Gluten-Free Bagels
Published
Bagels are back on the table—even if you’re gluten-free. These easy gluten-free bagels are my go-to when that classic, chewy bagel craving hits. Made with yeast, psyllium husk, and a quick boil before baking, they deliver that satisfying texture you’d expect from a bakery-style bagel, without the gluten.
I created this recipe after realizing how much I missed a good bagel—fresh from the oven, warm and chewy, or perfectly crisped up in the toaster. I love how customizable they are—add your favorite toppings like sesame seeds, poppy seeds, or everything seasoning. They freeze beautifully for quick breakfasts, and there are easy swaps to make them dairy-free or vegan. Whether you enjoy them plain, slathered with cream cheese, or stacked high as a sandwich, these bagels are just the kind of homemade comfort food I was after.
Gluten-Free Baking Tips
- The key to great gluten-free bagels is choosing the right flour blend. I always recommend Pillsbury Gluten-Free or Better Batter—both are tried-and-true for yeast baking. Steer clear of Bob’s Red Mill 1-to-1 and King Arthur Measure for Measure, since they aren’t designed for yeast recipes and may give you disappointing results.
- No stand mixer? No problem! You can mix everything by hand in a large bowl and knead for about 10–15 minutes. It takes a bit of muscle, but it’s totally doable.
- Get creative with flavors! This dough is the perfect base for all your favorite bagel varieties. I love making everything bagels, sesame or poppy seed, garlic cheese, or even cinnamon raisin. Mix in or top with whatever you’re craving—the options are endless.
Gluten-Free Bagels
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
- 2¼ cups warm water (100°F-110°F)
- 1 tablespoon instant/rapid rise yeast, I recommend Fleshman’s RapidRise Instant Yeast or Red Star Quick Rise Instant Yeast.
- 3½ cups gluten-free all-purpose flour with xanthan gum, I recommend Pillsbury gluten-free or Better Batter. It is important to use a brand of gluten-free flour that is recommended for yeast baking.
- 3 tablespoons psyllium husk powder
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1½ teaspoons salt
- 1 tablespoon light brown sugar, packed
- 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
- ½ cup unsalted butter, melted and cooled, Dairy-free/Vegan use Smart Balance or Vegan butter
- ½ cup honey, Vegan option use pure maple syrup
- 1 large egg white, whisked, Vegan option omit this step
- 1 tablespoon water
Instructions
- Pre-heat oven to 100°F (bread proof) and spray an oven-safe bowl with gluten-free non-stick cooking spray.
- In the bowl of a stand-up mixer add the granulated sugar and warm water, stir to dissolve the sugar. Add the yeast and stir to combine. Cover with a kitchen towel and let sit for 5 minutes, until it becomes frothy.
- Add the gluten-free flour, psyllium powder, baking powder, salt, and brown sugar to the yeast mixture and beat on low speed for 2 minutes with the dough hook attachment. Add the butter and apple cider vinegar and beat on medium for 5 minutes, until the dough is sticky and stiff.
- Transfer the dough to the greased oven-proof bowl and cover with plastic wrap and then a kitchen towel. Place in the oven to rise for 20 minutes.
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Turn the dough out onto the parchment paper and cut into 8 pieces. Roll each piece into a ball. Press your finger through the center of each ball to make a hole about 1 inch in diameter. Cover the shaped bagels with a kitchen towel for and let rise on the counter for 10 minutes.
- Pre-heat the oven to 425°F. Add 2 quarts of water in a large pot. Whisk in the honey (or maple syrup). Bring water to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-high. Drop bagels in the boiling water 1 at a time and boil for 30 seconds and then flip the bagel over and boil for 30 more seconds. Using a wire skimmer or slotted spoon, return the bagels to the sheet, right side up, with flat bottoms against the sheet. Repeat until all the bagels have been boiled. In a small bowl whisk together the egg white and water. Brush the tops and the sides of the bagels with the egg white mixture. Sprinkle with seasoning if desired.
- Bake the bagels on the middle rack for 10 minutes and then turn the baking sheet and bake for an additional 15 minutes, until the tops are golden brown and the internal temperature reaches 180°F. Please watch your oven because all ovens are different. Remove from the oven and allow bagels to cool on the baking sheet for 20 minutes before serving. Enjoy!
