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.
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
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
How to make it
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.
- 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
Yes, fresh or frozen blueberries can be used. Just add the berries to the water and bring to a simmer.
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.
Homemade bagels stored at room temperature should last for 3-4 days.
More delicious homemade bread
If you make this recipe, I’d love to hear about it! Leave a comment below and snap a picture and tag me on Instagram @beyondthechickencoop
Check out all my delicious bread recipes!
Blueberry Bagels
Ingredients
- 1 cup blueberries
- 1 cup water
- 2 ¼ teaspoons yeast (active dry yeast)
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 3 - 3 ½ cups flour
- 2 tablespoons vital wheat gluten
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 egg white
- 1 tablespoon water
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
Instructions
- 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 mixture to cool to 100°F - 110°F so it's safe to use with the active dry yeast.1 cup blueberries, 1 cup water
- 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 mixture is bubbly.2 ¼ teaspoons yeast, 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 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. You might not need all the flour.3 - 3 ½ cups flour, 2 tablespoons vital wheat gluten, 1 teaspoon salt
- Knead for about 5 minutes on a low speed until dough is smooth and elastic
- Form dough into a ball and place in a lightly greased bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise until doubled in size, about 1 ½ - 2 hours.
- Gently deflate dough and separate into 12 pieces
- Form each piece into a ball and then poke a hole in the center with your finger. Make hole larger by placing both index fingers into the center and then rotating in a circular fashion.
- Place shaped dough on a baking sheet covered with parchment paper
- Cover with a clean dish towel and let bagels rest for 30 minutes
- Fill a stockpot ⅔ full with water and bring to a boil. Add brown sugar and stir to dissolve.2 tablespoons brown sugar
- Working with 3-4 bagels at a time, gently add each bagel to the boiling water. Cook for 1 minute and then flip bagels cooking for another minute.
- Remove bagels and place back on parchment paper. Continue with remaining bagels.
- Brush bagels with an egg wash just before baking1 egg white, 1 tablespoon water
- Bake in a preheated 400°F oven for 20-25 minutes
- Cool on a baking rack
Notes
- 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
Nutritional Disclaimer:
Nutritional information is provided as a courtesy and should only be construed as an estimate rather than a guarantee. To obtain the most precise nutritional information in a provided recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the exact ingredients you are using when preparing the recipe using your preferred nutrition calculator.
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