Types of Bagels
When it comes to breakfast or a quick snack, few things can beat a delicious bagel. With their chewy texture, unique shape, and endless topping possibilities, bagels have become a staple on many breakfast menus. Bagels are a type of bread that is made by first being boiled before they are baked, which gives them their classic unique texture. With such a large number of bagel types available, we'll explain the texture and flavor profiles of each, allowing you to find the perfect fit for your menu.
Shop All BagelsWhat Are Bagels?
Bagels are a type of bread that is circular with a hole in the middle. They're made by combining water, yeast, flour, sugar, and salt into dough before boiling and baking. Many different ingredients can be added to bagel dough before the cooking process, allowing you to get creative with the types of bagels you make. Several types of food service operations have bagels as an integral part of their menu, including bakeries, restaurants, and coffee shops. Adding different types of bagels to your business's offerings is a fantastic way to expand your breakfast menu and attract new customers.
1. Plain Bagel
Plain bagels are the standard type of bagel without any special seasonings and ingredients. This type of bagel is known for its soft exterior while still retaining the classic chewy texture of bagels. Although a plain bagel might lack the distinct tastes some other types of bagels have, the lack of overwhelming flavors makes this type of bagel great for pairing with other foods. For this reason, plain bagels are often paired with toppings like cream cheese and peanut butter or used with other foods to make a sandwich.
- How to Make Plain Bagels - Combine water, yeast, flour, sugar, and salt into dough before boiling and baking.
- Plain Bagel Taste - Simple and mild
- Plain Bagel Texture - Soft and chewy
2. Everything Bagel
An everything bagel is made with spices such as poppy seeds, sesame seeds, garlic, onion, salt, and pepper. Underneath an everything bagel’s seasoning is a plain bagel, so the food gets the majority of its flavoring from the spice mix. Everything bagels are popular for their complex flavor profiles and texture, as everything bagel seasoning introduces elements from a variety of different bagel types. Some examples include sesame seeds similar to those found on sesame seed bagels and poppy seeds that provide a similar flavor profile to poppy seed bagels.
- How to Make Everything Bagels - Combine water, yeast, flour, sugar, and salt into dough. Brush bagels with butter and top with everything bagel seasoning before baking.
- Everything Bagel Taste - Complex nutty flavor
- Everything Bagel Texture - Crunchy and chewy
3. Egg Bagel
Egg bagels are created by adding whole eggs or separated egg yolks to standard bagel dough. Adding eggs to bagel dough results in a rich, soft texture and a yellow color. Egg bagels are also known to be sweeter in flavor than other bagel types. The addition of eggs adds many nutrients such as protein to the bagel, making them one of the healthiest bagel options. Although the taste and texture of egg bagels differ from other types, egg bagels are still a great option to include on any menu.
- How to Make Egg Bagels - Combine water, yeast, flour, sugar, salt, and eggs into dough before boiling and baking.
- Egg Bagel Taste - Sweet
- Egg Bagel Texture - Rich and soft
4. Rainbow Bagel
Rainbow bagels are one of the most unique types of bagels due to their distinct color. As the name suggests, rainbow bagels have a variety of different colors due to the fact the bagels are made from various doughs dyed with food coloring. Despite their vibrant colors, rainbow bagels taste just like ordinary plain bagels, making them a great pairing with toppings such as jam or jelly. Rainbow bagels are aesthetically pleasing, so they’re great to photograph and use in your restaurant or bakery’s social media advertisements.
- How to Make Rainbow Bagels - Combine water, yeast, flour, sugar, salt, and food coloring into dough. Repeat for as many different colors as desired. Layer each dough before boiling and baking.
- Rainbow Bagel Taste - Simple and mild
- Rainbow Bagel Texture - Soft and chewy
5. Pumpernickel Bagel
These bagels are known for their dark brown coloring and earthy flavor. Pumpernickel is a rye bread originally from the Westphalia region of Germany. This type of bagel has a hard and chewy texture, separating itself from other types of bagels. Due to the Maillard Reaction, no food coloring is required to give pumpernickel bagels their distinctive brown coloring. Pumpernickel bagels are also one of the healthiest types of bagels on the list, making them great for health-conscious customers.
- How to Make Pumpernickel Bagels - Combine water, yeast, rye flour, sugar, and salt into dough before boiling and baking.
- Pumpernickel Bagel Taste - Earthy and slightly sweet
- Pumpernickel Bagel Texture - Hard and chewy
6. French Toast Bagel
French toast bagels combine two classic breakfast foods to create a delicious brunch option. Just like the food it's named after, French toast bagels are known for being rich and sugary, perfect for those looking for something sweet with their breakfast. This type of bagel is made by coating a bagel in a traditional French toast mixture (eggs, dairy, vanilla, and cinnamon), before being cooked in a skillet with melted butter. These bagels are then finished with toppings such as powdered sugar, berries, and maple syrup.
- How to Make French Toast Bagels - Combine water, yeast, flour, sugar, and salt into dough. Coat the bagel in a traditional French toast mixture (eggs, dairy, vanilla, and cinnamon), before baking.
