6 Homemade Japanese Bagels (FAIL-PROOF) 

Have you ever tried Japanese Bagels?

Japanese Bagels are crispy on the outside, soft and chewy on the inside; plus, they are oil-free, dairy-free, and low on sugar!

Growing up, I used to love coming home to my mom’s freshly baked bread. In this episode of Mama’s Bakery, we will be making my mom’s fail-proof Japanese Bagels and six different easy flavors you can make at home.

I also filmed this whole process of making SIX different kinds of homemade Japanese Bagels on my YouTube channel, so if you are also a visual learner like me, we can bake together.

First, What Makes Japanese Bagels Unique?

Japanese bagels have a distinct character that sets them apart from their American counterparts. Here are some elements that make them unique:

1. Sweet and Savory Flavors: While classic bagels primarily come in savory flavors, Japanese bagels are available in an array of sweet and savory options. You can enjoy flavors like matcha, red bean, sweet potato, and even teriyaki chicken bagels. This diversity caters to a wide range of tastes.
2. Decorative Toppings: Japanese bagels often feature creative and eye-catching toppings, such as sesame seeds, nori (seaweed), or colorful sprinkles. These decorative touches not only add to the bagel’s visual appeal but also infuse extra flavors.
3. Fusion Fillings: Besides the unique flavors, Japanese bagels often feature fusion fillings like cream cheese with yuzu citrus or miso butter. These combinations blend traditional Japanese ingredients with classic bagel components, producing exciting flavor profiles.

The six different Japanese Bagels flavors we will be making today are 

• Classic Bagels 
• Blueberry Bagel 
• Matcha Bagel stuffed with Red Beans and Mochi 
• Cheesy Jalapeno Bagel stuffed with Cream Cheese 
• Pumpkin Bagel stuffed with Cream Cheese 
• Black Sesame Bagel stuffed with Red Bean and Roasted Walnuts 

In this blog post, we will be going over SIX different homemade Japanese Bagels together. 

CLASSIC BAGEL 

Ingredients (6) 

• 2 cups All Purpose Flour
• ½ tsp Salt 
• 1 tbsp Honey (or sugar) 
• ⅔ cup Water 
• 1 tsp Yeast 
• ½ cup Sugar 

1.  In a cup, mix water and honey until fully combined
2. Next, add flour, salt, yeast, and honey water into the stand mixer with a dough hook and mix until fully combined. The dough may seem more dryer, but keep mixing until it forms into a dough. This process will take around 5-6 minutes. 
3. Once the dough forms into a ball in the stand mixer, remove and knead with your hands for 2-3 minutes or until it forms into a smooth, elastic ball. Cover and let it rest for 10-15 minutes. Or until the dough becomes slightly softer so it is easier to work. 
4. After 10-15 minutes, cut the dough into six even pieces and roll each portion into individual balls. Cover the dough to prevent them from drying up while you work on the dough one by one. 

5. Take one piece of ball, and roll the dough flat to around 12cm square. 
6. Tuck and roll the dough from the top down with your fingers, making sure to pinch the ends close before rolling each section. Once you get to the end, pinch the ends close before rolling out the dough to around 15cm lengthwise. 
7. Flatten one of the dough ends and connect the ends together to form a bagel shape. Make sure to pinch the dough tightly, cover and let it rest for 80 minutes or until it has risen. 
8. Optional: I like to place each bagel on an individual parchment paper so it is easier to add to the water later. 

9. Once the dough has risen, preheat the oven to 400F. Make sure the oven is fully heated before preparing the water mixture. 
10. In a large pot, bring around 8-10 cups of water to a boil and add in ½ cup of sugar to the boiling water. Boil each bagel for around 30 seconds on each side; this boiling step helps create the bagel’s characteristic chewy texture.
11. Transfer the bagels back to the baking sheet and place them in the preheated oven. Bake for 12-15 minutes or until golden brown and have a firm texture. Every oven is slightly different, so keep an eye out. 
12. Allow the bagels to cool on a wire rack. Once they’ve cooled, you can slice them and enjoy!

BLUEBERRY BAGEL 

You can customize Japanese bagels with any flavor of your choice. I love adding seasoned fruits to my bagels, specifically blueberry bagels! Depending on the fruit, it may make the dough slightly sticker. Have around 3-4 tablespoons of flour nearby to adjust for the stickiness. The dough should be more on the dryer side and shouldn’t stick to your fingers when kneading. 

