Learn how to make the best homemade vegan bagels ever! This easy vegan bagel recipe taste just like a New York style bagel, only better! Gluten free and yeast free option!
The Best Vegan Bagel Recipe EVER (New York Style)
Growing up near New York City and eventually living there, I’ve tried a few New York bagels in my time, and I can honestly say that these homemade vegan bagels are just like the New York ones…but even better!
Chewy, dense, and soft, this easy vegan bagel recipe yields the best tasting bagels I’ve ever had.
Plus you don’t even need a glaze! These bagels are entirely dairy free, egg free, nut free, and can be made gluten free and yeast free.
Yes! I have a whole separate section of this recipe that teaches you how to make vegan gluten free bagels without yeast. No weird ingredients, no list a million items long.
Just simple, good ol’ bagels.
Trust me, you will never go back to store-bought bagels again; this vegan bagel recipe is all you need!
Chewy + Soft Vegan Bagel Ingredients
These homemade vegan bagels are entirely oil free, egg free, dairy free, and nut free (if needed!). They’re super simple in ingredients so that anyone can make these homemade bagels!
- Instant yeast: I like to use instant yeast here so that we can make these bagels faster!
- Warm water: you’ll need the water to be 110F to properly activate the yeast.
- Coconut sugar: very similar to brown sugar, which many use to make homemade bagels. I wanted these vegan bagels to be completely refined sugar free though, so we used coconut!
- Flour: you can use all purpose or bread flour here. Bread flour is recommended over all purpose, but you’ll still achieve a very good chewy and dense soft vegan bagel.
- Arrowroot powder: this helps get that chewy texture!
- Dairy free yogurt: these vegan bagels are completely oil free, but when testing them without the yogurt, I found them to not be as enjoyable. The yogurt adds an extra dense-ness to the bagels that makes them irresistible!
Ingredients for Yeast Free Gluten Free Bagels
Now, the ingredients to make entirely vegan and gluten free bagels without yeast is similar, but slightly different:
- Oat flour: you can make your own homemade oat flour, like I did here, or you can purchase store bought. If making your own, you’ll notice that the bagels look more “rustic.” If you want the bagels to look more traditional (both taste the same- very chewy, dense, and bagel-like ha!), you can use store bought oat flour, which is finer.
- Arrowroot powder: I recommend sticking with arrowroot powder here over cornstarch, as cornstarch won’t achieve the exact same texture that we’re going for in gluten free bagels.
- Baking powder: to help the bagels still “rise.”
- Warm water: this will help activate the arrowroot powder.
- Dairy free yogurt: keep this room temperature as well, so that the arrowroot powder can start to activate before being boiled.
How to make homemade vegan bagels
Making these oil free vegan bagels is a lot easier than you might think! It can be broken down into three basic sections: making the dough, shaping and boiling the bagels, and finally, baking the bagels!
A reminder: I have the full instructions with measurements listed down below in the recipe card, but I wanted to make sure we go over them thoroughly here!
Step 1: the bagel dough
The start of the vegan bagel dough is very similar to any bread making process, like in my vegan focaccia recipe or my vegan cinnamon rolls.
Simply activate the yeast by combining the hot water, coconut sugar, and a spoonful of flour. Add in the yeast and cover to activate for 10 minutes. I recommend placing the bowl in a warm area.
Once activated, you’ll add in the remaining ingredients. You can use a stand mixer or do this by hand. If doing by hand, you’ll need more flour.
Either way, you will finish the dough by kneading it by hand for about 5 minutes.
Then place the dough into the bowl, cover, and allow the dough to double in size. Once doubled in size, you can move onto shaping the bagels!
Step 2: shaping & boiling the vegan bagels
You might see some people roll the bagel dough into a long cylinder than pinch it together to make it into a bagel…there is a much better way to do this that’s actually a lot easier.
Plus your bagels will look more bagel-y 😉
Simply divide your proofed dough into 8 even sections. I like to use my pastry cutter. Roll each section into a ball, and lightly press your thumb into the middle of the dough.
You don’t want a gaping hole, or else your bagels will be sort of flimsy. Simply work your fingers around the dough to create a hole less than an inch wide.
Less is more here.
Then we’ll boil them! To boil the bagels, simply bring a large pot of water to a boil. Use either a spatula or a large spoon with holes in it for draining, and carefully transfer a bagel into the boiling water. It should float.
You’ll cook the bagel for 1 1/2 minutes on each side, flipping it over with the spatula or spoon. Once cooked, transfer it back to the parchment paper and repeat for the remaining bagels!
Step 3: topping & baking the bagels
If you don’t want just plain bagels, you’ll top the bagels with your desired toppings before baking!
You can top your bagels with:
- sesame seeds
- poppy seeds
- everything but the bagel seasoning
- dried onion
- flaked sea salt
- cinnamon sugar
Once your bagels have been topped, you’ll bake them for just 15-18 minutes at 425F.
No need to make any glaze!
How to make vegan and gluten free bagels without yeast
But what if you’re gluten free or don’t want to use yeast? Not a problem.
You can make this vegan bagel recipe completely gluten free and yeast free with just a few changes.
