This is not your average pizza recipe. With this recipe Homemade Bagel Bites, you'll make bagels from scratch, top them and bake them to cheesy perfection. It's just like that freezer-favorite snack we grew up loving, but with the goodness of being made from scratch. Learn how to make bagel bites from scratch at home!
Mike's Recipe Rundown
- Taste: It's pizza, duh! For this recipe, we're keeping it simple with pepperoni. But you can definitely get creative with your toppings to mix up the taste!
- Texture: Crispy on the outside, but soft and airy on the side, all with with a wonderfully cheesy top. Yummmm!
- Difficulty: 5 out of 10. This is mostly because of the steps for making the bagels from scratch. Of course, you could just buy your own bagels, but fresh bagels are SO MUCH BETTER!
- Pros: This is a great meal to make with your kids. I killed most of an afternoon with my four-year-old daughter making these from scratch. It was such a fun experience. Plus, these easily freeze and can be reheated later, just like the bites you've always known and loved!
- Cons: Like I stated above, it did take almost a whole afternoon to make these from scratch. This is definitely a weekend-afternoon project of a meal. Not after-work friendly (if making from scratch).
- Would I make it again? Of course! In fact, my wife was on vacation when we made it the last time, so we'll be firing up another batch soon.
Why you'll love this recipe
Fresh bagels by themselves are just fantastic. There's something about that crusty exterior wrapping warm, fluffy, airy dough. And you can get plenty creative with your toppings, too. A philly cheesesteak bagel pizza? You bet. Veggie only toppings? Sign me up. The topping combos are up to you!
There's some other great recipes you'll love, too. Like easy Instant Pot Mac and Cheese, perfect Pulled Pork or Parmesan Crusted Chicken. Right now my favorite comfort food recipe is the Kentucky Hot Brown, which goes great alongside a tasty Mint Julep.
When to make Homemade Bagel Bites
If you're work a 9-to-5, this is definitely a meal saved for the weekends. A rainy Sunday afternoon makes a perfect time to whip this together. Alternatively, for you are a stay at home parents, this could be a nice after-school project with your kids. A few hours after school creating something from scratch is a great way to introduce your little ones to the kitchen!
What you'll need to make Homemade Bagel Bites
A stand mixer (affiliate) will save you some time and make your life easier when mixing and kneading your dough. You can make this recipe without it in a large mixing bowl (affiliate) as well, it'll just take some more effort. A large pot (affiliate) for boiling is definitely needed. And a nice large baking sheet (affiliate) for cooking.
Mike's Tips and Tricks
- This is definitely a make some now/freeze some for later type of meal. Help make a time consuming recipe like this worth it by cooking a large batch. Once you've topped your bagels, simply place the ones you'll freeze on a pan and into the freezer for 30 minutes. Then, transfer them to a ziploc bag and save them to cook at a later date.
- I prefer a some King Arthur's Bread Flour (affiliate) to standard all-purpose flour for this recipe. The extra gluten in the bread flour adds a nice chewy bite to the finished bagel. All-purpose flour would work just fine, but if you have the choice, opt for some high quality bread flour.
- I go with mini-pepperonis for this one, since they sit better on the small bagel. In Laura Vitale's recipe, she runs normal sized pepperoni through a food processor (affiliate). This recipe was inspired by Laura's, which comes with a video if you want the visual help.
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How to Make Homemade Bagel Bites
Make Bagel Dough
In a side cup, combine yeast and lukewarm water. Water should be about 115°, so use a food thermometer (affiliate) to test. This makes it warm enough to activate the yeast but not so warm that it kills it. Let sit 15 minutes to activate yeast. It will just bubble a little when it's ready.
Combine bread flour, salt, sugar and yeast/water mixture in bowl of a stand mixer (affiliate). Mix everything together using a dough hook. Continue to run for 8 minutes in order to knead dough in mixer. The result should be a smooth and elastic ball.
Lightly grease a large bowl with olive oil and transfer dough to it. Cover with plastic wrap and let sit until doubled in size, about 90 minutes. When dough has risen, lightly deflate with your hands and move to a flat, clean surface.
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Bake those bagels
Cut the dough into 16 even pieces using a bench scraper (affiliate). Roll in ball along a clean flat surface with a cupped hand until it form a nice, tight ball. Poke a hole through the center ball. Using your fingers, roll them in the center of the ball about 5 times for create the hole in the center. Place onto a baking sheet and cover with a damp paper towel. Let rise for 15 minutes.
