Snickerdoodle Bagels with Cinnamon Crunch Topping

At one point, I was going to be a high-powered journalist. My pencil would be ever-sharp, mob bosses would confess their guilt before my waiting tape recorder, and I’d eat a giant Snickerdoodle Bagel with Cinnamon Crunch Topping every morning for breakfast.

I will admit that this mental picture has a few snags. Actual journalists probably haven’t used tape recorders since Home Alone days (shout out to the Talkboy!), and I’m about as likely to confront a mob boss as give up chocolate (ahem, never). The Snickedoodle Bagel, however, is non-negotiable.

I’ve always loved to write, and in high school I became deeply entrenched in my school’s newsmagazine. Every Saturday before we went to print, the staff gathered in our 1980s classroom “office” and worked until the pages were ready for press. Our fuel: adolescent energy, bad 1990s pop, and an endless supply of Panera bagels.

My mandatory intake those mornings was two consecutive cinnamon crunch bagels, each topped with a solid inch of hazelnut cream cheese. Today’s Snickerdoodle Bagels are my updated twist this Panera classic, but are much healthier, a quality I didn’t value as a 16-year-old. Don’t worry—these bagels still rock the addictive cinnamon crunch topping, and they taste just like a snickerdoodle cookie!

Snickerdoodles have a subtle, signature “tang” from cream of tartar, and I added just enough to the bagels to give them that same flair. I also wanted the cinnamon-sugar to stand out, so instead of mixing it into the dough where I feared it would be lost, I dusted it over my counter, then kneaded the dough in it a few times. Not only does the cinnamon-sugar shine, it makes pretty swirls on the inside of the bagels too.

This is the part of the homemade bagel process where I feel as if I’m poking the Pillsbury Doughboy’s tummy. Whoo hoo!

If you’ve never made homemade bagels, they are surprisingly simple. The dough is firm and easy to work with, and although the additional step of boiling the bagels might sound daunting, it really only adds about 8 minutes to the overall prep time and is completely worth it. A good bagel must be chewy, not dense, and boiling is an important step to achieve that perfect texture.

I’m thrilled to be sharing Snickerdoodle Bagels to support Stop Hunger Now, an international hunger relief organization. One in every eight people in the world goes to bed hungry each night, and Stop Hunger Now is working to alleviate that need by providing nutritional meals, as well as by supporting education and health care to break the cycle of hunger. In 2013, roughly 125,000 Stop Hunger Now volunteers packaged more than 42 million meals for recipients in 30 countries. That is powerful.

I care deeply about the availability of nutritious food, but when it comes to figuring out what I can actually do to confront global issues as massive as world hunger, my default reaction is often to do…nothing. I realize this isn’t the answer. We should all do something, even if it is just a little something, and we don’t need to travel across the world to do it. We can make a positive impact right here, right where we are.

I and a few fellow bloggers are joining Red Star Yeast’s campaign to raise awareness and funds for Stop Hunger Now. Red Star Yeast is donating a portion of its proceeds from purchases to providing meals and life saving aid to children and families across the globe, through Stop Hunger Now—their goal is to provide over 200,000 meals annually.

We also want to encourage you to begin working in your community by baking a special recipe, then sharing it with someone in your life. Each blogger has posted a recipe that yields enough treats for you both to keep some to enjoy and to give to someone else. You can learn more about the campaign here and stay up to date on social media with #BakingTheWorldBetter.

GIVEAWAY TIME!

In case a collection of drool-worthy recipes isn’t exciting enough, it’s time for a giveaway! Red Star Yeast will be sending one lucky winner a signed copy of The New Artisan Bread in 5 Minutes a Day cookbook, a bread basket with a warming stone, plus a Red Star Yeast mixing bowl, towel, dough whisk, apron and supply of yeast.

**Giveaway ended** Thanks so much to all who participated, and stay tuned for more fun prizes ahead!

From my editor’s desk to your kitchen: Snickedoodle Bagels with Cinnamon Crunch Topping—the inch of hazelnut cream cheese is optional.

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Snickerdoodle Bagels with Cinnamon Crunch Topping

5 from 1 vote

Soft and chewy homemade bagels with cinnamon crunch topping that taste just like a snickerdoodle cookie!