- Preheat the oven, line a baking sheet with parchment paper, and start the process of boiling the water. It will be boiling by the time you finish the dough.
- Whisk together the dry ingredients. Then add in the wet and mix until the dough is firm and not sticky. If it’s still sticky, add in some more flour.
- Then the rest is essentially like making regular bagels! You’l divide the dough into 8 sections, shape them into bagels (see above “shaping & boiling” section), boil the bagels, and top!
- Bake the bagels for 15-18 minutes then serve!
If you’re looking for a gluten free bagel recipe, truly look no further. These homemade vegan bagels are so incredibly easy and allergy friendly for all!
What to serve on your bagels
I personally love a smear of vegan cream cheese. My favorite vegan cream cheese to use is Kite Hill.
However, if you want a sweeter route, I highly recommend smearing a pat of vegan butter and sprinkling with a bit of cinnamon, sea salt, and a drizzle of maple syrup! My favorite vegan butter to use here is Forager Project.
If you’re not nut-free, you can also use almond butter, cashew butter, peanut butter, or the like. Even coconut butter would be lovely!
How to store homemade bagels
I recommend storing these bagels in an airtight sealed bag. When you’re sealing the bag, squeeze out all of the air so that your bagels stay extra fresh.
You can either refrigerate your bagels for up to 5 days or freeze them for up to 3 months.
To reheat, simply toast them or bake them for a few minutes (about 5-7) in the oven!
I hope you love these homemade vegan bagels as much as I do! If you try either the gluten free version or the regular New York style version (or both!), let me know down below in the comments section.
As always, I absolutely love to see your beautiful creations on Instagram and Pinterest, so be sure to tag me there!
Happy vegan bagel making!
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Learn how to make the best homemade vegan bagels ever! These easy vegan bagels taste just like a New York style bagel, only better! Gluten free and yeast free option!
Ingredients
Regular Vegan Bagels Ingredients:
- 1 packet instant yeast
- 1 1/2 cups hot water, 110F
- 1 tsp coconut sugar
- 4–4 1/4 cups all purpose or bread flour, plus more for kneading
- 1 tbsp arrowroot powder
- 1/2 tsp sea salt
- 1/2 cup dairy free yogurt, room temperature
- Toppings: sesame seeds, poppy seeds, everything but the bagel seasoning, sea salt, dried onion
Gluten Free Vegan Yeast Free Bagels:
- 4– 4 1/4 cups oat flour (or 5 cups oats ground into flour- see note)
- 1/4 cup arrowroot powder
- 1 tbsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp sea salt
- 1 1/2 cups warm water (does not have to be 110F, just warm to touch)
- 1/2 cup dairy free yogurt, room temperature
- Toppings: sesame seeds, poppy seeds, everything but the bagel seasoning, sea salt, dried onion
Instructions
New York Style Vegan Bagel Recipe:
- In a large bowl, mix the water, coconut sugar, and 1 tbsp of flour. Add in the yeast, and use a wooden spoon to mix. Cover with a towel and place in a warm area to activate for 10 minutes. It should start to bubble/foam and smell yeast-like.
- Once the yeast is activated, add in the remaining of the 4 cups of flour (you can add more at the end if the dough is too sticky/tacky), arrowroot powder, sea salt, and dairy free yogurt. Use either a dough paddle on a stand mixer or knead the dough on a clean surface with extra flour with your hands. Whether or not you use the stand mixer, you’ll finish knead the dough once it’s mixed. You want to get the dough to a point where it isn’t very sticky and can easily peel off of your hands without leaving any dough (about 5 minutes). You can add more flour here if it’s still too sticky, kneading it lightly.Â
- Grease a clean bowl with olive oil and lightly grease the dough, place the dough ball into the bowl, and cover with a clean dish towel. Place in a very warm place (at least 85F) for 30-40 minutes, or until the dough has doubled in size.
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Once the dough has doubled in size, lightly punch down the dough and divide it into 8 even sections using a pastry cutter or large knife. Roll each section into a ball and press your thumb into the middle of each ball to create a hole. Lightly work your fingers around the bagel to create a bit more space for the whole, but don’t stretch the dough too much, as you don’t want the bagel to be thin. Place the bagel dough onto a parchment paper and repeat for the remaining bagels. Cover the bagels with a clean dish towel on the parchment paper.
- While the dough is rising for a second time, bring a large pot with 4 cups of water to a boil. Preheat the oven to 425F.
- Once the water is boiling, use a spatula or large spoon with holes to carefully transfer one bagel into the water. Cook for 1 1/2 minutes on each side, then transfer back to the parchment paper. You can add up to 2 bagels at a time to the pot, cooking for 1 1/2 minutes on each side.Â
- Once all bagels have been boiled and transferred to the baking sheet, sprinkle with any desired toppings.
- Place the bagels into the oven to bake for 15-18 minutes, or until the tops of the bagels are lightly golden.Â
- Remove from the oven and allow the bagels to cool for 10 minutes. Toast and serve as desired!
