Homemade Gluten-Free Bagels
If you’ve been missing large, chewy bakery-style bagels on a gluten-free and dairy-free diet, these Homemade Gluten-Free Bagels are about to change everything. They have a soft yet chewy inside and a slightly crisp, but thin crust on the outside. Even better, they're about 5 inches across making these perfect for the classic bagel sandwiches. These bagels only take about an hour and 45 minutes from start to finish and you get warm, fresh bagels that taste like they came from a bakery. The appearance, texture and flavor are all perfect that you really can't tell they're gluten-free, dairy-free, and egg-free(optional)!
Ingredients
- 6 tbsp whole psyllium husk
- 2 1/4 cups warm water
- 1 3/4 cups tapioca flour
- 1 1/2 cups brown rice flour
- 1/2 cup sorghum flour
- 1 1/2 tbsp granulated sugar
- 2 tsp sea salt
- 3 tsp active dry yeast
- 1 1/2 tbsp olive oil (I use avocado oil)
You'll also need:
- 2 tbsp sugar or molasses (for boiling the bagels)
- 1 egg (optional for brushing bagels after boiling)
- Everything Bagel Seasoning or white sesame seeds (optional for toppings)
Instructions
Making the dough:
- You can prepare the dough using a stand mixer or by hand.
- Activate the yeast: In a small bowl, whisk together the yeast, 1/2 cup of the warm water, and sugar. Proof until the yeast bubbles and a thin layer of foam forms on top, about 10 minutes.
- Psyllium husk: In a separate small bowl, mix together the psyllium husk and the other 1 3/4 cups of the warm water. Set aside for a couple minutes to form a gel. Once the gel forms, add the oil and whisk together well.
- In a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook, combine the tapioca flour, brown rice flour, sorghum flour, and salt together. Add the psyllium husk gel and the yeast mixture mixing on medium speed for a few minutes, until the dough comes together and is smooth. Alternatively, you can mix the dough by hand in a large bowl.
- The dough should be smooth and quite firm without lumps of unmixed flour. It shouldn't be sticky.
Shaping the bagels:
- Line a large baking sheet or two small baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Turn the dough out onto a work surface, gently knead, and shape it into a ball. Using a bench scraper or knife, cut the dough into 8 equal portions. Shape each piece into a ball, then use the end of a wooden spoon or your thumb to press a hole through the center of the dough, gently expanding it to about 1 1/2 inch diameter. Transfer the shaped bagels onto the parchment paper and repeat with all of the dough pieces.
Proofing the bagels:
- Cover the bagels with a clean kitchen towel or plastic wrap. Let the bagels proof/rest in a warm spot on the counter for about 30 minutes, until they're slightly puffed up, but not yet doubled in size.
- These bagels require a short proofing time. It's really important that you *don't* proof them until they've doubled in size or they will collapse during boiling and baking producing a tight, dense crumb.
Boiling the bagels:
- First, preheat the oven to 450F.
- Fill a large, wide pot with water and 1 tbsp sugar. Make sure the water is about 3 inches deep, so you can easily flip the bagels over. Bring the water to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium-high heat.
- Drop the proofed bagels in the water, letting 2-4 bagels boil at a time depending on your pot size. Boil the bagels about 45 seconds, then flip the bagels and boil for another 45 seconds.
- Remove the bagels from the boiling water and transfer them to the lined baking sheet. Make sure they're well spaced out on the baking sheet by at least 2 inches, as they'll expand during baking.
- Egg Wash Note: This is an optional step that I skip most of the time, either way the bagels will still be golden brown and delicious. If you DO the egg wash, brush the bagels generously right after boiling and sprinkle with toppings. If you DON'T do the egg wash, just sprinkle or roll the bagels in the toppings right after boiling while they're still a little wet. Sprinkle with Everything Bagel Seasoning, white sesame seeds, any other topping or leave them plain.
Baking the bagels:
- Reduce the oven temperature to 400F and place the bagels into the oven on the middle rack. Bake for about 30-35 minutes, until the bagels are deep golden brown.
- Once baked, transfer the bagels to a wire rack to cool completely. Don't be tempted to cut into them while they're still warm - their crumb needs some time to properly set and if you cut into them, you'll find a sticky, gummy interior.
- After the bagels have cooled completely, you can serve or store them in an airtight container at room temperature. cut bagel in half and toast in a regular toast.
- When ready to serve, I like to toast the bagels cut in half in a regular toaster. It crisps the crust and keeps the crumb soft and chewy.
Notes
Grab this recipe if you want to make your own inexpensive, delicious Homemade Everything Bagel Seasoning.
Substitutions: You can swap the brown rice flour for millet flour. You can also swap sorghum flour for oat or teff flour. And tapioca flour for arrowroot starch or potato starch.
Whole Psyllium Husk: This is an important ingredient and should NOT be substituted. It's like magic in gluten-free baking and helps bind everything together. However, if you have to use psyllium husk powder, use only 85% of the amount listed in a recipe.
Egg wash: This is an optional step that I skip most of the time, either way the bagels will still be golden brown and delicious (for reference, the pictures in this post are without egg wash). However, without the egg wash they won't expand as much during baking. It doesn't make a huge difference to me and sometimes I just want to save a few minutes and skip the hassle. If I don't do the egg wash, I just sprinkle or roll the bagels in the toppings right after boiling while they're on the baking sheet.
Storage: Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3-5 days. These gluten-free bagels are best eaten the same day as baking, but they freeze well, tightly wrapped, for up to 3 months. I like to wrap each bagel in plastic wrap then store in a freezer Ziploc bag. When ready to eat, let bagel thaw or microwave for about 30 seconds, then toast to crisp it up.
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