Classic Fail-Proof Soft and Fluffy Japanese Bagel

Crispy on the outside, soft and chewy on the inside, this Classic Japanese Bagels are oil-free, dairy-free, and low sugar. Today I’m sharing my mom’s fail-proof Japanese bagel recipe. These soft bagel have a fluffier, lighter texture than the dense New York bagels we’re all used to. They’re delicious on their own or with your favorite spreads!

Japanese Bagel

• Baking 6 Kinds Of Japanese Bagel With Mama Chen
• Master Dough to Creative Japanese Bagel
  • Japanese Bagel Ingredients
• How To Make Japanese Bagels
  • making dough
  • Shaping The Dough
  • Baking Bagels
• Japanese Bagels are Super Freezer Friendly
• My Mom’s recipes make Baking Asian Bread so easy!

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Baking 6 Kinds Of Japanese Bagel With Mama Chen

My mom bakes every weekend, keeping our house stocked with so many delicious baked goods like milk breads and no knead cheese buns. Growing up, I used to love coming home to my mom’s freshly baked bread. My mom’s recipes are all super beginner friendly, because even I can bake them!

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.

Master Dough to Creative Japanese Bagel

Japanese bagels are not just softer and fluffier, they also can be loaded with fun ingredients! Japanese bakeries have adapted these bagels to have tons of creative Japanese-inspired flavors and fillings, from sesame to mochi. This bagel recipe is the perfect master dough to create other bagel flavors. In fact, we created 5 other flavors from this master dough with my mom!

To add fillings or additional flavors, you can either add your flavorings to the dough as you’re mixing it. Or, you can wrap fillings like chopped nuts into the bagel dough as you’re shaping it into it’s classic “O” shape.

Japanese Bagel Ingredients

How To Make Japanese Bagels

making dough

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. 

Shaping The Dough

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. 

Baking Bagels

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!

Japanese Bagels are Super Freezer Friendly

What makes Japanese Bagels so special is that even after freezing, the bagel is still fluffy and soft on the inside. You can put them in the freezer after they’ve cooled down from baking.

Once frozen, you can take them out anytime and reheat in the toaster. I love freezing these bagels and using them for quick breakfast sandwiches in the morning.

My Mom’s recipes make Baking Asian Bread so easy!

Classic Fail-Proof Soft and Fluffy Japanese Bagel

By Tiffy Cooks

4.75 from 4 votes

Crispy on the outside, soft and chewy on the inside, this Classic Japanese Bagels are oil-free, dairy-free, and low sugar. Today I'm sharing my mom's fail-proof Japanese bagel recipe. These soft bagel have a fluffier, lighter texture than the dense New York bagels we're all used to. They’re delicious on their own or with your favorite spreads!

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Cook ModePrevent your screen from going dark

Prep Time:20 minutes mins

Cook Time:20 minutes mins

Resting Time:1 hour hr 30 minutes mins

Total Time:2 hours hrs 10 minutes mins

Course: Breakfast, Side Dish, Snack

Cuisine: Japanese

Diet: Vegetarian

Keyword: asian bread, bagel, Bread, bread recipe, Japanese Bagel

Servings: 6 bagels

Calories: 228kcal

Equipment

• Stand Mixer

Ingredients

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

US Customary – Metric

Instructions

Master Dough

• In a cup, mix water and honey until fully combined. Next, add flour, salt, yeast, and honey water into the stand mixer with a dough hook.
  
• 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.
  
• 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.
  
• 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.
  

Shaping Bagels

• Take one piece of ball, and roll the dough flat to around 12cm square.
  
• 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.
  
• 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.

  Optional: I like to place each bagel on an individual parchment paper so it is easier to add to the water later.
  

Baking Bagels

• Once the dough has risen, preheat the oven to 400F. Make sure the oven is fully heated before preparing the water mixture.
  
• 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.
  
• 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.
  
• Allow the bagels to cool on a wire rack. Once they’ve cooled, you can slice them and enjoy!
  

Video

Nutrition

Calories: 228kcalCarbohydrates: 51gProtein: 5gFat: 1gSaturated Fat: 0.1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.2gMonounsaturated Fat: 0.1gSodium: 197mgPotassium: 52mgFiber: 1gSugar: 20gVitamin C: 0.02mgCalcium: 8mgIron: 2mg