These homemade pumpkin bagels are easy as can be! With just 10 minutes of hands on work, you can enjoy soft and chewy bagels made with fresh pumpkin, fall spices and a delicious cinnamon sugar topping. If you love the Panera Cinnamon Crunch bagels, you won't be able to resist this pumpkin twist.
There is truly nothing better than delicious carbs. I love them in every shape, form and type (have you seen my pasta recipe collection?!) and bagels are no exception. Once the weather cools down and September rolls around, I'm ready to enjoy my carbs with all things pumpkin.
Celebrate the season with a warm, pumpkin cinnamon crunch bagel, a Pumpkin Cold Foam topped cold brew coffee and Pumpkin Sage Pasta for dinner.
Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Easy enough for beginners! Baking homemade breads and bagels can be difficult, but it doesn't have to be. This pumpkin bagel recipe uses foolproof instant yeast and only requires 3 minutes of kneading the dough by hand. If you're learning to bake at home, this is a great recipe to start with!
- No fancy equipment needed. No stand mixer? No problem. This pumpkin bagel dough and the cinnamon crunch bagel topping both come together in a mixing bowl with just a spatula (or even your hands!).
- Better than Panera Bread. Panera is well known for their Cinnamon Crunch Bagels, but this fall inspired pumpkin cinnamon crunch bagel is so much more flavorful! My version is also vegan friendly, whereas Panera Bread's Cinnamon Crunch Bagel contains milk.
Ingredients and Substitutions
- flour - For these pumpkin bagels, I use all purpose flour. Most people have it in their pantry and it's easy to access. If desired, you can use bread flour as a 1 to 1 substitution. I have not tested these pumpkin bagels using a gluten free flour and cannot recommend one. If you are gluten free, check out my popular Easy Chocolate Banana Protein Muffins or Easy Pumpkin Protein Muffins.
- pumpkin puree - I use a canned pumpkin puree to save time and make this recipe as quick as possible. If you have made your own pumpkin puree, feel free to substitute it. Keep in mind that some purees are runnier than others. If your pumpkin puree is on the thin side, you may need to add a bit of additional flour until the dough is no longer sticky.
- spices - A combination of cinnamon, pumpkin spice, and allspice is all you need to create that warm and cozy pumpkin flavor! If you are unable to find a premixed pumpkin pie spice in your grocery store, try making your own homemade pumpkin pie spice.
- instant yeast - Make sure to grab instant, rapid rise yeast for this recipe. If you are intimidated by making homemade breads, these pumpkin bagels are a great first recipe because the instant yeast makes this dough very difficult to mess up!
- maple syrup - Maple syrup is added to the boiling water to help give the pumpkin bagel dough a touch of sweetness and help it brown when in the oven. If needed, you can substitute the maple syrup with another similar sugar like honey or agave nectar. Just make sure to use some type of sugar or your bagels won't develop a nice golden color.
Step by Step Instructions
- Mix together the dry ingredients. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together flour, instant yeast, cinnamon, pumpkin spice, allspice and salt until combined.
- Slowly add in wet ingredients. Slowly add in the oil, pumpkin puree, and ¾ cup of the warm water.
- Mix into a loose, shaggy dough. Using a wooden spoon or your hands, combine the wet ingredients with the dry ingredients. This will be sticky, but do your best to work the bagel dough ingredients together.
- Knead the pumpkin bagel dough. Transfer the shaggy dough to a clean, lightly floured work surface and knead the mixture until a soft dough forms, about 3 minutes. If your dough is too sticky, add in a little bit more flour. If the bagel dough is too dry, add in a splash of water.
- Rise the dough. Transfer the formed dough ball into a clean mixing bowl and cover with a clean tea towel. Place the bowl in a warm area such as on the stovetop under the microwave with the light on or in the oven with the light on. Allow the bagel dough to rise for 2 hours. It should double in size.
- Cut the dough into 4 even sized pieces. After the pumpkin bagel dough has sufficiently risen, punch the dough down to remove the air pockets and relax the dough. Transfer the dough onto a clean work surface and cut into 4 pieces.
- Form the pumpkin bagels. Roll each piece into a round ball, flatten the bagel dough slightly, then using your finger, make a hole in the center of the dough.
- Rise the pumpkin bagel dough once more. Place the bagels on a parchment lined baking sheet 4 inches apart, and cover with a clean tea towel. Allow the bagels to rise for 20 minutes.
- Prepare the cinnamon crunch bagel topping. Combine all ingredients in a small mixing bowl. This cinnamon crunch topping mixture should be gritty (you don't want the sugar to melt).
- Boil the pumpkin bagels. In a medium sized sauce pan, bring the remaining water to a boil. Once boiling, stir in the maple syrup. Carefully add each of the pumpkin bagels into the water, fully submerging them for 2 minutes. This is going to help the pumpkin bagels develop a nice outer crust. After 2 minutes, remove the bagels using a slotted spoon.
- Top the pumpkin bagels with cinnamon crunch topping. Place the boiled bagels back onto the parchment lined baking sheet, 4 inches apart. Dive the cinnamon crunch bagel topping between each bagel - you should have enough to generously coat the top of each bagel.
- Bake. Bake the pumpkin bagels for 15-20 minutes, or until they are golden. Allow the bagels to cool for at least 15 minutes before slicing and serving with your favorite topping.
Storing and Reheating Instructions
You may be wondering...do homemade pumpkin bagels need to be refrigerated? The answer is no! These pumpkin bagels do best and remain the softest when stored in an air tight container at room temperature. These bagels will last for up to 4 days.
To reheat, slice the sweet pumpkin bagels in half and toast them in the toaster or toaster oven until warm.
