French Toast Bagels

These French toast bagels bring together the best of classic French toast and chewy, homemade bagels for a delicious breakfast. Infused with cinnamon and maple syrup, stuffed with maple cream cheese then topped with a sweet, buttery sugar coating, they’re perfect for autumn mornings. Enjoy them toasted with your favorite spreads or on their own for a flavorful start to the day!

Stuffed French Toast Bagels

It’s been a while since my last Japanese-style bagel recipe—I’ve been busy planning pop-ups in my area. Now that it’s fall, the season of baking with cozy autumn flavors, I’m excited to share a new stuffed bagel recipe each week. While making bagels for pop-ups has felt repetitive (and was burnt out rolling over 400 bagels per event), I want to share these recipes with those who can’t attend. Instead of a polished video, I’ll keep it casual, like weekend baking with taste tests from Eric (OG readers will remember! 🤣). First up, French toast bagels stuffed with maple cream cheese, topped with a crunchy cinnamon buttery maple sugar. I’ve also made an apple pie cream cheese with smoked salted caramel, reminiscent of pancakes with maple syrup and bacon—a classic weekend breakfast that brings an instant wave of nostalgia. Perfect for cozy fall mornings!

Ingredients for French Toast Bagels

Here’s everything you’ll need for these french toast bagels:

• Egg Yolks: Add richness and a soft texture to the dough while enhancing the french toasty flavor.
• Maple Syrup: Provides a subtle sweetness and infuses the dough with warm, maple undertones.
• Instant Dry Yeast: Helps the dough rise, giving it the perfect light and chewy texture.
• Bread Flour: The foundation of the dough, ensuring a sturdy yet soft bagel.
• Salt: Balances the sweetness and enhances the flavors in the dough.
• Cinnamon: Adds a warm, fragrant spice that complements the sweet flavors.
• Vanilla Extract: Brings depth and sweetness to the overall flavor.

For the topping, you’ll need an egg for an egg wash which gives the bagels a shiny, golden crust while helping the sugar topping adhere and a combination of demerara sugar, brown sugar, maple sugar, maple syrup and butter for that crunchy topping.

How to Make Stuffed French Toast Bagels

Bagels are really easy to make and bagel dough is easy to work because it’s not a highly hydrated dough, so it’s perfect for stuffing with cream cheese or other fillings. Here’s a rundown of how to make these french toast stuffed bagels:

1. Mix the Dough: Combine water, egg yolks, maple syrup, yeast, flour, and salt. Knead until smooth. Mix cinnamon, vanilla, and water to form a dry paste, then gently fold it into the dough in 3-4 portions. Cover and proof overnight in the fridge, or for 1-2 hours at room temperature, until double in size.
2. Shape the Bagels: Divide the dough into 6 pieces, shape into logs, and rest for 15 minutes. Form bagels by rolling and pinching the ends together. Let them proof for 30-60 minutes until they look and feel puffed up.
3. Boil and Bake: Boil the bagels for 15-20 seconds per side in sweetened water. Brush with egg wash and sprinkle a cinnamon-sugar topping. Bake at 425°F (220°C) for 20-22 minutes until golden brown.

How to Store Bagels

To store French toast bagels, let them cool completely, then place them in an airtight container or bag. They can be kept at room temperature for up to 1 day if filled or 2 days if unfilled. For longer storage, freeze the bagels for up to 3 months.

To reheat, slice the bagels and toast them until warm and crispy, or warm them in the oven at 350°F (175°C) for 5-10 minutes. Typically for frozen bagel you can heat them straight out of the freezer but because these are covered on sugar let them thaw at room temperature before reheating.

Recipe FAQ

More Stuffed Bagels to Bake

• Carrot Cake Bagels

Enjoy!! If you make this French Toast Bagels recipe, let me know! Leave a comment, rating and if you decide to share it on socials, tag me on instagram @Okonomikitchen. I’d love to hear from you!

French Toast Bagels

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5 from 2 reviews

• Author: Lisa Kitahara
• Total Time: 24 hours 22 minutes
• Yield: 6 servings
• Diet: Vegetarian

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Description

These French toast bagels bring together the best of classic French toast and chewy, homemade bagels for a delicious breakfast. Infused with cinnamon and maple syrup, stuffed with maple cream cheese then topped with a sweet, buttery sugar coating, they’re perfect for autumn mornings.

