Cheddar Cheese Bagel Recipe

This cheddar cheese bagel recipe is easy make! Top these delicious bagels with your favourite topping, such as jalapeรฑo peppers and your favourite cheese flavour. Enjoy New York style fresh bagels as good as your neighbourhood bagel shop. Make your own bagels in the comfort of your home.

Love easy breakfast recipe? Try my sausage cream cheese casserole, chocolate chip pancakes or these Hawaiian roll breakfast sliders next!

About these Cheddar Bagels

There is nothing better than a homemade fresh bagel! The way the cheese gives the edges those crispy bits of cheddar cheese is heaven. This recipe gives that same great texture you get from a bakery.

Cheese bagels sitting on a wire cooling rack.

Although the dough takes a bit of time to rise they are worth the wait and they really are super easy to make! You’ve got this!!

Don’t you love how you can mix and match the flavours such as jalapeรฑo cheddar cheese or sharp cheddar cheese. I’ve left instructions in the notes on the recipe card for cinnamon raisin bagel varation and you will want to try those too!

These bagels are perfect for breakfast or brunch, and if you have any leftovers they are easy to freeze. You might also enjoy my cranberry orange scones or cinnamon roll apple cobbler for your next breakfast or brunch.

Ingredients for Homemade Cheddar Bagels

Ingredients for cheddar bagels on a marble board.
  • Granulated sugar
  • Active dry yeast – I do not recommend any substitutes for this ingredient.
  • Eggs – Use large eggs at room temperature. Take them out of the refrigerator about 30 minutes before you start the recipe.
  • Vegetable oil
  • Bread flour
  • Salt
  • Sharp cheddar cheese – see variations below for other suggestions. You can make these bagels your own by adding several different toppings to suit your taste.

Step By Step Instructions

Below you will find step by step instructions with photos to help you along the way. You can find the full recipe card with ingredients and instructions at the bottom of this page.

You will need one to two large cookie sheets for this recipe.

A blue mixing bowl with yeast and water sitting in the bottom.

DISSOLVE THE YEAST

In a large mixing bowl, dissolve 1 tsp. of sugar in warm water. Water temperature should be between 110F and 115ยฐF.
Sprinkle yeast over top of water mixture and let stand for 10 minutes. (Yeast should be frothy – if not, wait another two to three minutes).

MAKE THE DOUGH

 Whisk in eggs and vegetable oil, followed by the sugar and salt.

Gradually stir in 2 cups of the flour and continue to stir until dough is smooth. Gradually add another cup of the flour and continue to mix. The dough should be soft but not sticky. 

 Turn out the dough onto a very lightly floured surface. If the dough is a little sticky when you are kneading it, you can work up to 1/2 cup of additional flour into the dough but not more than that as it will upset the balance needed for the right texture.

 Knead dough for 10 minutes. To knead dough, place dough in front of you and fold the back half of the dough towards you. Use heel of your hand to press dough down into itself. Give the dough a quarter turn and repeat. (Turn, knead, turn, knead). When kneading is completed, the dough should spring back when you poke it with your finger. 

Homemade Bagel dough sitting in a beige coloured mixing bowl. The dough is ready to sit for an hour and half rising time.

 Using a different large bowl, coat the bowl lightly with olive oil. 

 Place dough in bowl and turn dough through the oil once to grease.

Cover with plastic wrap and let rise until doubled in size for 1 to 1 and 1/2 hours

A beige and red striped tea towel is sitting beside a bowl that is covered in a piece of cloth with the words "Rise to the Occasion" printed on the cloth.

Punch down the dough and knead 10 times.

Divide dough into 12 equal portions. 

Twelve pieces of bagel dough cut and ready to be shaped into bagels are sitting on a red silicone baking mat.

COOK THE BAGELS!

In a large, wide saucepan, bring 16 cups of water and the 2 tbsp. of sugar to a boil. (you will be shaping the bagels while the water is coming to a boil).

Roll into a 10-inch long rope. Bring the end together to form a circle, overlapping, then pinch the edges to seal the dough.(Pinch the edges tightly)!  Place on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Cover with a clean tea towel and let rise for 15 minutes.