Fill a large pot (affiliate) about halfway with water and add honey. Bring to a boil. When boiling, add about 3-4 bagels at a time and cook for one minute. Gently flip the bagels and cook for one minute more. Remove to a pan with paper towel to soak up extra moisture. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 425 and place rack in upper third of oven.
Remove towel and brush all exposed areas with egg white wash. Bake about 20 minutes, until bagels are golden brown. Remove pan from oven and move bagels to a cooling rack and let cool completely.
Top Pizzas
While bagels are cooling, make your sauce in a side bowl. Combine tomato sauce, tomato paste, garlic powder, onion powder black pepper, dried and dried oregano and salt to taste. Stir together well and set aside. Reduce oven temperature to 375°.
When bagels have cooled, cut them in half. Top first with a spoonful of sauce and spread to edges. Top with a pinch of cheese, again, spreading out all the way to the edge. Then, place mini-pepperonis flat along the bagel.
Freezer Option
Like I stated above, I often make more than we'll eat in one seating, and freezer the rest. If freezing, make the bagels up to this point and place on a baking sheet. Place in freezer for 30 minutes, then remove and place in a ziploc bag. Keeps well for up to three months.
To reheat, cook at 375° for 12-14 minutes, or until cheese has begun to turn golden brown.
Bake Bagel Bites
Place baking sheet on rack in center of oven and cook for about 10 minutes, until cheese barely begins to brown. Remove from oven and let cool 5 minutes before serving. Enjoy!
Print
Homemade Bagel Bites
- Total Time: 2.5 hours
- Yield: 32 bagels 1x
Description
Bagels made from scratch and topped with yummy pizza toppings, baked to perfection! Yum!
Ingredients
- 1 packet instant yeast
- 1.5 cups warm water (heated to 115°)
- 2 Tbsp + 1 tsp sugar
- 3.5 cups bread flour
- 2 tsp salt
- ⅓ cup honey
- 1 egg white
- 1 cup tomato sauce
- 1 Tbsp tomato paste
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- .5 tsp onion powder
- .5 tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- .5 tsp salt
- 1 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded
- 3 oz mini pepperonis
Instructions
- Combine water and instant yeast and stir together. Let sit for 15 minutes to activate.
- In stand mixer (affiliate), combine water/yeast, bread flour, salt and sugar. Mix with dough hook for 8 minutes to knead. Move to a lightly oiled bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Let sit for 90 minutes, or until dough has doubled in size.
- Lightly deflate dough with hands and transfer to a clean flat surface. Cut into 16 equal sized pieces. Roll pieces into dough using a cupped hand against the flat surface. When rolled into a tight ball, poke a hole through the center with your fingers. Using both index fingers, spin dough for 6 seconds to create a nice hole. Place on baking sheet and cover with damp kitchen towel. Let rise for 15 minutes.
- Fill a large pot (affiliate) about halfway with water and add honey. Bring to a boil. When boiling, add about 3-4 bagels at a time and cook for one minute. Gently flip the bagels and cook for one minute more. Remove to a paper towel to soak up extra moisture. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 425 and place rack in upper third of oven.
- Beat 1 egg white with a Tbsp of water and brush over all exposed areas of the bagel. Place baking pan in oven and cook for 20 minutes, or until bagels turn a nice golden brown. Remove to a cooling rack and let cool completely. Reduce oven temperature to 375°.
- Combine sauce ingredients (tomato sauce, tomato paste, garlic powder, onion powder, dried oregano, pepper and a pinch of salt) and stir together.
- Lay bagels greased side up on a large baking sheet (affiliate). Place a spoonful of sauce on each and spread to edge. Add a pinch of shredded mozzarella and again spread to edge. Next, lay pepperonis flat on top. Place in oven and bake for ten minutes, until cheese barely browns. Let cool 5 minutes before serving.
Notes
Freezer option: If freezing, make the bagels up to the point where you top them and place on a baking sheet. Place in freezer for 30 minutes, then remove and place in a ziploc bag. Keeps well for up to three months. To reheat, cook at 375° for 12-14 minutes, or until cheese has begun to turn golden brown.
- Prep Time: 2 hours
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Baked
- Cuisine: Italian
Keywords: Pizza, After School Snacks, Homemade Bagels