Menu

Bagels recipe

“Make your own gluten free bagels, then eat them warm from the oven with cream cheese... it's bread bliss”

Wheat & gluten free Bagel recipe

Allergy Information

Wheat-Free no
Gluten-Free no
Nut-Free no
Dairy-Free no
Sugar-Free no
Vegetarian no
Vegan no
  • Preparation time: 1 hr 30 mins
  • Cook time: 22 mins
  • Total time: 1 hr 52 mins
  • Yield: makes 6-8

There are some amazingly good gluten free breads on the market now, however for some reason most bagels still don't hit the mark. We like our bagels crisp on the outside, and soft and chewy on the inside. This bagel recipe seems to combine that perfectly, though it is a little fiddly and time consuming to make.

These bagels are at their very best when they have slightly cooled from the oven. Still warm and yeasty, the outside is crisp and the inside soft and chewy, just like a real bagel should be. Absolutely wonderful with smoked salmon and thick cream cheese, or simply unadulterated.

This recipe was adapted from The Gluten-Free Gourmet Bakes Bread: More Than 200 Wheat-Free Recipes by Bette Hagman.

Ingredients (Measures: Metric | US)

150 g [1 cup] white rice flour
130 g [1 cup] tapioca flour
1 3⁄4 tsp [1 3⁄4 tsp] xanthan gum
1 tsp [1 tsp] salt
1 tsp [1 tsp] agave syrup or honey
100 ml [1⁄3 cup + 4 tsp] warm water
1⁄2 tsp [1⁄2 tsp] agave syrup or honey
1 tbsp [1 tbsp] dried yeast
2 tbsp [2 tbsp] butter, margarine or low fat spread
50 ml [3 tbsp + 1 tsp] hot water
2 large [2 large] egg whites
rice flour for dusting and hands
1 tsp [1 tsp] agave syrup or honey for bagel coating

Directions

Rising time: 30-60 minutes
Preheat oven: 220°C, 425°F, Gas 7

  1. Place the rice flour, tapioca flour, xanthan gum, salt and 1 tsp agave in a mixer or food processor.
  2. Dissolve the butter in the hot water, stirring well to dissolve completely.
  3. In a separate bowl containing the warm water stir in the 1/2 tsp agave, until dissolved. Then sprinkle the yeast on top and leave for a few minutes to foam.
  4. Return to the dry ingredients and blend them together with the mixer on a low setting. Pour in the dissolved fat in hot water and mix together, they will not mix very well at the moment.
  5. Add the egg whites and the yeast mixture to the bowl and mix together on a low setting.
  6. By now the ingredients should have all mixed together thoroughly, and the dough will be thick, so that it will hold a shape. If not thick enough add a little more rice flour, mix and check the consistency again. If the mix is too thick then add small amounts of water until the consistency appears to be correct and will hold a shape.
  7. Set the mixer onto a high setting and beat for 4-5 minutes. If making these bagels by hand beating with a wooden spoon this is where the calories get burnt!
  8. Prepare baking sheets by either lining with baking sheets or parchment, or lightly spraying with oil and dusting with rice flour.
  9. Divide the bagel mix into 8 equals portions, or 6 for slightly larger ones. Ensuring that you keep your hands either greased or rice floured, roll the portions into balls then flatten them slightly and poke a hole in the centre and widen it. You will need to make the hole quite wide or it will close up (see our photo for failed holes).
  10. Put the bagels on the baking sheets and loosely cover with plastic, leave in a warm place until they have doubled in size. Approximately 30-60 minutes depending on the yeast type used.
  11. Bagels traditionally have a slightly crisp shiny coating. This is accomplished by bringing a saucepan of water to the boil and dissolving 1 tsp of agave syrup in it. When the water is on a rolling boil gently drop a bagel in, after 30 seconds carefully turn the bagel over, after another 30 seconds remove the bagel using a slotted spoon and place onto the baking sheet.
  12. When all the bagels have been boiled in the sweet water put them into the oven and bake for 20-22 minutes, depending on size. The smell while they are cooking is fabulous.
Author: Helen Fletton