Gently add the bagels to the boiling water, four at a time. Cook over medium heat for 1 minute. Turn over with slotted spoon and cook for 1 minute more. Move bagels to a baking sheet that is freshly-lined with parchment paper. Continue with the remaining bagels until all 12 have been completed. 

EGG WASH AND TOPPINGS

 Beat one egg with 1 tsp. water  in a small bowl. 

 Brush the bagel tops with eggs, then place the bagels on parchment paper-lined baking sheet and sprinkle the cheese on top. If you do not have parchment paper, you can grease and lightly flour the baking sheets. 

 Bake in 400ยฐF for 20 to 25 minutes or until tops are golden brown.

Transfer to cooling racks. See recipe notes below for storage and freezing instructions.

Cheddar bagel on parchment paper.

Storage and Freezing Instructions

FAQ’s

Are bagels hard to make at home?

Bagel are an easy baking project to make in the comfort of your home. They do take time to make and you should plan for about three to three and a half hours total from start to finish.

Can I use all purpose flour instead of bread bread flour for bagels.

Although you can substitute all purpose flour for bread flour in a bagel recipe, the result will be a less chewy bagel. One of the things that makes a bagel so delicious is the chewy texture, so go with the bread flour!

Variations

You can make these bagels your own by changing up the types of cheese that you use. Mild or medium cheddar, Montery Jack and the ever-popular asiago cheese bagels are all great choices.

Jalapeno Cheddar Bagels – add in 100 g of finely grated jalepeno pepper to the dough and sprinkle a few on top of the cheddar before baking.

My Top Tips For Delicious Homemade Bagels

Use bread flour to achieve a classic, chewy bagel texture.

Measure ingredients accurately for a successful bake.

Make the your own – you can spinkle the unbaked bagels with sesame seeds, poppy seeds and a variety of cheeses. I’ve included instructions in the recipe card notes for cinnamon raisin bagels which are also delicious!

Print
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Close up image of chedar cheese bagels.

Cheddar Cheese Bagel Recipe


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4.9 from 10 reviews

  • Author: Sandra Flegg
  • Total Time: 2 hours 45 minutes
  • Yield: 12

Description

Thisย cheddar cheese bagel recipeย is easy make! Top these delicious bagels with your favourite topping, such as jalapeรฑo peppers and your favourite cheese flavour. Enjoy New York style fresh bagels as good as your neighbourhood bagel shop. Make your own bagels in the comfort of your home.


