23 Different Types of Bagels

Food has a way of getting to us beyond just a way to fill hunger. For example, food history is an increasingly popular topic. There are countless diets to not only lose weight but to build muscle or have other specified health effects. And then there is the sheer variety a single food can provide.

Bagels are a perfect example. While we’re not sure of their exact origin, we do know that Ashkenazi Jews were making them in Poland as far back as 1610. Fast forward to today, and these simple pastries have become insanely popular. Let’s have a peek at just a few of the many types of bagels now available.

Read Also: 5 Types of Oatmeal

Types of Bagels

1. Asiago Bagel

Up until only a few years ago, asiago was considered to be a cheese that only the rich could enjoy. Now, it’s found everywhere, even in bagels!

The asiago bagel employs this classy cheese both ijn the dough and on the crust. This has made it a perfect choice for breakfast sandwiches. However, it should be noted that some variations of the asiago bagel also include other cheeses, such as parmesan or romano.

2. Bagel Bombs

Usually, you bake a bagel, then add your poison once it’s sliced open. But the bagel bomb is the stuffed-crust pizza of the bagel world. Frozen cream cheese balls are folded into the bagel dough prior to baking and the bagels are coated in an egg wash. They can be enjoyed alone or with most toppings.

3. Blueberry Bagel

You either love or hate these, as the presence of actual blueberries can make some people turn up their noses. However, when topped with cream cheese, these can be a wonderful alternative to the normally empty carbs that bagels provide.

4. Cheddar Bagel

This is the more traditional incarnation of the asiago bagel, with cheddar cheese baked into the dough as well as on top. It’s great on its own or as part of a breakfast sandwich.

5. Chocolate Chip Bagel

If there’s one thing America is notorious for, it’s taking something healthy (or at least not unhealthy) and finding the least healthy way to alter it. Such is the case with the chocolate chip bagel, a decadent mix of cookie and bagel. These are usually eaten with cream cheese or peanut butter.

6. Cinnamon Raisin Bagel

This popular flavor is the bagel equivalent to pineapples on pizza – as in there may one day be a literal war over whether or not they’re an abomination. However, for those that enjoy these bagels, the sweet and slightly spicy flavor is perfect with a whole host of sweet and savory toppings.

7. Egg Bagels

Oddly enough, bagels were originally made without eggs as an ingredient due to the extra cost involved. It wasn’t until the pastry reached American shore that eggs were added into the dough.

This has the benefit of making bagels softer and puffier, although they’re considered separate from the more authentic plain bagel because of this change in consistency. It also means they’re perfect for all sorts of sandwiches.

8. Everything Bagel

These bagels are topped with a variety of popular bagel seasonings, especially garlic powder, onion powder, poppy seeds, sea salt, and sesame seeds. Cream cheese and cured salmon (better known as lox) are both excellent choices to top an everything bagel with.

9. French Toast Bagel

These sweet bagels have hints of maple and are covered in cinnamon-sugar. As the name suggests, these are a perfect choice for breakfast sandwiches. However, you can also enjoy them on their own with a sweet to neutral spread, such as butter.

See Also: 9 Different Types of Desserts

10. Gluten-Free Bagel

In recent decades, bread companies discovered that by adding extra gluten to bread products, it makes them softer and easier to slice. Unfortunately, this has led to a growing number of people developing allergies to gluten. For these poor souls, a gluten-free option is available.

The dough is usually a mix of buckwheat, brown rice, sorghum, and either tapioca or potato starch – which makes them a bit more dense than your normal bagel. You can eat them in place of regular bagels and they can even come in a number of common flavors. Top them with the same things you would any other bagel.

11. Jalapeño Bagel

It was obvious from the beginning that once the cheddar bagel caught on, someone would invariably say “But wait, where’s the jalapeño?” and thus was born the bagel that bites back.

As the name suggests, this is just a cheddar bagel with jalapeño peppers added to the dough. The result is amazing on its own, although it also works well as the base for a southwestern style breakfast sandwich.

12. Montreal Bagel

These are the thin-crust pizzas of the bagel world. They’re bigger, thinner, and have a larger hole than most bagels, plus egg and honey mixed into the dough for a sweeter taste.

Unlike most bagels, Montreal bagels are always baked in a woof-fire oven for a more distinct flavor. They’re often topped with a blend of sweet and savory for extra punch.

See Also: 12 Different Types of Tortillas

13. Multigrain Bagel

Just as the name implies, these bagels have a variety of different grains, as well as seeds, making up the dough. They’re high in fiber and a healthy alternative to the plain bagel that also gives a little extra flavor to the table.

14. New York-Style bagel

While it sounds fancy, you’ve probably made these at home if you’ve ever made bagels from scratch. The only real difference is that the bagels are boiled before baking, rather than being steamed. The result is a softer crust and somewhat more chewy center.

15. Onion Bagel

Topped with onion flakes (and some onion powder for good measure), onion bagels have a nice strong flavor. This flavor means most people will want to avoid sweet toppings. However, those a little more adventurous may find mildly sweet toppings such as cream cheese or butter go quite well on a piping hot onion bagel.

16. Pizza Bagel

Optimus Prime’s favorite food, pizza bagels were a popular homemade alternative to French bread pizza. When miniature bagels started gaining in popularity, companies saw their chance. Now, you can find pre-made pizza bagels at most supermarkets.

17. Plain Bagel

Ahh, the classic. This basic bagel lacks any special ingredients, although it does have an egg wash that gives it a more golden appearance. While cream cheese is a popular topping for this type of bagel, they’re perhaps better known as the go-to bread alternative for breakfast sandwiches.

18. Poppy Seed Bagel

This one type of bagel has cost more people their jobs or parole than almost any other food. That’s because drug tests used to be notorious for confusing the poppy seed with narcotics (which come from the same plant).

But unless you’re about to take a drug test, you can enjoy the gentle nutty undertones of these bagels without fear. They go good with any topping you might use on plain bagels.

19. Pumpernickel Bagel

For those who’ve never encountered pumpernickel before, it’s  dark bread traditionally made from rye. However, bakers often cheat by adding coffee or molasses to regular rye for the trademark rich brown coloration.

While not as strongly flavored as true pumpernickel, the cheater version is still a great escape from wheat-based bagels. Butter or a good jam or preserves can lead to this bagel being a truly wonderful experience.

20. Salt Bagel

Fans of pretzels will love the salt bagel, a standard bagel with large salt crystals baked onto the top. They can be eaten with any topping, but we suggest dipping them in melted cheddar like a soft pretzel for an early morning guilty pleasure.

21. Sesame Bagel

Sesame seeds are one of the healthier options out there, even though the nutty flavor they create is quite muted. These are popular alternatives to plain bagels and a good option when poppy seed bagels would be risky. Top them with whatever floats your boat.

22. Sourdough Bagel

Sourdough is one of the more popular types of bread out there, and the world of bagels is no exception. It takes longer for these bagels to properly rise, but the slightly sour taste makes the wait worth it when paired with a sweet butter or cream cheese topping.

23. Sprouted Bagel

Yet another healthy alternative, the grain used for the dough is harvested at a specific point in its development. This means it has a much higher nutritional value than regular bagels. The taste itself resembles whole grain, making it a great companion for almost any topping.

24. Whole Wheat Bagel

There are several levels of wheat content out there, based upon how much of the grain is used. Whole wheat is the middle of the road and has a slightly richer flavor than plain bagels. That said, they’re a good source of fiber for those who don’t like the texture of whole grain but want something more than the empty carbs of a plain bagel.

While you can add just about anything to this bagel, cream cheese and honey are the two most popular options.