The Ultimate Recipe for Zesty Bacon Cheddar Bagels with Cream Cheese

Have you ever dreamt of a breakfast that goes beyond the everyday? Something that isn’t just your usual cereal or slice of toast, but a warm, chewy delight bursting with sensational flavour? Picture the aroma of freshly baked bread, smoky bacon, and sharp, molten cheddar cheese filling your home. We’re here to show you that this isn’t just a dream. We will guide you, step-by-step, in crafting the most delectable Zesty Bacon Cheddar Bagels with Cream Cheese you’ve ever had, all from the comfort of your own kitchen.

The idea of making bagels from scratch can seem a little intimidating, but we assure you it is an immensely satisfying and surprisingly straightforward experience. The reward is a batch of beautifully golden, perfectly chewy bagels that are in a different league to their shop-bought counterparts. These are more than just bagels; they are a flavour sensation, ideal for a relaxed weekend breakfast, a standout brunch, or a fulfilling lunch that will make you the envy of everyone.

What Makes These Savory Bagels So Special?

What truly elevates this recipe is the wonderful balance of its components. We aren’t simply creating a plain bagel; we are orchestrating a complete taste experience. It all begins with a classic, chewy bagel dough, which provides the perfect foundation. Into this dough, we incorporate crispy, salty bacon and a generous measure of sharp cheddar. The cheese melts into glorious pockets of gooeyness within the bread, while the bacon offers a fantastic, savoury crunch in every mouthful.

However, the touch that transforms these bagels from merely great to truly unforgettable is a hint of lemon zest. While it may seem unconventional, the bright, citrusy notes elegantly cut through the richness of the cheese and bacon, introducing a fresh layer of flavour that makes them utterly moreish. When served with a simple yet tangy chive and garlic cream cheese, these savory bagels represent a genuine masterpiece of both flavour and texture.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• A Perfect Symphony of Flavours: Salty bacon, sharp cheddar, and an unexpected burst of zest come together to create a bagel that is complex, deeply satisfying, and absolutely delicious.
• Genuinely Chewy Texture: We’ll guide you through the vital boiling stage that gives bagels their characteristic dense, chewy crumb and shiny, crisp exterior. Say goodbye to cakey, bread-like imitations!
• Impressive but Attainable: This recipe simplifies the bagel-making process into manageable steps, making it accessible for bakers of all skill levels. You will be astonished by what you can achieve.
• The Perfect Brunch Food: Transform your weekend brunch from standard to spectacular. These bagels are a guaranteed hit with guests and look stunning as part of any breakfast spread.
• Wonderfully Customisable: Don’t hesitate to swap the cheddar for another favourite cheese, add chopped jalapeños for a spicy kick, or experiment with different herbs in your cream cheese. This is your creation to perfect!

Ingredients

• 500g strong white bread flour, plus extra for dusting
• 7g sachet of fast-action dried yeast
• 1 tbsp caster sugar
• 1 ½ tsp fine sea salt
• 300ml lukewarm water
• 150g smoked streaky bacon, cooked until crisp and crumbled
• 150g mature cheddar cheese, grated
• Zest of 1 lemon
• 1 tbsp honey or barley malt syrup (for the water bath)
• 1 large egg, beaten (for the egg wash)
• 200g full-fat cream cheese, softened
• 2 tbsp fresh chives, finely chopped
• ½ tsp garlic powder
• A pinch of black pepper

To embark on your bagel-making journey, you will need a selection of key ingredients. We have organised them into what’s required for the bagels and for the wonderful cream cheese schmear to go with them.

• For the Bagels:
• 500g strong white bread flour, plus extra for dusting
• 7g sachet of fast-action dried yeast
• 1 tbsp caster sugar
• 1 ½ tsp fine sea salt
• 300ml lukewarm water
• 150g smoked streaky bacon, cooked until crisp and crumbled
• 150g mature cheddar cheese, grated
• Zest of 1 lemon
• 1 tbsp honey or barley malt syrup (for the water bath)
• 1 large egg, beaten (for the egg wash)
• For the Chive & Garlic Cream Cheese:
• 200g full-fat cream cheese, softened
• 2 tbsp fresh chives, finely chopped
• ½ tsp garlic powder
• A pinch of black pepper

Step-by-Step Instructions: Crafting Your Zesty Bacon Cheddar Bagels

Are you ready to bake? It’s time to get your hands in the dough. Follow these instructions with care, and your reward will be the finest homemade bagels you can imagine.

