These vegan blueberry bagels are soft, chewy, and bursting with sweet berry flavor in every bite. The dough gets its gorgeous purple hue from real blueberry juice, and a hint of lemon zest makes the whole thing taste bright and springy. I started making these last year when I wanted something special for weekend brunch, and now they’re a family favorite. They’re surprisingly easy to make at home, and you only need a handful of simple ingredients to get that bakery-style chew and flavor.
The best part? You can make a batch on Sunday and have fresh, plant-based breakfast bagels all week long. Try them toasted with a little vegan cream cheese, or grab one plain for a quick snack. If you’re looking for more cozy breakfast ideas, check out this Healthy Taco Bell Breakfast Crunchwrap Recipe or these Delicious Deviled Potatoes Recipe for savory mornings.
Why You’ll Love This Vegan Blueberry Bagels
These vegan blueberry bagels are everything you want in a homemade breakfast treat. They’re soft and chewy with a tender crumb, and the blueberry flavor is sweet but not overwhelming. The lemon zest adds a fresh, bright note that makes them taste like spring.
You don’t need any fancy ingredients or special equipment. Just bread flour, yeast, blueberries, and a little bit of patience while the dough rises. The whole process is straightforward, and even if you’ve never made bagels before, you’ll get beautiful results.
They’re also incredibly versatile. Toast them and spread on some vegan butter or cream cheese for a classic breakfast. Or slice them thin and use them for little snack sandwiches. Kids love them, and they make weekend brunch feel a little more special without all the work.
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Ingredients For Vegan Blueberry Bagels
Here’s everything you’ll need to make these Vegan Blueberry Bagels at home.
See Recipe Card Below This Post For Ingredient Quantities
Blueberry Mixture
- Frozen blueberries : These get cooked down and strained to create the purple juice that flavors the dough. Frozen berries work best because they release more liquid when heated.
- Lemon juice : Brightens the blueberry flavor and adds a little tang.
- Cane sugar : Sweetens the blueberries and helps create the lemon sugar mixture.
- Lemon zest : Rubbed into the sugar to release the oils, this gives the bagels a fresh, citrusy aroma.
Bagel Dough
- Bread flour : Provides the structure and chewiness that makes a bagel a bagel. Bread flour has more protein than all-purpose, which creates that dense, satisfying texture.
- Instant yeast : Helps the dough rise and develop flavor. Instant yeast can be mixed right into the dry ingredients.
- Salt : Balances the sweetness and enhances all the flavors.
- Water : You’ll add this to the blueberry juice to get the right amount of liquid for the dough.
Water Bath & Baking
- Water : For boiling the bagels before baking.
- Light brown sugar : Added to the boiling water, this gives the bagels a slightly sweet crust and helps them develop that golden color.
- Plant-based milk : Brushing the bagels before baking gives them a shiny, bakery-style finish. Use whatever plant milk you have on hand.
How To Make Vegan Blueberry Bagels
Follow these steps to make perfect Vegan Blueberry Bagels from scratch.
Prepare blueberries: Place the frozen blueberries in a microwave-safe dish, cover it, and cook for 1 minute. Use a fork to mash the berries until they release their juices.
Extract juice: Pour the mashed blueberries through a small sieve into a large measuring cup. Add warm water to the blueberry juice until you have 1 ¼ cups of total liquid, then stir in the lemon juice. Set the mashed berries aside for later.
Make lemon sugar: In a small bowl, combine the cane sugar and lemon zest. Rub the mixture between your fingers to release the oils from the zest. You’ll smell that bright citrus right away.
Mix dough: In a large bowl, whisk together the bread flour, lemon sugar, instant yeast, and salt. Stir in the blueberry juice and the reserved mashed berries until a thick, shaggy dough forms.
Knead dough: Knead the dough by hand on a clean surface or use a stand mixer with a dough hook for at least 10 minutes. The dough should become smooth and elastic. If it feels too sticky, add a little more flour. If it’s too dry, add a splash of water. Form the dough into a smooth ball, place it in a greased bowl, cover with a clean towel, and let it rise in a warm spot until it doubles in size, about 45 minutes.
Shape bagels: Punch down the risen dough to release the air. Divide it into 8 equal pieces. Roll each piece into a smooth ball, then poke your finger through the center and gently stretch to form a bagel shape with about a 2-inch hole in the middle. Place the shaped bagels on a parchment-lined baking tray.
Rest and boil: Lightly cover the bagels and let them rest while you bring a large pot of water to a boil. Stir in the brown sugar. Working in batches, carefully drop 3 to 4 bagels into the boiling water and cook for 2 to 3 minutes per side. Remove them with a slotted spoon and drain on the parchment-lined tray.
Bake bagels: Preheat your oven to 425°F (220°C). Brush each boiled bagel with plant-based milk, then bake for 25 minutes until the tops are golden and firm.
Cool and serve: Let the bagels cool on a rack for at least 10 minutes before slicing. They’ll firm up as they cool and be easier to cut.
Substitutions and Variations
No bread flour? You can use all-purpose flour, but the bagels will be a little softer and less chewy. Bread flour really does make a difference here.
Fresh blueberries instead of frozen: Fresh berries work too, but you might need to cook them a bit longer to get enough juice. Frozen berries are easier and more reliable.
Skip the lemon: If you don’t have lemon, you can leave out the zest and juice. The bagels will still taste great, just a little less bright.
Add toppings: Before baking, sprinkle the tops with coarse sugar, poppy seeds, or even a few extra blueberries for a bakery look.
