This recipe for gluten-free vegan bagels with everything seasoning is a game-changer. If you’re vegan and or GF behold you can have bagels once again!
Bagels have to be one of the ultimate breakfast foods. Nothing beats a bagel and cream cheese! If you’re vegan and/or gluten-free there is absolutely no reason why you should forego this small pleasure.
These gluten-free vegan bagels will warm your soul and are a soothing activity for a Sunday afternoon. There is a strange satisfaction is watching the bagels gently expand and bob around in boiling water. I topped these breakfast all-stars with everything seasoning because there is no other way to enjoy a bagel (but yes that part it is optional).
ingredients
For the bagel dough
- 575g warm water
- 10g active dry yeast
- 75g potato starch
- 75g tapioca starch
- 70g oat flour, gluten-free
- 140g sorghum flour
- 140g brown rice flour, plus extra for dusting
- 1½ tsp. sea salt
- 20g psyllium husk powder
- 12g ground chia or flax seed
- 1 Tbsp. brown sugar
For the Everything Seasoning
- 1 Tbsp. white sesame seeds
- 1 Tbsp. black sesame seeds
- 2 Tbsp. poppy seeds
- 1 tsp. flaky salt
- ½ tsp. garlic powder
- ½ tsp. onion powder
process
Combine the yeast and half the water in a large bowl and set to one side. After 10 minutes the yeast should be frothy and bubbly (if the yeast has not bubbled it may be expired and need replacing).
In the bowl of a stand mixer sift together the potato starch, tapioca starch, oat flour, brown rice flour, sorghum flour and salt.
Add the remaining water to the yeast and whisk in the psyllium husk powder, ground chia and sugar (this mixture will quickly turn to a gel). Fix the stand mixer with a dough hook and add the yeast mix to the flour. Mix the dough on high speed for 3-4 minutes. Bring the dough together into a ball (the dough will be very sticky), dust with brown rice flour and cover the bowl with a tea towel. Place the bowl in a warm place for 2 hours.
At the 1.5 hour mark, preheat the oven to 200C and line a large baking tray with parchment paper. If making the Everything Seasoning combine all the ingredients now.
Once the dough has proofed (it will only rise a small amount compared to a wheat dough), divide it into eight equal pieces and shape into balls with a large hole in the centre (the holes will close significantly during boiling and baking so really do make them large). Transfer to the baking tray and cover with a tea towel for 10 minutes.
Bring a large pot of water to the boil. Use a slotted spoon to slip one or two bagels into the water, they will sink at first and then rise to the surface. Boil the bagels for 30 seconds on each side and use the slotted spoon to return the bagels to the tray. Repeat with the remaining bagels making sure the water is boiling before adding them.
Sprinkle the bagels generously with everything seasoning and bake the bagels for 30 minutes. Allow to cool completely before cutting.
NOTES: Gluten-free Vegan Bagels
Flour – I appreciate it’s annoying to have to track down 5 different flours for one recipe but if you’re planning on doing any gluten-free baking mixing your own flour is the key to success. In this recipe for gluten-free vegan bagels, I’m aiming to replicate bread flour by adding starch at 30% and heavier protein-rich flours at 70%. Oat flour is a great addition in this recipe as it helps to create a chewier texture, just make sure your oat flour is gluten-free.
In the UK I order my flours from Shipton Mill. They have an incredible range of GF flours and you can get them all at once.
Psyllium husk powder – I see a lot of recipes insist on psyllium husk powder over the psyllium husks but I haven’t noticed a massive difference when switching between the two. I only had the powder at home so I haven’t tried this recipe with the husks but if you try it and it works let me know. FYI psyllium is our lead gluten stand-in.
Ground chia seeds – I grind my own with a coffee bean grinder but if this isn’t an option for you, you should have no trouble finding and using ground flax. FYI ground chia/flaxseed is our supporting gluten stand-in.
Can I make the dough without a stand mixer?
Yes definitely. You will need to mix vigorously with a wooden spoon and ensure there are no lumps of psyllium/chia.
Why is the dough so sticky?
Gluten-free doughs need more moisture than wheat doughs. The dough will feel very sticky at first but at the end of the proof, it will be considerably less sticky. Find more resources of GF baking here.
Do I have to boil them?
Yes, the bake is so much better.
Can’t I just use a pre-mixed gluten-free flour?
I wouldn’t recommend it and I haven’t tested it. See the flour note.
