Name: Easy Pumpkin Bagels
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 2 h 45 min
Yield: 8
Ingredients: 160g (2/3 cup) lukewarm water; 1 ½ teaspoons instant yeast or active dried yeast; 32g (2 1/2 Tbsp) soft brown sugar; 406g (3 ¼ cups) bread flour or strong all-purpose flour; 113g (1/2 cup) pumpkin puree; 1 teaspoon pumpkin spice; 1 teaspoon salt; 2 Litres / 2 quarts water; 18g (1 ½ tablespoons) honey or brown sugar

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What better way to celebrate the season than with delicious pumpkin bagels baked fresh in your kitchen? These homemade bagels are gently spiced and perfectly chewy with a beautiful golden hue.

Homemade pumpkin bagels are a great way to infuse the flavors of pumpkin pie spice and real pumpkin into a classic breakfast treat. The pumpkin puree adds a subtle sweetness and moisture to the bagels.

It gives a soft yet chewy texture. Serve them fresh or lightly toasted with cream cheese spread and cinnamon sugar, or pumpkin butter.

Try these cinnamon raisin bagels, pumpkin swirl bread or pumpkin dinner rolls next!

Ingredients

Here’s what you need for these pumpkin spice bagels. Find the full amounts in the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post.

Warm water
Active dry yeast or instant yeast
Soft brown sugar
Bread flour or strong all-purpose flour
Pumpkin spices – You can make your own pumpkin spice mix or buy it
Pumpkin purée – Homemade pumpkin puree or canned.
Salt
More brown sugar, maple syrup or honey to boil bagels – Poaching them in sweetened boiling water before baking gives them a golden and chewy crust without needing an egg wash.

Method:

Combine water, yeast, and sugar and stir in a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook. If using active dry yeast, let this sit for around 5-10 minutes until it becomes foamy, if using instant yeast, this step can be skipped.

Add in the flour, spices, pumpkin puree and salt.

Use a fork or switch the stand mixer onto low speed to combine it until a shaggy dough forms.

The dough should be very thick and just a little bit sticky. Keep it kneading or mixing for around 10 minutes for optimal gluten development.

Once the dough is kneaded and strong, form it into a ball. Place the dough ball into a large bowl lightly oiled bowl and cover it with plastic wrap or a damp towel.

Let the dough rise in a warm place until doubled in size.

Shaping

Punch down the dough and pull it from the bowl onto a lightly floured work surface.

Cut the dough into 8 equal pieces (a kitchen scale works well to ensure even bagels) and shape each piece of dough into a smooth ball. Let these dough balls rest for 5 minutes.

Use both hands’ thumb and index finger to push a hole into the center of each ball of dough, then roll the dough ball around your fingers in a circular motion to widen the hole.

Aim for a large hole, as it will shrink back in size once it sits. Place the shaped bagels on a prepared sheet pan lined with parchment paper and cover with a damp kitchen towel.

Let them puff out for around 30 minutes while the oven preheats and a pot of water is brought to a boil.

Poaching

Bring a large pot of water to a boil, preheat the oven to 400°F/200°C, and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.

Once the water is boiling, stir in honey or brown sugar.

Dust any excess flour off the bagels and drop them in the boiling water one at a time. Boil 2-3 bagels at a time.

Let them poach in the water for 1 minute, flipping them after 30 seconds.

Remove the bagels from the water using a slotted spoon, letting them drain for a few seconds.

Place the bagels on the lined baking sheet. Continue with the rest.

Bake until the bagels are golden brown, approximately 15-20 minutes.

Bake them in the oven for 22-25 minutes until deep golden brown. If they are baking unevenly or your oven has hot spots, turn the oven tray around after 15 minutes of baking.

Remove the baked bagels from the tray and let them cool to room temperature on a wire rack for 30 minutes before slicing and serving.

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