Double Chocolate Bagels are an offshoot of the Chocolate Yeast Bread recipe I made a few months back. I wasn't sure if turning the yeast bread into bagels would actually work, but it did. The bagels are awesome!
My goal was for the bagels to be sweet and chocolate-y, and the recipe came through. I've made it three times with good results, and am already thinking of variations. For this version I used chocolate chips. Worried they might melt during the boiling process, I buried them in the dough and was relieved to find that wasn't a problem.
That didn't stop me from trying to add more chocolate, so I tried scattering a few chocolate chips and chunks on some hot bagels right out of the oven and letting the chips melt just enough to adhere. Those bagels tasted good, but didn't look as pretty as the plain ones. But as you can see by the first photo, they didn't stay plain for long. I let them cool completely and then drizzling melted chips over the top.
I loved these and can't wait to try making hazelnut, peanut butter and chocolate cherry varieties. If you try the recipe, let me know how it works for you.
More Double Chocolate Bagel Notes & Tips
Since I put this recipe on the front page, here are more tips. I've added gram amounts and put egg white in the ingredient list, though it's optional. Above is a picture of what the dough should look like right before the first rise.
- This recipe has only been tested with a stand mixer and dough hook.
- I have been proofing my yeast in very warm water (120 degrees), but I use yeast straight from the freezer. 120 will get the yeast moving pretty quickly, but 115 is a safe bet too. For a longer slower raise, you can use even cooler water.
- Vanilla and espresso powder are both optional, but they add more flavor.
- The weight of the bread flour is 170 grams for the first 1 ⅓ cups. The reserved ⅓ cup is about 45 grams which you'll add gradually. You may need to add only 30 grams of it. The dough should be very easy to handle after it's been kneaded, so go by the feel of the dough.
- If you get interrupted or can't boil the shaped bagels right away, you can put the shaped dough in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours. Boil and bake the cold dough.
- Brushing with egg white is optional, but it makes the bagels shiny.
- Make the bagels any size. Mine are usually a little over 2 oz.
Recipe
Double Chocolate Bagels
Ingredients
- 2 ounces chopped dark chocolate (56 grams)
- ½ tablespoon butter or vegan butter (7 grams)
- ½ packet quick rising or active dry yeast (1 ⅛ teaspoons)
- ½ cup very warm water (114 grams)
- 1 ⅔ cups bread flour, divided use (170 grams plus 30 to 45 grams)
- 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder Natural or Dutch (10 to 12 grams)
- 2 teaspoons honey (or maple syrup or more molasses for vegan) (7 grams)
- 2 teaspoons molasses (7 grams)
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar (25 grams)
- ½ teaspoon salt plus an extra pinch
- ½ teaspoon instant espresso powder optional
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ cup Ghirardelli bittersweet chocolate chips approximate!
- 1 large egg white, lightly beaten (optional)
Boiling Solution
- 8 cups water
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar (or use a dash of barley malt syrup or some more honey and molasses)
Instructions
- Melt the 2 oz of chocolate with the ½ tablespoon of butter and set aside.
- Proof the yeast (even if it's instant) in the warm water.
- In a stand mixer bowl, combine 1 ⅓ cups of the flour, (reserve ⅓ cup for adding at the end), cocoa powder, honey, molasses, brown sugar, salt, espresso powder. Add yeast/water mixture then add melted chocolate mixture and vanilla. Stir well, then begin adding remaining ⅓ cup of flour a tablespoon or so at a time. The dough should start to stiffen a bit, but it will still be a little sticky.
- Attach the dough hook to the mixer and knead for 8 minutes or until dough is smooth and elastic. It should leave the sides of the bowl as it's being kneaded, but still stick to the bottom. If you can keep it slightly sticky rather than super stiff, the bagels will be a little fluffier.
- Put the dough in a lightly oiled bowl and roll it around so it's slick, then cover and let rise in a warm place for 1 to 1 ½ hours. It won't quite double.
- Empty the dough onto a pastry mat and divide into 6 equal pieces. Working one piece at a time, press flat, put about 7 chocolate chips in the middle, then squish back into a ball and shape into a bagel. Another way to do it is to just roll the dough around the chips, stretch into long ropes and connect the ends to make circles. Make sure the chips are completely enveloped by the dough.
- Set on a greased parchment lined baking sheet. Cover with a greased piece of plastic wrap and let stand while you prepare the bagel water and the oven. This standing period should only be about 30 minutes, not a full hour.
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. In a deep stockpot, bring 8 cups of water to a gentle boil. Add the brown sugar (or use ½ tablespoon each of molasses and honey). Reduce heat to very low boil. Carefully drop in as many bagels as will fit and boil them very gently for about 45 seconds, turning halfway through. Drain with a slotted spoon or spatula and return to the parchment lined baking sheet. Blot dry and brush with beaten egg white if desired.
- Bake the bagels for about 20-22 minutes at 400 degrees F. Allow them to cool completely or serve while warm. If you like, let them cool and then drizzle with melted chocolate.
Anna says
Hi Sonia, Those melting wafers can be tricky. Sometimes they taste great and sometimes they don't depending on the brand and what you are using them in. They would not be my first choice, but on the other hand there's cocoa powder in the bagels so the palm oil flavor of the melting wafers might be muted by the cocoa. It's worth a try if they are the only chocolate you have, otherwise I'd go with 2 oz of real dark chocolate.
Sonia says
So excited to try this recipe! can I use melting wafers for this recipe?
Anna says
Thanks Donna! I'll head over to your blog right now.
Donna @ What the Dog Ate says
Hello, Anna. I made them last week and they are amazing. My only suggestion is to double the recipe!
Anna says
Sue, I like them split, toasted and plain, but I think they'd be great with Nutella or peanut butter.
Sue says
Wow! Chocolate bagels kind of blow my mind. I wish I could make them but I'm booked solid for the next two weeks so it simply isn't going to happen anytime soon.
When you ate them did you toast them or just eat them plain?
Would Nutella over power them?
Gloria says
These look amazing. I have never heard of or seen a chocolate bagel. You are rolling with ambition!
Jen says
If this isn't a Lenny recipe, I don't know what is! I have never made bagels but if I can find the ingredients I am going to try these.
Sonya says
Yum! How cool that they turned out so chocolate-y!!
Rebecca says
Oh, yummy!
Anna says
Hi Donna,
Thanks for the comment and the Pinterest. If and when you get around to trying the recipe, let me know what you think. I really like these and will probably make them again multiple times, so I'll add any updates
Donna @ What the Dog Ate says
Wow! Great idea. I haven't seen that before. I have this on my "summer" pinterest board.