These homemade mini bagels are fun to make, and fun to eat! Spread with a bit of cream cheese, use them as a dipper or as a base for canapes!
This recipe started out of necessity - they discontinued Bagel Bites here in Canada, so I did up a recipe for Homemade Bagel Bites.
The problem? Mini Bagels!
Apparently Thomas' plain mini bagels are a thing in the USA, but I’ve certainly never seen them here.
Besides, I love the great taste of homemade bread products, fresh from the oven.
This is a real bagel recipe, with all the steps - including the sweetened boil - just done in miniature!
Don’t be intimidated if you’ve never made bagels before, though - they’re easy enough for even novice bakers to make. Just follow the directions, and you’ll be fine!
Spread them with cream cheese as a mini breakfast bagel, or flavour up that cream cheese and make my - and Smoked Salmon Bagel Bites !
They’re also fantastic as a dipper.
Not only do they taste great in cold dips - like my Dill Pickle Dip or Ginger Wasabi Dip, they also hold up well in hot dips!
Try them with one of my hot melty cheese dips:
Hot Cheeseburger Dip
Cheddar Queso Dip
Jalapeno Artichoke Dip
Jalapeno Popper Dip
Spinach Artichoke Dip
However you serve them, I’m sure you’ll agree that they’re a fun version of traditional bagels. Mini foods are so cute!
Anyway, let’s get to that recipe...
Ingredients
This recipe uses super basic ingredients - you likely already have them on hand! If not, they can definitely be found in basically any grocery store.
For the dough itself, you will need:
All Purpose Flour
Granulated Sugar
Active Dry Yeast
Honey
Large Egg
Salt
In terms of toppings, you can leave them plain, or top them with various seasonings. Some suggestions:
Black Sesame Seeds
Coarse Salt
Everything Bagel Seasoning
Maple Sugar Flakes
Maple Sugar Pebbles
Poppy Seeds
Sea Salt Flakes
Toasted Sesame Seeds
I’ll usually do several different toppings per batch, like ½ a pan each of plain, everything, sesame seed, and poppy seed.
How to Make Mini Bagels
The full recipe is in the recipe card at the end of this post, here is the pictorial walk through.
Measure warm water into a glass measuring cup or bowl. Stir in yeast and sugar, allow to stand for 10 minutes – it should get very bubbly.
In a large mixing bowl, combine flour and salt. Pour in yeast mixture, stir well to combine.
Alternatively, use a stand mixer with a dough hook for about 7 minutes, or until dough is smooth and elastic - that’s what I do.
Once dough is fully kneaded, place in a greased bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and allow to rise for one hour, or until doubled in size.
Once dough ball has doubled, punch it down, and divide it out into 40 equal sized portions.
Roll each dough portion into a tight ball.
Poke a finger through the middle of a dough ball, then stretch the ring of dough into a small bagel shape. Place on prepared baking sheet, repeat with remaining dough pieces.
Once you have all of your bagels formed, set them on a baking sheet to rise for another 10 minutes.
Once boiling, turn heat down a little, allowing water to simmer rather than boil.
4 or 5 at a time, drop your bagels into the gently boiling water, allow to cook for 20 seconds then flip each and allow to cook for 20 seconds.
Drain well, place on a lined baking sheet.
Sprinkle with any toppings you'd like to use.
Bake for 18-22 minutes, until golden brown.
Allow mini bagels to cool to room temperature before storing in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. Reheat in a microwave, air fryer, or toaster oven.
More Bagel Recipes
Looking for more fantastic bagels to make? Here are some great options!
Banana Nut Bagels
Blueberry Bagels
Chai Bagels
Everything Bagels
Garden Veggie Bagels
Gluten-Free Bagels
How to Make Bagels
Jalapeno Cheddar Beer Bagels
Marble Rye Bagels
Montreal Bagels
Pretzel Bagels
Pumpernickel Everything Bagels
Rainbow Bagels
Red Velvet Bagels
Roasted Garlic Asiago Bagels
Roasted Red Pepper Bagels
Rye Bagels with Caraway Seeds
Seeded Whole Wheat Flax Bagels
Smoky Cheese Bagels
Whole Wheat Spinach Bagels
... and a few seasonal / holiday options, too:
Christmas Bagels
Gingerbread Bagels
Heart Shaped Bagels
Hot Cross Bagels
Maple Pumpkin Spice Bagels
Paska Bagels
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Mini Bagels
Equipment
- 2 Baking Sheets
- Parchment Paper
Ingredients
- 1.5 cups warm - not hot - water
- 4 teaspoon Active Dry Yeast
- 3 tablespoon Granulated Sugar
- 3 ½ cups All Purpose Flour
- 2 teaspoon Salt
- 1 Large Egg
- ¼ cup Honey
- Toppings, optional Sesame seeds, poppy seeds, everything seasoning, etc.
Instructions
- Measure warm water into a glass measuring cup or bowl. Stir in yeast and sugar, allow to stand for 10 minutes – it should get very bubbly.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine flour and salt. Pour in yeast mixture, stir well to combine.
- Dump dough out onto a floured surface, knead until soft and elastic, 5-10 minutes. Alternatively, use a stand mixer with a dough hook for about 7 minutes, or until dough is smooth and elastic.
- Once dough is fully kneaded, place in a greased bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and allow to rise for one hour, or until doubled in size.
- Once dough has doubled, punch it down, and divide it out into 40 equal sized portions. Roll each dough portion into a tight ball.
- Poke a finger through the middle of a dough ball, then stretch the ring of dough into a small bagel shape. Place on prepared baking sheet, repeat with remaining dough.
- Once you have all of your bagels formed, set them on a baking sheet to rise for another 10 minutes.
- Preheat oven to 350F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Add honey to a large pot of water , bring to a to a boil.
- Once boiling, turn heat down a little, allowing water to simmer rather than boil.
- 4 or 5 at a time, drop your bagels into the simmering water, allow to cook for 20 seconds then flip each and allow to cook for 20 seconds.
- Drain well, place on a lined baking sheet.
- Whisk egg together with 1 tablespoon of water, brush over the tops and sides of each bagel. Sprinkle with any toppings you'd like to use.
- Bake for 18-22 minutes, until golden brown.
Nutrition
Kristin
I’ve made several other mini bagel recipes and this one is my new favorite! (My toddler also approves!)