Gloriously Puffy Air Fryer Mini Bagels That’ll Make Your Morning Blab
Ever had that fleeting thought when you’re staring at your air fryer, wondering if the darn thing could make little doughy circles of happiness? I sure did—back in 2019 when my ancient oven decided to smoke-signal its retirement during my sister’s visit. The kitchen smelled like burning wire insulation for DAYS. Not ideal for breakfast prep, lemme tell you. But through that electrical catastrophe, I stumbled into what I now call “puff-cycling”—my totally made-up term for the magical air circulation that turns blobs of dough into the fluffiest mini bagels you’ve ever crammed into your face.
Look, I’m not saying these fluffy air fryer mini bagels will change your life… but they totally might. Let’s just make some already!
My Twisted Bagel Journey (Or How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Air Fryer)
I’ve always had a weird relationship with bagels. When I first tried making them in 2011, they turned out like hockey pucks—literally took one outside and tried to slap-shot it into a snowbank. Then I went through this phase where I thought I was a bagel expert after watching a 3-minute TikTok. Ha!
My grandma Sheila (never “Gran” or “Nana”—just Sheila) used to say I had “dough blindness,” which apparently meant I couldn’t tell when dough was properly proofed. She’d whack my hands with a wooden spoon when I’d try to poke the rising dough too early. Traumatic, sure, but effective teaching method?
For years I tried making bagels the traditional way—boiling them in that weird water-malt-baking soda concoction that makes your kitchen smell like a brewery having an identity crisis. Then last winter, during that freakish polar vortex that hit Michigan (my pipes froze INSIDE the walls, can you even?), I discovered my air fryer could make these fluffy air fryer mini bagels that were actually… better? Blasphemy, I know!
The secret is what I call the “Sheila swirl”—a totally unnecessary but somehow critical wrist flick when forming the bagels. Does it actually do anything? Probably not, but I’m superstitious about my dough gymnastics now.
What You’ll Need (aka Ingredient Therapy Session)
- 2¼ cups all-purpose flour (the cheap stuff works BETTER, fight me on this)
- 1 packet active dry yeast (approximately 2¼ teaspoons if you’re fancy enough to buy in bulk)
- 2 tbsp sugar (white, not brown—learned that mistake after what I now refer to as “The Molasses Incident”)
- 1 tsp salt (kosher preferred, but whatever’s in your salt-keeper will do)
- ¾ cup + 2 tbsp warm water (not hot! around 110°F, or what I call “baby bath warm” when tested on inner wrist)
- 1 egg white for glazing (or the whole dang egg if you’re feeling rebellious)
- A hearty pinch of whatever toppings make you happy (sesame seeds, everything bagel seasoning, or my weird favorite: crushed potato chips)
- Exactly 1 Sheila-pinch of cornmeal for dusting air fryer basket (a “Sheila-pinch” is approximately ½ teaspoon, grabbed between thumb and first two fingers)
- Optional but recommended: 1½ tsp white vinegar (my secret tang-agent that nobody else seems to use)
The How-To (Or: Bagel Birthing Process)
- First things first—wake up your yeast. Combine the warm water, sugar, and yeast in a tea cup (not a measuring cup—a literal tea cup, I swear it makes a difference). Let it get foamy and weird-smelling for about 5-7 minutes. If it doesn’t start bubbling, your yeast is dead and you should have a small funeral service before starting over.
- While the yeast is doing its thing, measure the flour and salt into a large bowl. Create a dramatic well in the center—like, really get in there and make a crater. I once made mine too shallow and had yeast water running all over my counter like the world’s least exciting volcanic eruption.
- Pour the foamy yeast mixture into your flour crater and stir with a wooden spoon until things get too difficult. Then abandon all utensils and get your hands in there! Knead for about 6-8 minutes, or what I call “one podcast introduction and first commercial break.” The dough should be slightly sticky but not clingy—kinda like that friend who always hugs a second too long but you still love them anyway.
- This next part is CRITICAL and where most recipes steer you wrong! Instead of letting the dough rise for an hour, we’re doing a “half-rise” for exactly 27 minutes. Why 27? Because Sheila said so, and I’m not brave enough to question her methods even though she’s been gone for 12 years. Cover with a barely damp cloth—not plastic wrap! Plastic wrap creates too much condensation and you’ll get sad, wet dough. Nobody wants sad, wet dough.
- After your 27 minutes, punch down that dough like it insulted your favorite TV show. Then divide it into 8 equal-ish pieces. Roll each piece into a snake about 5 inches long, then perform the sacred “Sheila swirl” by connecting the ends and twisting slightly before pressing together. Or just poke holes in dough balls with your finger—honestly works just as well but feels less special.
