Homemade Bagels

Ingredients:

Directions:

1. In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the warm water, yeast, and 1 Tbsp sugar. Let sit for 5 minutes or until foamy. Then, add the flour and salt, and mix until the dough forms a ball. Knead the dough for about 8 minutes, until smooth.
2. Transfer the dough to a greased bowl, cover, and let rise until doubled in size, about 1 hour.
3. Next, divide the dough into 8 equal sized pieces. Roll each into a bowl and poke a hole through the center. Stretch the dough slightly to make a ring.
4. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
5. Bring a large pot of water (about 8 cups) to a boil. Once boiling, add the remaining 2 Tbsp sugar and stir to dissolve. Add the bagels, working in batches of 2-3, and boil for 1 minute on each side. Use a slotted spoon to remove the bagels to the prepared baking sheet while you boil the rest of the bagels.
6. Brush each bagel with the whisked egg white. If you want plain bagels, bake as is. Otherwise, sprinkle on your topping(s) before baking.
7. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown. Let cool slightly before serving.
8. Slice, add your favorite cream cheese, some butter and jam, or peanut butter, and enjoy!
9. Leftovers should be cooled completely and stored in an airtight container on the counter.