Cinnamon Raisin Bagels – These homemade cinnamon raisin bagels are soft, chewy, and lightly sweet with a warm hint of spice. Perfect for toasting, topping, or enjoying on their own, they bring cosy, bakery-fresh flavour to your kitchen!
There’s nothing quite like the comforting aroma of cinnamon and raisins filling the kitchen, especially when it comes from a batch of freshly baked bagels. These homemade cinnamon raisin bagels are soft, chewy, and packed with warm spices.
Perfect for breakfast, a midday snack, or even a sweet treat with your favourite spread, this recipe brings bakery-quality bagels right to your own oven. With a hint of sweetness from the raisins and just the right amount of chew, they strike the perfect balance of flavour and texture.
Whether you’re an experienced baker or trying homemade bagels for the first time, this recipe is simple, rewarding, and well worth the effort!
Looking for more cinnamon recipes? Check out my Apple Cinnamon Oatmeal Cookies, Cinnamon Brownie Bites, and my Apple Cinnamon Muffins.
How to make
Cinnamon Raisin Bagels
Proof the yeast: In a large measuring jug, stir together the water, yeast, and sugar. Set aside and allow the yeast to foam and bubble up – about 5 minutes.
Mix dry ingredients: In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, spices, and salt. Add in the raisins.
Add wet ingredients: Add the yeast mixture and mix until you get a rough dough.
Knead the dough: Transfer the dough to a lightly floured surface and knead for about 10 minutes, adding flour when needed until smooth, elastic, and barely tacky.
First rise: Place the dough into a lightly greased large bowl, cover with clingfilm or a tea towel, and leave to rise in a warm place for 1 hour, or until doubled in size.
Roll into balls: Once the dough has doubled in size, gently deflate with your fist and transfer to a clean, unfloured surface. Divide the dough into 8 equal portions (doesn’t have to be perfect!) and form each piece into a ball by rolling on the countertop with a cupped hand.
Shape the dough: Using your finger, make a hole into the centre of each ball and stretch to about ⅓ the diameter of the bagel. Place onto a prepared baking tray.
Second rise: Cover the shaped bagels with clingfilm or a tea towel, and allow to rest for 30 minutes.
Cut the parchment: Cut the parchment paper so that the bagels are on their own piece of paper. This helps to easily transfer them to the boiling water without having to handle them.
Prepare the water: Fill a large saucepan with water and stir in the golden syrup. Bring to the boil, then reduce heat to medium-high.
Boil the bagels: Drop the bagels in, 2 – 3 at a time (or as many that will comfortably fit), and cook for 1 minute on each side (OR for chewier bagels, 2 minutes on each side).
Egg wash: Place the bagels back onto prepared baking trays, and brush the tops and sides with the egg wash.
Bake: Bake for 20 – 25 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through, until golden brown.
Cooling: Allow to cool on the baking trays for 20 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
The printable recipe card with the full list of ingredients, their measurements, and instructions can be found at the bottom of this post.
NOTE: For best results, I highly recommend using the gram measurements (with a digital scale), rather than the cup measurements. Cup measurements are simply not accurate enough, and I cannot guarantee the best results if you use them.
Recipe FAQs
Yes! You can substitute instant yeast in the same amount. Since instant yeast doesn’t need to be activated, you can skip the proofing step and mix it directly with the flour.
You can use plain/all-purpose flour, but the bagels will be slightly less chewy.
It gives bagels their signature shiny coating and incredibly chewy texture. It also helps the bagels hold their shape in the oven, preventing them from rising too much and losing their holes. This is because boiling them in water cooks the outer layer of the dough. The reason I add golden syrup to the water is to slightly sweeten the bagels, further develop a crisp crust, and to give them a caramelised flavour.
Yes! After kneading, you can let the dough rise overnight in the fridge. This slow fermentation enhances the flavour and texture. When ready to bake, let the dough come to room temperature for 1 hour before shaping and boiling.
There could be a few reasons: 1. The yeast was expired, dead, or not activated properly. 2. The water was too hot (killed the yeast) or too cold (didn’t activate it). 3. The dough didn’t have enough time to rise in a warm environment.
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Cinnamon Raisin Bagels
Ingredients
- 1 ¼ cups (300ml) water, warmed to 43C/110F
- 2 ¼ teaspoons (7g) or 1 sachet dry active yeast
- 1 tablespoon light brown sugar
- 4 cups (500g) bread flour, plus extra for kneading
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon mixed spice
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ cup (75g) raisins
- 2 tablespoons golden syrup, maple syrup, or honey
- 1 egg white beaten with 1 tablespoon water
Instructions
- In a large measuring jug, stir together the water, yeast, and sugar. Set aside and allow the yeast to foam and bubble up – about 5 minutes.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, spices, and salt. Add in the raisins.
- Add the yeast mixture and mix until you get a rough dough.
- Transfer the dough to a lightly floured surface and knead for about 10 minutes, adding flour when needed until smooth, elastic, and barely tacky.
- Place the dough into a lightly greased large bowl, cover with clingfilm or a tea towel, and leave to rise in a warm place for 1 hour, or until doubled in size.
- TIP: Preheat the oven to 43C/110F. Once heated, turn the oven off. Place the covered dough inside, and allow to rise in this warm environment.
- Line 2 large baking trays with parchment paper, grease them very lightly with oil, and set aside.
- Once the dough has doubled in size, gently deflate with your fist and transfer to a clean, unfloured surface.
- Divide the dough into 8 equal portions (doesn't have to be perfect!) and form each piece into a ball by rolling on the countertop with a cupped hand.
- NOTE: As you work with each piece of dough, keep the dough that you’re not working with covered with clingfilm or a tea towel.
- Using your finger, make a hole into the centre of each ball and stretch to about ⅓ the diameter of the bagel. Place onto a prepared baking tray.
- Repeat with the remaining dough balls.
- Cover the shaped bagels with clingfilm or a tea towel, and allow to rest for 30 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 220C/200C Fan/425F/Gas 7.
- Fill a large saucepan with water and stir in the golden syrup. Bring to the boil, then reduce heat to medium-high.
- Cut the parchment paper so that the bagels are on their own piece of paper. This helps to easily transfer them to the boiling water without having to handle them.
- Line the baking trays with more parchment paper or silicone mats, and set aside.
- Drop the bagels in, 2 – 3 at a time (or as many that will comfortably fit), and cook for 1 minute on each side (OR for chewier bagels, 2 minutes on each side).
- Place the bagels back onto the prepared baking trays, and brush the tops and sides with the egg wash.
- Bake for 20 – 25 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through, until golden brown.
- Allow to cool on the baking tray for 20 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
Recipe Notes
Nutrition Information:
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
I’m not too fond of raisins, but if you told me to eat this without telling me what’s inside, I probably wouldn’t of guessed raisins. All I know is that these was absolutely gorgeous!
Been having these toasted with a spread of butter everyday for lunch so far. Can’t get enough of them.
I’m so glad you enjoyed them, Murray!