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
How To Make Gluten-Free Bagels Step by Step
Gather the ingredients: Gather all the ingredients together.
Prep the oven and bowl: Preheat your oven to 100°F (bread proof setting if available). Lightly spray an oven-safe bowl with gluten-free non-stick cooking spray and set aside.
Activate the yeast: In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine 1 tbsp granulated sugar with 2¼ cups warm water (between 100°F–110°F). Stir to dissolve the sugar, then add 1 tbsp instant or rapid rise yeast (such as Fleischmann’s RapidRise or Red Star Quick Rise). Stir to combine, cover with a kitchen towel, and let sit for 5 minutes, or until the mixture becomes frothy.
Mix the dough: Add 3½ cups gluten-free all-purpose flour with xanthan gum, 3 tbsp psyllium husk powder, 2 tsp baking powder, 1½ tsp salt, and 1 tbsp packed light brown sugar to the yeast mixture. Using the dough hook attachment, beat on low speed for 2 minutes.
Mix in the butter: Then, add ½ cup melted and cooled unsalted butter (or dairy-free alternative) and 1 tsp apple cider vinegar. Increase the speed to medium and beat for 5 minutes, until the dough is sticky but stiff.
First rise: Transfer the dough to the greased bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and a clean kitchen towel. Let it rise in the warm oven for 20 minutes.
Shape the bagels: Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Turn the dough out onto the sheet and divide into 8 equal pieces. Roll each piece into a ball, then use your finger to poke a hole through the center of each, gently widening the hole to about 1 inch. Cover the shaped bagels with a towel and let them rise on the counter for 10 minutes.
Boil the bagels: Preheat your oven to 425°F. In a large pot, add 2 quarts of water and whisk in ½ cup of honey. Bring the water to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium-high. Boil the bagels one at a time: place in the water for 30 seconds, flip, and boil another 30 seconds. Use a slotted spoon or skimmer to transfer each bagel back to the parchment-lined sheet, flat side down.
Egg wash: In a small bowl, whisk together 1 large egg white and 1 tbsp water. Brush the tops and sides of each bagel with the egg wash.
Add toppings: Add any toppings like everything bagel seasoning, sesame seeds, or cinnamon sugar.
Bake: Bake on the middle rack for 10 minutes, then rotate the baking sheet and bake for another 15 minutes, or until the tops are golden brown and the internal temperature reaches 180°F. Keep an eye on them, as oven temps can vary.
Cool and store: Let the bagels cool on the baking sheet for at least 20 minutes before serving. Once fully cooled, store them in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.
Serving Suggestions
One of my favorite ways to enjoy these gluten-free bagels is fresh out of the oven, still warm, with a generous swipe of cream cheese. They’re perfect for breakfast, lunch, or honestly, anytime I need a cozy, satisfying bite. I love topping them with avocado and a sprinkle of flaky salt, or turning them into a sandwich stacked with turkey, crisp lettuce, and mustard. You can even go sweet with almond butter and sliced banana. Whether you toast them up for a quick weekday breakfast or serve them as part of a weekend brunch spread, these bagels fit right in.
Storage Instructions
I like to store any leftover bagels in an airtight container right on the counter—they stay fresh for up to 3 days that way.
If you want to save some for later, just wrap each one individually and pop them in the freezer. They’ll keep well for up to 3 months.
When you’re ready to enjoy one, thaw it at room temperature, then toast it up or warm it in the oven until it’s perfectly soft and golden again.
I have yet to attempt but wanted advise on a Blond Husk….Anthony’s a good choice. Also, my client requires low sodium and I noticed this recipe offers that but when reviewing the Nutritional facts the content on sodium is really hit! Are there any other contributing factors to the sodium in this recipe other than the salt?
Hi Wanda, surprisingly, there are about 55mg of sodium in the egg whites and 848mg in the baking powder. Those are the only other major sources of sodium besides the salt itself, which has 3488mg in 1.5 teaspoons.
These have a really good flavor. I didn’t make any substitutions and followed the recipe and used Pillsbury gf flour. They were still on the gummy side. Need help knowing why??? It’s a great recipe besides the gumminess. How can this be fixed?
