Bagels are a morning item that you either love or despise. Not one person is indifferent about them.
And, if you’re anything like us, you’ve definitely always wondered why there are holes in the center of bagels.
It makes no sense when you think about it…
Are the holes only for show?
Is there a practical rationale for this madness?
We conducted some research and discovered the answer to this age-old mystery, and it’s important to understand the whole background but if you just want a quick answer, then this will suffice:
Bagels have holes in the middle primarily for practical cooking reasons: the center hole increases surface area, allowing for more even cooking and browning. Additionally, the hole makes it easier to handle and display the bagels, particularly in commercial baking where they are often slid onto dowels for efficient storage and display.
However, it’s important you keep reading to understand the interesting history and rationale about why bagels actually have those holes in the center…
Bagel history and how it became a popular North American breakfast food
This is important to the story of why bagels have holes, we promise…
The bagel is a type of bread that originated in Poland as a type of brioche. The first bagels were boiled before they were baked, giving them their famous chewy texture.
They became popular in North America after immigrants from Eastern Europe brought them over in the late 1800s and early 1900s. Jewish populations in New York City, New York, and Montreal, Quebec are credited with bringing the bagel to mainstream popularity.
Today, they are enjoyed by people of all backgrounds and can be found in many different flavors and varieties. But many still argue (and they’re probably correct) that bagels in New York are the best
Bagels are boiled before they are baked which gives them a chewy texture. Boiling creates pockets of air which make the dough more tender and allows it to rise without becoming too dense or crusty. This process is also what gives the bagel its characteristic hole shape.
As popularity for these unique bagels grew throughout North America, so too did variations on this classic recipe – including everything from cinnamon raisin to poppy seed bagel types and flavors!
Additionally, some bakeries now offer gluten-free options or even vegan versions of this beloved breakfast food to cater to people on restrictive diets due to health conditions or personal choice.
Whether you enjoy your morning joe with a sesame seed bagel or want something heartier for breakfast like a blueberry bagel with raspberry cream cheese – there’s really no wrong way to enjoy a good old-fashioned bagel!
The bagel-making process and why the holes are essential to the recipe
Bagels are a classic type of bread that is typically boiled in water before being baked.
This is what gives them their chewy texture and the holes in the bagels also help to cook evenly so that they don’t end up with any burnt or undercooked areas.
They’re often topped with sesame seeds or other toppings or infused with fruits like blueberries before being baked, which also helps to give them flavor and texture.
Ultimately, the holes in bagels are there for both practical reasons (discussed above) as well as aesthetic reasons (discussed below).
Bagel holes help it cook more evenly (and other benefits)
Bagels have holes in them because they help the bread cook evenly.
The holes also help the bagel retain its shape while it’s cooking, making it less likely to collapse or deflate.
Finally, some people believe that the holes in a bagel help the bread absorb flavorings and toppings better, resulting in a tastier final breakfast food.
The downsides of holes in bagels
Holes in a bagel can make it difficult to eat without making a mess. If you use the bagel for a breakfast sandwich, the egg’s yolk can run through the middle and get all over your hands.
Holes in a bagel also make it more likely to fall apart when you bite into them, especially if the bagel doesn’t have the perfect bagel texture.
What to bakers do with the dough they take out of the middle to form the hole?
Trick question!
A bagel is not actually made without dough being removed from the center, it’s just with doughnuts this happens– not with bagels.
The dough for a bagel is rolled into a thick rope and then joined together before being shaped into a circular or elliptical loaf…
This process results in the center of the loaf having no dough, hence the hole.
The REAL reason bagels have holes in the center
According to legend, bagels were originally threaded on a long stick or rod so that food vendors could easily carry them from one place to another and sell them to villagers; who would then eat them fresh out of the oven!The OG fresh bagel.
Conserving bread in the baking process
Others historians speculate that this design feature helped preserve bread during medieval times when grains were scarce and expensive (among other reasons
In reality, there are many theories as to why bagels have holes in the middle. Some are simply benefits, but now we know the real origin story.
Regardless of the benefits or reasons, there’s no denying that bakers love nothing more than making delicious and fluffy doughnuts with unique center-hole designs!
And you love eating them.