This Montreal Style Bagels recipe is a cheery twist on classic bagels, famous for their uniquely sweet, dense, and golden crust. These are boiled in honey-sweetened water before being baked in a wood-fired oven, a process that gives them their signature flavor and texture and sets them apart from New York bagels. These are a Canadian classic — with or without sesame and poppy seeds.
This Montreal-style bagel recipe is ideal for breakfast, snacks, or sandwiches and will have you mimicking the classic Montreal-style taste in your kitchen. They are essential, with a slightly chewy and tender texture that makes them irresistible to bagel lovers everywhere. Once you make these, store-bought bagels will never do!
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Origins of Montreal Style Bagels Recipe
Montreal Style Bagels The Montreal Style Bagels recipe comes from the active Jewish communities in Montreal, Canada. Those bagels came to us in the early 1900s from the Eastern European Jewish immigrants who arrived here with their baking traditions. Montreal bagels, which are boiled in honey-sweetened water and baked in wood-fired ovens, are smaller and denser than New York-style bagels and sweeter as well. They are a beloved part of Montreal’s food culture and remain a staple in bakeries like the iconic Fairmount and St-Viateur Bagel Shops.
Keys to Perfecting the Montreal Style Bagels Recipe
The secret to creating the true Montreal-style bagel recipe starts with the making. First of all, the dough should be a little sweeter and enriched with eggs so that it’s tender. The crucial step is boiling the bagels in a mixture of honey and water, which gives them their characteristic sweetness and chewy crust. High-heat baking on a stone surface mimicked what a wood-fired oven would do, yielding the golden, slightly burnt crust Montreal bagels are known for. Adding sesame or poppy seeds before baking is the final touch to bring out their iconic flavor.
Why Homemade Montreal Style Bagels Recipe is a Great Idea
Montreal Style Bagels recipe is surprisingly easy to make at home, so you can enjoy them fresh from the oven. You’ll make the recipe your own by swapping in sesame seeds, everything seasoning or even cinnamon sugar for a sweeter flavor. Homemade bagels do not include preservatives. The rolling, boiling, and baking process is satisfying and brings the taste of Montreal to your kitchen.
Health Benefits of Montreal Style Bagels
Montreal bagels can be a nutritious addition to your diet when consumed in moderation. Here’s a breakdown of their health benefits:
| Nutrient | Benefit |
|---|---|
| Carbohydrates | Provides energy to fuel your day |
| Protein | Supports muscle repair and growth |
| Fiber (from seeds) | Aids digestion and promotes gut health |
| Healthy Fats | Sesame seeds provide beneficial fatty acids |
By making them at home, you can control the ingredients, reducing sugar or using whole-grain flour for added fiber.
Montreal Style Bagels recipe From OoohDelish!
Montreal Style Bagels Recipe
Equipment
- Large mixing bowl
- Wooden spoon
- Kitchen scale (optional)
- Large pot
- Slotted spoon
- Baking sheet
- Parchment paper
Ingredients
- For the Dough:
- 4 cups bread flour plus extra for dusting
- 1 ½ teaspoons salt
- 1 packet 2 ¼ teaspoons instant yeast
- 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- ¾ cup warm water
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- For Boiling:
- 10 cups water
- â…“ cup honey
- For Topping:
- ½ cup sesame seeds or poppy seeds optional
Instructions
Prepare the Dough:
- Mix the bread flour, salt, and sugar in a large bowl.
- Mix the dry ingredients with the yeast, warm water, egg, and vegetable oil. Stir until combined.
- Turn out onto a floured surface and knead for around 10 minutes until smooth and elastic.
- Transfer the dough to a lightly oiled bowl, cover with a damp towel and let it rise for 1 hour or until doubled in size.
Shape the Bagels:
- Deflate the dough and divide it into 12 equal pieces.
- Take each piece of dough and roll it into a ball, then use your thumb to punch a hole in the center. Tug to get it into a bagel shape.
Boil the Bagels:
- Position an oven rack in the upper third and heat the oven to 450 degrees.
- Combine honey and 10 cups of water in a large pot and bring it to a boil.
- Boil each bagel for 30 seconds, flip, and boil for 30 seconds. Using a slotted spoon, transfer to a parchment-lined baking sheet.
Add Toppings:
- While the bagels are still wet, please give them a sprinkling of sesame or poppy seeds.
Bake:
- Add the bagels to the oven and bake for 15–20 minutes or until golden brown.
- Cool on a wire rack, and serve.
Notes
If you don’t have bread flour, you can use all-purpose flour, but the texture may be slightly different.
Store bagels in an airtight container for up to 3 days or freeze for longer storage.
Montreal Style Bagels Recipe and Weight Loss
Bagels do have a high carbohydrate content and are commonly eaten as breakfast, which is why many avoid them, but they can be part of a nutritious diet if you use nutritious toppings. Opt for smoked salmon or low-fat cream cheese as your protein, and load up on vitamin- and mineral-rich vegetables such as avocado or tomato. Portion control is the name of the game — savor one bagel as part of a meal instead of gorging. If you’re watching what you eat, take a look at our lighter recipes, like the Lemon Balm Recipe for Weight Loss, to complement your healthy eating plan.
Tips and Tricks for Montreal Style Bagels Recipe
- Use Fresh Ingredients: The flavor greatly improves with very fresh flour, yeast, and honey.
- Don’t Skip the Boil Boiling: the bagels in honey-water is key to their sweetness and chewy crust.
- Bake at High Heat: A very hot oven (with ideally a pizza stone) will help replicate the wood-fired effect.
- The Right Amount of Topping: For the authentic Montreal style, shower the bagels generously with sesame or poppy seeds before baking.
- Experiment with Flavors: Add spices like cinnamon or garlic powder to the dough for unique variations.
Montreal Style Bagels Recipe for Breakfast and Beyond
Montreal bagels are versatile, and can be eaten for many different occasions. Slice them and toast them with butter, cream cheese or fruit preserves for a traditional breakfast. Use them as the foundation of your sandwiches, or go classic and top them off with smoked salmon, capers, red onions. They can also be eaten plain as a snack or warmed slightly to recapture that fresh-baked feel.
These tips and details will help your Montreal Style Bagels recipe shine and compete with top search engine rankings!
FAQs : Montreal Style Bagels Recipe
What is a Montreal Style Bagel?
A Montreal style bagel is a smaller, denser, and sweeter variation of a traditional bagel, originating from the Jewish communities in Montreal, Canada. Unlike New York bagels, they are boiled in a honey-sweetened water bath before baking, which gives them their signature sweetness and chewy texture. They are often topped with sesame or poppy seeds and baked in wood-fired ovens for a unique flavor and texture.
How to make Montreal Style Bagels?
To make Montreal style bagels, prepare a slightly sweet dough enriched with eggs. Shape the dough into bagel rings, then boil them in honey-sweetened water. After boiling, coat them with sesame or poppy seeds and bake at a high temperature, preferably on a pizza stone, to achieve the iconic chewy texture and golden exterior. For detailed instructions, visit our Montreal Style Bagels recipe.
Are Montreal Style Bagels vegan?
Traditional Montreal style bagels are not vegan as they typically contain eggs and are boiled in honey-sweetened water. However, you can make a vegan version by substituting eggs with flaxseed meal or applesauce and replacing honey with maple syrup or sugar for the boiling step. This way, you can enjoy the same great taste while keeping the recipe vegan-friendly.
Share Your Twist!
We’d love to hear your version of the Montreal Style Bagels Recipe ! What special ingredients or techniques do you use to make it uniquely yours? Share your tips and experiences in the comments below, and let’s inspire each other to create even more delicious meals!
References
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