Bagel Batch Calculator
Scale flour, water, yeast, salt, and malt syrup for 6 to 48 bagels.
Returns ingredient amounts with boiling ratios and oven temperature for New York style.
Bagels are an odd bread. The dough is very low hydration, 52 to 58%, it gets boiled before it is baked, and it wants high-gluten flour for the chew. Scaling a batch means working in baker’s percentages, where every ingredient is a percentage of the flour weight.
Baker’s Percentage Formula (Bagel Dough)
| Ingredient | Baker’s % | Role |
|---|---|---|
| Bread flour (high-gluten) | 100% | Base, use at least 12% protein flour |
| Water | 52 to 58% | Low hydration creates the dense, chewy texture |
| Malt syrup (barley malt) | 2.5% | Feeds the yeast, gives the glossy crust |
| Salt | 2% | Flavor and gluten strength |
| Instant yeast | 1% | Leavening, and less of it means a longer rise and more flavor |
| Oil or butter | 1.5% | Softens the crumb slightly |
Those are the figures the calculator uses, and the dropdown offers the three ends of the hydration range: 52% for extra chew, 55% as the classic, 58% for something softer. That range agrees with the baker’s percentage calculator, which lists bagels at 52 to 58% and is the lowest-hydration bread on its whole list.
Dough Weight per Bagel
| Size | Dough Weight | Finished Weight | Diameter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mini | 60 to 70 g | 50 to 60 g | 7 cm (3 in) |
| Standard | 110 to 120 g | 95 to 105 g | 10 cm (4 in) |
| Large | 140 to 160 g | 120 to 140 g | 12 cm (5 in) |
| New York style | 170 to 200 g | 145 to 170 g | 14 cm (5.5 in) |
A bagel loses about 14% of its weight in the oven, which is where the finished column comes from.
Worked Example
12 standard bagels at 115 g each:
Total dough = 12 × 115 = 1,380 g
Using baker’s percentages at 55% hydration:
- Total percentage = 100 + 55 + 2.5 + 2 + 1 + 1.5 = 162%
- Flour = 1380 ÷ 1.62 = 851.9 g, call it 852 g
- Water = 852 × 0.55 = 468.6 g, so 469 g
- Malt syrup = 852 × 0.025 = 21.3 g, so 21 g
- Salt = 852 × 0.02 = 17.0 g
- Instant yeast = 852 × 0.01 = 8.5 g
- Oil = 852 × 0.015 = 12.8 g, so 13 g
Boiling Water Additions
The boiling water needs malt syrup (or honey), and baking soda if you want a darker crust:
- Malt syrup: 1 tablespoon (20 g) per liter of water
- Baking soda: half a teaspoon per liter, for a darker and chewier skin
Use about 3 to 4 liters of boiling water for a batch of 12 bagels, and boil each one for 30 to 60 seconds per side. Longer boiling means a thicker, chewier skin and slightly less oven spring.
Cold Retard Method
For the best flavor, shape the bagels in the evening and refrigerate them overnight, 8 to 16 hours. The cold slows the yeast right down while enzyme activity keeps building flavor. In the morning, boil and bake them straight out of the fridge. There is no need to bring them up to room temperature first, and a cold bagel actually holds its shape better in the boil.
Baking
Bake at 220 to 230°C (425 to 450°F) for 15 to 20 minutes, flipping halfway if you are not using parchment. They are done when the internal temperature hits 95°C (203°F) and the crust is deep golden brown.
How we build and check this calculator
This calculator runs entirely in your browser, so the numbers you enter stay on your device. The math behind it is written by hand and tested against worked examples and standard references before the page goes live.
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