A sticky, gummy crumb is usually the result of underbaking. We recommend giving them a bit more time in the oven!
Excellent.
Nice taste and texture.
is the use of psyllium husk powder really necessary? could i use King Arthur GF bread flour? thanks!
Hi Cindy! Other commenters have had success using ground flax seed instead of psyllium husk. This recipe was tested using Pilsbury gluten free flour, so I can’t guarantee how it would turn out with another flour.
I’ve used King Arthur, it is not a good yeast bread flour. I personally use Bloomfield Farms all purpose gf baking mix.
Hello Audrey,
You sure did it!!! Better than 5 other recipes I have tried. I use King Arthurs GF flour blend and the bagels turn out purple? Delicious… but purple. Has anyone else had that issue? I thought it may be from the pysillium husk powder so I tried a batch with only 1 Tblsp and they were definitely stickier to work with. Still delicious. Any suggestions to make them not purple?
Please keep up the awesome GF recipes…. we need you 🙂
Jackie, I had the same experience with purple bagels… After researching a bit online, I see there is “blond” psyllium husk. My psyllium powder had a dark grey color before baking.
Good job on figuring out how to make Gluten free Dairy free Bagels. I miss bagels but on top of Gluten intolerance I have developed a bakers yeast allergy.
Delicious!
I’ve tried making these a couple times now, once using Namaste Perfect Blend flour and once with Bob’s Red Mill 1-to-1, and both times they have turned out extremely gummy. I haven’t added extra zantham gum because both flours already contain it. I’m not sure what I’m doing wrong, as I’ve seen great reviews from people using both flours. Has anyone else has this problem/knows how to fix it??
Hi Kat! Both of the brands of gluten-free flours you used aren’t recommended for yeast baking. Bob’s Red Mill 1-1 actually says this on their website. I recommend both the Pillsbury gluten-free flour and Better Batter for yeast baking. I order the Pillsbury gluten-free flour from Walmart and I order the Better Batter from Amazon or their website. The recipe was developed with Pillsbury gluten-free flour. Please let me know if I can help you in any way.☺️
I haven’t had bagels in 2 years since going gluten free. This recipe is amazing. Even my gluten eating husband loved them. These will be made often in our house! Thank you.
I agree with everyone who gives these bagels FIVE STARS. They are SO much better than store-bought, and they don’t have unnecessary additives that most GF products have. We are dairy-free and used Country Crock Plant Butter. I do have a question, and I read through the article several times, as well as the comments. How/When would you add blueberries, cheese, or cinnamon/raisin to make these flavored bagels?
Hi Michelle. You should stir the mixins into the dough before you allow it to rise. Thank you so much for the awesome recipe review.
Delicious and great texture! For my fellow Canadians – Robin Hood GF flour is the exact same blend as Pillsbury! I used it in this recipe and the bagels came out perfect and exactly like the photos.
Amazing, thank you so much for sharing this recipe!! Will be making these weekly now. Used Bob’s 1to1 flour and only had traditional yeast and they turned out incredible. I did add between 1/2 to 1 cup total more flour (I measured as instructed) and the dough was still quite sticky as noted but easier to handle after rising. I will try to weigh the total flour used next time for reference 🙂
I’m in the process of making my second batch now. This recipe is AMAZING. These are the best tasting GF bagels with the best texture. And I have tried several different recipes several times only to be left with a hard rock of dough. Not these!!! Soft, chewy and delicious. I didn’t even a topping and could eat these plain!! I made them the first time with Namaste Perfect Flour Blend and real butter. I followed the recipe exactly and they were fantastic The recipe made 8 very large bagels. This time, same flour, but with a plant based butter- the rise was fantastic and I decided to make 12 and they are a more perfect size. Thank you thank you thank you for this recipe!!!! I never thought I would enjoy a bagel again after going GF.
Great recipe, and incredibly well written directions! I used Bob’s Red Mill cup for cup, and it turned out well. This recipe was really easy to follow, and the family loved them. Excited to make more batches with all my favorite bagel flavors!
