Homemade Bagels with Pumpkin Cream Cheese

Bagels are one of my favorite breakfast foods! Unfortunately where we live now there are no bagels places anywhere close, we would have to drive at least 20 minutes just for a bagel! So I decided to try my hand at making homemade bagels. Then I found this recipe for Pumpkin cream cheese that sounds absolutely amazing that I just had to made BOTH as soon as possible. I made the bagels with white whole wheat flour (slightly more healthy) and didn't use the full amount of flour. They are best toasted.

Homemade Bagels

• 4 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 packages active dry yeast
• 1 1/2 cups warm water (110 degrees F/45 degrees C)
• 3 tablespoons white sugar
• 1 tablespoon salt
• 1 tablespoon white sugar

Directions:

In large bowl, combine 1-1/2 cups flour and yeast. Mix water, 3 tablespoons sugar and salt together, and add to the dry ingredients. Beat with a mixer for half a minute at a low speed, scraping the sides of the bowl clean. Beat at a higher speed for 3 minutes. Then, by hand, mix in enough flour to make a moderately stiff dough. Turn out onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic (8-10 minutes). Cover, let rest for 15 minutes.

Don't worry they get bigger once boiled!

Cut into 12 portions, shape into smooth balls. Poke a hole in the center with your finger, and gently enlarge the hole while working the bagel into a uniform shape. Cover, let rise 20 minutes. Meanwhile, start a gallon of water boiling.

Dough will sink the bottom once in water, made sure to move them so they don't stick to the pan. They will rise to the top within a few seconds.

Put 1 tablespoon of sugar in it, mix it around a bit. Reduce to simmering. When the bagels are ready, put about 4 bagels into the water, and cook 7 minutes, turning once.

Nice and puffy!

Drain them on a towel. Place on a greased baking sheet, and bake at 375 degrees F for 30 to 35 minutes. Remove from oven, eat hot or cold.

Ready to Eat!

Pumpkin Spice Cream Cheese Spread

• 4 oz. cream cheese, softened
• 3 tablespoons brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons pure maple syrup
• 1/4 cup canned pumpkin
• 1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
• 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions:

In a small bowl, beat softened cream cheese, sugar, and syrup til creamy. Add pumpkin, spices and vanilla and beat til smooth. Refrigerate for at least an hour.

I made the cream cheese with fresh pumpkin from in a previous post. This pumpkin cream cheese is all that I hoped it for. It was very easy to make and came together in 5 minutes. It is soo delicious I made a double batch!!