The Best Cinnamon Raisin Bagels
Cream cheese? Jam? Butter? Peanut butter? There are multiple ways to top a bagel, but only one flavor that really makes me drool! I am a sucker for cinnamon raisin anything. Whether that is a muffin, bread, or bagel, I’ll never pass on this flavor combination. The best cinnamon raisin bagels are a labor of love, but nothing beats the texture and taste of bread made from scratch. If you like a little extra crunch, you can even add walnuts or pecans to the dough!
Why You'll Love This The Best Cinnamon Raisin Bagels
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The Chewy Texture: Boiling the bagels before baking is the secret to that classic, chewy bagel texture that store-bought versions just can’t match.
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Customizable: This recipe is a blank slate. You can omit the raisins and cinnamon for a plain bagel, or swap in other mix-ins like jalapeño and cheese or everything bagel seasoning.
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Perfect for Meal Prep: These store incredibly well, making them an ideal breakfast recipe to prep on a weekend and enjoy all week long. If you’re a fan of homemade carbs, check out my Homemade Focaccia Bread or Garlic Bread for other delicious projects.
Key Ingredients You'll Need
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All-Purpose Flour: Stick to all-purpose flour here. It provides the right structure for the dough without making it too tough or heavy.
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Yeast: The essential ingredient for that beautiful rise. Make sure your water is lukewarm—not too hot, or you’ll kill the yeast!
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Ground Cinnamon: Provides the cozy, warm flavor profile that defines these bagels.
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Raisins: Add natural sweetness and chew. If you’re feeling adventurous, you can even use craisins for a slightly tart twist.
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Granulated Sugar: Used to activate the yeast and add a touch of sweetness to the dough.
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Egg White: Used for the egg wash, which gives the bagels a beautiful, shiny golden-brown finish after baking.
All-Purpose Flour vs Bread Flour
For The Best Cinnamon Raisin Bagels with nuts, you will want to use all-purpose flour. I have yet to experiment with gluten free flour due to the protein differences in gluten free flour vs all-purpose flour for these bagel. One reason, there is a lot of knead here, so the dough is being worked a lot. I would assume they may turn out a bit tough but nothing a toaster cannot fix. I’ll work on this! Back to the all-purpose flour, bread flour lacks structure for this particular recipe even though some breads will use bread flour and some don’t like my Garlic Bread Rolls I make every year for the holidays. This will depend on what other ingredients you have working in your recipe.
How to Make The Best Cinnamon Raisin Bagels
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Activate Yeast: In your standing mixer, add 1 1/2 cups of lukewarm water. Sprinkle in the yeast and let it sit for 5 minutes until soft and activated.
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Mix Dough: Add sugar, vanilla, flour, salt, and cinnamon. Mix on low with a dough hook. Once it starts to form, add the raisins and nuts (if using).
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Knead & Rise: If the dough is too wet, add a sprinkle of flour. Knead for 1–2 minutes, then place in a greased bowl, cover with a cloth, and let rise for 1 hour until doubled.
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Shape: Divide the dough into 8 equal balls. Form each into a disc, make a hole in the center with your thumb, and work your way around to stretch it. Let rest for 10 minutes.
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The Water Bath: Bring a stockpot of water to a boil and add the remaining sugar. Boil the bagels for 45–60 seconds per side. This is the “flash fry” that ensures chewiness!
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Bake: Transfer the boiled bagels to a parchment-lined baking sheet, brush with egg wash, and bake at 400°F (200°C) for 25 minutes, rotating the pans halfway through.
The Sugar Bath
Why are adding them to boiling water? It is almost like you are flash frying them. This process helps soften the dough. I do about 45 seconds to 1 minute because I do like my bagels a bit chewier, if you like yours a bit tough then 30 seconds will do. I increase the cinnamon time to time and also use cranraisins. Really, this recipe is a blank slate for your own goodies. The cinnamon, raisins and nuts can all be omitted and you are left with a plain bagel. Jalapeno and cheese anyone? Everything bagel seasoning? You cannot go wrong with any combination! Enjoy!
For the best results, I highly recommend using Caraway Home non-toxic bakeware—use code STACIE at checkout for a special discount!
Stacie’s Tricks & Tips
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Don’t Rush the Rise: Homemade bread is a process! This is the perfect time to knock out some household chores while you wait for the yeast to do its magic.
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Drying the Bagels: After boiling, place the wet bagels on a clean cloth briefly to remove excess water before moving them to the baking sheet. This ensures the crust bakes up perfectly.
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The “Flash Fry”: Boiling for 45–60 seconds is my sweet spot for chewiness. If you prefer them a bit tougher, you can reduce the boil time to 30 seconds.
Cinnamon Raisin Bagels
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups lukewarm water
- 2 teaspoons yeast
- 3 tablespoons granulated sugar divided
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 4 1/2 cups all-purpose flour 4 cups + 1/2 cup, divided
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1/2 cup raisins
- 1/4 cup nuts any, roughly chopped
- splash vegetable or canola oil
- 1 large egg white
Instructions
- In a standing mixer, add 1 1/2 cups lukewarm water. Sprinkle in one packet of yeast and allow to sit uninterrupted in a warm spot for 5 minutes to activate the yeast and let it soften.
- Add 2 tablespoons of sugar and the vanilla on top of the yeast mixture. Sift in 2 cups of the divided flour, salt, and cinnamon.
- Mix on low with the dough hook attachment. Let it come into a dough, then add raisins, nuts, and 1 1/2 cups flour. The dough will form into a ball and slap against the sides. If it is too wet, sprinkle in a little extra flour as necessary.
- Knead the dough on a flat surface for about 1 or 2 minutes, folding the ball into itself.
- Lightly grease a glass bowl with oil, add your kneaded dough, then cover with a cloth for about 1 hour to let the dough rise. It will double in size.
- Lightly flour a flat surface and prepare two baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Punch the center of your dough and divide into two equal parts. Cut each dough ball into halves and then in half again so you end up with 4 balls from each half, for a total of 8. Form each one into a disc and allow to rest for 3 minutes.
- Fill a stock pot 2/3 of the way with water and bring to a boil. Add your remaining sugar. In a small bowl, mix together the egg white and 1 teaspoon water to make a wash. Preheat oven to 400°F.
- Make a hole with your thumb in the center of each dough disc, then gently work your way around to create a center. Rest the dough again for 10 minutes.
- Make sure your baking sheets are ready and lay a cloth over a rack or something similar to remove excess water from the bagels.
- Using tongs, add 2 bagels to the water and flip after 45 seconds, boil another 45 seconds. Remove from the pot and transfer to your cloth to remove excess water. Repeat until all bagels are done. Place dried bagels onto your prepared baking sheet.
- Brush on the egg wash, then bake 25 minutes, rotating pans halfway (about 12 minutes).
- Remove, allow to cool and enjoy! Store in an airtight container for up to 5 days or freeze for 2 months.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use bread flour instead of all-purpose for Cinnamon Raisin Bagels recipe?
While some bread recipes benefit from bread flour, I find that all-purpose flour provides the perfect structure for these specific bagels. Stick to all-purpose for the best results!
How long do Cinnamon Raisin Bagels last?
Store them in an airtight container for up to 5 days, or freeze them for up to 2 months. They toast up perfectly right from the freezer!
Can I make Cinnamon Raisin Bagels gluten-free?
I haven’t tested this recipe with gluten-free flour yet. Because of the heavy kneading required for bagel dough, gluten-free flour typically doesn’t hold up well due to the lack of protein structure. I’m working on a solution!
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