Literally the best gf bagels I’ve ever tried. My favorite gf bagels used to be the ones from Trader Joe’s, but these ones are wayyy better. They are chewy on the inside without sacrificing the slight crunch on the outside. I substituted swerve brown sugar sweetener for the brown sugar and used sugar free maple syrup instead of regular because I try eat as little sugar as possible. They still turned out AMAZING. Don’t be fooled at the length of the recipe, it’s super simple to follow and doesn’t take too long.
These were so good I could cry . I haven’t had a bagel in ten years. Thank you so, so much!!!
Sooo so so good. There’s no Pillsbury or Better Batter GF flour in Canada so I used the ‘mock better batter’ DIY flour blend I found online and the bagels came out completely perfect! So happy I found this recipe, thank you so much!
This recipe is unreal, an absolute gift. My husband had made bagels in the time before Celiac came into our lives and quite frankly I didn’t love them. When he said he was going to try to make a vegan gluten free version I rolled my eyes (with my back turned, I didn’t want to hurt his feelings) So I had no expectations and was ready to be disappointed. They were so good that I actually started to cry, I would choose these over bagel store bagels. SO please take our thanks for your hard work and skill to create such a wonderful recipe that has given us bagels again. I loathe every commercially available GF bagel. Now every Saturday we have fresh bagels and it makes the day a little brighter <3
I made these bagels with bobs red mills baking flour mix. I don’t have a stand mixer or a hand mixer with dough hooks so I improvised with a serving fork and beater on my hand mixer. This recipe is so good you can even mess it up and still get bagels! I didn’t read the recipe carefully enough and didn’t realize the 1/4 cup liquid sweetener went in the boiling water… I put it in the dough. Needless to say the bagels turned out a bit sweet but, they boiled, baked and, toasted well! Can’t wait to make these again the right way and perhaps with a stand mixer next time.
These bagels are the bomb! I was so impressed with the texture and flavor! Thank you so much for this incredible recipe! I have to admit the first time I followed the recipe exactly. This morning I was feeling a bit rebellious and threw everything into the bread machine putting the dry ingredients in first then let it mix for about 10-15 minutes then preceded to step #4– it turned out great! And yes, like others I added more flour. I think with Grandpa’s Kitchen GF mix I might go to 2 cups of warm water next time. Thank you again!! YUM! YUM!
Best GF bagels I have ever had! Even my husband who isn’t gluten free said he prefers them to any store bought or bagel shop. I made everything bagels and a couple of truffle and cheese. Will try cinnamon raisin next time. Recipe is very easy to follow. I look forward to trying some of your other recipes. Thank you for sharing such a great recipe!
I’ve only been gluten free for a few months and I’ve been mourning the loss of bagels. Thank you so much for this recipe.
Wow. I just made these and had to post a review straight away; they are amazing! I live in the UK so used Doves plain white flour and needed 1 extra cup for the full quantity to get the batter to the right consistency. They turned out chewy and wonderful. I will be making these over and over again!
What a pleasant surprise! Best bagel I have had in the 20+ years I have been Gluten Free! Thank you!
I’ve made these bagels twice now and they are better than I ever expected! My youngest son and I both have celiac disease and he had never even tasted a bagel before. Not only do he and I love them, but my gluten eating husband and other son are loving them too which means they’re REALLY GREAT! ? I did want to ask you to review the recipe though, bc I think there may be a typo- When I follow the recipe exactly the “dough “ is like cake batter. Both times I’ve made them I’ve had to add maybe another full cup of flour. I noticed many other commenters saying the same thing. It’s an amazing recipe, but I think either the amount of water needs to be reduced or the amount of flour needs to be increased. Thx for getting back to me and Happy Mother’s Day!
Thank you so much Ursula for the wonderful recipe review! I am so happy that you and your family enjoy the bagels. The dough will be different depending on which brand you use. Gluten-free flours with sorghum in them will not absorb liquid the same way, as that is why others are having to add more flour. I have only test baked this recipe with Pillsbury and Better Batter, which both do not have sourgum in their blends. I wish all brands of gluten-free flours were made the same, but unfortunately, they are not. I appreciate your question, as I know it will help others. Wishing you a blessed Mother’s Day as well. Thank you again!