Time Saving Hacks
Use instant yeast. Instant yeast does not need to be activated before use. You can simply mix it in with the dry ingredients and it will do its magic.
FAQs
What can I put on a pumpkin bagel?
This sweet, sugary pumpkin bagel pairs well with classic cream cheese (vegan or regular), butter, or fruity jams.
Are homemade bagels healthier?
Yes! Homemade bagels are better for you because they are made without preservatives, dough conditioners, and typically have a much shorter ingredient list. You can also control the amount of sugar you add to the dough and topping.
Why are my homemade bagels flat?
They may have been left out to rise too long. For best results, stick to the rise times I have included in the recipe instructions. If the bagels are risen for significantly over the amount of time called for, the bagels can be over proofed which will cause them to deflate and lose their structure.
Tips for Success
- Do not place the instant dry yeast directly on top of salt! When adding the instant dry yeast to the dry ingredients, make sure it is not directly on top of salt. Placing instant dry yeast directly on top of salt, the salt will kill the yeast.
- Measure out your ingredients before starting. This will help the bagel making process go smoothly and be more enjoyable.
- Make sure to use INSTANT dry yeast. If you are any other type of yeast that is not instant or rapid rise, make sure to proof it before adding it to the batter.
More Pumpkin Recipes You May Like
If you make this recipe, I would absolutely love for you to leave a rating and review. I absolutely love connecting with you!
Pumpkin Bagels with Cinnamon Crunch Topping
These homemade pumpkin bagels are easy as can be! With just 10 minutes of hands on work, you can enjoy soft and chewy bagels made with fresh pumpkin, fall spices and a delicious cinnamon sugar topping. If you love the Panera Cinnamon Crunch bagels, you won't be able to resist this pumpkin twist.
Ingredients
Pumpkin Bagel
- 2 ½ cups flour plus more for dusting
- 3 tablespoons pumpkin puree
- 2 ¼ teaspoon instant dry yeast
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon avocado oil
- 1 tablespoons cinnamon
- 1 tablespoons pumpkin spice
- 1 tsp allspice
- 5 + ¾ cups water keep ¾ cup separate
- 1 tsp maple syrup
Cinnamon Crunch Topping
- ½ cup brown sugar
- ¼ cup sugar
- ½ tablespoon pumpkin spice
- 1 tablespoon cinnamon
- ½ tablespoon allspice
- 2 tbsp butter melted
- cooking spray
Instructions
Pumpkin Bagel
- Using a large bowl, whisk together flour, instant yeast, cinnamon, pumpkin spice, allspice and salt. Note, you do not need to activate the yeast if it is instant yeast.
- Slowly add in oil, pumpkin puree, and ¾ cup of warm water and mix using a wood spoon or your hands. This may be a little challenging, but do your best to combine all of the ingredients. It will look like a shaggy ball.
- Sprinkle flour on a clean top and knead mixture until a soft dough forms. If your dough is too sticky, add in a little bit more flour. If it is too dry, add in a splash of water. This should take approximately 2-3 minutes.
- Form the dough into a bowl and place it into a clean large bowl. Cover it with a towel, and place it in a warm area, such as under the microwave with the light on. It must be warm or the dough will not rise.
- Let the dough sit for 2 hours. It should double in size.
- Once the dough is done rising, punch the dough and cut the dough ball into 4 even pieces. Roll each piece into a ball, slightly flatten each with your hand to make it more of a bagel shape and make a hole in the center with your finger.
- Place the bagels on a baking sheet with parchment paper, approx 4 inches apart, and cover with a clean towel. Allow to rise for 20 minutes. At this time, begin making your cinnamon topping (instructions in next section).
- Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F, and place the additional water (6 cups) in a medium sized sauce pan over high heat.
- Once the water is boiling, add in the maple syrup then carefully peel your bagels off the parchment paper and immerse your bagels fully into the boiling water. Let them sit for 2 minutes then pull them out using a slotted spoon or skimmer to remove any excess water.
- Spray the parchment paper with cooking spray then place the boiled bagels onto a parchment paper lined baking sheet, approx. 4 inches apart.
- Generously spoon the sugar and spice mixture on top of the each bagel. Try your best to not let any slide down the side. If it does, scoop it back on top.
- Bake for 15-20 minutes, or until they are golden. Allow to cool for 15 minutes. Gently remove your bagels. If you notice the bagels are not peeling off easily, wait another 10 minutes for them to cool.
- Option with cream cheese, butter or jam!
Pumpkin Cinnamon Crunch Topping
- Melt your butter in the microwave then. in a small bowl, combine all ingredients and whisk. It will be gritty.
Notes
Due to the topping, parchment paper sprayed with cooking spray NEEDS to be placed down before the bagels bake. While baking, you may notice the topping melting off onto the sides of the bagels and onto the parchment paper. That is ok. Once the bagels are cooled, the bagels will peel off the parchment paper. If you are having difficulty peeling them off, let them cool longer.
Storage:
These pumpkin bagels do best and remain the softest when stored in an air tight container at room temperature. These bagels will last for up to 4 days.
Time Saving Hacks:
In order to cut down on time, use instant yeast. You can use fresh yeast, but you will need to activate it, which usually takes an additional 10 minutes.
Nutrition
Sodium: 365mgCalcium: 115mgVitamin C: 2mgVitamin A: 1950IUSugar: 41gFiber: 5gPotassium: 194mgCholesterol: 15mgCalories: 527kcalTrans Fat: 1gSaturated Fat: 4gFat: 8gProtein: 9gCarbohydrates: 107gIron: 5mg
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