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Prep: 25 mins

Cook: 25 mins

Total: 2 hrs 50 mins

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Servings: 8 large bagels

ReviewSave to FavoritesPrint

Ingredients

  

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For the Bagels:

• 1/3 cup granulated sugar
• 1 tablespoon cinnamon
• 1 tablespoon Red Star Platinum Instant Yeast
• 2 cups all purpose flour or substitute bread flour
• 2 cups white whole wheat flour or substitute all purpose or bread flour
• 3 tablespoons vital wheat gluten optional—will yield a softer bagel; omit if using bread flour
• 1 tablespoon cream of tartar
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1 1/2 cups water

For the Water Bath:

• 4 cups water
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar

For the Cinnamon Crunch Topping:

• 1/4 cup white sugar
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 3 teaspoons cinnamon

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Instructions

 

• In a small bowl, combine the cinnamon and sugar. Set aside.
• In a large mixing bowl, combine the yeast, all purpose flour, white whole wheat flour, vital wheat gluten, cream of tartar, brown sugar, and salt. Place the water in a microwave-safe measuring cup, then heat to the temperature specified by the yeast manufacturer (Red Star Platinum is 120 to 130 degrees F). Add the water to the dry ingredients, then stir to moisten the flour. Knead the dough by mixer fitted with a dough hook for 10 minutes on medium low speed or by hand for 10 to 15 minutes on a lightly floured work surface. The dough should be very stiff, smooth, and hold its shape.
• Clear your work surface, then sprinkle it generously with the cinnamon and sugar mixture. Knead the dough on top of the cinnamon sugar by a few turns to incorporate the mixture and form a swirl. Transfer the dough to a lightly greased mixing bowl, then cover and set aside to rise until noticeably puffy, 1 to 1 1/2 hours (the dough may not double).
• Divide the dough into 8 portions, then roll each into a smooth, round ball. Set the balls on a lightly greased cookie sheet, then cover with plastic wrap lightly misted with cooking spray and let rest for 30 minutes.
• While the dough is resting, prepare the water bath. Bring the water to a low boil in a deep, wide pot. Preheat your oven to 425°F. Lightly grease a large baking sheet with cooking spray or line with parchment paper or a silpat mat.
• Once the dough has rested, use your index finger to poke a hole through the center of each ball, then lift the ring and twirl it around your finger to stretch the hole until it is roughly 2 inches in diameter (the entire bagel will be about 4 inches across). Transfer to the prepared baking sheet and repeat with the remaining dough.
• Working four bagels at a time (if your pan is not large enough, work in smaller batches), carefully transfer the bagels to the simmering water. If necessary, increase the heat to return the water to a gently simmering boil. Cook the bagels for 2 minutes on the first side, flip, then cook 1 additional minute. With a slotted spoon or spatula, remove the bagels from the water and place them back on the baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining bagels.
• Combine the topping ingredients (brown sugar, granulated sugar, and cinnamon), then sprinkle the mixture evenly over the bagels, using the full amount. Bake the bagels for 20 to 25 minutes, until golden. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Notes

Bagels are best enjoyed the day they are made, but can be kept at room temperature in a zip-top bag for up to 2 days. So that all may enjoy while they are fresh, keep four for yourself, and give four away! Bagels may also be wrapped tightly in plastic wrap or foil and frozen for up to 3 months.

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Don’t miss these other #BakingTheWorldBetter recipes from participating bloggers!

• Pumpkin Spice Cinnamon Knots from A Kitchen Addiction
• Pumpkin Challah from Bakeaholic Mama
• Apple Crisp Sweet Roll Coffee Cake from Barbara Bakes
• Sweet Potato Crescent Rolls from Completely Delicious
• Chocolate Glazed Pumpkin Donuts from Foodness Gracious
• Apple Cinnamon Streusel Pull Apart Bread from Girl Versus Dough
• Cream Cheese Filled Brioche Sweet Rolls from Miss in the Kitchen
• Sourdough Sandwich Bread from My Kitchen Addiction
• Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls with Caramel Icing from Roxana’s Home Baking
• Fluffy No Knead Refrigerator Rolls from Stephie Cooks
• Apple Honey Pecan Sticky Buns from Tutti Dolci

 Giveaway to remain open until 10 p.m. CST on 10/30. Entrants must be 18 years or older and a resident of the U.S. Winner will be contacted via the email address used to leave the winning comment and will have 48 hours to respond, after which a new winner will be selected. I’m excited to be sharing this recipe and post in partnership with Red Star Yeast, but all opinions are my own, and I am thrilled to be a part of this campaign. Thanks for your support of the companies I work with and value!