Bagels Lab150 recipes

Bagels Lab · Decision tree

Find your bagel

Three questions sort all 150 recipes into 8 groups. Each question is about one of the ingredients recipes disagree on most, and splits the recipes in front of it at their own median, so each answer keeps about half of them. Every group ends with its median recipe in grams and the real recipes nearest it.

The questions

  1. Question 1

    More malt or sugar than most, or less?

    Barley malt syrup or sugar feeds the yeast and browns the crust; cinnamon-sugar bagels sit at the top. The boiling-water malt is counted as an extra.

    All 150 recipes: median 4% of the flour weight, 20 g per 500 g of flour; middle half 1.8% to 7.3%; 16% use none.

  2. Question 2

    More yeast than most, or less?

    Less yeast and an overnight cold rise is the New York route to flavor; sourdough bagels use starter and no commercial yeast.

    All 150 recipes: median 1.1% of the flour weight, 6 g per 500 g of flour; middle half 0.4% to 1.6%; 18% use none.

    Asked within each answer to question 1, split at the median of the recipes that gave it.

  3. Question 3

    More water than most, or less?

    Bagel dough is stiff, far drier than most bread, which gives the dense, chewy crumb.

    All 150 recipes: median 59% of the flour weight, 295 g per 500 g of flour; middle half 51% to 63%.

    Asked within each answer to question 2, split at the median of the recipes that gave it.

The key

Read left to right: pick an answer to question 1, then one of the answers beside it for question 2, and so on to a group. Each cell gives the answer, its bound in grams per 100 g of flour, and how many recipes give it.

Decision key: 3 questions, one per column, leading to 8 groups of recipes
1. Malt or sugar2. Yeast3. WaterGroup
Moreover 4%74Moreover 1.2%36More60% or more17A17
Lessunder 60%19B19
Less1.2% or less38Moreover 56%19C19
Less56% or less19D19
Less4% or less76More1.1% or more40Moreover 60%22E22
Less60% or less18F18
Lessunder 1.1%36More56% or more18G18
Lessunder 56%18H18

The 8 groups

Each median recipe is the median of every ingredient over the group's recipes, scaled to 500 g of flour, beside the typical batch of all 150. Bold rows are the ingredients the questions asked about.

Group A · 17 recipes · 11% of all

More malt or sugar, more yeast and more water

Malt or sugar over 4%, yeast over 1.2% and water 60% or more of the flour weight.

Median recipe of group A at 500 g of flour, beside the typical recipe of all 150
At 500 g flourGroup AAll
Flour500 g500 g
Water315 gabout 1 1/3 cups295 g
Malt or sugar32 gabout 2 1/2 tbsp20 g
Salt11 g10 g
Yeast8 g6 g

Bake400°F (205°C) for about 20 minutes, the medians of the 15 recipes here that state a temperature and the 17 that state a time.

Nearest the middle of group A

Closest to the group's median on every ingredient at once.

  1. Jerusalem Bagel Recipe · themediterraneandish.commalt or sugar 4.4% · yeast 1.6% · water 64%
  2. Homemade Light & Chewy Bagels (Same Day) · siftandsimmer.commalt or sugar 4.8% · yeast 1.3% · water 63%
  3. Homemade Mini »Everything« Bagels · baketotheroots.demalt or sugar 4.7% · yeast 1.6% · water 60%
  4. Homemade Bagel Recipe · sugarspunrun.commalt or sugar 6% · yeast 2% · water 62%
  5. Rezept für Bagels mit Everything Bagel Spice · zuckerzimtundliebe.demalt or sugar 5% · yeast 1.4% · water 60%
Back to the key

Group B · 19 recipes · 12% of all

More malt or sugar, more yeast and less water

Malt or sugar over 4%, yeast over 1.2% and water under 60% of the flour weight.

Median recipe of group B at 500 g of flour, beside the typical recipe of all 150
At 500 g flourGroup BAll
Flour500 g500 g
Water260 gabout 1 cup295 g
Malt or sugar42 gabout 3 1/2 tbsp20 g
Salt9 g10 g
Yeast9 g6 g

Bake425°F (220°C) for about 20 minutes, the medians of the 17 recipes here that state a temperature and the 18 that state a time.

Nearest the middle of group B

Closest to the group's median on every ingredient at once.

