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If you like the flavor of rye or pumpernickel bread, you’re going to love this riff on an everything bagel. It’s just as chewy and pillowy as a regular bagel, only it takes advantage of some of the health benefits of rye flour (like a boost of fiber and vitamin B, with less of a blood sugar spike). You can find it in the flour section of health food stores, or order some on Amazon.
This recipe calls for starter dough, but don’t freak out—it’s not as complicated as you might think. Plus, since it uses instant yeast, there’s less concern about having the exact right temperature to get things going. BUT! Since the starter dough needs to rest for at least four hours before you proceed to the second step, I recommend whipping together the starter the night before, then finishing the bagels in the morning. (While you’re at it, it’s worth making some bacon scallion cream cheese the night before too, giving the flavors plenty of time to meld.)
Note: This recipe calls for a mix of all-purpose flour and rye flour. Since rye flour contains very little gluten, a little AP flour was necessary to preserve the bagels’ texture. The rye flavor still comes through, albeit not as intensely as straight-up rye bread.
Want less of a time commitment? Try Greek Yogurt Everything Bagels instead.
Rye Flour Everything Bagels
Ingredients
Starter Dough
- 1 c all-purpose flour
- 1/8 tsp salt
- 1/16 tsp instant yeast
- 1/3 c water, cool
Dough
- starter dough
- 3/4 c water, room temperature
- 2 tsp barley malt syrup (or honey)
- 3/4 tsp instant yeast
- 1 1/4 tsp salt
- 1 1/2 c rye flour
- 1 c all-purpose flour
Water Bath
- 6 c water
- 2 tbsp barley malt syrup (or honey)
Everything Bagel Topping
- 1 egg, beaten
- 1/3 c Everything Bagel seasoning
Instructions
- Make the Starter: In a medium-sized mixing bowl, combine starter ingredients. Cover and rest at least 4 hours, or overnight.
- Make the Dough: Add remaining dough ingredients to the starter. Knead about 10 minutes, or until the dough is very elastic and easy to stretch. Cover and let rise until it has grown about 50 percent larger in size, about 2 hours.
- Lightly flour tabletop. Divide dough into four pieces and roll into balls roughly the size of your fist. Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.
- Prepare the Water Bath: In a large saucepan, add water and barley malt syrup (or honey). Bring to a gentle boil. Place 1 to 2 bagels into the water bath, depending on how many fit. Boil for 60 seconds, using a spatula or tongs to gently flip the bagels, boiling the other side for 60 seconds. Place each one on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
- Top the Bagels: Brush each bagel with egg wash and sprinkle liberally with everything bagel seasoning. Bake for 20 to 22 minutes, or until they're a light golden brown. Let cool for a few minutes before slicing and serving.
