Cheddar Jalapeño Bagels
This is one of my favorite flavor combinations that’s not commonly found in stores or bakeries, making it a special treat to make at home. Perfect for breakfast, a savory snack, or a hearty sandwich, these bagels are a must-try for anyone craving something a bit more adventurous!
Cheddar Jalapeño Bagels start with a classic, chewy, slightly-dense bagel base. The dough itself has a subtle touch of sweetness that balances the savory elements and enhances that deep, yeasty flavor you expect from a great bagel.
Fresh jalapeño folded into the dough ensures that each bite has a spicy and bright heat. The heat isn’t too powerful, since the peppers are mixed throughout the dough. This allows for the perfect balance of flavors.
The cheesy exterior bakes up glossy and sharp. The cheddar is rich and bold, which balances the heat from the jalapeños. It creates an irresistable golden crisp that contrasts the chewy bagel dough. The overall flavor the cheddar gives is savory and slightly tangy.
Finished with extra jalapeño slices on top these bagels give that perfect balance of spicy, cheesy, savory, and subtly sweet. They’re hearty and satisfying on their own, but versatile enough to pair with cream cheese, smoky bacon, or even a swipe of salted butter.
FAQs
Q: How do I store homemade bagels?
A: Let the bagels cool completely then store in an airtight container or plastic bag for up to 2 days. If you want longer storage, put in a freezer safe container for up to 3 months. Just make sure you slice them in half before freezing to make reheating easier.
Q: Can I use instant yeast instead of active dry yeast?
A: Yes! Just note that instant yeast will speed up the rise so you’ll need to keep an eye on the dough.
Q: How do I serve Cheddar Jalapeño Bagels?
A: Serve Cheddar Jalapeño Bagels with tangy cream cheese, salted butter, or even as an breakfast sandwich. Sausage, bacon, or even chorizo would be great meat choice for a breakfast sandwich!!
Cheddar Jalapeño bagels
Ingredients
For the bagel dough:
- ⅔ cup warm water
- 2 tsp dry active yeast
- 2 tbsp granulated sugar or honey
- 3 cups flpur all purpose
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 jalapeño diced and seeded
For the poaching:
- 8-10 cups water
- ⅓ cup brown sugar
For the egg wash:
- 1 egg
- 1 tbsp water
For the toppings:
- shredded yellow cheddar measure with your heart!
- pickled (or fresh) jalapeño slices I use 3-4 / bagel
Instructions
- In a large bowl of a stand mixer, add the warm water, dry active yeast & sugar. gently stir until sugar is dissolved & let it stand for about 5 minutes or until it gets bubbly. add the flour, salt & diced jalapeño to the bowl & stir on medium speed with the dough hook.
- Stop and scrape sides as needed until a dough ball forms. set timer for 10 mins and let the dough knead on medium speed — this really helps the end texture! leave dough in the bowl and cover with a damp towel. let rise until it doubles in size, about 30 mins – 1 hr. punch the dough and cut into 8 equal pieces, roll into a ball and cover again with the towel to let rise for 30 mins.
- Once risen, poke a hole in the center of each dough ball to form the bagel shape. place a parchment paper square under each bagel & allow these to rise once more for another 30 mins under the damp towel. while these rise, prepare your poaching water, bringing water + brown sugar to a gentle boil.
- Using a spider or a slotted spoon, place a bagel including the parchment paper into the simmering water (2 will fit in the pot at once), poach each side for 1 min and set on a baking rack (keeping the parchment square on the bottom) once removed from the pot while you poach the rest.
- Using a pastry brush, mix the egg + 1 tbsp water and coat the bagels in the egg wash. top with cheese and jalapeños.
- Arrange bagels on their parchment squares on a baking sheet & bake at 415 F for 20-25 mins; until cheese is lightly browned.
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