Montreal Bagel Recipe

Homemade Montreal Bagel Recipe with a New York Twist

Recipe By: Cece Kirkwood on 1/16/2022. This post may contain affiliate links.

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Bagels. My first true love. These bagels are the perfect compliment to breakfast, brunch, lunch or even dinner. They can be made into a sandwich or enjoyed with a simple butter or cream cheese schmear. This Montreal Bagel recipe will take about 3 hours to make and will yield 8 of the most delightfully sweet and light bagels – perfect for an evening or morning bake. 

Have you ever sat at home on a weekend morning, wishing that you could have a fresh, fluffy and absolutely delicious bagel in your hand? Yeah, I’ve been there. 

There is truly nothing quite as scrumptious as a crispy-on-the-outside, airy-on-the-inside bagel. Especially on a weekend after a very long work-week. 

When I went off to college, my mom began baking homemade bagels and it would always be a treat for me to come home on a long weekend and know there were bagels awaiting my arrival. 

So naturally, after I started baking more seriously, bagels were one of the first bread recipes I wanted to develop. I started with my mom’s recipe and added a few of my own touches. After dozens and dozens of bagels, I’ve perfected this Montreal Bagel Recipe and I cannot wait to see you bake it too. 

And, if you’re looking to make these bagels with sourdough, rather than yeast, try out my Sourdough Montreal Bagels with a New York Twist recipe. 

The Process – Montreal Bagel Recipe with a New York Twist 

Mixing the Dough…

Once all of your ingredients are pre-measured and laid out, in a large bowl, whisk together the water, sugar, canola oil, one egg and maple syrup. Then, add in the yeast and swirl together using your fingers or a whisk until it dissolves. Let the mixture sit for a few minutes to activate the yeast. You’ll begin to see bubbles forming after a few minutes – that means the yeast is ready for action! 

Once the bubbles form, add in 2 cups of flour and the salt on top. This is important – make sure to add the salt on top of the flour so that it does not immediately hit the yeast and interfere with the rising. Begin to combine everything using a wooden spatula. 

Add in the rest of the flour gradually, enough to make a wet, shaggy dough. You can use a standing mixer here as well. If using one, the dough is done when it begins climbing up the hook, but be sure to use a rubber spatula to scrape down the bowl during mixings to allow for full incorporation of the flour.

NOTE: The dough will be rather sticky, but that is okay! Don’t over-mix. 

Kneading the Dough…

Once just combined, turn the dough out to a well-floured work surface and begin kneading. Incorporate more flour as needed to create a smooth, firm dough ball. I normally knead it between 10-15 minutes. 

*Note: This is a sticky dough and if the weather outside is humid, you will probably need more flour than you think. Take a deep breath, add the flour, keep kneading and your dough will come together.

Form the dough into a loose ball and place it back in the bowl and cover with an inverted bowl, allowing to rest for 30 minutes. 

Shaping the Bagels…

Dump the dough onto a floured work surface and divide into 8 equal parts and shape! 

I like to shape mine into a mini boule, creating tension across the top of the dough. Rest the little dumplings for 10 minutes under a clean towel. Then poke your thumb through the center of the ball to make your bagel shape! More on bagel shaping in this blog post here. 

Let your shaped dough rise on the bench for 30 minutes, covered with a floured towel. 

About ten minutes into this resting time, begin to boil at least 20 cups of water, ⅓ cup of honey and 1 tbsp baking soda.

Preheat your oven to 425º, fitted with a pizza stone (If you don’t have a pizza stone, that is fine. Use a baking sheet to bake the bagels in the instead).

Boil and Bake the Bagels…

Boil your bagels, 3 at a time, for 90 seconds total, 45 seconds on each side. Remove each bagel and place on a paper towel to dry. This step is crucial and will provide that last big rise for your bagels!

Next, prepare your egg wash. Brush the egg wash onto all parts of the bagel and top with your favorite seasonings, being sure to coat both sides for an extra flavor punch. My favorites are everything seasoning, poppy seeds, sesame and za’atar, but you can top with your favorite flavors or leave plain! 

Place prepped bagels onto a piece of parchment paper and slide onto your pizza stone to bake. I normally bake 4 at a time on the pizza stone. 

Bake for 8-10 minutes. Then, quickly flip your bagels and bake for another 6-8 minutes. For a total baking time of 14-18 minutes. 

Allow to cool on a rack before diving in! 

You can store these bagels in bags in a freezer for 3-4 weeks! When ready to eat, defrost for 30 seconds in the microwave, toast and enjoy your Montreal Bagels! 

The Toppings

There are tons of different flavors you can top your bagels with or even add to the dough while kneading to give it a flavor punch. These are a few of my go-to toppings:

• Everything Seasoning
• Sesame Seeds
• Poppy Seeds
• Za’atar seasoning 
• Anything else you’d like!  

The Tips 

Can I make the bagels ahead of time and store them for the future?

Yes! After baking and cooling time, slice the bagels and place into a freezer-safe bag and store for up to one month. When you are ready to eat, defrost the bagel in the microwave for 30 seconds, pop into the toaster and enjoy with your favorite schmear or bagel toppings. 

Why is this recipe in grams? 

Baking is a science and in science you want things to be exact and precise. The best way to do this is by weighing out your ingredients using a simple scale. Ever baked a cookie using the same recipe, yet somehow it turns out slightly different each time? That is because when measuring by volume, you can’t be as precise. It is vital that your ingredient ratios are accurate for a reliable bake every time. 

What if I don’t have a pizza stone to bake my bagels? 

No worries! You can easily bake these bagels on a normal baking sheet lined with parchment paper. 

The Montreal Bagel Recipe

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