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Guys. Cinnamon Crunch Bagels!
Yeah, I know.
They’re not the prettiest bagels you have ever laid eyes on, but they are the best you have ever tasted.
I mean, cinnamon crunch!
They are just, well, the best. Nothing is better than a fresh homemade bagel. Especially when it is covered in a crunchy cinnamon sugar-coating. This is a bagel that makes people’s eyes roll back upon their first bite.
This is the kind of bagel that stops people dead in their tracks.
Yes, all those things are delicious. Really delicious, but today is all about the homemade bagel. The bagel you’re gonna want to have around at all times. You know for when that cinnamon sugar craving hits you hard and fast. These are going to be what you want.
When we used to live in Cleveland my mom would sometimes buy the cinnamon crunch bagels from Panera. I remember those things being the best thing ever! Gosh my brothers and I loved them.
We would toast them and then load them up with butter. Best breakfast ever.
I have not been to Panera in years, but that doesn’t mean I forgot about these bagels. They are not a bagel you forget.
Really these bagels could not be better. They are everything you love about a bagel + everything you love about a cinnamon roll + a little crunch! And the crunch? The crunch is good.
It’s Sunday so hopefully you have absolutely nothing to do and since these bagels are calling your name you should probably stop listening (reading) to me babble and just go make them. You should even double the recipe and throw some in the freezer. Ah yes, you should do that ,it’s a genius idea!
In the bowl of your electric mixer fitted with a dough hook, combine water, yeast and honey, stir to combine, then let sit until foamy, about 10-15 minutes. Once foamy, gradually add in salt, cinnamon, 2 cups of flour and 2 cups of white whole wheat flour with the mixer on low speed. After 5 minutes or so, if the dough is still sticky, add the remaining bread flour and white whole wheat flour a 1/4 cup at a time until the dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl. Knead for 3 minutes longer and then knead in the white chocolate chips and knead until evenly distributed. Remove the dough from the bowl (it should be thick and stiffer than most yeast breads) and knead a few times with your hands, forming it into a ball. Some of the white chocolate chips are going to want to fall out, just push them back in.
Brush a large bowl with oil. Place the dough inside, turning to coat. Cover the bowl with a wet towel or plastic wrap. Allow the dough to rise in a warm place until doubled in size – about 1 hour.
Once doubled, punch down the dough and place on your counter, using a little more flour if needed to prevent from sticking. Divide dough into 13-15 balls. Sometimes I use my scale to weigh the dough and then figure out how big each piece should be, but for these bagels I just eyeballed it and ended up with some larger bagels and and some smaller. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper and preheat the oven to 425 degrees.
Working with one piece of dough at a time, shape it into a ball and then use your fingers to poke a hole in the middle. Gently stretch the dough until the hole is about 2 inches big. Place the bagel on the prepared baking sheet. Repeat with remaining pieces of dough. Cover the baking sheet lightly with plastic and let the bagels rise for about 15-20 minutes.
While the bagels rise, melt the butter for the topping. In a separate bowl combine the dry ingredients for the crunchy topping (brown sugar, sugar, cinnamon). Don't mix the dry ingredients with the butter.
Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to a boil. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and spray with nonstick cooking spray. When the bagels are ready, lower two or three at a time into the water. Boil for 3 minutes then flip to the other side and boil for 1 additional minute. Using a slotted spoon or spider strainer, remove the bagels from the pot letting the water drain. Transfer to the second baking sheet you prepared. Continue until you've boiled all of the bagels.
Once the bagels are all boiled, brush each bagel with butter and then generously sprinkle cinnamon sugar. Try to clump the cinnamon sugar together so some of it will get crunchy (I did not use all the cinnamon sugar, I had about a 1/4 cup left).
Bake for 20-30 minutes, or until the bagels are golden brown and the cinnamon sugar has hardend. Allow the bagels to cool. Slice, toast, eat whole, slather with butter or cream cheese!