Great recipe! I added a little almond meal and flax. Much easier than other GF bagel recipes and did not require eggs. I used almond milk instead of water. I only used 1 3/4 but it’s humid here in Texas and was a little tacky, so added more flour mix. Topped with TJ everything but bagel seasoning. Baked in convection and took a little longer to bake. Delicious and reheated well. Will definitely make again. Thanks!
Oh my! These are hands down the best gluten free bagels I have ever eaten!
I used bobs red mill 1 to 1 baking flour, ended up using the whole 22oz bag when it was all said and done because it was more like brownie batter as another reviewer mentioned. I just slowly added more until I got it to the right consistency. Used about 1/4 cup more when I was balling up the dough and forming bagels. I’m apparently not the best at following directions because I only boiled each bagel for 30 seconds (15 on each side) but they still turned out good. Next time I’ll follow the directions better, ha ha! I did the egg wash and added poppy seeds. Ended up having to bake about 15 minutes longer (but I’m sure that’s because I didn’t boil them long enough and my oven doesn’t get too hot.)
These were fun and easy to make!
HI, this recipe was great. better than purchased bagels for sure. I used the full 2c water but i guess my flour was less thirsty so it was too wet and so a lot of playing around before the texture was stickey like you say but eventually came out and they were beautiful. Topped them with Zata’r and everything bagel seasoning.
Hi Audrey, I wanted to thank you for all the work you put into developing, testing and then sharing this recipe. I would imagine that it was a lot of work. I made these bagels this week; it is difficult to find GF bagels right now in our area. They came out better than any bagel I have had in a long, long time. Can’t wait to make them again!
Thank you so much Heather for the wonderful 5-star recipe review, it really made my day! I am so happy that you enjoyed the bagels. You are so welcome, I love sharing the recipe I make for my family. Thanks again!
These bagels taste amazing but somewhere along the way I must have messed up. I cooked these for near an hour and they were still practically raw in the middle. I couldn’t let the tops get much more color but had to keep cooking them at 350° until they finished which was another 20-30 minutes. I don’t know how you got these baked in 25.
The base recipe is AMAZING. I didn’t have a couple (main) ingredients and they still came out, hands down, better than store bought.
I didn’t have a cup to cup substitute, so used my mix of brown rice/potato starch/tapioca (2, 2/3, 1/3 parts blend). Like another poster, I needed another cup of flour in there. Without it, the dough was the consistency of brownie batter. Also I didn’t have psyllium husk, so substituted ground flax.
I’m also at a slightly higher altitude, so the bagels that stayed in the boiling water longer cooked better in the oven. They needed to boil at least a minute.
I can’t wait to try these again. SO GOOD!
I am so happy that you enjoyed the bagels KC! Thank you for sharing your gluten-flour blend, that you were able to substitute flax for the psyllium husk, and your adjustments for higher altitude, as I know it will help others. Thanks for the awesome 5-star recipe review!
Made these for the first time tonight. Mine turned out kind of dense, BUT I think that’s because of the flour I used as needing to add at least a cup more than called for, probably not kneading long enough (no mixer), and possibly having my water too hot when I mixed the yeast and sugar. However, they are still quite yummy. I added 1 tsp of cinnamon and a handful of raisins to half the dough, and those are yummy, too. Although these are a little work intensive and took me a long time, I will probably be making them again! I also made 12 instead of 8. Next time I might let them be bigger and just eat half at a time.
I am so happy that you enjoyed the bagels Jen! I am so glad that you will be making them again. Thank you for the wonderful 5-star recipe review!
Thank you for your easy and delicious recipe for making bagels. Just made these tonight (Dairy free version) and they were amazing. Topped them with “everything but the bagel seasoning blend” from Trader Joe’s. Won’t be my last time making these.
Thank you so much Nereida for the awesome 5-star recipe review, it really made my night! I am so happy that you and your husband enjoyed the bagels. You are so welcome, I love sharing the recipes I make for my family. Thank you again!
Thank you for your easy and delicious recipe for making bagels. Just made these tonight (Dairy free version) and they were amazing. Topped them with “everything but the bagel seasoning blend” from Trader Joe’s. Won’t be my last time making these.