• 2 cups All Purpose Flour (4 tablespoons on stand-by) 
• ½ tsp Salt 
• ½ cup fresh blueberries 
• 1 tbsp Honey (or sugar) 
• ⅔ cup Water 
• 1 tsp Yeast 
• ½ cup Sugar 

1. In a cup, mix water and honey until fully combined
2. Next, add flour, salt, yeast, blueberries, and honey water into the stand mixer with a dough hook and mix until thoroughly combined. The dough may seem sticker due to the blueberries, but you want the dough to be on the dryer side. 
3. Slowly add in 1-4 tablespoons of flour until the dough becomes on the dryer side, and keep mixing until it forms into a dough. This process will take around 7-8 minutes. 
4. Once the dough forms into a ball in the stand mixer, remove and knead with your hands for 2-3 minutes or until it forms into a smooth, elastic ball. Cover and let it rest for 10-15 minutes. Or until the dough becomes slightly softer so it is easier to work. 
5. After 10-15 minutes, cut the dough into six even pieces and roll each portion into individual balls. Cover the dough to prevent them from drying up while you work on the dough one by one. 
6. Take one piece of ball, and roll the dough flat to around 12cm square. 
7. Tuck and roll the dough from the top down with your fingers, making sure to pinch the ends close before rolling each section. Once you get to the end, pinch the ends close before rolling out the dough to around 15cm lengthwise. 
8. Flatten one of the dough ends and connect the ends together to form a bagel shape. Make sure to pinch the dough tightly, cover and let it rest for 80 minutes or until it has risen. 
9. Optional: I like to place each bagel on an individual parchment paper so it is easier to add to the water later. 
10. Once the dough has risen, preheat the oven to 400F. Make sure the oven is fully heated before preparing the water mixture. 
11. In a large pot, bring around 8-10 cups of water to a boil and add in ½ cup of sugar to the boiling water. Boil each bagel for around 30 seconds on each side; this boiling step helps create the bagel’s characteristic chewy texture.
12. Transfer the bagels back to the baking sheet and place them in the preheated oven. Bake for 12-15 minutes or until golden brown and have a firm texture. Every oven is slightly different, so keep an eye out. 
13. Allow the bagels to cool on a wire rack. Once they’ve cooled, you can slice them and enjoy your homemade Japanese bagels. They’re delicious on their own or with your favorite spreads.

MATCHA BAGEL STUFFED WITH MOCHI AND RED BEAN PASTE 

One of my favorite Japanese bagel flavors is a matcha bagel stuffed with mochi and red bean paste. I remember the first time I tried it in Japan!

The sweeten red bean paste filling combined with the chewy mochi and earthy matcha bagel, it was the perfect dessert bagel I knew I had to recreate at home! You can get red bean paste at many local Asian markets or on AMAZON.  

I also included the homemade mochi recipe in this blog post. I found this mochi to be the most long-lasting, even after freezing! Once heated up, the mochi is still chewy and delicious! 

Ingredients (6) 

• 2 cups All Purpose Flour 
• ½ tsp Salt 
• 1 tbsp Honey (or sugar) 
• ⅔ cup Water 
• 1 tsp Yeast 
• ½ cup Sugar 
• 2 tbsp of Matcha 

Homemade Mochi (makes 6) 

• 20g glutinous rice flour 
• 20g rice flour 
• 10g wheat flour 
• 30g sugar 
• 7g oil 
• 75g milk 

