Baking / Loaves & yeast breads
Chewy Overnight Bagels
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Tonight you shape eight rings and the fridge takes over. Tomorrow is a quick boil in malt water, a hot oven, and a kitchen that smells like a bakery. The sesame ones go first.
The short version
Knead a stiff bread-flour dough, shape eight rings, and chill overnight. Next day, boil each bagel 45 to 60 seconds per side in water with malt syrup and baking soda, add toppings, and bake at 425°F for 20 to 25 minutes.
What makes ours better
the tricks Nonna pretends she never taught me
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Proof them overnight in the fridge. A long cold rest builds flavor and gives the crust its blistered, bakery look. It also breaks the work into two easy parts.
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Boil in malt syrup and baking soda. The alkaline water sets the crust, and the malt gives the shine, color and faint sweetness of a New York bagel.
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Keep the dough stiff. Bagel dough should feel firm and a bit hard to knead. A wetter dough makes a soft roll with a hole instead of a bagel.
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Shape with a hole poked through. Poking and stretching a ball is faster than rolling ropes, and the ring is more even and stays open as it bakes.
What you need
the cast, in order of appearance
- Instant or active dry yeast2¼ teaspoons
- Bread flour4 cups
- Cornmeal1 tablespoon
Dough
For boiling and topping
yes, all of the butter
Steps
nobody opens the oven door. looking at you, Dad.
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Mix the dough
In a large bowl or stand mixer, stir the warm water, yeast and 1 tablespoon of malt syrup until dissolved. Add the flour and salt and mix until a stiff, shaggy dough forms. If there is dry flour left, add a teaspoon of water; if it's soft and sticky, add a spoonful of flour.
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Knead until smooth
Knead with the dough hook on low-medium for 8 minutes, or by hand for 10 to 12, until the dough is smooth, firm and elastic. It will feel stiff, which is correct. Cover and rest for 15 minutes.
A stand mixer can strain on this dough. If it starts to walk across the counter, finish by hand.
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Shape the rings
Divide the dough into 8 pieces, about 100 grams each, and roll each into a tight ball. Poke your thumb through the center of a ball, then work your fingers into the hole and stretch it to about 2 inches wide, rotating the dough like a steering wheel. Set the rings on a cornmeal-dusted parchment-lined sheet.
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Rest, then chill
Cover the tray loosely with a towel and let the rings rest at room temperature for 20 minutes. Then wrap the whole tray in plastic or put it in a large bag and refrigerate for 8 to 18 hours.
About 20 min. Cook mode has a timer for this step.
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Heat the oven and the pot
Next day, set a rack in the center of the oven and heat it to 425°F. Bring a wide pot of water, at least 3 inches deep, to a boil. Stir in the remaining tablespoon of malt syrup and the baking soda; it will foam up.
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Boil
Lower 3 or 4 bagels into the boiling water, leaving room around each. Boil 45 to 60 seconds, flip, and boil another 45 to 60 seconds. Lift them out with a slotted spoon, let them drip, and put them back on the parchment-lined sheet.
Cold bagels from the fridge may sink and then float. That's fine. Boiling longer gives a chewier crust.
About 2 min. Cook mode has a timer for this step.
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Top and bake
While the bagels are still wet, press the tops into the seasoning if using. Bake 20 to 25 minutes, rotating the sheet halfway, until deep golden brown.
About 20 min. Cook mode has a timer for this step.
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Cool
Slide the bagels onto a rack and cool at least 15 minutes before slicing. Their crumb finishes setting as they cool.
Good to know
things I learned the hard way, so you can skip that part
- Barley malt syrup gives the true bagel flavor and is sold near the honey or in natural-food stores. Honey or brown sugar works in a pinch.
- Bread flour matters here. All-purpose flour makes a bagel that's softer and less chewy.
- To bake the same day, rest the shaped rings 40 minutes at room temperature until puffy, then boil and bake. The flavor will be milder.
- Storage. In a paper bag at room temperature, 2 days. Slice and freeze in a zip-top bag, 2 months; toast from frozen.
Questions, answered
the questions my cousins text me
Why are my bagels flat or wrinkled after baking?
They were probably over-proofed. If the rings look puffy and a poke leaves a dent that stays, bake them. The overnight rest should be in the fridge, not on the counter.
Do I have to boil bagels?
Yes. The boil gelatinizes the surface, which creates the shiny, chewy crust. Without it you get bread shaped like a bagel.
Can I make bagels without malt syrup?
Yes. Honey or light brown sugar works in the dough and the boiling water. You lose a little of the classic malty flavor, but they still bake up chewy.
How do I get my bagels to have a bigger hole?
Stretch the hole to about 2 inches before the rest, since the dough puffs and closes in. A smaller bagel, about 85 grams, also keeps a larger hole.
How do I know when bagels are done?
The crust is deep golden, and they sound hollow when you tap the bottom. An instant-read thermometer reads about 205°F in the center.
From the table
Made it? Tell me everything. Especially if somebody said it was better than their mother’s. I’ll keep your secret.
Made it?
be honest. I can take it. probably.
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Published October 29, 2026.