All you need is 4 basic ingredients to make these chewy oat flour bagels. A gluten free twist on a breakfast favorite, this recipe is made without yeast, can be customized into different flavors and is so delicious. Read the full post for key tips on using oat flour, flavor variations and more.
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If you're a fan of bagels but want a wheat free alternative, look no further.
After mastering oat flour recipes for muffins, cookies, banana bread and more, it was time to tackle one of breakfast's best: bagels.
This recipe offers all the chewy, satisfying texture you love about traditional bagels but is:
- Made Entirely with Oat Flour: These bagels are crafted entirely from oat flour, making them a great option for those looking for a gluten-free alternative to traditional bagels.
- No Yeast: Unlike traditional bagels, this recipe doesn't require yeast, making it quicker and simpler to prepare. (This oat flour bread is made without yeast as well!).
- Quick: With no need for rise time, these bagels come together relatively quickly, perfect for a homemade breakfast.
- Delicious: Despite being made with oat flour, these bagels are deliciously satisfying, with a hearty, chewy texture and classic bagel flavor.
- Customizable: This base recipe can be used to bake all sorts of favorite flavors including Everything Bagel, Cinnamon Raisin, Cheese and more! See below for the specific directions.
The Ingredients
- Oat Flour- If you need this recipe to be gluten free, ensure that you are using certified gluten free oat flour (or oats).
- If you don't have store-bought, you can grind rolled oats in a high-powered blended until very fine but it can be difficult to achieve a fine enough flour texture. I always recommend using store-bought oat flour if possible as it provides the most consistent results.
- To Measure: For best results, use a kitchen scale. If you don't have a kitchen scale, lightly pack the oat flour into a measuring cup and then level off (see this Oat Flour 101 post for more info and pictures).
- Greek Yogurt- For best results, I don't recommend any substitutions. If you need a vegan recipe, you could try with a coconut-based Greek yogurt but I personally have not tested this.
- Baking Powder- Reacts with the Greek yogurt to provide the lift. Use fresh baking powder for best rising.
- Salt- For flavor. If making one of the sweeter variations below, reduce to ¼ teaspoon.
The Method
1. Mix. Add all of the ingredients to a bowl and mix until well combined. I usually start by using a rubber spatula and then switch to my hands to knead it together as it gets harder to mix. It should be just slightly stickier than play-doh.
2. Shape. Divide the dough into 4 even balls and then make a large hole in the center of each. As the bagels cook, the hole becomes significantly smaller so make a larger hole than you think.
3. Boil. Bring water and honey to a boil in a large pot. Add the shaped bagels and boil for 1 minute on each side.
4. Bake. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat. Place the boiled bagels spaced out onto the baking sheet, brush with an egg wash (optional) and sprinkle with seasonings if using (see the variations below). Bake at 375 F for 24-28 minutes until lightly brown on the top.
5. Cool. Remove to a wire rack and allow to cool completely. The texture of the bagels doesn't set right until they are cooled so don't be tempted to cut into them early.
6. Enjoy! You can toast them or enjoy at room temperature.
Leftovers and Storage
To Store: Store leftover bagels in an airtight container or ziptop bag for up to 3 days at room temperature.
To Freeze: Oat flour bagels freeze well for up to 3 months.
Flavor Variations
- Savory:
- Everything Bagel- Add ¼ teaspoon each of garlic powder and onion powder to the dough. Top each bagel with ½ teaspoon of everything bagel seasoning (or ⅛ teaspoon each of onion flakes, garlic flakes, poppyseeds and sesame seeds).
- Cheese- Mix ¼ cup of hard shredded cheese (such as cheddar or asiago) into the dough and then sprinkle each bagel with an additional tablespoon of shredded cheese prior to baking.
- Onion- Add 1 teaspoon of onion powder to the dough and sprinkle each bagel with ½ teaspoon of dried minced onion flakes prior to baking.
- Sweet: For the following, reduce the salt to ¼ teaspoon, add ½ teaspoon of vanilla extract and 1 tablespoon of sweetener of choice. *Note, if you use a liquid sweetener, you may need to add 1-2 additional tablespoons of oat flour to reduce the stickiness of the dough.
- Cinnamon (+/- Raisin)- Add ½ teaspoon of ground cinnamon and along with 1 ¼ cup of raisins (if using).
- Chocolate Chip- Add ¼ cup of chocolate chips (I recommend using mini for more even distribution).
