Yes, This Everything Bagels Recipe Is Gluten-Free

These easy gluten-free everything bagels take your favorite Sunday brunch treat and make it accessible to everyone. We adapted the traditional bagel-making method to end up with delicious, slightly sweet, and perfectly-textured bagels.

With a little tweaking, enjoying a fresh bagel doesn't have to be off-limits for those following a gluten-free diet. Gluten-free food blogger Ksenia Prints of At the Immigrant's Table tested dozens of techniques and expert bagel-making tips to develop this recipe, delivering authentic-tasting everything bagels without the use of wheat flour. Getting that distinctive chewy texture and golden crust bagel lovers crave was no easy feat, and it does require a few steps, but we promise you that they're all worth it.

These gluten-free bagels rival traditional versions in both taste and texture, making them a game-changer for anyone who's had to forgo this breakfast staple. The combination of gluten-free flour blend, psyllium husk, and xanthan gum creates the structure needed, while the everything topping — a perfect mix of sesame seeds, poppy seeds, dried garlic, dried onion, and flaked sea salt — provides that classic flavor profile. The secret to attaining that coveted texture and taste is the process, which involves mixing, shaping, proofing, poaching, and baking, and the result is worth every minute. Youll end up with warm, aromatic bagels that slice beautifully and taste incredible with your favorite spreads.

To make the bagels themselves, you'll need a good, high-quality gluten-free flour blend, psyllium husk powder, xanthan gum, salt, active dry yeast, granulated sugar, warm water, room-temperature large eggs, a neutral oil like grapeseed oil, and apple cider vinegar. For the poaching liquid, you'll want a large amount of water, your preferred honey, and baking soda. To make your own everything topping, grab white sesame seeds, black sesame seeds, poppy seeds, dried minced garlic, dried minced onion, and flaked sea salt.

Combine the flour blend, psyllium husk powder, xanthan gum, and salt in a stand mixer bowl with a paddle attachment, and stir just enough to combine.

Dissolve the yeast and sugar in warm water in a separate container. Let stand for 5 minutes until foamy.

Add the egg whites and one yolk (reserve remaining yolks), oil, and vinegar to the yeast mixture.

Gradually add the liquid to the dry ingredients with the mixer running at medium-low speed. Mix for 3 minutes until smooth and slightly tacky.

Oil a clean bowl.

Transfer the dough to the bowl, and let it rest covered for 30 minutes in a warm location.

To prepare the poaching liquid, bring the water, honey, and baking soda to simmer in a wide pot.

To prepare the everything topping, combine all the components in a small bowl.

Line a sheet pan with parchment and dust it with gluten-free flour.

With oiled hands, divide the dough into 8 equal portions of approximately 4 ounces each.

Roll each into a tight ball, then use your thumb to create a center hole, stretching it to a 1-inch diameter.

Place the shaped bagels on a prepared sheet, cover with oiled plastic wrap, and proof for 20 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 425 F with a rack positioned in the center.

Poach the bagels for 30 seconds per side in the simmering water and honey bath.

Transfer to a wire rack to drain briefly.

Transfer to a parchment-lined sheet pan.

Beat reserved egg yolks with 1 teaspoon water.

Brush the bagels with the reserved egg yolks, then generously coat them with the everything topping.

Bake for 20-25 minutes until internal temperature reaches 210 F.

Cool on a wire rack for a minimum of 30 minutes before slicing.

The poaching liquid plays a crucial role in bagel-making, regardless of whether the bagels are traditional or gluten-free. When the shaped dough is briefly boiled before baking, several important transformations occur that give us that classic bagel texture. First, the hot water bath gelatinizes the starches on the bagel's surface, creating that distinctive shiny, chewy crust that defines a proper bagel. The alkaline environment from the baking soda promotes browning during the subsequent baking process, resulting in that characteristic golden-brown exterior. 

For gluten-free bagels specifically, the poaching step is even more important as it helps compensate for the structural differences in the dough. The honey serves multiple purposes in this process. It adds a subtle sweetness that balances the savory everything topping, but more importantly, it aids in creating a more golden crust through caramelization. The honey also adds a thin layer of residual sugars on the surface that helps the toppings adhere better to the bagel. Without this poaching step, the bagels would lack their defining chewy exterior and might end up with a texture more similar to bread rolls than authentic bagels. 

For many of us, bagels remain an inextricable part of the perfect Sunday morning routine. For the ultimate pairings, we love going with the classics. Cream cheese remains the quintessential bagel partner — opt for plain homemade cream cheese, or try your favorite cream cheese mix-ins like vegetable, scallion, or mixed herbs.

For a protein-rich breakfast, add smoked salmon with capers, red onion, and a squeeze of lemon, or try sliced hard-boiled eggs with a sprinkle of salt and pepper. Avocado makes an excellent spread; turn it into an avocado mousse with a touch of Worcestershire sauce and sea salt.

If you or your loved ones are looking for something vegetarian or dairy-free, a good simple homemade hummus offers a creamy alternative that complements the everything seasoning particularly well. These bagels also work wonderfully as sandwich bases — try them with gluten-free deli meats, lettuce, tomato, and mustard for lunch.