- Now for the air fryer magic! Lightly dust your air fryer basket with that Sheila-pinch of cornmeal. Place 3-4 mini bagels inside, making sure they’re not touching (they need personal space to become their best selves). Brush with egg white, sprinkle on toppings, and air fry at 330°F for 8 minutes. Then—and here’s where everyone gets it wrong—flip them over, REDUCE temp to 310°F and go another 4-5 minutes until they’re golden-bronze, not golden-brown. There’s a difference!
- Let cool for at least 10 minutes before cutting—I know it’s hard, but slicing warm bagels is like performing surgery on a water balloon. Messy, disappointing, and likely to end in tears. These fluffy air fryer mini bagels need time to set their internal structure! Check out my breakfast sandwich recipes for perfect pairings.
Notes & Leftover Wisdom
• DON’T REFRIGERATE THE DOUGH OVERNIGHT. Every other recipe says you can or should, but for these fluffy air fryer mini bagels, it makes them dense. I’ve tried it 11 different times with 11 different disappointing outcomes.
• The “window pane test” that everyone swears by? Complete garbage for this recipe. Your dough should tear slightly when stretched—what I call “controlled destruction”—rather than form a perfect window pane. Learn more about proper dough texture at King Arthur Flour’s website.
• If your air fryer has a small basket, these can be made in batches and the remaining dough can sit out (covered) for up to 30 minutes. Any longer and they’ll overproof and get those weird alcohol-smelling bubbles.
• My signature “squish-then-wait” technique: After shaping each bagel, press down slightly with your palm, count to three, then let go. This creates what I call “tension memory” in the dough, which is probably not scientifically accurate but creates better oven spring. Find more air fryer techniques at Serious Eats.
• If your bagels collapse after baking, your air fryer is TOO HOT. Each model runs different—mine lies about its temperature by about 15 degrees, the dishonest kitchen goblin.
My Favorite Bagel-Making Gadgets
SILICONE FINGER CAPS ★★★★★
These ridiculous finger protectors save me from burning my fingertips when flipping bagels mid-cooking.
I store mine filled with water in the freezer—weird but effective cooling system!
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07XLNPHB3
WOODEN BAGEL DOWELS ★★★★★
Traditional bagel shapers that my ex left behind—literally the only good thing from that relationship.
I use them upside-down as tiny rolling pins for the dough snakes, not as hole-makers as intended.
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08CZSRWSN
Variations That Might Get Me Kicked Out of New York
• Cinnamon-Sugar Explosion: Add 2 tsp cinnamon to the dough and roll formed bagels in sugar before air frying. Sounds like dessert not breakfast? Good. Life’s short. Try pairing with my overnight cream cheese spread.
• The “Confused European”: Add 1 tbsp of herbs de Provence to the dough and top with rough sea salt. My Italian neighbor called these “an abomination” before eating three in one sitting.
• Stuffed Surprises: Before sealing your bagel circle, place a chunk of cheese inside the dough. The first time I tried this, the cheese exploded like a dairy volcano—now I freeze the cheese chunks first. Learning moment!
The One Question Everyone Always Texts Me At 6am
Q: Why don’t we boil these mini bagels before air frying like traditional bagels?
A: Contrary to what the bagel police will tell you, these fluffy air fryer mini bagels don’t need the boiling step! The air fryer creates what I call a “steam shell” around the dough during the first few minutes of cooking. This simulates the gelatinization effect of boiling but without waterlogging the dough. I discovered this by complete accident when I knocked my boiling pot over (third-degree toe burn ensued) and tossed the raw bagels into the air fryer in a pain-induced panic. They turned out BETTER than my boiled ones—fluffier inside with the perfect chewy crust.
Final Thoughts from Your Bagel Sherpa
These fluffy air fryer mini bagels have honestly changed my morning routine. Sometimes I make them at night just so I can wake up to their smell when I reheat them for 30 seconds. Is that weird? Probably.
Will you become a bagel person after making these? Will your family demand them every weekend until you start hiding your air fryer in increasingly creative places? Could these humble dough circles be the thing that finally impresses your impossible-to-please mother-in-law?
I have so many more breakfast experiments coming your way soon—I’m currently testing a cinnamon roll/bagel hybrid that either going to be revolutionary or get me blacklisted from bakeries nationwide.
Until next time, may your air fryer always be preheated and your cream cheese never be room temperature.
Chef Margo D., Former Regional Semi-Finalist in the Northern Michigan Breakfast Battle (a competition that definitely exists and I didn’t just make up)
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