Bagels are Like Donuts, But Bread

Believe it or not, I don’t think I “enjoyed” my first bagel until I was in college. I put enjoyed in parentheses, because I don’t really remember eating a bagel prior to college. I remember that it was a Big Apple Bagel, and I’m pretty sure at that time I disliked cream cheese.

Oh how times have changed.

I LOVE bagels, and I definitely enjoy a good helping of cream cheese. I also know my weakness for them.  Thus, I don’t buy them often because I know I’ll eat the whole bag in a week.

My husband will tell you that I don’t so much like bagels, but bread in the shape of the circle. I want my bagels soft and tender, not hard and chewy. His statement gave me a brilliant idea. Bagels are round with a hole in a center. Doughnuts are round with a hole in the center. Bread dough can be piped. Are you following my logic?

How to Make Gluten Free Bagels With A Gluten Free Bread Mix

Lucky for me, I recently received a Pamela’s Gluten-Free Bread Mix in my American Gluten-Free box. (This company no longer exists.) So, on an inspired weekday, I broke our my bread machine and my donut pan, and got to work on a batch of easy gluten-free bagels.

Making anything with yeast is my absolute nemesis. Therefore, I use my bread machine to prepare and proof the dough. It creates the optimal environment.

Once the dough for these easy gluten-free bagels has fully proofed, I dump the dough into a gallon Ziploc bag. From there it’s a simple snip of a corner and it becomes a make shift pastry bag!

Finally, pipe the dough into lightly oiled Wilton donut pans, lightly brush with egg whites, and sprinkle with a bit of salt. You could season it with anything you like, I suppose. If you’re lucky enough to live near a Trader Joe’s, you could use their Everything But The Bagel Sesame Seasoning Blend.

How Many Gluten Free Bagels Will This Make?

From there it’s a simple bake in the oven. These easy gluten-free bagels bake much faster than a loaf of bread. I baked mine approximately 15 minutes, similar to a muffin. Because ovens are different, I suggest checking it after 10 minutes. Once they come out of the oven, you can enjoy them immediately!

This mix made twelve of these easy gluten-free bagels. After I enjoyed one (or two), I sliced the bagels and placed them in a new, clean Ziploc bag and stuck them in a freezer. Now I have bagels for my husband and I anytime we want!

Can I Use A Different Gluten Free Bread Mix?

This can be done with any bread mix, as far as I can tell. I also made them with Bob’s Red Mill Gluten-Free Homemade Wonderful Bread Mix. However, I preferred the texture of the Pamela’s Bread mix for this purpose.

Other Uses for Your Donut Pans

These easy gluten-free bagels are a great alternative use for a donut pan. Want some other creative ideas for a donut pan? Stop over at Tiffanie Turner’s site, Corner Blog, for 60 Donut Pan Ideas! For example, make bird feeders, ice rings for punch and even giant candy necklaces!

Of course, you can use my favorite Wilton donut pans to make donuts in them as well. Check out my recipes for Gluten-Free Pumpkin Donuts, or visit In Johnna’s Kitchen for 52 Gluten Free Donut Recipes. 

What’s your favorite thing to make in a donut pan? Donuts? Bagels? Something else entirely? Leave me a note below, because I may just want to try it!

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Originally Published January 2018

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Mix It Up

I originally tried the Hodgson Mill’s Gluten Free Bread Mix back in 2013. If I failed to mention before, I love to scour clearance shelves for deals. The first time I tried this mix, I snagged a box for less than $1.50! For that price, I’ll try anything once. It turned out ok, buy my pictures left much to be desired. Therefore, I chose to make it again, update the pictures, and talk a bit about bread machines.

The Hodgson Mill’s Gluten Free Bread Mix offers two methods for baking. One option is in the oven, the other is in a bread machine. However, they specifically state to only use on a bread machine with a gluten free setting. My mother-in-law gave me a Breadman TR520 over 10 years ago that does not have this setting. Therefore, I use the “Basic” setting on my machine. The bread tastes good, but is a bit dense.

Bread Machines and Gluten Free Settings

When it comes to gluten free bread, Jules Shepard is my go to resource. She writes a gluten free blog, and owns the business GF Jules. (I love her cookie mix and her pizza crust mix!) Her tips on baking gluten free bread in a breadmaker are the best, in my opinion. In that article, she recommends a variety of bread machines, all with gluten free settings, with a range of prices.

In her T Fal Gluten Free Bread Machine review, she shares how this machine compares with the more expensive Zojirushi. She states it performs very well, at a fraction of the price. She also offers a tip for those own a Cuisinart gluten free bread maker. I recently saw people mention in a Facebook group that their loaves always come out underdone in that machines. Jules recommends the following. “I preheat my oven to 350°F and place the bread pan from the bread maker into the oven to bake approximately 10 more minutes at the end of the bread maker cycle.“

No Gluten Free Setting?

As mentioned, I could easily make this Hodgson Mill’s Gluten Free Bread Mix in the oven. Since making this the first time, I perfected getting yeast based breads to rise. However, Jules Shepard also shared on her blog how to program a bread machine for gluten free baking. Her recommendations are as follows. Set the machine for a “20 minute mix cycle, followed by a 1 hour rise cycle, and finally set it to cook for a 1 hour bake cycle.” The trick is to getting the machine to NOT allow a second punch down. Since the dough lacks gluten, it doesn’t need it nor does well with the second punch down.

I also highly suggest this article from Gluten Free and More magazine, written by Beth Hillson. In “A Lofty Loaf: How to Make Gluten-Free Bread,” Beth also shares tips on buying a gluten free bread machine. For example, she states that bread machines that make a horizontal loaf work better than those that make vertical loaves. If possible, buy a machine that has two paddles. Also, her programmable cycle varies slightly from Jules. She suggests programming the machine for the following cycles.”Warm 10 minutes; knead 15 minutes; rise 40 minutes; bake 55 to 60 minutes. Always set on Medium Crust.

The Verdict?

The bread from the Hodgson Mill’s Gluten Free bread mix tasted good. I found if I wanted to make toast, I had to toast it a second time. I’d love to try it again in a machine with a gluten free setting. This year I will at attend the Housewares show in Chicago for the first time. I hope to meet Zojirushi and see one of their bread machines in action! I also recommend the other gluten free baking mixes below.  Pamela’s Products gluten free bread mix also makes amazing bagels!

**This post is NOT sponsored by Hodgson Mill, nor any other brand mentioned here. This post does however include Amazon Affiliate Links. Purchases made through those links provide me a small commission. However, this does not influence the cost of your purchases. Thank you for helping to support this website!**

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