1. Step 1: Prepare the Flavour Fillings

   Before we begin the dough, let’s prepare our delicious fillings. Cook the streaky bacon in a frying pan over a medium heat until it achieves a perfect crispness. Move it to a plate lined with kitchen roll to absorb any extra fat. Once cool, crumble it into fine pieces. Grate your mature cheddar and have it ready alongside the bacon and lemon zest.

2. Step 2: Activate the Yeast and Make the Dough

   In a small bowl, mix the lukewarm water, caster sugar, and yeast. Stir gently and leave it to stand for 5–10 minutes, until a foam develops on the surface. This “blooming” action confirms your yeast is active and prepared to work. In a large bowl (or the bowl of a stand mixer), whisk the bread flour and salt together. Add the frothy yeast mixture and mix until a rough dough comes together. Now, incorporate the crumbled bacon, around two-thirds of the grated cheddar, and the lemon zest. Knead for 10 minutes by hand on a lightly floured surface, or for 7–8 minutes using a dough hook attachment, until the dough is smooth and supple.

3. Step 3: The First Rise (Bulk Fermentation)

   Lightly grease a clean bowl and put the kneaded dough inside. Turn it over to coat it with a thin layer of oil, which stops a skin from forming. Cover the bowl with a clean tea towel or cling film and set it in a warm, draught-free location for approximately 1–1.5 hours, or until it has doubled in volume.

4. Step 4: Shaping Your Homemade Breakfast Bagels

   Gently press the air from the risen dough and turn it out onto a clean work surface. Divide it into 8 equal portions (using kitchen scales is useful here for consistency). Roll each portion into a smooth, taut ball. To form the bagel shape, push your thumb through the middle of a dough ball and carefully stretch the opening until it’s about 3–4 cm wide. The hole will shrink as it boils and bakes, so don’t be afraid to make it generous! Arrange the shaped bagels on a baking tray lined with baking parchment, cover them loosely, and let them rest for a further 15-20 minutes.

5. Step 5: The Crucial Boiling Step

   As the bagels rest, preheat your oven to 220°C (200°C Fan/Gas Mark 7). Bring a large, wide pan of water to a rolling boil and add the honey or barley malt syrup. This step is key to achieving the bagel’s classic colour and subtly sweet crust. Carefully lower 2–3 bagels at a time into the boiling water—be sure not to overcrowd the pan. Boil for 1 minute per side. With a slotted spoon, remove them from the water, let any excess drip away, and return them to the parchment-lined tray.

6. Step 6: Baking to Golden Perfection

   Brush the tops of the boiled bagels with the beaten egg wash, which will give them a lovely, glossy sheen. Sprinkle the remaining grated cheddar over each bagel. Bake for 15–20 minutes, until they are a rich golden brown and sound hollow when you tap their bases. Transfer the finished bagels to a wire rack to cool down completely. Resisting the urge to eat one straight away is the most challenging part!

Assembling Your Zesty Bacon Cheddar Bagels with Cream Cheese

Once your magnificent bagels have cooled, it’s time for the final, delicious stage. While they were in the oven, you can prepare the cream cheese spread. Just combine the softened cream cheese, finely chopped chives, garlic powder, and a pinch of black pepper in a small bowl, stirring until everything is smoothly incorporated.

Slice a warm (but not hot) bagel in half. You will be met with a steamy interior dotted with melted cheese and savoury bacon. Be generous with the chive and garlic cream cheese, spreading it across both halves. You can savour it as is, or elevate it further with a fried egg, some sliced avocado, or fresh rocket for a truly spectacular sandwich. This is so much more than just bread; it’s the beginning of an amazing meal.

