Baking With Preschoolers: Homemade Bagel Recipe!

These homemade bagels are super easy and so much fun for kids to make!

Yum

Plus, it exercises their fine motor muscles and tastes delicious! Our kids had a blast making their own bagel sandwiches afterwards!

Ingredients for Awesome Homemade Bagel Recipe:

* 1 1/2 cups warm water (about 105 degrees F)
* 1 tablespoon water for egg wash
* 2 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast
* 4 cups white flour
* 2 teaspoons salt
* 2 tablespoons honey
* 4 teaspoons sugar
* 1 large egg white for egg wash
* optional toppings like course salt, sesame seeds, etc.

Directions for Awesome Homemade Bagels:

1. Let your children add the warm water, yeast, honey, and sugar in a stand mixer. I used a Kitchen Aid. Allow 5-10 minutes for the yeast to grow.

2. Once the yeast/sugar/water has started to bubble or froth, help your kiddos add the flour and salt. Mix with a kneading attachment on low for 1-2 minutes, or until the flour is all moist. Mix with the same kneading attachment on 3 for about 6-8 more minutes. If the dough is sticky, add up to 1/2 cup more flour. Let the dough rest for about 20 minutes in a lightly greased bowl.

3. Working on a lightly floured surface, divide the dough into 12 pieces. Let your children roll each piece into a rope about as long as their arm (8-10 inches). Overlap the ends by about an inch and press/pinch it together until you do not have a seam anymore. You may need to pull the bagel shape a little so you have a nice "hole" in the middle that is at least as big as a quarter. Let the bagels rest for another 10 minutes while you prepare step 4.

4. Heat a large frying pan full of water until it boils. Turn the heat down to maintain a constant simmer. Also turn the oven on to 425 degrees F. Set a cooling rack on a cookie sheet near the stove. Line another cookie sheet with parchment paper and grease it.

5. Place 2-3 bagels in the frying pan. They should float. Cook for 30-60 seconds on each side. The bagel will look more round and slightly wrinkled. Use a spatula to transfer the bagels to the cooling rack to drip for a couple minutes.

6. Mix one egg white with 1 tablespoon water and beat thoroughly.

7. Carefully set each bagel on the parchment paper and brush with the egg white/water mixture. Sprinkle any toppings you choose on top of the bagels.

8. Cook for 10-20 minutes. You can rotate the tray half way through. You want the bagels to get a very light brown crust, but still be soft and chewy on the inside. Ours were perfect at 15 minutes. When they're cooked, transfer to a cooling rack to cool!