Bagels with Lox and Cream Cheese
A chewy, boiled-then-baked bagel piled with cold-smoked salmon, cream cheese, capers and red onion — New York's iconic Sunday brunch.
- Prep
- 20 min
- Cook
- 25 min
- Total
- 45 min
- Servings
- 6
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Calories
- 380 kcal
Equipment
- •Large pot for boiling
- •Baking sheet
Nutrition
Per serving, approximate
- Calories
- 380 kcal
- fat
- 13
- carbs
- 46
- protein
- 20
- calories
- 380
Instructions
- 1
Stir the yeast and sugar into warm water. Let it sit for 5 minutes until foamy.
- 2
Mix in the flour and salt to make a stiff dough. Knead for 10 minutes until smooth and stretchy.
- 3
Cover and let rise for 1 hour until doubled. Divide into 6 pieces and shape each into a ring with a center hole.
- 4
Let the shaped bagels rest for 20 minutes. Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water and malt syrup to a boil on the stovetop.
- 5
Boil each bagel for 1 minute per side. Move them to a sheet pan lined with parchment paper.
- 6
Sprinkle with everything seasoning while wet. Bake at 425°F (220°C) for 20–25 minutes until deep golden brown.
- 7
Let the bagels cool slightly. Slice them open and spread generously with cream cheese.
- 8
Layer the lox (cured salmon), red onion, capers, tomato, and dill on top before serving.
Chef's tips
Boil the bagels for exactly 1 minute per side. This step gives them their classic chewy crust instead of a soft roll texture.
Storage
Store fresh bagels in a paper bag at room temperature for a day, or freeze for up to a month; keep lox refrigerated and use within 5 days of opening.
Reheating
Toast day-old bagels briefly before assembling; lox should always be served cold, never heated.
Common mistakes to avoid
- •Skipping the boiling step, which makes soft bread instead of a chewy bagel.
- •Adding too much cream cheese so the toppings slide right off.
- •Using flaky hot-smoked salmon instead of silky cold-smoked lox, which changes the texture completely.
Serving suggestions
Cooked Bagels with Lox and Cream Cheese?
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