Blueberry Bagels

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Homemade Blueberry Bagels are delicious bagels perfect for breakfast. The inside of these bagels has a beautiful purplish hue.

Each bite has all the chewiness you want from a bagel with a slightly fruity flavor.

A blueberry bagel topped with cream cheese.

Homemade bagels

Making your own bagels is really fun and the results are amazing. I've made homemade bagels before, but this time I've mixed things up a bit and added blueberries right to the dough!

The bagels are a really fun color and the taste is amazing. Toast one up and top it with cream cheese for breakfast or make a fun sandwich for lunch.

To make these bagels even more delicious, try a homemade blueberry cream cheese or a strawberry cream cheese spread!

The exterior of the bagels has just a hint of amazing color. Slice them open to see the full color!

Key ingredients

Ingredients for making blueberry bagels.

This section reviews the best ingredients and substitutions for this recipe. For an exact list of ingredients and quantities, check the recipe card below.

Blueberries - Use fresh or frozen blueberries
Flour - I use all-purpose flour. Bread flour can also be used, but omit the vital wheat gluten if used.
Vital Wheat Gluten - Adds additional protein to the bagels which help make a bagel-like texture. You can use bread flour instead.
Yeast - I use active dry yeast
Sugar - White granulated sugar is used in the dough and brown sugar is added to the boiling water where the bagels will be boiled. The brown sugar helps make a perfect exterior for the bagel.

Step by step directions

In this section, I share step-by-step photos, cooking methods, techniques, and a general overview. For detailed instructions, temperatures, and timing, check the printable recipe card below.

Place blueberries and water into a small saucepan over medium heat. Heat just until the water comes to a simmer and then remove from heat and allow the mixture to cool to 108°F so it's safe to use with the active dry yeast.
Pour blueberries and water into a large mixing bowl of a stand mixer
Add yeast and sugar. Mix and then let rest for 5 minutes until the mixture is bubbly.
Stir in 1 cup of flour, vital wheat gluten, and salt. When mixed, add another cup of flour. Continue adding flour until the dough forms a ball around the dough hook.
Knead for about 5 minutes on a low speed until the dough is smooth and elastic
Form the dough into a ball and place it in a lightly greased bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise until doubled in size, about 1 ½ - 2 hours.

Gently deflate the dough and separate it into 12 pieces
Form each piece into a ball and then poke a hole in the center with your finger. Make the hole larger by placing both index fingers into the center and then rotating in a circular fashion. The hole shrinks in size as the bagels sit.

Place shaped dough on a baking sheet covered with parchment paper
Cover with a clean dish towel for 30 minutes
Fill a stockpot ⅔ full with water and bring it to a boil. Add brown sugar and stir to dissolve.
Working with 3-4 bagels at a time, gently add each bagel to the boiling water. Cook for 1 minute and then flip the bagels cooking for another minute.

Blueberry bagel dough on a baking sheet.

Remove the bagels and place them back on parchment paper. Continue with the remaining bagels.
Brush bagels with an egg wash just before baking
Bake in a preheated 400°F oven for 20-25 minutes
Cool on a baking rack

Recipe tips

Simmering the blueberries releases some of the juice which will help color the dough.
Make certain you allow the blueberries to cool to 100-110°F before starting the dough. Too hot and you will kill your yeast.
The boiling step is necessary for making the bagel-like texture and chewy crust
Boil with the bottom side of the bagel down first. Then flip to cook the top side. It will actually work either way, but if you boil the top side first, you will notice a funny watermark on the top of the bagel. Boiling the bottom side first prevents this from happening.
Bake in a fully preheated oven
Allow bagels to fully cool on a baking rack before storing in an airtight container at room temperature

Frequently asked questions

Can I use frozen blueberries to make blueberry bagels?

Yes, fresh or frozen blueberries can be used. Just add the berries to the water and bring to a simmer.

Can I freeze blueberry bagels?

Yes, blueberry bagels can be frozen. Once the bagels are fully cool, place them in a freezer-safe bag or container and freeze them for up to 30 days.

I like to slice my bagels before freezing, but you can also freeze them whole.

How long do homemade bagels last?

Homemade bagels stored at room temperature should last for 3-4 days.