Gluten Free Yeast Free Vegan Bagel Recipe:
- Preheat the oven to 425F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Before making the dough, start to bring a large pot with 4 cups fo water to a boil. The water will start to boil as you finish making the dough.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the oat flour, arrowroot powder, baking powder, and sea salt. Add in the water and dairy free yogurt, and mix until the dough is thick and not sticky. If it’s still too sticky, you can add in the additional oat flour.
- Divide the dough into 8 even sections and roll each section into a ball. Press your thumb through the middle of each ball to create a hole. Lightly work your fingers around the bagel to create a bit more space for the whole, but don’t stretch the dough too much, as you don’t want the bagel to be thin. Place the bagel dough onto a parchment paper and repeat for the remaining bagels.
- Once the water is boiling, use a spatula or large spoon with holes to carefully transfer one bagel into the water. Cook for 1 1/2 minutes on each side, then transfer back to the parchment paper. You can add up to 2 bagels at a time to the pot, cooking for 1 1/2 minutes on each side.Â
- Once all bagels have been boiled and transferred to the baking sheet, sprinkle with any desired toppings.
- Place the bagels into the oven to bake for 15-18 minutes, or until the tops of the bagels are lightly golden.Â
- Remove from the oven and allow the bagels to cool for 10 minutes. Toast and serve as desired!
Notes
Oat flour: you can make your own homemade oat flour here, but note that it won’t be as fine as store bought flour. Homemade oat flour will make the outside of the bagels slightly more rustic, but they will still be amazing bagels!
Keywords: vegan bagel recipe, vegan bagels, gluten free bagel recipe, gluten free bagels, gluten free vegan bagels, yeast free bagels
Could I use corn starch instead of arrowroot in the gf version? Also do you think normal Greek yogurt would work?
Greek yogurt would definitely work here! You can use corn starch, but I don’t think it yields the best results. While cornstarch and arrowroot powder are pretty interchangeable, I think that the arrowroot powder gives these bagels that chewier texture!
Hi
Can this recipe be used for burger buns too?
Hi Manisha! Hmm it might be too dense for burger buns- I usually think of burger buns as more light + fluffy! I’m sure it would make a good bun, but it will be on the denser side!
Ahh. You are amazing!! I’ll be making these tomorrow for sure!
Aw so so happy to hear it!! Enjoy!!
Hey! When is the baking powder used in the gf bagel recipe?
Hi Sienna! So sorry for the confusion! It will be whisked with the flour, arrowroot powder, and sea salt 🙂
Any ideas on if 1/2 whole wheat, 1/2 bread or AP would get the same rise?
I don’t bake much with whole wheat flour unfortunately! I’m so sorry! I would use either bread flour or AP!
Hi! I have gf bread flour… if I used that should I use yeast or baking soda? Also, would tapioca or cornflour work as a replacement for arrowroot? Thank you!
Hi Isabelle! So I haven’t perfectly used gf bread flour here so I can’t speak to its results! For using tapioca or corn vs arrowroot, I would stick with arrowroot. I tested it with tapioca and didn’t like the results (and another reader actually made it with tapioca as well and they didn’t work!). I hope that helps!
I was originally going to half the recipe, but after messing up the water I decided to just make the whole thing. Boy am I glad that I did!! I took one bite and almost cried, they’re so close to real bagels. I love the slight sweetness of the oat flour and the chewy texture, and that it doesn’t upset my stomach at all! I even threw in some chocolate chips for a few and some walnuts into another, I can’t wait to devour these this week!!
★★★★★
Oh my goodness!! You are so so sweet, I’m so happy to hear you loved them!! Also LOVE that you topped with chocolate chips- sweet bagels are my go to as well 🙂 ENJOY!!
So excited to try this!!! For the yeast free version any vegan yogurt is fine? I have the lava just wanted to make sure that would work before I try
Hi Danielle! Aw wonderful! You can definitely use any vegan yogurt for this! Lava will work great!
May I use oat flour with the yeast version? So excited to try these!!!
Hi Leah! You can, but I will say it won’t rise as much! I’m still working on getting the perfect gluten free yeasted version (for both bagels and cinnamon rolls ha!). If you can’t do baking powder, you can also the same amount in baking soda with 1 tsp apple cider vinegar, white wine vinegar, or lemon juice. It will give the same reaction!
what I can I use instead of the yogurt (dairy free please)
Hi Michelle! You can also use coconut cream (scooped from the can- just the fat!), same measurements as the yogurt, with 1 tsp lemon juice!
Can I use cassava flour instead of arrowroot?
Hi Alma! I recommend using tapioca or arrowroot here if you can- the cassava won’t act quite the same, as it’s processed in a different way. I hope that helps!
I just made the gluten free bagel recipe today and I was somewhat skeptical of the recipe at first. To my surprise they turned out soooooo good! I also made a vegan Serrano and green onion cream cheese to go with and wow such great flavor! The bagels are chewy just like real bagels. I also added everything bagel seasoning to mine. So delicious! I will definitely make them again!!
★★★★★
WOO that’s awesome!! Love the homemade Serrano green onion spread too 🙂 YUM! Thanks for the rating, and enjoy!