In the evening, around 8:00-10:00PM, add all your ingredients in order as listed, minus the brown sugar, into your bread machine. Set the machine to a dough cycle which will work to knead and rise the dough a few times during its cycle. I use the KBS bread machine and for me it is cycle 14 titled “Leaven Dough”. Go to bed while the machine works!

If using a stand mixer, add in your wet ingredients, give it a good stir and follow up by adding in your dry ingredients and incorporating them using a dough hook. I personally prefer using a bread machine because of its multi knead and rise cycles, but if you are just using a stand mixer, you may have to let the dough knead for quite awhile to achieve that elastic dough texture. When finished, cover with a wet tea towel and let it sit in a warm place over night.

In the morning, remove the dough from your bread machine or bowl onto a non floured counter. Wet your hands as you remove the dough since it will be a little too sticky for dry hands to work with. Shape into a ball, cover with a damp towel and let sit for about 20 minutes.

Now divide the dough into 8 equal pieces, shape them into smooth balls (I pull the dough towards myself with my palms facing me and my pinkies resting on the counter to do this). Cover the dough again with a damp towel for an hour.

In a large pot filled with water, add in the brown sugar and bring to a boil. Also, prepare a baking pan lined with parchment paper. Feel free to sprinkle corn meal onto the parchment paper at this point or leave it plane. I love the flavour of a cornmeal dusting on the bottom of a bagel, but totally optional!

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

Leave this pot lid off and add in 2 bagels at a time. Gently lift the bagel dough from the counter so as to not deflate or disrupt their shape and place them into the boiling water. Let them sit for 30 seconds and then using a ladle, spoon or spindle, flip them over to boil for another 30 seconds on the other side.

Remove the bagels using a small sieve or a spoon with holes in the bottom to drain extra water. Place onto your baking sheet and sprinkle on any desires toppings such as flakey sea salt or everything bagel seasoning or leave them plain. Repeat to all the bagels.

Bake your bagels for 20-25 minutes, keeping your eyes peeled for that golden brown colour. Let cool about 10 minutes before slicing and eating or store in a bag in the fridge for 10 days. These also freeze well for up to 3 months in a freezer bag.

Enjoy easily by either toasting the bagels, heating them up or just devouring them cool from the fridge.