This easy pumpkin bagels recipe is perfect for fall baking! These homemade bagels feature warm fall spices, real pumpkin puree, and a sweet crunchy topping that makes them irresistible. Whether you’re craving a cozy breakfast or planning a special brunch, this recipe creates soft, flavorful bagels that taste just like your favorite coffee shop version. Perfect for autumn mornings, these treats are easier to make than you think!
What Are Pumpkin Bagels?
These bagels are soft, chewy treats made with real pumpkin puree and warm fall spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves. They combine the classic bagel texture with the cozy flavors of pumpkin pie. This recipe includes a sweet crunch topping that adds extra texture and makes them truly special. You can enjoy them plain, toasted, or topped with cream cheese.
Why This Pumpkin Bagels Recipe Works
This recipe has become a beloved fall staple, and for good reason. The combination of pumpkin puree, warm spices, and a slightly sweet dough creates a flavor profile that’s both comforting and invigorating. The addition of a crunchy topping, often made with a blend of oats, brown sugar, and butter, adds a delightful textural contrast that takes these bagels to the next level.
How to Make the Crunch Topping
The crunch topping is what truly sets these bagels apart. It adds a delightful texture and sweetness that complements the soft, spiced bagel perfectly. Here’s a breakdown of the key ingredients:
- Flour: Provides the base for the topping, giving it structure and a bit of a crumbly texture.
- Sugar: White granulated sugar adds sweetness and helps to create a crisp texture.
- Brown Sugar: Brown sugar adds a deeper sweetness and a hint of molasses flavor, enhancing the bagel’s overall warmth.
- Cinnamon: Adds a warm and comforting spice that complements the pumpkin flavor.
- Salt: Enhances the overall flavor of the topping and balances the sweetness.
- Cold Butter: Cold butter is essential for creating a crumbly texture. When the butter melts in the oven, it creates pockets of air that result in a light and crispy topping.
To make the topping, simply combine the flour, sugars, cinnamon, and salt in a bowl. Cut in the cold butter using a pastry cutter or your fingers until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
Tips for Making the Best Pumpkin Bagels
Making homemade bagels is easier than you think! Follow these tips for perfect results every time.
Use Canned Pumpkin: Canned pumpkin puree is the secret to consistent pumpkin bagels every time.
Don’t Overmix the Dough: Overmixing can lead to tough bagels. Mix the dough until just combined, then knead it briefly until smooth.
Let the Dough Rise: Allowing the dough to rise properly is crucial for achieving a light and fluffy texture. Follow the recipe’s instructions for rising time and temperature.
Boil Before Baking: Boiling the bagels before baking them helps to create a chewy crust and a slightly denser interior. This step is essential for authentic pumpkin bagels with that classic chewy texture.
Get Creative with Toppings: While the classic oat and brown sugar topping is delicious, don’t be afraid to experiment with other toppings like chopped nuts, seeds, or even a sprinkle of pumpkin spice.
What to Serve with Pumpkin Bagels
These treats are delicious on their own, but they can also be enjoyed with a variety of toppings. Here are a few ideas:
Cream Cheese: Classic cream cheese is the perfect pairing for homemade pumpkin spice bagels.
Honey Butter: The sweetness of honey butter pairs beautifully with the warm spices in the bagel.
Apple Butter: For a double dose of fall flavor, try spreading apple butter on your pumpkin bagel.
Pumpkin Spice Cream Cheese: Take your pumpkin bagel to the next level with a homemade or store-bought pumpkin spice cream cheese.
These delightful treats are a delicious and festive way to celebrate the fall season. With their warm spices, comforting pumpkin flavor, and satisfyingly crunchy topping, they’re sure to become a new favorite in your household. So why not whip up a batch this weekend and enjoy the taste of fall in every bite?
Recipe partially adapted from Itsy Bitsy Foodies
Pumpkin Bagels Recipe FAQs
Yes, you can freeze these bagels for later enjoyment. Simply allow them to cool completely after baking, then place them in a freezer-safe bag or container. When you’re ready to enjoy them, thaw them overnight in the refrigerator or toast them directly from frozen.
While you can use fresh pumpkin puree, it’s important to note that it may have a slightly different consistency and water content than canned pumpkin. This could affect the texture of your bagels. If you choose to use fresh pumpkin, be sure to cook it down and drain any excess moisture before using it in your recipe.
Yes, you can make the dough for pumpkin bagels ahead of time and refrigerate it overnight. This can actually enhance the flavor and texture of the bagels. Simply allow the dough to come to room temperature before shaping and baking.