Ingredients

YEAST MIXTURE:
1 tsp. granulated sugar

1 cup warm water

1 tbsp. active dry yeast

DOUGH

2 large eggs

1 tbsp. vegetable oil

3 and 1/2 cups bread flour

2 tbsp. granulated sugar

1 and tsp. salt

POACHING LIQUID

16 cups water

1 and 1/2 tbsp. granulated sugar

EGG WASH

1 large egg, beaten

1 tsp. water

TOPPINGS

1 1/2 cups sharp cheddar cheese, shredded


Instructions

  1. TO DISSOLVE YEAST
  2. In a large mixing bowl, dissolve 1 tsp. of sugar in warm water. Water temperature should be between 110F and 115ยฐF.
  3. Sprinkle yeast over top of water mixture and let stand for 10 minutes. (Yeast should be frothy – if not, wait another two to three minutes).
  4. MAKE THE DOUGH
  5. ย Whisk in eggs and vegetable oil.ย 
  6. ย Add in sugar and salt.
  7. Gradually stir in 2 cups of the flour and continue to stir until dough is smooth. Gradually add another cup of the flour and continue to mix. The dough should be soft but not sticky.ย 
  8. ย Turn out the dough onto a very lightly floured surface. If the dough is a little sticky when you are kneading it, you can work up to 1/2 cup of additional flour into the dough but not more than that as it will upset the balance needed for the right texture.
  9. ย Knead dough for 10 minutes. To knead dough, place dough in front of you and fold the back half of the dough towards you. Use heel of your hand to press dough down into itself. Give the dough a quarter turn and repeat. (Turn, knead, turn, knead). When kneading is completed, the dough should spring back when you poke it with your finger.ย 
  10. ย Using a different large bowl, coat the bowl lightly with olive oil.ย 
  11. ย Place dough in bowl and turn dough through the oil once to grease.
  12. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise until doubled in size for 1 to 1 and 1/2 hours.ย 
  13. Punch down the dough and knead 10 times.
  14. Divide dough into 12 equal portions.ย 
  15. In a large, wide saucepan, bring 16 cups of water and the 2 tbsp. of sugar to a boil. (you will be shaping the bagels while the water is coming to a boil).
  16. Roll into a 10-inch long rope. Bring the end together to form a circle, overlapping, then pinch the edges to seal the dough.(Pinch the edges tightly)! ย Place on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Cover with a clean tea towel and let rise for 15 minutes.
  17. Gently add the bagels to the boiling water, four at a time. Cook over medium heat for 1 minute. Turn over with slotted spoon and cook for 1 minute more. Move bagels to a baking sheet that is freshly-lined with parchment paper. Continue with the remaining bagels until all 12 have been completed.ย 
  18. EGG WASH AND TOPPINGS
  19. ย Beat one egg with 1 tsp. water ย in a small bowl.ย 
  20. ย Brush the bagel tops with eggs, then place the bagels on parchment paper-lined baking sheet and sprinkle the cheese on top. If you do not have parchment paper, you can grease and lightly flour the baking sheets.ย 
  21. ย Bake in 400ยฐF for 20 to 25 minutes or until tops are golden brown.
  22. Transfer to cooling racks. See recipe notes below for storage and freezing instructions.

Notes

VARIATIONS:

1/2 cup of sesame seeds, poppyseeds or everything bagel seasoning. Sprinkle on top of bagels after brushing on the egg wash.

WHOLE WHEAT CINNAMON RAISIN BAGELS VARIATION:

Use 1 cup of whole wheat flour and 2 and 1/2 cups of bread flour

Increase sugar from 2 tbsp. to ย 1/4 cup granulated sugar for the dough

Add 2 and 1/2 tsp. cinnamon to the flour mixture

After the dough has risen, punch down and gently knead in 1 cup raisins

STORAGE & FREEZING INSTRUCTIONS:

Store bagels in a plastic storage container or plastic zip top bag for a few days.

Bagels can be frozen in plastic zip top bags for up to three months.ย 

  • Prep Time: 2 hours
  • Cook Time: 45 minutes
  • Category: Bread
  • Method: Baked
  • Cuisine: American

Nutrition

  • Serving Size:
  • Calories: 255
  • Sugar: 4.2 g
  • Sodium: 246.8 mg
  • Fat: 10.5 g
  • Saturated Fat: 5.6 g
  • Trans Fat: 0 g
  • Carbohydrates: 32.6 g
  • Fiber: 1.8 g
  • Protein: 8.2 g
  • Cholesterol: 62 mg

This post was first published in October, 2020 and was updated January 31st, 2023 with additional images and some modifications to the recipe to include cheddar cheese bagels.

14 Comments

  1. We have made these bagels quite a few times now and they never disappoint. The cheese is the teens favourite but we enjoyed all the flavours. It is an excellent recipe that hits the perfect bagel texture. We enjoy making these at home, thanks!!

  2. We had these bagels for breakfast this morning and oh my goodness were they delicious! Thanks for sharing the recipe!

  3. I made these this morning and they very so good! It was perfectly cheesy and so tasty. Thank you for such a great recipe ๐Ÿ™‚

  4. I just made these with a few adjustments. I wanted bigger bagels, so I made them into 8 equal pieces. I also made them into balls and just put a hole in the middle with my finger, then stretched them to the size I wanted. I made everything bagel, cheddar, and asiago herb ones. They turned out fantastic! I also used A.P. flour because that’s all I had and really wanted bagels! Thank you for the recipe!! Sorry I didn’t follow it exactly.

  5. Turned out so tasty! Make sure to oil the parchment paper or put down a thin layer of cornmeal after shaping. It’ll be much easier to pick up to boil. Any other recommendations I do appreciate โ˜บ๏ธ

  6. This recipe has become a staple in our house. Our kids love cheddar bagels from our local bagel shop, and these taste just like them! They freeze great too. We pop them in the toaster and they taste so fresh.

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