Cinnamon Bagels are a classic bakery treat that's beloved for their chewy texture and warm cinnamon flavor. This recipe teaches you how to make authentic boiled cinnamon bagels from scratch, complete with a delicious cinnamon sugar topping.
Enjoy the satisfaction of baking your own fresh bagels and customizing them to your liking.
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Why You'll Love This Recipe
These homemade cinnamon bagels are a delightful alternative to store-bought versions. By making them yourself, you can control the ingredients and create a truly unique and flavorful treat.
The cinnamon sugar topping adds a delightful crunch and a burst of sweetness that complements the warm cinnamon flavor of the bagels.
Ingredients You'll Need
You only need basic pantry staples like flour (bread flour is best), sugar, yeast, brown sugar, and cinnamon. You'll boil the shaped bagels briefly in boiling water that has a little baking soda in it as well.
Don't worry, boiling the dough for a few minutes will not make them soggy, but it's the secret to the chewy crust of authentic bagels.
Full ingredient amounts and preparation instructions are in the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post.
How To Make Cinnamon Crunch Bagels
To make Cinnamon Bagels, start by combining flour, yeast, warm water, sugar, and salt to form a dough. Let the dough rise until doubled in size. Shape the dough into bagels and boil them in water before baking.
While the bagels bake, prepare a cinnamon crunch topping by mixing cinnamon and sugar. Once the bagels are golden brown, sprinkle them with the cinnamon crunch topping.
Make The Bagel Dough
- Mix flour, salt, sugar, yeast, and ground cinnamon in a large bowl.
- Mix the dry ingredients with the honey and warm water and mix until it forms a single dough ball. Knead the dough for 10 minutes by hand or with a dough hook on an electric mixer.
Knead and Shape Into Dough Rings
- Pinch the dough out into eight 2 to 3 ounce balls.
- Form the ring by either rolling each ball into a tube and pinching the ends together, or while shaping the ball, poke your thumb through the center. Use either way to form the bagel rings.
PRO TIP: BE SURE to make the center hole of each bagel at least 2" wide (the rise and baking close up small holes!).
Let the Bagels Rise and Prepare The Cinnamon Crunch
- Place bagel rings on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Cover with a light cloth and let rise for 40-50 minutes in a warm, draft free location.
- Mix the brow sugar, sugar, and cinnamon in a small bowl until evenly blended and any brown sugar lumps broken are mixed in. Set aside for topping the bagels right before placing in the oven.
Boil The Bagels
- While the bagels are rising, preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C) and either oil a rimmed baking sheet or line with parchment paper.
- Bring a Dutch oven half full of water to boil. Stir the baking soda into the water and reduce heat to a very low boil.
- Gently drop one or two bagels into the boiling water and boil for one minute per side. Use a spatula or slotted utensil to turn and lift out of the water and set on the prepared baking sheet, first allowing excess water to drip off.
- Sprinkle each bagel generously with the cinnamon crunch topping.
Bake The Bagels
- Bake in the preheated oven for 20 minutes, or until golden brown. Transfer to a wire rack for cooling and enjoy.
Serving Suggestions
Cinnamon Bagels are incredibly versatile and can be enjoyed in many ways. Pair them with cream cheese or butter for a classic breakfast or snack. Add a touch of sweetness with jelly or jam.
No matter how you choose to enjoy them, Cinnamon Bagels are sure to satisfy your cravings and add a delicious touch to your day.
Related Recipes
- Roasted Garlic Focaccia
- Homemade Breadsticks with Garlic Butter
- Everyday Challah Rolls
- Apple Filled Cinnamon Rolls
- No Knead Dutch Oven Bread
Substitutions and Variations
Here are a few delicious variations or substitutions when making this cinnamon bagel recipe.
- Omit the ground cinnamon in the bagel dough and after boiling the bagels, sprinkle them with everything bagel seasoning before baking.
- You can use Apple Pie spice or Pumpkin Pie spice blends instead of ground cinnamon.
Equipment
Equipment can have a big impact on how a recipe turns out. Below are some of my favorite pieces of equipment that I use when making this recipe.
