Montréal bagels are smaller and denser than many familiar bagels, with a compact chew and a delicate golden crust. The city’s Jewish food tradition is associated with hand-shaped rings simmered in honey water and baked in a wood-fired oven. This home version uses a preheated baking stone; it does not claim a bakery’s exact formula or a single inventor.
Montréal bagels are smaller and denser than many familiar bagels, with a compact chew and a delicate golden crust. The city’s Jewish food tradition is associated with hand-shaped rings simmered in honey water and baked in a wood-fired oven. This home version uses a preheated baking stone; it does not claim a bakery’s exact formula or a single inventor.
Step 1Stir the lukewarm water, maple syrup and yeast together. Add the flour and salt. Mix to a stiff dough, then knead by hand for 10–12 minutes or with a dough hook for about 8 minutes, until smooth and elastic. Cover the bowl.
Step 2Leave the covered dough at room temperature for about 90 minutes, until nearly doubled. It should feel puffy but still spring back when pressed gently.
Step 3Set a baking stone on the middle rack and heat the oven to 245°C. Line a rimmed sheet with high-heat parchment and trim it flush so no edge overhangs. Divide the dough into 8 equal pieces. Roll each into a 20–23 cm rope, wrap it around your fingers, overlap the ends by about 3 cm and roll the seam against the counter to seal. Keep the centre hole about 4 cm wide.
Step 4Bring the water and honey to a boil in a wide pot, then reduce to a steady simmer. Cook 2 or 3 bagels at a time for 1 minute per side. Lift with a slotted spoon, drain briefly and coat both sides in seeds while damp. Arrange on the prepared parchment with space between them.
Step 5Slide the parchment and bagels onto the hot stone. Bake for 20–23 minutes, rotating once, until evenly deep golden. Watch the parchment closely at this high temperature; keep it trimmed and away from oven elements. Transfer to a rack and cool at least 15 minutes.
Serve warm or toasted, plain or with butter or cream cheese. A Montréal deli-style breakfast may pair one with coffee.
Cool fully. Keep in a paper bag at room temperature for up to 1 day, or slice and freeze airtight for up to 2 months. Discard if mould appears.
Toast sliced bagels from room temperature or frozen until hot and crisp. Avoid microwaving for long, which makes the crumb tough.
Rounded estimate per bagel, including about one eighth of the seed coating; not laboratory-tested. Seed type and how many seeds cling to each bagel change the values.
Contains wheat and gluten; sesame if sesame seeds are used. Poppy seeds are an alternative, but check labels for cross-contact. Wash hands and equipment, and use oven mitts around the hot stone and honey water.
The brief simmer sets the outside and adds the mild sweetness associated with Montréal-style bagels.
A preheated heavy baking sheet can work, though the bottom crust may be less like a bakery bagel. Follow the manufacturer’s limits for all bakeware and parchment.