Thank you so much Nereida for the awesome 5-star recipe review! I am so happy that you enjoyed the bagels and you will be making them again. You are so welcome, I love sharing the recipes I make for my family. Thanks again!
My daughter and I just made these for the first (but certainly not last) time. They didn’t look as pretty as yours, but they’re so delicious and the house smells amazing! I used King Arthur’s Measure for Measure flour. I also used my bread machine on the dough cycle for mixing and rising. My bagels got huge when I put them in the boiling water so I needed to grab another sheet pan and did 2 trays with 4 bagels each.
Thank you so much Lyla for the awesome 5-star recipe review, it really made my day! I am so happy that you and your daughter enjoyed the bagels and that they were delicious. Thank you for sharing the brand of flour you used and your tip about using your read machine, as I know it will help others. You are so welcome, I love sharing the recipes that I make for my family. Thanks again!
Thank you so much for this recipe!! I’ve always felt like I wouldn’t be able to master gluten free bagels. But these were so much easier than I expected and are absolutely delicious! I’ve made them twice in the last 3 weeks. I used cup4cup brand flour and had to add a bit more flour than called for. The dough was also pretty wet for me and I had to shape the bagels with wet hands so they wouldn’t stick. But the texture once baked is perfect!
Thank you so much Bethany for the wonderful 5-star recipe review, it really made my night! I am so happy that you enjoyed the bagels and you have make them several times. I have not tried Cup4Cup but I know that it has milk powder in the ingredients, so that is probably why you had a wetter dough. I am glad that you were able to adjust the recipe and it worked out perfectly! Thank you again.
I came across your blog when I was recently diagnosed with fibromyalgia, as I am a strong believer that gluten is a big contributor to my condition Boy am I ever glad that I found you Audrey! The gluten free bagels that I had been buying were sub standard and I knew that there had to be something better than that! I made your bagels recently and I can’t say enough about how incredible they are! I made a sandwich with a lightly toasted bagel, including dijon and fig mustard, avocado, sliced cucumbers, and capers. Delicious is an understatement! Thank you for taking your time to create and maintain your blog Audrey!
Thank you Jennifer for the amazing 5-star recipe review, it really made my night and blessed me. I am so happy that you enjoyed the bagels and they turned out incredible. Your bagel sandwich sounds amazing. you are so welcome, I love helping others and sharing the recipes that I make for my family. Thank you so much for your kind words and encouragement, it really blessed me!
Literally the best gluten-free bagels I’ve ever had. I substituted the Butter with a low-fat “buttery” spread for a lower fat content. But wow, these are just amazing. Super crisp and delicious!
Thank you so much Abigail for the awesome 5-star recipe review, it really made my day! I am so happy that these were the best gluten-free bagels you have ever had. Thank you again!
I was an absolute disaster making these. didn’t have psyllium, so I used flax. couldnt find the butter (My husbeast never puts things back) so I used olive oil. didn’t have any apple cider vinegar, so I used red wine vinegar. ran out of gf flour, so mixed in some brown rice flour. couldn’t figure out how to set my oven to 100, apparently it’s a warm setting, rather than bake, which I figured out later, so I proofed in my instant pot on yogurt setting….AND THEY STILL TURNED OUT! I used Presidents choice Gf flour and it was a bit sticky so had to use extra and still very sticky but now I know. they are huge bagels I could have made ten with the batter I made. thanks so much for the recipe!
Literally the best gluten free bagles I’ve ever had. I substituted the Butter with a low-fat “buttery” spread for a lower fat content. But wow, these are just amazing. Super crisp and delicious!
Thank you so much Abigail for the awesome 5-star recipe review, it really made my night! I am so happy that these are the best gluten-free bagels you have ever had. Thanks again!
Delicious! I used Bobs Red Mill Gluten Free. The dough looked more like batter when I mixed it so I added 1 additional cup. Plus 1/3 to 1/2 cup for kneading. The addition made them rather large; next time I plan to make them Palm size, I should get a dozen then.
Thank you so much for the wonderful recipe review! I am so happy that you enjoyed the bagels. Thank you for sharing your modifications, as I know it will help others. Thanks again!