These Sesame & Chia bagels are chewy, fresh and really easy to make. If you love making bread at home, then you will love making these bagels. Enjoy them fresh from the oven with cream cheese or as a filling breakfast sandwich.

Bread making is one of the most enjoyable things I love to do because the feel of bread dough in my hands as I knead and the aroma of freshly baked bread is one of my favorite simple pleasures of life. These Sesame and Chia bagels are chewy, rustic, fresh and they are so simple to make, anyone can make them.

Enjoy these bagels with a light spread of cream cheese or as a delicious, filling breakfast sandwich like my Bagel and Omelet Sandwich. We have a few steps to get through, so grab your apron and let’s get baking.

Sesame and Chia Bagels Ingredients

This recipe uses only 7 ingredients, and they are pantry staples:

Flour: You can use either bread flour or all-purpose flour for making bread.
Dry Yeast: Make sure your yeast is fresh. Stale yeast will prevent your bread from rising and proofing, so make sure you get fresh yeast from the store.
Sugar: The amount in this recipe is very small but it adds a touch of sweetness to the bagels and also gives the yeast something to feed on during proofing.
Salt: Salt enhances the taste of baked goods.
Warm water: The temperature of water required for bread making is warm water (blood temperature). If the water is too hot, it can kill the yeast. A simple test I do to make sure I have the perfect temperature is to dip my finger into the water. If it’s too hot for my fingers, then it will be too hot for the yeast.
Vegetable oil
Egg: This is for brushing on top of the bagels.
Sesame & Chia seeds (Optional): Sesame seeds and chia seeds are optional in this recipe but are great toppings that add a bit of crunch to the bagels. Other seeds great for topping bagels are poppy seeds, sunflower seeds, or pumpkin seeds.

How to make sesame and chia bagels

These bagels are surprisingly easy to make, despite the number of steps required. There is a bit of a learning curve to making bread if you are new to it, but with these easy steps, you will a bagel baking pro in no time.

Add the flour and salt into a large bowl and set aside. Into the warm water, add the yeast and sugar and stir. Leave the yeast for 5 minutes or until it starts to foam on top. Once foamy, add the vegetable oil and add the liquid into the flour. Mix with a spatula until it forms a rough dough. Transfer to a clean surface. The dough should be dry enough to handle, so there’s no need to add flour at this time.
Knead the dough for 10 minutes until it’s smooth and elastic. Add some vegetable oil into a clean bowl and place the dough into it. Cover with a clean cloth and leave to proof for 1 hr.
After 1 hr., the dough should have doubled in size. Remove from the bowl and place on a floured surface. Gently press out the air from the dough and divide into 8 equal pieces.
Roll each dough under the palm of your hand and make a flat log shape. Using your palms, continue to roll it towards each end, until it is about 10inch long, wrap the log around your knuckle to form a ring. The join should be underneath your palm. Seal the join and place the dough on a baking tray. Repeat to shape all the bagels.
Cover with a clean cloth and leave in a warm place for up to 1 hr. until doubled in size.

One Hour Later

Preheat your oven to 210-degree Celsius and bring a large pan of water to boil.
Poach the bagels in gently simmering water for 1 minute on each side. It’s best to do them one at a time.
Remove the bagels and gently wipe off any water with a clean cloth. Place the bagel on a baking tray and brush with the beaten egg.
Sprinkle some sesame seeds or chia seeds on top.
Bake for 20-25 minutes or until they are golden brown. Transfer to a cooling rack for 5 minutes, then enjoy.

Tips for making perfect bagels

Make sure your yeast is fresh: The key to making delicious yeasted bread recipes is to use fresh, living yeast. If the yeast is old or dead, the bread will not rise. If you are not sure that your yeast is fresh, it’s best to throw that batch away and get a fresh batch.
Knead the dough for 10 minutes or more: Kneading the dough is what is responsible for making these bagels fluffy. So get in there and flex those kneading muscles.
Poach the bagels: Poaching the bagels is what makes them have that classic chewy texture.
Have fun: Bread making is fun and these bagels are no different. So, make sure to have lots of fun while making them (The more fun you have, the more delicious they will be).

How to store bagels

Baked goods like these bagels taste the best on the day they are baked. However, you can store any leftovers in the freezer. Simply place them in a freezer-safe bag and freeze them for up to 3 months. Anytime you want to enjoy a bagel, remove from the freezer and thaw it out on your countertop. Toast the bagels and enjoy. You can enjoy them with cream cheese or make a sandwich like my Bagel and Omelet Sandwich.

More baked goods to try this week

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