Top Tips for Perfect Cheesy Bacon Bread Bagels

We want your bagel-making to be a complete triumph. Bear these tips in mind for guaranteed success:

• Use Bread Flour: Bread flour contains more protein than plain flour, which is vital for developing the gluten structure that gives bagels their distinctive chew. It makes a significant difference to the end result of this cheesy bacon bread.
• Don’t Skip the Boil: Boiling is what distinguishes a bagel from an ordinary bread roll. This process gelatinises the starches on the surface, which prevents the bagel from rising too much in the oven and helps create that dense, chewy texture we adore.
• Check Your Yeast: Make sure your yeast is fresh and active. If your yeast mixture doesn’t become foamy in Step 2, it has likely expired, and your dough will fail to rise. For more on this topic, the King Arthur Baking guide on yeast is a superb resource.
• Patience is Key: Let the bagels cool for at least 20 minutes before you slice them. Cutting into them when they are still piping hot can lead to a gummy texture, as the internal steam needs time to settle. The satisfaction of baking your own bread is a unique pleasure, much like taking a perfect loaf of our Banana Bread Recipe out of the oven.

FAQ

A Breakfast Worth Waking Up For

So there you have it—everything you need to craft a truly phenomenal batch of homemade breakfast bagels. The process of transforming simple flour and water into a warm, chewy, flavour-laden bagel is immensely satisfying. Taking that first bite of a bagel made by your own hands, with its crisp crust, cheesy crumb, and zesty cream cheese, is a moment of pure culinary delight. Making your own Zesty Bacon Cheddar Bagels with Cream Cheese is a delightful kitchen adventure that will fill your home with warmth and fantastic smells.

We truly hope you enjoy this recipe as much as we do. If you appreciate the tangy creaminess here, you might also like our Cream Cheese Pasta Sauce for a speedy weeknight meal. Why not give these bagels a go this weekend? You won’t be disappointed! We would be delighted to see your results, so please leave a comment below to tell us how you got on, or tag us in your photos on social media.

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Prep: 35 mins
Cook: 20 mins
Additional time: 1 hr 30 mins (rising)
Yield: 8 bagels

Ingredients

• 500g strong white bread flour, plus extra for dusting
• 7g sachet of fast-action dried yeast
• 1 tbsp caster sugar
• 1 ½ tsp fine sea salt
• 300ml lukewarm water
• 150g smoked streaky bacon, cooked until crisp and crumbled
• 150g mature cheddar cheese, grated
• Zest of 1 lemon
• 1 tbsp honey or barley malt syrup (for the water bath)
• 1 large egg, beaten (for the egg wash)
• 200g full-fat cream cheese, softened
• 2 tbsp fresh chives, finely chopped
• ½ tsp garlic powder
• A pinch of black pepper

Instructions

1. Prepare Dough: Cook and crumble bacon. Activate yeast in lukewarm water with sugar. In a large bowl, mix flour and salt. Add yeast mixture, then knead in the crumbled bacon, two-thirds of the cheddar, and the lemon zest for 8-10 minutes until smooth and elastic.
2. First Rise: Place the dough in a lightly greased bowl, cover, and let it rise in a warm, draught-free place for 1-1.5 hours, or until it has doubled in size.
3. Shape & Rest: Gently deflate the dough and divide it into 8 equal portions. Roll each into a ball, then poke a thumb through the center and stretch to form a bagel shape (about 3-4 cm wide). Place on a parchment-lined tray and let rest for 15-20 minutes.
4. Boil & Top: Preheat oven to 220°C (200°C Fan). Bring a large pot of water with honey to a boil. Carefully boil the bagels for 1 minute on each side. Remove with a slotted spoon and return to the baking tray.
5. Bake: Brush the boiled bagels with beaten egg wash and sprinkle with the remaining grated cheddar. Bake for 15-20 minutes until deep golden brown. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
6. Make Cream Cheese & Serve: While the bagels cool, mix the softened cream cheese, chopped chives, garlic powder, and a pinch of black pepper until well combined. Serve bagels sliced with a generous spread of the cream cheese.