If you’re an avid bagel lover, you may have already heard of egg bagels. But what sets an egg bagel apart from a traditional one? Aside from the addition of eggs, there are a few other key differences between these two delicious bagel treats. So, what exactly are those differences?
Read on to learn all about egg bagels and how they fare against their traditional plain bagel counterpart.
Table of Contents
- What is an Egg Bagel?
- What Is the Difference Between a Plain Bagel and an Egg Bagel?
- Why Don’t They Make Egg Bagels Anymore? What Happened to Egg Bagels?
- Egg Bagel Sandwich
- Egg Bagel Recipe
- Egg Bagel Nutrition
- FAQs
- Egg Bagel vs Plain Bagel: The Same Yet Different!
What is an Egg Bagel?
What Is In an Egg Bagel?
An egg bagel is made with all of the ingredients a regular bagel has except with the addition of an egg.
The egg provides not only a yellow color, but also a richer taste, less chewy, and more fluffy texture.
What Does an Egg Bagel Taste Like?
Egg bagels are known to be richer in flavor than regular bagels, mostly because of the addition of eggs to the mixture.
Aside from that, some egg bagels are also said to be a little sweeter, although that is up for debate and likely depends on the recipe used and who bakes it.
One thing that’s for sure when it comes to the difference between an egg bagel and a regular bagel is that egg bagels are a lot more airy and fluffy than their traditional chewy counterparts. For some, this is a welcome change, but for others, it may lead to disappointment.
The best way to figure out which bagel is best for you is to eventually try an egg bagel for yourself…we’re willing to bet you’ll be happy you did!
What Is the Difference Between a Plain Bagel and an Egg Bagel?
What Makes an Egg Bagel Different?
The main difference between a traditional (or plain) bagel and an egg bagel is the addition of an egg. And because of the egg, an egg bagel is going to be fluffier and lighter in texture without the signature “chew” that traditional bagels typically provide.
In addition, egg bagels usually have a yellow tint to them and a richer flavor thanks to the addition of the egg. However, some egg bagels have yellow coloring added to them to boost their visual appeal.
(If you want to know about more egg recipes, check out our post on egg and flour dishes!)
Egg Bagel vs Plain Bagel
Here are the main differences between an egg bagel vs plain bagel:
Plain Bagel
- Chewy
- Dense
- White
- Not Typically Sweet
- Not Made With Eggs
Egg Bagel
- Lighter and Fluffy
- Not as Dense
- Yellow (can be a natural yellow from the eggs or may have a yellow colorant added for a more potent yellow finish)
- May at Times Seem Sweeter Than a Plain Bagel
- Made With Eggs
Why Don’t They Make Egg Bagels Anymore? What Happened to Egg Bagels?
Egg bagels can actually still be found in a variety of places.
However, many egg bagels seem to have disappeared around the time that COVID-19 hit in 2020.
Because COVID-19 was so prevalent many food trucks vanished from the streets. Many egg bagels that were being sold were sold from these entities, and when they left, so did egg bagels.
Or so it seems.
Still, many egg bagels were also sold in brick-and-mortar stores and some trendy bakeries and cafes in certain cities still carry them.
Thankfully, even if you can’t find your beloved egg bagels on your block you can take comfort in knowing that you can easily make them at home by following the simple recipe we’ve linked below!
Egg Bagel Sandwich
Egg bagel sandwiches are delicious and can be created by topping an egg bagel with a multitude of ingredients to form a satisfying meal that can be enjoyed for breakfast, lunch, or dinner.
Here are a few simple ideas to whet your appetite:
- Bacon, Egg, and Cheese
- Tomato Basil
- Smoked Salmon, Cream Cheese Red Onion
- Sausage and Egg
- Pulled Pork and Coleslaw
- Buffalo Chicken, Bleu Cheese, Provolone
Egg Bagel Recipe
Interested in knowing how to make an egg bagel that’s all your own at home? Check out the following recipe for fluffy egg bagels!
Ingredients:
- 2 teaspoon instant yeast
- 4 cups bread flour
- ½2 cup water
- 5 egg yolks
- 2 eggs (plus 1 egg for optional egg wash)
- 1 ½ teaspoons salt
- 1 ½ Tablespoon sugar
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
Directions
How to Make an Egg Bagel
Make dough
1. In a mixing bowl, mix together the bread flour, yeast, salt, sugar, eggs, egg yolks, and water until the dough forms a ball.
Set aside
Cover the bowl and leave it in a warm location until the mixture foams and has doubled in size.
Continue with batter
Continue mixing this batter for 10 minutes or until the dough is pliable.
Cut dough and set aside
Cut the freshly made bagel dough into eight pieces and align on a baking sheet. Cover with a damp towel and allow to rest for about 20 minutes.
Form bagels
After allowing your dough balls to rest, poke your thumb in the middle of the balls and stretch and shape until the dough resembles a bagel.
Preheat
Preheat your oven to 450°F.
Boil bagels
While your oven is preheating, fill a large pot with water and bring it to a boil over the stove. Add the baking soda and lower the heat so that the water remains at a gentle boil. Drop your bagel balls into the water and allow them to boil for one minute. Flip each bagel and allow them to continue boiling. Remove bagels and place them back onto a lined baking sheet.
Season bagels
Make an egg wash and brush it over the tops of each bagel for added shine. Sprinkle with any seasoning you like (try poppy seeds or a homemade everything bagel seasoning.
Bake
Bake for 15 minutes or until the bagels turn a warm and golden brown.
Cool and enjoy
Allow bagels to cool before serving. Enjoy!
Egg Bagel Nutrition
Are Egg Bagels Healthy?
Aside from being high carb and fairly high calorie, bagels that are made from whole grains may be considered healthy, when consumed in moderation.
Whole grains have several benefits for the health including:
- High Fiber Content
- Lowers Risk of Excessive Weight Gain
- Lowers Risk of Stroke
- Lowers Risk of Heart Disease
Egg Bagel Calories: How Many Calories in an Egg Bagel?
The amount of calories in an egg bagel typically runs between 250-300 calories. Depending on how you top your egg bagel, you may be looking at a sandwich that runs 400-500 calories or more.
Therefore, you’ll want to watch how often you eat egg bagels if you are trying to lose weight, especially if you are eating multiple egg bagels per day.
FAQs
Why Are Egg Bagels So Yellow?
Egg bagels are yellow mostly due to the addition of egg to the mix. However, sometimes egg bagels are yellow because of the addition of coloring by the one baking the bagel. Rest assured that food coloring isn’t always added to egg bagels, but sometimes, this is the reason for such a prominent yellow color.
Are Egg Bagels a New York Thing?
Egg bagels aren’t specific to New York, per se, but they are an “American thing”, meaning they originated in America as the American population demanded a less crusty version of the traditional, and still well-loved, plain bagel.
Today, egg bagels can be found all around the United States and even in countries abroad, although their mass appeal and popularity has waned a bit in the U.S. compared to its earlier more prominent years.
Egg Bagel vs Plain Bagel: The Same Yet Different!
All in all, an egg bagel can be described as virtually the same as a plain bagel but with the addition of eggs. It is this addition of eggs, however, that makes the egg bagel stand out from a traditional bagel as eggs make the egg bagel lighter, fluffier, more yellow, and at times, seemingly sweeter than a plain bagel.
We hope you’ll give an egg bagel at least one try at some point in your life; if you’re an avid bagel lover you’ll likely love this interesting twist on the old classic!
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