100% Whole Wheat Bagels

The 80s called, but don't worry - I'm begging them to let us keep all the bagels.

Although the "roll-with-a-hole concept" (as Joan Nathan so pithily referred to it) is centuries old, bagels zoomed to popularity in the U.S. in the 80s and 90s and are having kind of a moment again right now. Their crispy sides and cream cheese smothered middles are all over my Insta feed, and I'm seeing new articles about Jerusalem bagels, New York bagels and/or Montreal bagels on a daily basis.

It's no secret why we're so bagel obsessed. Bagels, especially super wheaty and flavorful ones, are perfect for breakfast, lunch, dinner, or snack time because they are hearty, filling, and just so wonderfully crispy-on-the-outside-soft-on-the-inside when toasted.

This particular wheaty bagel recipe was adapted from Peter Reinhart's Bread Revolution. In his book, he offered both a two-day and a one-day bagel recipe. I opted for the one-day recipe here because it's super practical and yields delicious results.

Let me know what you think of the recipe in the comments and don't forget to follow the sustainability tips below!

Ingredients

• 4 1/4 cups (510 grams) sprouted whole wheat flour or whole wheat flour

  • Note: Peter Reinhart's original recipe calls for sprouted wheat flour, but I think regular whole wheat is just as good

• 1 ¼ teaspoons salt

• 1 ¼ teaspoons instant yeast

• 1 ⅔ cups lukewarm water

• 1 tablespoon barley malt or honey (go for barley malt if vegan)

• 2 tablespoons baking soda, for the boiling water

• Cornmeal or semolina flour for baking sheets

• Several tablespoons topping of choice, I used poppy seeds

Steps

1. In a large bowl or in a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, whisk together flour, salt and yeast. In a small bowl or liquid measuring cup, whisk together the water and barley malt or honey until the sweetener has dissolved.

2. Start the mixer on low speed, or begin stirring with a wooden spoon, and slowly add in the liquid mixture. Knead until a shaggy mass starts to form, then let the dough rest for 5 minutes. Knead by hand or with the mixer for about 2 minutes, or until the dough is smooth. If the dough is too wet, you can add a couple more tablespoons of flour. Knead for another minute or so, until the dough is firm and smooth. Shape the dough into a ball by folding the sides toward the bottom and pinching the bottom to seal. Transfer dough ball to a lightly greased bowl. Cover with a tea towel and let proof for 1 1/2 to 2 hours, or until the dough has nearly doubled in size.

3. Line a large baking sheet with lightly oiled compostable parchment paper or a lightly oiled silicone baking mat. Divide the dough into 8 equal pieces. To do this, I like to turn out the dough, shape it into a circle and divide it in half. Then, divide each half in half and then each quarter in half. Shape each piece of dough into a ball by tucking its sides toward its bottom and pinching at its base. Then, place the ball seam-side down on a clean counter and use a cupped hand to drag the ball in small circles until taught and round. To shape into bagels, push your fingers through the center of each dough ball and gently stretch until the hole is about 1 1/2 inches in diameter.

4. Place shaped bagels onto the prepared baking sheet, leaving at least an inch of space between each bagel. Cover gently with a tea towel and let rest for 30-60 minutes, or until the bagels float when placed in a bowl of water. After about 15 minutes resting, preheat oven to 425 F, with a rack in the middle position, and set a medium pot of water on the stove to boil. Add the 2 tablespoons of baking soda to the water.

5. Once the bagels have rested and the water is boiling, place the bagels in the water 2-4 at a time depending on the size of your pot. Let the bagels simmer for 30 seconds on each side. While they are simmering, coat their places on the baking sheet with cornmeal or semolina flour. Remove from water using a slotted spoon and placed back on the lined and cornmeal-ed baking sheet. Immediately sprinkle bagels with topping of choice. Repeat with remaining bagels.

6. Bake bagels for 20-24 minutes, or until golden brown, rotating the baking sheet halfway through. Enjoy with your favorite bagel accoutrements.

Sustainability tips

• Flour: Wheat can be pretty hard on the environment, so be sure to buy flour from a brand you trust. My favorite brand is King Arthur because it's a B Corp, which means it's held to a really high environmental and social standard. Read all about it in my B Corps post!

• Covering the bread: When you cover the bread for proofing and resting, there's no need to use plastic wrap. Simply use a tea towel or a silicone bowl cover to skip the unnecessary waste.