Make them savory: Leave out the lemon sugar and brush the tops with garlic-infused olive oil and sea salt before baking.
Equipment For Vegan Blueberry Bagels
You don’t need anything fancy to make these Vegan Blueberry Bagels beauties. Here’s what I used:
- Microwave-safe dish for cooking the blueberries
- Fork for mashing
- Small sieve to strain the juice
- Measuring cup for the blueberry liquid
- Mixing bowls (one large, one small)
- Stand mixer with dough hook (optional, but makes kneading easier)
- Greased bowl for the dough to rise
- Parchment-lined baking tray for shaping and baking
- Large pot for boiling the bagels
- Oven preheated to 425°F
- Cooling rack for the finished bagels
How to Store Vegan Blueberry Bagels
Let the Vegan Blueberry Bagels cool completely, then store them in an airtight container or zip-top bag at room temperature for up to 3 days. If you want them to last longer, freeze them in a freezer-safe bag for up to 2 months.
To reheat, slice them in half and toast straight from frozen. They’ll taste just as fresh as the day you made them. You can also microwave a whole bagel for about 20 seconds to soften it up.
Serving Suggestions
These Vegan Blueberry Bagels are delicious on their own, but here are a few of my favorite ways to serve them:
Classic style: Slice in half, toast until golden, and spread with vegan cream cheese or almond butter.
Sweet treat: Drizzle with a little maple syrup or spread with berry jam for a quick breakfast.
Savory sandwich: Layer with sliced avocado, tomato, sprouts, and a smear of hummus for a filling lunch.
Brunch spread: Serve alongside fresh fruit, scrambled tofu, and this Healthy Focaccia Bread Recipe for a complete plant-based brunch.
Expert Tips
Use bread flour for the best texture. It has more protein than all-purpose flour, which creates that dense, chewy crumb that makes bagels so satisfying.
Don’t skip the boiling step. This is what gives bagels their signature shiny crust and chewy texture. If you skip it, you’ll end up with bread rolls instead.
Watch the dough consistency. The dough should be stiff but not dry. If it’s too sticky to handle, add a little more flour. If it’s too dry and crumbly, add a splash of water.
Let the dough rise fully. Don’t rush this step. The dough needs time to double in size so the bagels bake up light and fluffy on the inside.
Brush with plant milk before baking. This gives the bagels a beautiful golden color and a slight sheen that looks bakery-perfect.
Cool before slicing. Hot bagels are hard to cut cleanly. Let them cool for at least 10 minutes so you get nice, even slices.
FAQ
What to have on a Vegan Blueberry Bagels?
Try Vegan Blueberry Bagels cream cheese, almond butter, or cashew spread for a classic topping. You can also go sweet with jam, maple syrup, or even a drizzle of melted dark chocolate. For something savory, avocado, hummus, or vegan cheese work beautifully.
When to add blueberries when making bagels?
The Vegan Blueberry Bagels get cooked down and strained to make a juice that goes right into the dough at the mixing stage. The mashed berries are also stirred in with the liquid, so the blueberry flavor is baked into every bite from the start.
How to add blueberry to bagel?
Cook frozen Vegan Blueberry Bagels in the microwave, mash them, and strain to get the juice. Use that juice as part of the liquid in your dough, and fold in the leftover mashed berries too. This gives the bagels both color and flavor without adding extra moisture that might make the dough too sticky.
What is Vegan Blueberry Bagels?
Vegan blueberry bagels are plant-based bagels made without eggs or dairy. They use blueberry juice and mashed berries to flavor and color the dough, and they’re boiled and baked just like traditional bagels. They’re chewy, slightly sweet, and perfect for breakfast or snacking.
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Pairing
These are my favorite dishes to serve with Vegan Blueberry Bagels
Vegan Blueberry Bagels
Soft, chewy, and bursting with fresh Vegan Blueberry Bagels flavor, these vegan bagels are perfect for breakfast or brunch.
Ingredients
Method
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Place the blueberries in a small microwave-safe dish and cover. Microwave for 1 minute until thawed, then mash with a fork to release juices.
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Pour the mashed blueberries into a fine sieve over a measuring cup to collect the juice. Add warm water to reach 1 ¼ cup of liquid total, then stir in lemon juice.
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In a small bowl, combine cane sugar and lemon zest. Rub together with fingers to release the oils.
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In a large mixing bowl, whisk together flour, yeast, salt, and the lemon sugar mixture. Stir in the blueberry juice and mashed berries to form a thick dough.
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Knead the dough by hand or with a stand mixer for 10 minutes until smooth and elastic. Adjust with a tablespoon of flour if sticky or water if too dry.
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Transfer the dough to a lightly greased bowl, cover, and place in a warm spot to rise until doubled in size, about 45 minutes.
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Punch down the risen dough and transfer to a lightly floured surface. Divide into 8 equal pieces and shape each into a smooth ball. poke a hole in the center and gently stretch to form a classic bagel shape.
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Place bagels on a parchment-lined tray and lightly cover. Bring 2 liters of water and brown sugar to a boil in a large pot.
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Boil bagels 3-4 at a time for 2-3 minutes per side. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on a parchment-lined tray.
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Preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C). Brush bagels with plant-based milk, then bake for 25 minutes until golden brown.
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Allow bagels to cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes before serving.
Nutrition
Notes
These bagels are delightfully chewy and lightly sweet, perfect for a cozy morning at home or brunch with friends.
