10+ Homemade Bagel Recipes & Flavor Varieties for the Best Breakfast

Plain bagels are soft, chewy and everything you could want in the morning with some cream cheese and coffee, but what is life without a little fun? These 10+ homemade bagel recipes and flavor varieties will show you that making your own bagels can be fun and healthier.

1. Blueberry Bagel

Let's start off this list with this lovely and colorful bagel! These homemade bagels are blue, but this is no gimmick — there are no artificial colorings in this recipe. Instead, we’ll use frozen wild blueberries** to give color, flavor and a lovely berry scent to homemade bagels. It’s also THE perfect bagel to have with espresso or a strong cup of coffee.

_{**I've linked some of these ingredient links to amazon.com to give you an idea of what they are, but you should also be able to find them in your local grocery store (usually, the natural & organic food section). They are also affiliate links, which means that I earn a commission as an Amazon Associate if you decide to purchase the items. The price will be the same for you, link or no link 🙂}

2. Pumpkin Bagel

When pumpkins are in season, I just can’t find enough ways to make the most out of them, and I’m not alone. Pumpkins are a synonym for fall and all that comes with it, including the first chilly winds of the season and the most comforting drinks and bakes. Pumpkin purée and pumpkin pie spice are the most successful seasonal pairing and, I dare say, can turn any regular recipe into something extraordinary and familiar. Pumpkin bagels, you say? You bet. By mixing these two seasonal ingredients with flour, sugar, yeast and a pinch of salt, you can make homemade bagels that taste like the falling of the leaves.

3. Peanut Butter Bagel

Bagels have been around since forever. Originally from Poland, everyone’s favorite ring-shaped bread goes back at least four centuries, and it has changed little over time. Of course, we all have a favorite bagel spot, but few of us have experience making bagels at home — a real shame, considering how easy (and satisfying) they are to make. The best part about making bagels? You can get creative. How do nutty Peanut Butter Bagels sound? A creamy peanut butter spread will turn your bagels into one wholesome quick lunch or grab-and-go breakfast.

4. Cauliflower Bagel

I added cauliflower rice to my bagels. There, I said it. I must admit that even I, a known cauliflower enthusiast, was unsure how these would turn out. They are gorgeous! Of course, although cauliflower rice adds texture to the otherwise compact bagels, the flavor comes from another unexpected ingredient: Nutritional Yeast. The neutral flavor of cauliflower and cheesy flavor of nutritional yeast are perfect for each other. Now, let’s use that chemistry to give life to a new type of bagel — one that makes the most out of two of my favorite ingredients. Meet the Cauliflower Bagels.

5. Applesauce Matcha Bagel

These homemade red bean paste matcha bagels are the sum of all my favorite things. It’s colorful, gorgeous, and most of all–it’s stuffed with sweet red bean paste. The dough for this is made with bread flour, almond flour, yeast, sugar, yeast, matcha powder and unsweetened applesauce - the secret ingredient I use in my bagels to create a moist but chewy bagel texture that stays soft for days.

6. Carrot Cake Bagel

I love carrot cake. I think it's the perfect cake that’s never too sweet and never too dry, and a creative way to use up your leftover veggies. So I thought, what if we take everything we love about carrot cakes and make a fresh batch of bagels? Carrot cake bagels are here, and yes, they deliver. Shredded carrots, crushed walnuts and sweet raisins are enough to give artisan bagels a complete overhaul. These have the best of two worlds: carrot cakes and homemade bagels. Can you think of the right filling for carrot cake bagels? See the recipe and find out!

7. Apple Pie Bagel

Today, bagels are as American as apple pie, so why not merge them into one bake that represents both? Let’s make apple pie bagels from scratch, with apple sauce, flour, yeast, a pinch of salt and another one of sugar. These bagels are chunky as well, thanks to a few diced Honeycrisps. Finally, ground cinnamon brings the apple pie bagels home. Apple enthusiasts and bagel fanatics unite because tonight, we feast. Forget about plain bagels; if we’re making bagels at home, let’s make them special. What’s more memorable than the sweet scent of apple pie?

8. Cranberry Bagel

Cranberries are sweet, tart, and overall, pretty — there’s no other way to describe the northern fruit. Cranberries, though, show their best when pureed into cranberry sauce, when they’re more versatile. So many memories! So, here’s the idea: traditional homemade bagels flavored with everyone's favorite jellied fruit - canned cranberry sauce. Pink bagels reinvented — all-natural, compact and chewy; these beauties have the nicest fruitiness and color. If you’ve ever made bread before, you can make these bagels with one hand behind your back. If it’s your first time making bagels, you’ll have a blast — guaranteed. Surprise your friends and family with homemade cranberry bagels.

9. Tomato Bagel (a.k.a. Pizza Bagel)

Adding crushed tomatoes to a classic bagel recipe of flour, sugar, yeast and salt was an authentic eureka moment. The unexpected discovery resulted in the most vibrant, sweet, savory and tangy bagels in the realm of baked goods. It’s not a surprise, though; is there anything tomatoes can’t improve? Anyway, you can add canned tomatoes to bagels and make lovely bread that’s as versatile as any bagel but much more interesting — just look at that color! Needless to say, these bagels scream for cream cheese and cured meats.

10. Fresh Onion Bagel

Plain bagels are crowd-pleasing delicious precisely because they are plain: They let other flavors shine through. This, of course, doesn’t mean we can’t give a little flavor to homemade bagels. Onions are the very definition of flavor, so you can imagine adding finely chopped onions to a traditional bagel recipe results in, perhaps, the most satisfying bagels out there. You see, although raw onion has an astringent ‘bite,’ the bulb caramelizes beautifully when cooked — expect the unexpected. With the topping of that savory green seasoning, these homemade onion Bagels might just become your favorite home-baked project.

11. Corn Bagel

As weird as it may sound, these cornbread bagels filled with sweet corn filling DO WORK. Like a  truly authentic Southern Corn Casserole, the fresh corn kernels inside these bagels are crunchy, sweet, and burst when you bite into them, while the creamy, tangy cream cheese gives you that sour cream flavor you can't miss. Prepared to be surprised! These Cornbread Bagels might just become your favorite home-baked project.

12. Sweet Potato Bagel

Sweet potatoes are curious root veggies; they’re as starchy as potatoes but earthy and sweet, obviously. Interestingly, sweet potatoes are compatible with those comforting seasonal ingredients we enjoy in fall, including nuts and dried fruit, not just for the root veggie’s pumpkin-like color but for its warm flavor. So, sweet potato bagels, can it be done? It can, and the result is fantastic. In this recipe, we’ll combine flour, sugar, yeast and salt with mashed sweet potatoes, pecans and chopped dates. I love dates. The result? Colorful homemade bagels with a lovely crunch and an even nicer seasonal feel.

More Homemade Bagel Recipes (HERE)