add your favorite spreads, such as cream cheese, butter, or jam.

Tips for Perfect Blueberry Bagels

  • Use cold blueberries: Using frozen wild blueberries in the dough prevents them from breaking apart too much during mixing, helping to maintain their shape in the final product. If you use fresh blueberries, they might burst and mix into the dough more, causing the bagels to turn purple.
  • Be patient with the rise times: The dough requires two rises – one during the bulk fermentation stage and another after shaping the bagels. Allow enough time for these rises to ensure your bagels are soft and fluffy.
  • Add extra flavor: If you like, you can incorporate lemon zest or a sprinkle of cinnamon into the dough for an extra layer of flavor. Blueberries and lemon are a classic combination that works beautifully in bagels.
  • Use a pizza stone for even baking: If you have a pizza stone, use it to bake your bagels for a more even heat distribution and a better-crusted result.
  • Make ahead: You can shape the bagels and refrigerate them overnight before boiling and baking. This will give the dough more time to develop flavor. Simply take them out of the fridge for about 30 minutes before boiling and baking.

Variations on Blueberry Bagels

Once you’ve mastered the basic blueberry bagel recipe, you can start experimenting with different variations:

  • Lemon Blueberry Bagels: Add the zest of one lemon to the dough for a fresh citrus flavor that pairs perfectly with the blueberries.
  • Blueberry Cream Cheese Bagels: After boiling and baking the bagels, spread a generous layer of cream cheese in the center of the hole, and then sprinkle with fresh blueberries.
  • Whole Wheat Blueberry Bagels: For a healthier twist, you can replace some of the bread flour with whole wheat flour. This will give the bagels a slightly denser texture and a nutty flavor.
  • Blueberry Bagel Chips: Slice leftover bagels thinly and bake at a low temperature to make crunchy bagel chips, perfect for dipping in your favorite spreads or soups.

Final Thoughts

Homemade blueberry bagels are an excellent choice for breakfast or any time you want a delicious, satisfying snack. The process of making these bagels is straightforward, and with a little patience, you’ll be rewarded with warm, fresh bagels that far surpass any store-bought version. Whether you enjoy them with a dollop of cream cheese, a smear of butter, or on their own, these blueberry bagels will quickly become a staple in your kitchen. So why not try making them yourself? The results will speak for themselves, and you’ll enjoy the pride of serving freshly baked bagels to your friends and family.

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