Pumpkin Bagel Recipe
These pumpkin bagels have the dense, chewy texture of a classic New York bagel, with pumpkin puree and warm spices worked into the dough. Boiling and baking gives them the classic shiny crust. The dough comes together the day before, so what's left on baking day is just boiling, topping, and a short bake.
bagels
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Ingredients
- 8 oz warm water (1 cup (about 100°F))
- ¼ oz instant dry yeast (2 ¼ teaspoons)
- 8 oz canned pumpkin puree (1 cup)
- 1 ½ oz barley malt syrup ( 2 tablespoons, see note)
- 1 tablespoon table salt
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger
- ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 25 oz bread flour (5 cups, divided, see note)
- 2 oz granulated sugar (¼ cup (for boiling))
- 2 teaspoons baking soda (for boiling)
- 4 oz pumpkin seeds (Chopped)
Instructions
- In a bowl for a stand mixer or a large mixing bowl combine 8 oz warm water ¼ oz instant dry yeast. Add 8 oz canned pumpkin puree, 1 ½ oz barley malt syrup, 1 tablespoon table salt, 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, ½ teaspoon ground ginger, ¼ teaspoon ground cloves, ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg. Add 10 oz Bread Flour and mix to form a thick batter.
- If using a stand mixer, switch to the dough hook. With the mixer running on low speed, add 15 oz Bread Flour and mix to combine. Knead 5 minutes on medium/low speed. The dough should cling to the hook and clear the sides of the bowl. If working by hand, stir in as much of the flour as you can, then turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead in the remaining flour. Knead 5 minutes. Form the dough into a smooth ball.
- Put the dough into a lightly oiled bowl, turning once to coat the dough. Cover the bowl and set aside to rise until doubled in size, about 1 ½ hours.
- Line a half sheet pan with parchment paper. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead briefly. Divide the dough into 10 even pieces. Use a cupped hand to roll each piece into a smooth, tight ball.
- To form a bagel, poke your finger all the way through the center of a ball to make a hole. Use two fingers to gently widen the hole. Continue gently stretching to form the bagel or twirl the dough around your fingers to widen the center hole (see photos). The hole should be 1 - 1 ½" wide.
- Place the bagel on the prepared sheet pan and continue to form the remaining bagels. The dough will probably spring back a bit so you can go back and re-stretch them once you're done forming all the bagels. Wrap the pan with plastic wrap and place the pan in the refrigerator overnight.
- In the morning, take the pan out of the refrigerator. The bagels should have risen in the refrigerator and should be noticeably fuller.
- Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 450 °F. In a large pot combine 1 gallon of water with 2 oz granulated sugar and 2 teaspoons baking soda and bring it to a boil. Reduce the heat to keep the water at a rolling simmer. Set a cooling rack over a clean sheet pan or reuse the plastic wrap from the bagels. Place the rack next to the stove. Put the roughly chopped 4 oz pumpkin seeds in a small bowl. Line two half-sheet pans with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.
- Lift a bagel off the sheet pan and lower it into the boiling water, bottom side down. Depending on the size of your pot, you can boil 3-4 bagels at a time. Boil the bagels for 30 seconds then flip them. Boil the other side for 30 seconds. Repeat the process again for a total of 2 minutes boiling time. Remove the boiled bagels from the water and set them on the cooling rack to drain.
- As soon as a bagel is cool enough to handle, place it top side down into the pumpkin seeds. Place 5 bagels on each sheet pan. You could fit them all on one pan but they may rise enough to stick together as they bake. I like all the sides to be crusty so I leave plenty of room between them.
- Bake until golden brown, about 15-20 minutes.
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Notes
If measuring the flour by volume use the “dip & sweep” method. That is, dip the measuring cup into the flour bin, overfill it, then sweep away the excess.
You can use 1 tablespoon molasses plus 1 tablespoon of honey instead of barley syrup.
Storage
- Pumpkin Bagels are best the day they're baked.
- For longer term storage slice the bagels about 3/4 the way through and pack them into freezer bags.
- Previously frozen or day-old bagels are best if toasted before serving.
Have you tried this recipe?Mention @eileen.bakingsense or tag #bakingsense!