- French Toast Bagel Taste - Sweet and sugary
- French Toast Bagel Texture - Rich
7. Whole Wheat Bagel
The dough of whole wheat bagels is made from whole grains of wheat and doesn’t include any other grains. Due to this, whole wheat bagels are one of the healthiest types of bagels you can serve. Whole wheat bagels lack the large number of carbohydrates that bread and other types of bagels have, making them a popular option for those with dietary restrictions or alternative diets. Although whole wheat bagels have a nuttier taste and chewier texture than other kinds of bagels, they are still delicious and work well with traditional toppings like cream cheese and butter.
- How to Make Whole Wheat Bagels - Combine water, yeast, whole wheat flour, sugar, and salt into dough before boiling and baking.
- Whole Wheat Bagel Taste - Complex nutty flavor
- Whole Wheat Bagel Texture - Hard and chewy
8. Poppy Seed Bagel
As the name suggests, this type of bagel is known for its poppy seed toppings. Poppy seeds have a subtle nutty flavor that pairs well with bagels. The crunchy texture of poppy seeds works great in tandem with the chewy texture that bagels have. Making poppy seed bagels is simple, as you just need to brush plain bagels with butter and top them with poppy seeds before baking. The result is a beautiful golden brown bagel contrasted by the dark coloring of the poppy seed topping.
- How to Make Poppy Seed Bagels - Combine water, yeast, flour, sugar, and salt into dough. Brush bagels with butter and top with poppy seeds before baking.
- Poppy Seed Bagel Taste - Subtle nutty flavor
- Poppy Seed Bagel Texture - Crunchy
9. Blueberry Bagel
Blueberry bagels are a type of bagel created with blueberries or blueberry flavoring baked into the dough. This type of bagel is made the same way a plain bagel is made, just with some form of blueberry flavoring added to the dough before baking. Blueberry bagels are very popular for their beautiful purple interior and delicious blueberry flavoring. Just like with plain bagels, since there are no toppings overwhelming the flavor, blueberry bagels work well in tandem with several different bagel spreads. These bagels are a staple breakfast food, and you’ll find them in just about any bakery.
- How to Make Blueberry Bagels - Combine water, yeast, flour, sugar, salt, and blueberries into dough before boiling and baking.
- Blueberry Bagel Taste - Sweet and fruity
- Blueberry Bagel Texture - Soft and chewy
10. Cinnamon Raisin Bagel
Just like with blueberry bagels, cinnamon raisin bagels are made by baking dried fruit into the dough. As the name suggests, this variety of bagel is usually made with raisins, but other dried fruits such as cranberries, cherries, or apricots can be substituted as well. The addition of raisins to the dough provides some extra sweetness, while the cinnamon adds a subtle hint of spice and creates a great flavor combination. The raisins will also alter the texture of the bagel, giving it a chewier texture than other types.
- How to Make Cinnamon Raisin Bagels - Combine water, yeast, flour, sugar, salt, and raisins into dough before boiling and baking.
- Cinnamon Raisin Bagel Taste - Slightly sweet
- Cinnamon Raisin Bagel Texture - Chewy and stringy
11. Garlic Bagel
A garlic bagel has a crunchy texture and a savory taste, often being compared to garlic bread. This type of bagel is made by creating a mixture of garlic and olive oil and coating a bagel with the mixture before cooking. For even more garlic flavor, you can add garlic cloves or garlic powder to the bagel dough itself. Be on the lookout, however, as garlic can inhibit yeast activity so it's best to wait for the dough to come together before adding it.
- How to Make Garlic Bagels - Combine water, yeast, flour, sugar, salt, and garlic cloves into dough and coat with a mixture of garlic and olive oil before baking.
- Garlic Bagel Taste - Savory
- Garlic Bagel Texture - Crunchy
12. Sesame Bagel
Sesame bagels are made by topping a bagel off with sesame seeds, adding new flavors and textures to the standard plain bagel. Sesame seeds have a mild, sweet, and nutty flavor that is enhanced by toasting. When added to a bagel, sesame seeds provide a nice contrast in texture, giving a bagel extra crunchiness. Although sesame bagels may not have the same amount of flavor as something like an everything bagel, they’re still a great breakfast option that pairs well with many foods and toppings.
- How to Make Sesame Bagels - Combine water, yeast, flour, sugar, and salt into dough. Brush bagels with butter and top with sesame seeds before baking
- Sesame Bagel Taste - Nutty
- Sesame Bagel Texture - Crunchy and chewy
Whether you're creating a food menu for a new coffee shop or trying to expand on your bakery's offerings, learning the different types of bagels is beneficial. Bagels are versatile food that covers many different flavor profiles, so learning how to make and serve each type can expand your customer base. Bagels are among the most popular breakfast foods out there and are included in some form on almost all breakfast menus. If you're looking for an easy way to expand your establishment's breakfast menu, understanding the most popular types of bagels is key to success.
By Kevin Singhel