To make pumpkin bagels from scratch, mix yeast, pumpkin puree, flour, sugar, and pumpkin pie spice to form a dough. Let it rise, shape into bagels, boil them briefly in water with sugar, then bake with a crunch topping. This pumpkin bagels recipe takes about 2.5 hours total including rise time.
Pumpkin bagels and pumpkin spice bagels are the same thing! Both terms refer to bagels made with pumpkin puree and warm spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves. Some recipes emphasize the spices more, but this pumpkin bagels recipe includes both pumpkin and the classic pumpkin pie spice blend.
Similar Recipes
If you enjoy pumpkin recipes like this, you will enjoy the ones below:
- Pumpkin Creme Brulee: A Delicious Twist on Classic Custard
- Pumpkin Spice Chex Mix
- Pumpkin Blondies with Chocolate Chips
- Pumpkin Spice Latte Cupcakes
- Easy Pumpkin Cobbler Recipe
Easy Pumpkin Bagels Recipe (Homemade & Delicious)
- Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
- Yield: 9 1x
Description
Indulge in the ultimate fall treat: Pumpkin Bagels! This recipe combines the warm flavors of pumpkin spice with a delightful crunch. Perfect for a cozy breakfast or brunch.
Ingredients
FOR THE DOUGH:
- 1 Tablespoon Instant Yeast
- 1 Tablespoon Brown Sugar
- 1/2 cups Lukewarm Water
- 3–1/2 cups Flour
- 2 teaspoons Salt
- 1/4 cups Sugar
- 2 1/2 tsp. Pumpkin pie spice
- 1 cup Pumpkin Puree
FOR THE CRUNCH TOPPING:
- 1/4 cups Brown Sugar
- 1/2 cups Flour
- 1/4 cups Sugar
- 2 teaspoons Cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon Nutmeg
- 4 Tablespoons Cold Butter Cubed
FOR THE SPICED CREAM CHEESE:
- 8 ounces, weight Cream Cheese
- 1/4 cups Brown Sugar
- 1/8 cups Sugar
- 2 teaspoons Cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon Nutmeg
- 1 teaspoon Ground Cloves
- 1 Tablespoon Heavy Cream Or Milk
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
FOR THE WATER BATH:
- 2 quarts Water
- 2 Tablespoons Brown Sugar
- 1 Tablespoon Sugar
FOR THE EGG WASH:
- 1 whole Egg Beaten
- 1 Tablespoon Water
Instructions
- For the dough, whisk together the yeast, brown sugar, and water together and set aside to let stand for 5 minutes in the bowl of a stand mixer. The mixture should become bubbly.
- Add the dry ingredients, 2 1/2 cups of the flour, salt, sugar, spices, and the canned pumpkin, to the yeast mixture to a mixing bowl. Stir until the dough begins to form. Gradually add the remaining flour. You can use the dough hook on your blender to blend the remaining flour to the dough mixture.
- Knead the dough for 10 minutes by hand on a lightly floured surface or use the dough hook of your blender. Place the dough in a lightly greased bowl and let stand for 1 1/2 hours or until doubled in size.
- While the dough is rising, put your crumb mixture together. In a small bowl, add together the brown sugar, flour, sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cut in the butter. Use a fork to mix all ingredients together. It should begin to look crumbly. Place in the refrigerator until ready to use.
- Make your cream cheese. Mix together the cream cheese, brown sugar, sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, ground cloves, milk or cream, and vanilla. Once well blended, place in refrigerator.
- Preheat your oven to 425ºF.
- Once your dough has risen, turn to lightly floured surface and divide into 12 pieces.
- Roll each piece into a round ball. Cover the balls in plastic wrap and let rest for 30 minutes. They will get slightly bigger.
- Prepare the water bath while your bagels are resting. Heat a pot of water and sugars to where it comes to a slight boil.
- Using your finger, place a hole in the middle of each ball of dough and twirl the dough around your finger until it forms into a round bagel. The bagel should be about 3-4 inches across.
- Transfer each bagel, 4 at a time, to the water bath using a slotted spoon and allow to sit in water for 2 minutes on each side. Use a skimmer to remove bagels from water and turn to a lightly greased baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining bagels.
- Prepare the egg wash by beating the egg with the water. Once all of the bagels are complete, take a pastry brush and brush the top of them with the egg wash and sprinkle with the crumb topping.
- Bake for 20-25 minutes. Once cooled, served with cream cheese.
- Prep Time: 45 minutes
- Cook Time: 20-25 minutes
- Category: Breakfast
- Method: Bake
- Cuisine: American
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