Recipe: Gluten-Free Bagels

There are many things that I have found reasonable replacements for since going gluten-free, but the toughest one has been bagels. There are many good gluten-free bagels on the market, but none I have found are the really great New York style bagel that I have been craving. My idea of gluten-free heaven is a bagel like the ones I remember from my pre-gluten-free days. Like the ones you get from Panera Bread…the harder outside “skin” and soft, chewy inside. I think the closest bagel I have found to a gluten-filled New York Style bagel is Joan’s Gluten-free Great Bakes. Tiffany wrote about them here.

One day as I was making my Pamela’s Gluten-free Bread Mix, I noticed a bagel recipe on the side of the package. I decided to give it a try, as it seemed simple enough. I made a few modifications, added brushed egg white to the tops of the bagels after boiling and before baking and I sprinkled sea salt on a few after the egg whites. I was hoping for a hot soft pretzel effect. I can’t even begin to tell you how fantastic these turned out. My bagel was like a big, round hot soft pretzel bagel. I had tears in my eyes. BAGELS!!!!! This is what has been missing since I went gluten-free. The taste, the texture. Wow! I can’t believe that I only ate one. I let the rest cool and then I froze them so that all of their yumminess would be preserved. Now, the dough is a little sticky, so I had to oil my hands to shape the dough, but a few minutes of messy hands is worth it for the end result.

They don’t look like the prettiest bagels you have ever seen, but I assure you, looks are not what matters here. Here they are before baking:

After baking:

Now, made into a sandwich:

Bagels*Recipe courtesy of Pamela’s Wheat-Free Bread Mix Bag

• 1 bag Pamela’s Bread Mix
• 1 yeast packet (enclosed)
• 1 1/3 cups warm water
• 1/4 cup oil

Yield: Approximately 7 bagels

1. Combine dry mix, yeast packet, oil & water. (no eggs are used).
2. Mix on medium for 3 minutes.
3. Use 1/2 cup dough for each bagel. Oil hands and place on a greased baking sheet in the form of a bagel (don’t worry about the hole now, we will get to that later).
4. Let dough rise for 1 hour, then poke hole in the center of each bagel. (I took a wooden spoon and sprayed the handle with Pam and then used that to poke my holes).
5. In boiling water, boil bagels for 25 seconds.
6. Remove with slotted spoon and place on greased baking sheet. Brush with egg whites and top with sea salt, sesame seeds, poppy seeds, etc if you choose.
7. Bake in preheated 400 degree oven for 20 -25 minutes. (I baked for 23 minutes).

ENJOY!!!! Truly, gluten-free heaven.