There’s an old sunbeam that always finds the kitchen table when strawberries are in season, and this recipe smells like summer and Sunday morning chatter. These strawberry bagels are soft, a little sweet, and warm enough to make your cheeks rosy—just like a visit from kin.
Why make this recipe
I promise you: there’s nothing quite like pulling warm, berry-kissed bagels from the oven and slathering them with a cool cream cheese spread. It’s comforting work, gifts a house with a sweet, gentle scent, and makes enough to share with neighbors, church friends, or the little ones who always seem to find their way to the counter.
How to make Strawberry Bagels
Ingredients:
- ⅔ cup warm water
- 2 tsp dry active yeast
- 2 tbsp granulated sugar or honey
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 lb strawberries (fresh or frozen)
- 1 tsp lemon juice
- 2 tbsp brown sugar
- ½ beet, chopped + 1 tbsp water
- 8-10 cups water (for poaching)
- ⅓ cup brown sugar (for poaching)
- 1 egg (for egg wash)
- 1 tbsp water (for egg wash)
- 8 oz cream cheese, softened
- ⅓ cup strawberries, chopped
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tbsp granulated sugar
Directions:
- Chop strawberries and simmer with lemon juice and sugar until softened; mash slightly and let cool. Let that bright, jammy smell remind you of porch swings and sweet tea.
- Blend beet with water and sugar until smooth. The beet gives a gentle pink hue that feels like a blush on the dough.
- In a bowl, mix water, yeast, and sugar. Let it sit until bubbly. Wait patiently—this is the little miracle that makes your bagels sing.
- Add flour, salt, and strawberry-beet mixture. Mix and knead until a dough forms. Add more flour if needed. The dough should be soft but not sticky; flour your hands like you’re powdering a child’s palms.
- Let dough rise covered for 1 hour until doubled. Divide into 8-10 pieces, shape into balls, and rest for 30 mins. This is a good time to tidy up and pour yourself a cup of coffee.
- Poke holes to form bagels. Place on parchment squares and let rise again for 30 mins. They’ll puff like little pillow mounds.
- Boil water with brown sugar. Poach each bagel 1 min per side. Remove to rack. Poaching gives them that tender chew we love.
- Brush with egg wash and bake at 415°F for 20-25 mins until golden. Keep an eye on them—golden is the color of finished stories and finished baking.
- Mix cream cheese, strawberries, vanilla, and sugar to make strawberry spread. Chill a spell if you like it firmer, or serve it slightly softened for easier spreading.
How to serve Strawberry Bagels
Split warm bagels and lavish on the strawberry cream cheese while steam still rises. They’re lovely with a pot of morning coffee, a tall glass of milk, or held in both hands on a front porch swing. For a simple lunch, add a few basil leaves or thinly sliced ham.
How to store Strawberry Bagels
Let bagels cool completely, then store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days. Freeze extras in a zip-top bag, layered with parchment, for up to 3 months—toast from frozen until warm again.
Tips to make Strawberry Bagels
- Use ripe strawberries for the best natural sweetness; frozen works in a pinch.
- If your dough is sticky, add flour a tablespoon at a time—gentle does it.
- Don’t skip the poach: it gives the bagel its classic chew and glossy crust.
- If you like a deeper pink, add a touch more beet puree, a little at a time.
- For even baking, rotate your pan once during the bake time.
Variations (if any)
- Citrus-kissed: Add a teaspoon of orange zest to the cream cheese spread for brightness.
- Seeded tops: After egg wash, sprinkle sesame or poppy seeds before baking.
- Sweet-studded: Fold a few extra chopped strawberries into the dough right before the final rest for pockets of berry surprise.
FAQs
Q: Can I use active dry yeast straight from the jar?
A: Yes—just proof it in the warm water with sugar until bubbly. If it doesn’t foam within 10 minutes, your yeast may be past its prime.
Q: How do I tell when the bagels are perfectly baked?
A: They should be golden brown and feel soundly set when tapped on the bottom. The internal temperature, if you’re a thermometer friend, should be around 200°F.
Q: Can I make the dough the night before?
A: Absolutely. After kneading, let the dough rise once, then refrigerate overnight. Bring it to room temperature before shaping, then continue with the resting, poaching, and baking.
Q: My strawberries are watery—will that affect the dough?
A: Simmering and mashing the strawberries concentrates their flavor and reduces excess moisture—just be sure the strawberry-beet mixture is cool before adding to the dough.
Conclusion
There’s a gentle kind of joy in making bagels from scratch—especially when they’re strawberry-sweet and shared around a kitchen table. If you ever want another take on these rosy rounds, you can peek at a lovely guide on how others approach strawberry bagels, and for an Italian-inspired twist and storytelling around baking, take a look at Savoring Italy’s Twelve Loaves strawberry bagel notes. Come back to this recipe when you need the kind of comfort that smells like summer and tastes like home—there’s always room for one more at the table.
Strawberry Bagels
Ingredients
Method
- Chop strawberries and simmer with lemon juice and brown sugar until softened; mash slightly and let cool.
- Blend beet with water and brown sugar until smooth.
- In a bowl, mix warm water, yeast, and granulated sugar. Let sit until bubbly.
- Add flour, salt, and strawberry-beet mixture. Mix and knead until a soft dough forms.
- Let dough rise covered for 1 hour until doubled in size.
- Divide dough into 8-10 pieces, shape into balls, and let rest for 30 minutes.
- Poke holes through the dough balls to shape into bagels. Place on parchment squares and let rise for another 30 minutes.
- Bring water and brown sugar to a boil, poach each bagel for 1 minute on each side, then remove.
- Brush bagels with egg wash and bake at 415°F for 20-25 minutes until golden.
- Mix cream cheese, chopped strawberries, vanilla, and granulated sugar to make the strawberry spread. Chill if desired.