Cinnamon Raisin Bagels!

Do you still have the "pot boiling" from last week's pretzel bites?! Well, maybe not, but you'll still need the big pot with water in it again this week, as I've got a delicious bagel recipe for you! 

As you well know, I LOVE to make bagels and pretzels. I'm not sure what drives that passion, but it's in me and I feed it! Maybe it's the thought that I can make something that's just as beautiful and just as tasty (with no preservatives, additives, etc.!) as the bagels I find at high-end bakeries. And I can make 12 for the price of one of their bagels! Win....win.....win! And one more "win" - with an EZ DOH bread maker, it doesn't make a mess or take up too much of my time. 

I hope you'll enjoy warming up your kitchen on a cold winter morning by making these bagels. You will be glad you did! Hey, and if you DO make them, send me a pic! I'd love to post it on my Facebook page! 

CINNAMON RAISIN BAGELS!

For Dough: 

1 ½ Cups warm water for dough (some additional boiling water will be needed to plump raisins)  

1 Tbsp/packet Red Star Platinum yeast

1 Cup dark raisins

4 tsp. cinnamon

¼ Cup light brown sugar

2 Tbsp. honey

1 Tbsp. vegetable oil

1 Tbsp. kosher salt

1 ¼ Cup white whole wheat flour

3 -3 ½ Cups unbleached bread flour

For brushing bagels:

1 large egg white, beaten lightly

For boiling:

6 quarts water

2 Tbsp. brown sugar

Place raisins in a small bowl and cover with boiling water. Let stand 5+ minutes. Drain and blot raisins with a paper towel.

Place warm water and yeast in EZ DOH bucket and stir to dissolve yeast. Let rest 1 minute. Add one cup of flour, then additional dough ingredients. EZ DOH-it for 2-3 minutes, or until dough is smooth and soft and all ingredients are incorporated, adding more flour as necessary.  Remove dough from bucket, spray bucket with cooking spray, “smooth” dough and replace in bucket. Cover and let rise until doubled.

Prepare a baking tray by lining it with parchment and spritzing lightly with cooking spray. Divide the dough into 12 equal parts, forming each one into a ball by cupping your hand over the dough and rolling it on your kitchen surface. Make a hole in the center of each ball and tug on it gently to make a quarter-sized opening. Place the bagels on prepared tray and let rise 30 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 425. Bring  water to a boil and stir in 2 Tbsp. brown sugar. Boil a few bagels at a time, 45 seconds on each side. Remove from water and drain briefly on a paper towel. Return the bagels to the baking sheet. Bake at 425 for 17-20 minutes. Enjoy! 

Cinnamon Raisin Bagels!