  1. Cinnamon Bagels · inlaurasbakery.commalt or sugar 8.3% · yeast 1.7% · water 50%
  2. Kaneel bagels · laurasbakery.nlmalt or sugar 8.3% · yeast 1.7% · water 50%
  3. Kabocha Bagels · okonomikitchen.commalt or sugar 7.4% · yeast 1.3% · water 48%
  4. Best Ever Bagel Recipe · yummytummyaarthi.commalt or sugar 5.3% · yeast 1.5% · water 57%
  5. Bagels pour brunch · cuisineaz.commalt or sugar 10% · yeast 2% · water 52%
Back to the key

Group C · 19 recipes · 12% of all

More malt or sugar, less yeast and more water

Malt or sugar over 4%, yeast 1.2% or less and water over 56% of the flour weight. 4 of the 19 use no yeast.

Median recipe of group C at 500 g of flour, beside the typical recipe of all 150
At 500 g flourGroup CAll
Flour500 g500 g
Water320 gabout 1 1/3 cups295 g
Malt or sugar26 gabout 2 tbsp20 g
Salt10 g10 g
Yeast3 g6 g

Bake440°F (225°C) for about 20 minutes, the medians of the 18 recipes here that state a temperature and the 18 that state a time.

Nearest the middle of group C

Closest to the group's median on every ingredient at once.

  1. Oat Milk Bagels · okonomikitchen.commalt or sugar 5% · yeast 0.4% · water 68%
  2. Zelf bagels maken · uitpaulineskeuken.nlmalt or sugar 4.2% · yeast 0.3% · water 60%
  3. Bagels · chefnini.commalt or sugar 6% · yeast 1.1% · water 61%
  4. Homemade Bagels · savingdessert.commalt or sugar 8.6% · yeast 0.4% · water 64%
  5. Sourdough Pretzel Buns and Bagels · breadtopia.commalt or sugar 4.5% · yeast 0% · water 61%
Back to the key

Group D · 19 recipes · 12% of all

More malt or sugar, less yeast and less water

Malt or sugar over 4%, yeast 1.2% or less and water 56% or less of the flour weight. 12 of the 19 use no yeast.

Median recipe of group D at 500 g of flour, beside the typical recipe of all 150
At 500 g flourGroup DAll
Flour500 g500 g
Water255 gabout 1 cup295 g
Malt or sugar37 gabout 3 tbsp20 g
Salt9 g10 g
Yeastnone6 g

Bake425°F (220°C) for about 23 minutes, the medians of the 17 recipes here that state a temperature and the 19 that state a time.

Nearest the middle of group D

Closest to the group's median on every ingredient at once.

  1. Sourdough Bagels · kingarthurbaking.commalt or sugar 7.5% · yeast 0% · water 51%
  2. Sourdough Bagels Recipe · littlespoonfarm.commalt or sugar 7.3% · yeast 0% · water 53%
  3. Best Sourdough Bagels (Soft, Chewy, Easy!) · theclevercarrot.commalt or sugar 4.8% · yeast 0% · water 50%
  4. Les bagels au levain · chefsimon.commalt or sugar 4.8% · yeast 0% · water 51%
  5. Les bagels · cuisineaz.commalt or sugar 11% · yeast 0% · water 51%
Back to the key

Group E · 22 recipes · 14% of all

Less malt or sugar, more yeast and more water

Malt or sugar 4% or less, yeast 1.1% or more and water over 60% of the flour weight. 2 of the 22 use no malt or sugar.

Median recipe of group E at 500 g of flour, beside the typical recipe of all 150
At 500 g flourGroup EAll
Flour500 g500 g
Water315 gabout 1 1/3 cups295 g
Malt or sugar14 gabout 1 tbsp20 g
Salt10 g10 g
Yeast7 g6 g

Bake425°F (220°C) for about 22 minutes, the medians of the 15 recipes here that state a temperature and the 21 that state a time.

Nearest the middle of group E

Closest to the group's median on every ingredient at once.

  1. Homemade Bagel Recipe · africanbites.commalt or sugar 2.7% · yeast 1.3% · water 62%
  2. Bagels met zongedroogde tomaat · rutgerbakt.nlmalt or sugar 4% · yeast 1.4% · water 60%
  3. Rozijn-kaneel bagels recept · rutgerbakt.nlmalt or sugar 4% · yeast 1.4% · water 60%
  4. Zelf bagels maken – recept · rutgerbakt.nlmalt or sugar 4% · yeast 1.4% · water 60%
  5. Bagel Recipe · preppykitchen.commalt or sugar 2.3% · yeast 1.3% · water 66%
Back to the key

Group F · 18 recipes · 12% of all

Less malt or sugar, more yeast and less water

Malt or sugar 4% or less, yeast 1.1% or more and water 60% or less of the flour weight. 4 of the 18 use no malt or sugar.