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Tips for Success
Here are a few tips for making this authentic bagel recipe:
- Use bread flour for the best texture.
- Let the dough rise in a warm, draft-free place.
- Make at least 2" wide center holes in each ball of bagel dough, as the rising, boiling, and baking will close up completely any small bagel holes.
- Boil the bagels until they float to the surface of the water.
Storage Options
- Store leftover Cinnamon Bagels in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days.
- For longer storage, bagels can be frozen for up to 3 months. Thaw frozen bagels at room temperature before slicing and enjoying.
Frequently Asked Questions
The baking soda in the boiling water contributes to a slight pretzel-like texture on the bagel exterior. Baking soda is usually used in most Jewish bakeries, but sugar can also be used.
For authentic bagels, yes. But if you're not aiming for authentic, it's not strictly necessary, but it helps create the chewy exterior and signature texture associated with bagels. If you skip the boiling step, the bagels will have a softer crust.
The best way to tell when the bagels are done is by their color. They should be golden brown on the outside.
More Bread Recipes
- Sourdough Discard Naan
- Dutch Oven Sourdough Bread
- Easy Sourdough Discard Cinnamon Rolls
- Sourdough Discard Pancakes
Cinnamon Bagels with Cinnamon Crunch Topping
Equipment
- 6 qt Stainless Steel Dutch Oven
Ingredients
Bagel Dough
- 4 ⅛ cup bread flour
- 1 tablespoon salt
- 4 ½ tablespoon yeast
- 2 teaspoon cinnamon
- ⅓ cup honey
- 1 ½ cup warm water 110-120℉
Cinnamon Crunch Topping
- ½ cup brown sugar
- ¼ cup sugar
- 2 teaspoon cinnamon
For Boiling Bagels
- 2 quarts water as needed for the boiling phase
- 1 tablespoon baking soda
Instructions
Make the Cinnamon Bagel Dough
- Mix flour, salt, sugar, yeast, and ground cinnamon in a large bowl.4 ⅛ cup bread flour, 1 tablespoon salt, 4 ½ tablespoon yeast, 2 teaspoon cinnamon
- Mix the dry ingredients with the honey and warm water and mix until it forms a single dough ball. Knead the dough for 10 minutes by hand or with a dough hook on an electric mixer.⅓ cup honey, 1 ½ cup warm water
- Pinch the dough out into 2 ½ oz portion balls. Form the ring by either rolling each ball into a tube and pinching the ends together, or while shaping the ball, poke your thumb through the center. Use either way to form the bagel rings. BE SURE to make the center hole of each bagel at least 2" wide (the rise and baking close up small holes!).
- Place bagel rings on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Cover with a light cloth and let rise for 40-50 minutes in a warm, draft free location.
Make the Cinnamon Crunch Topping
- Mix the brow sugar, sugar, and cinnamon in a small bowl until evenly blended and any brown sugar lumps broken are mixed in. Set aside for topping the bagels right before placing in the oven.½ cup brown sugar, 2 teaspoon cinnamon, ¼ cup sugar
Prepare to Boil and Bake the Bagels
- While the bagels are rising, preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C) and either oil a rimmed baking sheet or line with parchment paper.
- Bring a Dutch oven full of water to boil. Add the baking soda to the water and reduce heat to just a very low boil.2 quarts water, 1 tablespoon baking soda
- Gently drop one or two bagels into the boiling water and boil for one minute per side. Use a spatula or slotted utensil to turn and lift out of the water and set on the prepared baking sheet, first allowing excess water to drip off.
Bake the Cinnamon Crunch Topped Bagels
- Sprinkle each bagel generously with the cinnamon crunch topping.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 20 minutes, or until golden brown. Transfer to a wire rack for cooling and enjoy.
Notes
- Don't boil more than two bagels at a time, so the water temperature stays level.
- If pinching dough tubes, be sure to pinch the ends together really well. Dampening the end of one will ensure the ends stick.
- If punching a hole in the small balls of dough to make the rings, be sure to shape with your hands so the holes are large, as rising and baking will reduce the holes a lot.
- Be sure to use bread flour, as it has more gluten and give a better rise.
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