New York City Bagels

Name: New York City Bagels
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 1 h
Cuisine: United States
Ingredients: 4 cups (500 g) bread flour, plus more for dusting; 1 1/4 cups (300 ml) cool water (about 60°F/15°C); 2 tbsp (30 ml) barley malt syrup; 1 1/2 tsp (9 g) fine sea salt; 1 tsp (3 g) instant yeast; 8 cups (2 L) water; 2 tbsp (30 ml) barley malt syrup; 1/4 cup (40 g) sesame seeds

New York City Bagels Say it: noo YORK SIT-ee BAY-gulz

By the Passport Plate editors. Published November 5, 2026.

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A New York City bagel is a round, hand-shaped bread roll with a glossy crust and a dense, chewy crumb. It is a breakfast staple in New York and beyond, split and spread with cream cheese or piled with lox, tomato, and onion. The dough is stiff and malty, cold-fermented overnight, briefly boiled, then baked until blistered and golden. That boil is what sets the crust and gives the bagel its unmistakable chew.

New York City Bagels

Pronounced noo YORK SIT-ee BAY-gulz

Serves: 8
Prep: 30 min
Cook: 30 min
Total: 1 hr
Level: Medium

Also nut-free and egg-free.

Allergens: contains gluten, sesame. Check labels on packaged ingredients.

Ingredients

8 servings

For the dough

4 cups (500 g)500 g (4 cups) bread flour, plus more for dusting
1 1/4 cups (300 ml)300 ml (1 1/4 cups) cool water (about 60°F/15°C)
2 tbsp (30 ml)30 ml (2 tbsp) barley malt syrup
1 1/2 tsp (9 g)9 g (1 1/2 tsp) fine sea salt
1 tsp (3 g)3 g (1 tsp) instant yeast

For boiling

8 cups (2 L)2 L (8 cups) water
2 tbsp (30 ml)30 ml (2 tbsp) barley malt syrup

For topping

1/4 cup (40 g)40 g (1/4 cup) sesame seeds

Method

Whisk the bread flour, salt, and yeast in a large bowl. Add the water and malt syrup and stir with a wooden spoon until a stiff, shaggy dough forms.
Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured counter and knead for 8–10 minutes, until it is smooth, firm, and only slightly tacky; it should spring back when poked.
Divide the dough into 8 equal pieces, about 3 1/2 oz (100 g) each. Roll each into a tight ball, cover, and rest for 10 minutes.
Poke a hole through the center of each ball with a floured finger, then stretch the hole to about 2 inches (5 cm) wide, rotating the ring evenly. Place on a parchment-lined baking sheet and cover loosely.
Refrigerate for 12–24 hours. This cold rise develops flavor and gives the bagels their dense chew.
Heat the oven to 450°F (230°C). Bring the 8 cups (2 L) water and 2 tbsp malt syrup to a gentle boil in a wide pot.
Working in batches of 3 or 4, lower the bagels into the boiling water and cook for 1 minute, then flip and cook 1 minute more. Transfer to a rack to drain briefly; they should float and swell.
Sprinkle the tops generously with sesame seeds while still damp. Arrange on a parchment-lined baking sheet, spacing them well.
Bake for 16–20 minutes, until deep golden brown and the crust is glossy and firm; rotate the pan halfway through. Cool on a rack for at least 15 minutes before splitting.

Regional variant: Montreal Bagels (Bagels de Montréal)

Montreal-style bagels are smaller, sweeter, and thinner, with a bigger hole. For 8, use 3 1/2 cups (440 g) bread flour, add 1 large egg and 2 tbsp (30 ml) honey to the dough, and reduce the water to about 3/4 cup (180 ml). Keep the salt and yeast as listed. Boil in 8 cups (2 L) water with 1/4 cup (60 ml) honey instead of malt, then bake at 475°F (245°C) on a hot stone for 12–15 minutes, until dark golden.

Cook's notes

Use a kitchen scale for the dough; a stiff 60% hydration dough is what gives bagels their chew.
Boil only a few at a time and keep the water at a gentle boil; a rolling boil can dent the rings.
For the classic New York topping, dip the boiled bagels in sesame, poppy, or everything seasoning before baking.

Serve with

Split and spread with cream cheese; top with lox, tomato, red onion, and capers, or serve with eggs and coffee.

Make ahead and storage

Shaped bagels can be refrigerated for up to 24 hours before boiling; baked bagels keep 2 days in a paper bag or freeze for up to 3 months.

New York City Bagels