Watch out, these Cinnamon Raisin Bagels will be devoured as soon as they’re out of the oven. There’s absolutely nothing better than freshly baked bread. Slightly sweet and filling, these are the perfect breakfast. Baking bagels has become a form of therapy in my kitchen. There is a lot of passive time simply waiting for the dough to rise but the moment you get your hands on the perfectly risen dough for shaping, you’ll be in a trance. Rolling into the perfect ball and work the dough into your ideal bagel.
The grocery list.
- Granulated sugar – Sugar is “food” for the yeast. The sugar activates the yeast and will increase its ability to raise your Cinnamon Raisin Bagels.
- Water, warmed – Warm water works best for activating yeast.
- Active dry yeast – Active dry yeast must be dissolved in water, where instant yeast can be mixed directly into a recipe.
- Bread flour – Bread flour has a higher protein content than all purpose flour. Bread flour will give the bagels the ideal chewy texture.
- Kosher salt – Cinnamon Raisin Bagels aren’t supposed to be super salty like other bagels. The salt in this recipe just helps to enhance the flavors.
- Cinnamon + water – The cinnamon will be added to the bagel dough by mixing it with water to form a paste.
- Raisins – This may be a controversial statement, but I love raisins, especially in these Cinnamon Raisin Bagels.
- Egg – Whisk your egg to make an egg wash to brush over your bagels, it’ll give them a beautiful golden color.
The preparation.
Bagels are a lot of work to make, but they’re totally worth it. You have to boil them first before baking them. Like any homemade bread, these Cinnamon Raisin Bagels may take more than one try to get them just right, so don’t despair if they’re not perfect!
Make the bagel dough.
In the bowl of a stand mixer add the granulated sugar and ¼ cup of warmed water. Stir to combine and slightly dissolve the sugar. Add the dry active yeast, stir quickly and set aside for 5-10 minutes to bloom.
Once the yeast and sugar mixture becomes foamy and bubbly, add the bread flour and salt to the bowl and mix using the dough hook attachment on low. Slowly begin to add the remaining water.
Allow the mixer to knead the dough for 10-12 minutes. The dough should be smooth (shaggy dough is too dry and sticky dough is too wet).
In a small bowl mix the cinnamon and water until it resembles a paste. Add the paste to the mixer along with the raisins and knead for 3 minutes until the dough is marbled.
Knead the dough.
Remove the dough from the bowl, and knead by hand 10-15 times to tuck all the loose raisin into the dough. Drizzle the bowl with the olive oil and brush up the sides with a paper towel to coat the bowl. Return the dough to the bowl, cover with a damp kitchen towel and store in a warm place for 2 hours or until the dough has doubled in size.
After two hours, punch the dough down, cover and rest an additional 10 minutes.
Remove the dough from the bowl to a floured surface. Knead the dough for 2-3 minutes to return the dough to a smooth ball.
Make the bagels.
Using a sharp knife, divide the dough into 8 pieces. Pressing the dough between your palm and the floured counter, work in a circular motion to form a small ball. Place each ball onto a parchment lined baking sheet and cover with a damp kitchen towel to rise for 15 minutes while the water bath boils.
Preheat the oven to 425°F. Fill a large pot with water and bring to a boil.
Working 1-2 bagels at a time (depending on the space in your pot), punch a hole through the dough balls and lightly shape before adding to the boiling water. Boil on each side for 1 minute, flip and continue to boil for an additional minute on the other side. Remove the boiled bagel from the water and place on a separate piece of parchment paper on the counter to slightly cool. Once all the bagels have been boiled and slightly cooled, move to the dry parchment-lined baking sheet.
Brush the bagels with whisked egg wash. Bake for 18-20 minutes until golden. Remove from the oven and cool for 5 minutes before slicing and devouring!
Looking for more bagel recipes?
Here are some to try:
Boiled & Baked Everything Bagels
Lastly, if you make this Cinnamon Raisin Bagels recipe, be sure to leave a comment! Above all, I love to hear from ya’ll and do my best to respond to every comment. And of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to snap a pic and tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of your dayyyummm good recreations is my favorite!
This post contains affiliate links that will not change your price but will share some commission.
Ingredients
- 4 ½ teaspoons granulated sugar
- 1 ¼ cup water, warmed
- 1 packet dry active yeast
- 2 ½ cups bread flour
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 3 teaspoons cinnamon + 3 teaspoons water
- ½ cup raisins
- 1 egg whisked for brushing
Instructions
- In the bowl of a stand mixer add the granulated sugar and ¼ cup of warmed water. Stir to combine and slightly dissolve the sugar. Add the dry active yeast, stir quickly and set aside for 5-10 minutes to bloom.
- Once the yeast and sugar mixture becomes foamy and bubbly, add the bread flour and salt to the bowl and mix using the dough hook attachment on low. Slowly begin to add the remaining water.
- Allow the mixer to knead the dough for 10-12 minutes. The dough should be smooth (shaggy dough is too dry and sticky dough is too wet).
- In a small bowl mix the cinnamon and water until it resembles a paste. Add the paste to the mixer along with the raisins and knead for 3 minutes until the dough is marbled.
- Remove the dough from the bowl, and knead by hand 10-15 times to tuck all the loose raisin into the dough. Drizzle the bowl with the olive oil and brush up the sides with a paper towel to coat the bowl. Return the dough to the bowl, cover with a damp kitchen towel and store in a warm place for 2 hours or until the dough has doubled in size.
- After two hours, punch the dough down, cover and rest an additional 10 minutes.
- Remove the dough from the bowl to a floured surface. Knead the dough for 2-3 minutes to return the dough to a smooth ball.
- Using a sharp knife, divide the dough into 8 pieces. Pressing the dough between your palm and the floured counter, work in a circular motion to form a small ball. Place each ball onto a parchment lined baking sheet and cover with a damp kitchen towel to rise for 15 minutes while the water bath boils.
- Preheat the oven to 425°F. Fill a large pot with water and bring to a boil.
- Working 1-2 bagels at a time (depending on the space in your pot), punch a hole through the dough balls and lightly shape before adding to the boiling water. Boil on each side for 1 minute, flip and continue to boil for an additional minute on the other side. Remove the boiled bagel from the water and place on a separate piece of parchment paper on the counter to slightly cool. Once all the bagels have been boiled and slightly cooled, move to the dry parchment-lined baking sheet.
- Brush the bagels with whisked egg wash. Bake for 18-20 minutes until golden. Remove from the oven and cool for 5 minutes before slicing and devouring!