- Blueberry- Add ¼ cup of fresh blueberries. (Or make some Blueberry Oat Flour Muffins).
Serving Ideas
- Toasted and Topped: Slice and lightly toast your bagel and then add all of your favorite bagel toppings! Here are some suggestions:
- Smoked salmon, cream cheese and red onion
- Avocado, sliced tomato and a poached egg
- Red Pepper Hummus and cucumber
- Ricotta, honey and berries
- Nut butter and sliced banana (my fav on the chocolate chip version!)
- Egg in a Hole: Simply slice the bagel in half and place sliced side down in a buttered skillet over medium low heat. Crack an egg into each hole, season with salt and pepper and cook until the egg is set. Serve topped with tomato, avocado and green onions.
- Sandwich: Use the oat flour bagels as the bread to make a breakfast sandwich.
Boiling bagels is used in traditional bagel-making process for a few reasons. It helps them to develop the chewy texture, the honey in the water contributes to the golden crust and it helps the bagels to have their shine.
I tested this recipe with and without boiling and found that the texture turned out closer to that of classic yeasted wheat bagels so I don't recommend skipping it!
Here you can see the difference it makes in this recipe. The bagel on the left was boiled and the bagel on the right was not.
Tips for the Best Oat Flour Bagels
- Use Store-Bought Oat Flour. While you can make oat flour at home by grinding rolled oats, using store-bought oat flour ensures a consistent texture, which helps in achieving repeatable results.
- Get the Consistency Right. It should be firm and slightly tacky, but not overly sticky. Adjust the flour or liquid as needed to achieve the right balance.
- Don't Skip the Boil! This step sets the outer crust and gives the bagels their characteristic chewy texture. I tested these oat flour bagels with and without boiling and the boiled bagels were significantly better.
- Allow to Cool Completely. After baking, allow the bagels to cool completely on a wire rack before slicing. The bagels continue to set as they cool and the texture is better than right out of the oven. You can always toast them if you would like to enjoy them warm.
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Oat Flour Bagels
Ingredients
- 1 and ½ cups oat flour
- ¾ cup Greek yogurt
- 1 and ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ¾ teaspoon salt
For Boiling
- 1 quart water
- 2 tablespoon honey
Topping (Optional)
- 1 egg white beaten
- ½ teaspoon coarse salt
Instructions
- Add all of the ingredients to a bowl and mix until well combined. I usually start by using a rubber spatula and then switch to my hands to knead it together as it gets harder to mix.
- Divide the dough into even balls and then make a large hole in the center of each. As the bagels cook, the hole becomes significantly smaller so make a larger hole than you think (I do about the width of 2 fingers).
- Bring water and honey to a boil in a large pot. Add the shaped bagels and boil for 1 minute on each side.
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat. Place the boiled bagels spaced out onto the baking sheet, brush with egg wash (optional) and sprinkle with salt or seasonings if using (see the post for different flavors). Bake at 375 °Ffor 24-28 minutes until lightly brown on the top.
- Remove to a wire rack and allow to cool completely. The texture of the bagels doesn't set right until they are cooled so don't be tempted to cut into them early.
- Toast or enjoy at room temperature.
Notes
Nutrition
Want to learn more about oat flour? Check out these resources!
annette c marchbanks
I'm very interested in all of your oat flour recipes as I want to eliminate as much refined flour as possible and oats have the type of fiber that reduces cholesterol and also as a change to the heavier wheat flour.
I used my old blender and finely blended oats to make the flour. This recipe is SO simple, quick to make and uses minimal ingredients. You may think that the mix is too dry at first - but it is not. Use your hands as suggested. The bagels puff right up in the boiling water. I used a spatula and a tong to take them out of the water. I broke one in half, but was able to put it together on the cookie sheet. I had "everything bagel" spice and sprinkled that on top.
After cooling, I lightly toasted (these bagels are about the size or a little bigger than an english muffin.) I added just butter as a spread.
These are wonderfully satisfying! They literally take minutes to make even with blending the flour. Since I have eggwash leftover from the first batch, I am going to quickly make a second batch and put in the freezer.
But first - I am going to have another bagel! Since it's only oats and yogurt I think I can handle that!
Don't know how you came up with this recipe, but its a great one!
Janessa
I'm so glad you liked these bagels, Annette! Thank you for your kind review and tips!