My mother taught me this 2 ingredient baking trick when I first moved out. Chewy, golden, and saves you a trip to the bakery.

To make your own self-rising flour, whisk together 2 cups all-purpose flour, 3 teaspoons baking powder, and 1/2 teaspoon fine salt, then proceed with the recipe as written.

For flavor twists, you can gently press toppings onto the unbaked bagels after shaping: sesame seeds, poppy seeds, dried onion, or a light sprinkle of coarse salt. For a sweeter version, mix a tablespoon of sugar or honey into the yogurt before combining with flour and serve with jam or cinnamon butter.

You can also shape the dough into smaller mini bagels or rolls—just reduce the baking time slightly and watch for golden color. Use thick Greek yogurt for best results; regular yogurt is usually too thin and will make the dough overly sticky.

If your dough feels very wet, work in a tablespoon of flour at a time just until it’s workable. For food safety, keep the yogurt refrigerated until you’re ready to mix the dough, and don’t leave the dough sitting out for extended periods before baking.

Bake the bagels fully until the centers are cooked through (no raw, gummy spots) and let them cool slightly before slicing to avoid steam burns. If storing longer than a day or two, freeze the cooled bagels in a sealed bag and reheat from frozen in the toaster or oven.