I have not made a homemade bagel before but these look absolutely amazing! The bagel itself had me interested but the cinnamon crunch on the top has me swooning! Just pinned this. Thank you for an amazing recipe 🙂 Krista @ A Handful of Everything
I am reading this at Panera while eating a cinnamon crunch bagel! Haha! I definitely need to try this and make my own. Thanks for sharing, I’m pinning to try! 🙂
Pinned. Love this. I have a non-yeast cinnamon bread for my Wed. post this week and I’ve done tons of versions of yeasted cinnamon breads and rolls but never bagels. Yours are awesome. Love those white choc chips pressed into the dough. That is a beautiful sight!
Thanks for pinning the Averie! The white chocolate chips a just awesome in these and nothing beats a homemade bagel!
I am going to check out your cinnamon rolls/ bread now!! Can’t wait till Wed. post!
I go to Panera all the time when I’m at school because I can walk to it and Panera > school food. Cinnamon crunch bagels are my usual at Panera- and now I have something to satisfy my cravings during school breaks!
I haven’t eaten at Panera in forever but I haven’t forgotten about these either. I’ve been looking for a bagel recipe to try and can’t wait to give these a try! They will totally satisfy a craving!
I have not made a homemade bagel before but these look absolutely amazing! The bagel itself had me interested but the cinnamon crunch on the top has me swooning! Just pinned this. Thank you for an amazing recipe 🙂 Krista @ A Handful of Everything
Thank you and thanks so much for pinning! Hope you love these!
My husband was just telling me that he wants to make bagels and then I see your recipe! I love cinnamon bagels and theses look so yummy. 🙂
How perfect! I hope you guys love these, let me know!
I am reading this at Panera while eating a cinnamon crunch bagel! Haha! I definitely need to try this and make my own. Thanks for sharing, I’m pinning to try! 🙂
Ha, how funny!! Hope you enjoyed it!! Thanks for pinning!
These look so amazing. I haven’t made bagels in forever. You are inspiring me to make them again.
Debi
Ya! You need to make them!!
Awesome! I love getting cinnamon crunch bagels from Panera!
Thank you! cinnamon crunch anything is always good!
Cinnamon crunch bagels from Panera are my absolute favorite. Thanks for sharing the recipe. Yum!
Thanks Erin!
What’s the baking temp? They look yummy!
Oops! Sorry about that it is 425 degrees.
Thank you, Kristie!
Pinned. Love this. I have a non-yeast cinnamon bread for my Wed. post this week and I’ve done tons of versions of yeasted cinnamon breads and rolls but never bagels. Yours are awesome. Love those white choc chips pressed into the dough. That is a beautiful sight!
Thanks for pinning the Averie! The white chocolate chips a just awesome in these and nothing beats a homemade bagel!
I am going to check out your cinnamon rolls/ bread now!! Can’t wait till Wed. post!
I go to Panera all the time when I’m at school because I can walk to it and Panera > school food. Cinnamon crunch bagels are my usual at Panera- and now I have something to satisfy my cravings during school breaks!
HA! I hope you love them! Thanks for reading!
I made bagels one time before and wanted to make more, but I couldn’t think of a great recipe. This looks like the one. I can’t wait to try them.
Homemade bagels are the best! I hope you love these! Let me know!
I haven’t eaten at Panera in forever but I haven’t forgotten about these either. I’ve been looking for a bagel recipe to try and can’t wait to give these a try! They will totally satisfy a craving!
I hope you love them!!! Thanks for reading!
We love bagels and we love this idea. Looks scrumptious. We are pinning this one for sure.
hank you and thank so much for pinning!
Wow, love this. Pined to my MM board. Thanks for joining MM. ~ Paula
Thank you Paula and thanks for pinning!
I have been dying to make bagels! This is the perfect recipe!
Thanks Dorothy! Homemade bagels are the best, you’ll never go back to the stuff from the store!
Yum! These look delicious! Just need a cup of coffee 🙂 Thanks for sharing at Church Supper. Have a blessed week & come back soon!
Thanks Krista!