Homemade Bagels with Cream Cheese & American Pecan Dukkah

There’s something really satisfying about making your own bagels from scratch. From shaping the dough and watching them prove, to baking them until golden, it’s one of those bakes that feels a bit special but is wonderfully achievable at home. These bagels are topped with cool cream cheese and finished with a crunchy American pecan dukkah packed with nigella seeds, black sesame, and cumin for a warm, nutty, aromatic finish. They’re brilliant for brunch, lunch, or whenever you fancy something homemade with a little extra character.

Timings:

Prep time: 25 minutes

Proving time: 1 hour

Cooking time: 20 minutes

Serves: Makes 6 bagels

Ingredients:

For the bagels:

• 500g strong bread flour

• 7g sachet fast-action dried yeast

• 1 tsp salt

• 1 tbsp sugar

• 300ml warm water

• 1 tbsp olive oil

  
  

For the American pecan dukkah:

• 100g American pecans

• 1 tbsp olive oil

• 1 tsp nigella seeds

• 1 tsp black sesame seeds

• 1 tsp cumin seeds

  
  

To serve:

• 200g cream cheese

Method:

1. Make a simple bread dough by mixing the strong bread flour, yeast, salt, sugar, warm water, and olive oil until it comes together into a soft dough.

2. Knead the dough until smooth and elastic.

3. Divide the dough into 6 equal portions.

4. Roll each piece into a sausage shape.

5. Loop each one around your hand and press the ends together firmly to seal and form a bagel shape.

6. Place the bagels onto a non-stick baking tray and leave them to prove until puffed up.

7. For the dukkah, add a splash of olive oil to a pan, then add the nigella seeds, black sesame seeds, cumin seeds, and American pecans.

8. Toast gently over a medium heat until everything is golden, nutty, and crisp.

9. Remove from the heat and leave to cool.

10. Once cooled, chop the pecans into small pieces and mix them back through the toasted seeds.

11. Steam the bagels.

12. Preheat the oven to 200°C.

13. Bake the bagels until golden.

14. Slice the bagels in half.

15. Spread generously with cool cream cheese.

16. Dip the cream cheese side into the American pecan dukkah so it sticks to the top.

17. Serve and enjoy while fresh.