Median recipe of group F at 500 g of flour, beside the typical recipe of all 150
At 500 g flourGroup FAll
Flour500 g500 g
Water265 gabout 1 cups295 g
Malt or sugar6 gabout 1 1/2 tsp20 g
Salt9 g10 g
Yeast8 g6 g

Bake400°F (205°C) for about 20 minutes, the medians of the 16 recipes here that state a temperature and the 17 that state a time.

Nearest the middle of group F

Closest to the group's median on every ingredient at once.

  1. Bagel maison : la meilleure recette · cuisine.journaldesfemmes.frmalt or sugar 2% · yeast 2% · water 50%
  2. Pain bagel a la map · ptitchef.commalt or sugar 1.3% · yeast 1.7% · water 48%
  3. New York Style Bagels · tarasmulticulturaltable.commalt or sugar 0% · yeast 1.3% · water 57%
  4. Bagels · annarecetasfaciles.commalt or sugar 1.1% · yeast 1.1% · water 57%
  5. Cómo hacer bagels caseros · comedera.commalt or sugar 1.1% · yeast 1.1% · water 58%
Back to the key

Group G · 18 recipes · 12% of all

Less malt or sugar, less yeast and more water

Malt or sugar 4% or less, yeast under 1.1% and water 56% or more of the flour weight. 13 of the 18 use no malt or sugar. 2 of the 18 use no yeast.

Median recipe of group G at 500 g of flour, beside the typical recipe of all 150
At 500 g flourGroup GAll
Flour500 g500 g
Water315 gabout 1 1/3 cups295 g
Malt or sugarnone20 g
Salt10 g10 g
Yeast3 g6 g

Bake425°F (220°C) for about 23 minutes, the medians of the 15 recipes here that state a temperature and the 16 that state a time.

Nearest the middle of group G

Closest to the group's median on every ingredient at once.

  1. How To Make Bagels (Breadtopia Vermont Sourdough Bagels) · breadtopia.commalt or sugar 0% · yeast 0.6% · water 62%
  2. Asiago Bagels · kingarthurbaking.commalt or sugar 0% · yeast 0.9% · water 63%
  3. Homemade Bagels · leitesculinaria.commalt or sugar 0% · yeast 0.7% · water 60%
  4. Fantastic (and Easy!) Homemade Bagels · melskitchencafe.commalt or sugar 0% · yeast 0.9% · water 62%
  5. Bagel appesi di Fulvio Marino, sfiziosi e perfetti da farcire anche a merenda: ricetta facilissima | Buttalapasta · buttalapasta.itmalt or sugar 0% · yeast 0.4% · water 60%
Back to the key

Group H · 18 recipes · 12% of all

Less malt or sugar, less yeast and less water

Malt or sugar 4% or less, yeast under 1.1% and water under 56% of the flour weight. 5 of the 18 use no malt or sugar. 9 of the 18 use no yeast.

Median recipe of group H at 500 g of flour, beside the typical recipe of all 150
At 500 g flourGroup HAll
Flour500 g500 g
Water255 gabout 1 cup295 g
Malt or sugar11 gabout 2 2/3 tsp20 g
Salt8 g10 g
Yeast0.5 g6 g

Bake425°F (220°C) for about 23 minutes, the medians of the 15 recipes here that state a temperature and the 18 that state a time.

Nearest the middle of group H

Closest to the group's median on every ingredient at once.

  1. Sourdough Bagels · siftandsimmer.commalt or sugar 2.5% · yeast 0% · water 54%
  2. Passover Bagels · melindastrauss.commalt or sugar 2.6% · yeast 0% · water 50%
  3. Les bagels au levain · ptitchef.commalt or sugar 1.1% · yeast 0.4% · water 52%
  4. Sourdough Bagel · theperfectloaf.commalt or sugar 3% · yeast 0% · water 55%
  5. Sourdough Bagels · natashaskitchen.commalt or sugar 4% · yeast 0% · water 50%
Back to the key

How the questions are chosen

Each ingredient is ranked by how much recipes disagree on it: the width of the middle half of recipes (25th to 75th percentile) divided by the median, less 4% for each place it sits down this lab's list of ingredients, so the ones that define the dish win near ties. For bagels the order is malt or sugar (1.39), yeast (1.09) and water (0.20), and the first 3 are asked. Salt is never asked about: recipes differ on it mostly by brand and taste.

Every split is at the median of the recipes in front of it, rounded to the percentage shown. Recipes exactly at the median go to whichever side leaves the two halves more even. No answer may keep fewer than 5 recipes; a group that could not be split further says so.

The recipes listed under each group are the 5 nearest its median on every ingredient at once, each scaled by how much recipes vary on it. Every recipe page links to the original for the method.