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Ingredients

Units USM

French Toast Bagel Dough

• 3/4 cup + 3 tbsp (210 ml) water
• 2 large (40 g) egg yolks
• 2 tbsp (40 ml) maple syrup
• 3/4 tsp (3.5 g) instant dry yeast
• 3 cups (420 g) bread flour
• 1 2/3 tsp (8.4 g) salt
• 2 tsp (9 g) cinnamon
• 1 tsp (5 g) vanilla extract
• 2 tsp (10 g) water

Topping

• 1 egg, for egg wash
• 1/4 cup demerara sugar
• 2 tbsp brown sugar
• 2 tbsp maple sugar (or more brown sugar)
• 1 1/2 tbsp maple syrup
• 1 tbsp butter
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon

Maple Cream Cheese*

• 1/2 block (112 g) cream cheese, room temperature
• 3 tbsp (30 g) white chocolate, melted
• 2–3 tbsp (24–36 g) maple sugar, to taste

Apple Pie Cream Cheese

• 1 cup (224 g) cream cheese
• 6 tbsp (90 g) apple pie filling**
• 3–4 tbsp salted caramel sauce (smoked caramel, miso caramel, soy sauce caramel, gochujang caramel)

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Instructions

1. Make the Dough: In a large mixing bowl, combine the water, egg yolks, maple syrup, yeast, bread flour, and salt. Be sure the yeast and salt does not come in direct contact. Mix and knead until the dough becomes smooth and elastic (about 8-10 minutes). If using a bread machine or stand mix, please follow the steps in my Japanese-style bagel recipe.
2. Hydrate cinnamon: In a small bowl, mix the cinnamon, vanilla extract and water to form a thick paste (it may be crumbly, thats okay. We just want it hydrated.) Gently fold this cinnamon paste into the dough. Do not directly add the cinnamon into the dough or knead it in completely as it has a yeast-inhibiting effect.
3. First Proof: Cover the dough and refrigerate overnight (at least 8 hours) for a slow rise. If baking on the same day, let the dough rise at room temperature for 1-2 hours until it doubles in size.
4. Divide dough: If the dough was refrigerated, remove it and let it come to room temperature for about 1 hour, or until it reaches around 17°C (63°F). Divide the dough into 6 equal portions and shape each piece into a short log. Let them rest, covered, for 15 minutes.
5. Shape the bagels: Roll the dough out into a 14 x 20 cm rectangle. Add filling to the upper section if adding (about 30 grams). Starting at the top edge, fold it over the filling to cover it. Press down to seal tightly. Continue rolling the dough downward, sealing each roll, and pinch the seam firmly at the bottom to ensure no filling escapes. After rolling, flatten the right side of the log slightly. Bring the other end over to form a circle and pinch the ends together tightly to seal the bagel.
6. Second proof: Place each shaped bagel onto a piece of parchment paper and keep them covered. Proof for 30-60 minutes, or until they feel puffy and spring back slowly when poked.
7. Boil Bagels: Preheat your oven to 425°F (220°C). Bring a pot of water to a boil and add 1 heaping spoonful of malt syrup, molasses, honey or sugar (you can also add 1 tsp baking soda if using honey or sugar for more browning). Boil each bagel for 15-20 seconds on each side, then transfer them to a parchment-lined baking sheet.
8. Topping: In a small bowl, mix together the demerara sugar, brown sugar, maple syrup, melted butter, and cinnamon. Brush the boiled bagels with the egg wash and generously sprinkle them with the cinnamon sugar mixture.
9. Bake: Bake for 20-24 minutes until they’re golden brown and the sugar is well caramelized. Let them cool slightly before serving.

Maple Cream Cheese

1. Mix room temperature cream cheese with melted white chocolate and maple sugar to taste. 

Apple Pie Cream Cheese:

1. Combine cream cheese with apple pie filling and salted caramel sauce.

Notes

• *If you don’t have maple sugar, you can substitute this filling for 1/2 bloc cream cheese + 1 tbsp maple syrup. I do recommend adding a bit of maple extract as the maple syrup flavour won’t be that strong.
• For a quick apple pie filling: add 2 small peepled and diced apples into a microwave safe bowl along with 3 tbsp (36 g) brown sugar, 2 tsp butter, 2 tbsp water, 1 tsp corn starch, 1/2 tsp cinnamon and a pinch of nutmeg. Mix it all together and cover. Microwave for 3 minutes on high. Mix and then microwave it loosely covered for another 2-3 minutes until apples are softened and thickened. 

• Prep Time: 24 hours
• Cook Time: 22 minutes
• Category: bagels, Bread
• Method: Baking
• Cuisine: American

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