1. Prepare the mochi by mixing—rice flour, glutinous rice flour, wheat flour, sugar, oil, and milk. Mix until everything is fully combined, cover, and let it steam for 25 minutes. 
2. After 25 minutes, mix for 2-3 minutes or until it becomes an elastic mochi consistency. Roll it out to be easier to add to the bagels later. 
3. In a cup, mix water and honey until thoroughly combined
4. Next, add flour, salt, yeast, and honey water into the stand mixer with a dough hook until fully combined. The dough may seem more dryer, but keep mixing until it forms into a dough. This process will take around 5-6 minutes. 
5. Once the dough forms into a ball in the stand mixer, remove and knead with your hands for 2-3 minutes or until it forms into a smooth, elastic ball. Cover and let it rest for 10-15 minutes. Or until the dough becomes slightly softer so it is easier to work. 
6. After 10-15 minutes, cut the dough into six even pieces and roll each portion into individual balls. Cover the dough to prevent them from drying up while you work on the dough one by one. 
7. Take one piece of ball, and roll the dough flat to around 12cm square. 
8. Line up the red bean and mochi at the top of the bagel, leaving room on the sides to prevent the fillings from spilling. 
9. Tuck and roll the dough from the top down with your fingers, pinching the ends close before rolling each section and tucking the fillings in. Once you reach the end, pinch the ends close before rolling out the dough to around 15cm lengthwise. 
10. Flatten one of the dough ends and connect the ends together to form a bagel shape. Make sure to pinch the dough tightly, cover and let it rest for 80 minutes or until it has risen. 
11. Optional: I like to place each bagel on an individual parchment paper so it is easier to add to the water later. 
12. Once the dough has risen, preheat the oven to 400F. Make sure the oven is fully heated before preparing the water mixture. 
13. In a large pot, bring around 8-10 cups of water to a boil and add in ½ cup of sugar to the boiling water. Boil each bagel for around 30 seconds on each side; this boiling step helps create the bagel’s characteristic chewy texture.
14. Transfer the bagels back to the baking sheet and place them in the preheated oven. Bake for 12-15 minutes or until golden brown and have a firm texture. Every oven is slightly different, so keep an eye out. 
15. Allow the bagels to cool on a wire rack. Once cooled, you can slice them and enjoy your homemade Japanese bagels. They’re delicious on their own or with your favorite spreads.

CHEESY JALAPENO BAGEL STUFFED WITH CREAM CHEESE 

HANDS down my favorite Japanese bagel flavor of ALL TIME. Cheese paired with spicy jalapeno with the surprise cream cheese filling, THIS is the ultimate, savory bagel that you need to try. 

Ingredients (6) 

• 2 cups All Purpose Flour 
• ½ tsp Salt 
• 1 tbsp Honey (or sugar) 
• ⅔ cup Water 
• 1 tsp Yeast 
• ½ cup Sugar 
• 1 cup shredded cheese 
• ½ cup pickled jalapeno, chopped 
• ¼ cup cream cheese 

1. In a cup, mix water and honey until fully combined
2. Next, add flour, salt, yeast, jalapeno, and honey water into the stand mixer with a dough hook and mix until fully combined. The dough may seem more on the dryer side, but keep mixing until it forms into a dough. This process will take around 5-6 minutes. 
3. Once the dough forms into a ball in the stand mixer, remove and knead with your hands for 2-3 minutes or until it forms into a smooth, elastic ball. Cover and let it rest for 10-15 minutes. Or until the dough becomes slightly softer so it is easier to work. 
4. After 10-15 minutes, cut the dough into six even pieces and roll each portion into individual balls. Cover the dough to prevent them from drying up while you work on the dough one by one. 
5. Take one piece of ball, and roll the dough flat to around 12cm square. 
6. Line up cream cheese at the top of the bagel, leaving room on the sides to prevent the fillings from spilling. 
7. Tuck and roll the dough from the top down with your fingers, pinching the ends close before rolling each section and tucking the fillings in. Once you reach the end, pinch the ends close before rolling out the dough to around 15cm lengthwise. 
8. Tuck and roll the dough from the top down with your fingers, making sure to pinch the ends close before rolling each section. Once you get to the end, pinch the ends close before rolling out the dough to around 15cm lengthwise. 
9. Flatten one of the dough ends and connect the ends together to form a bagel shape. Make sure to pinch the dough tightly, cover and let it rest for 100 minutes or until it has risen. Since it is acidic, it will take longer to rise. 
10. Optional: I like to place each bagel on an individual parchment paper so it is easier to add to the water later. 
11. Once the dough has risen, preheat the oven to 400F. Make sure the oven is fully heated before preparing the water mixture. 
12. In a large pot, bring around 8-10 cups of water to a boil and add in ½ cup of sugar to the boiling water. Boil each bagel for around 30 seconds on each side; this boiling step helps create the bagel’s characteristic chewy texture. 
13. Top the bagels with shredded cheese before transferring them back to the baking sheet and place them in the preheated oven. Bake for 12-15 minutes or until golden brown and have a firm texture. Every oven is slightly different, so keep an eye out. 
14. Allow the bagels to cool on a wire rack. Once cooled, you can slice them and enjoy your homemade Japanese bagels. They’re delicious on their own or with your favorite spreads.