Are Tangzhong Bagels Worth Making From Scratch? (Honest Review + Recipe)

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Tangzhong bagels are everywhere right now... so I had to find out if from scratch bagels are actually worth it.

Because at this point, if something is all over the internet, I need to know:

are from scratch bagels actually worth it

or

are we all just collectively overcomplicating bread again?

Spoiler: I was not expecting this result.

First — what even is tangzhong?

If you haven’t heard of it (same until recently), it’s basically cooking a bit of flour and liquid into a paste before adding it to your dough.

It’s supposed to make everything:

• softer

• fluffier

• stay fresh longer

Which sounds great… but also feels like an extra step I didn’t ask for.

The process (aka: how much effort are we talking?)

Here’s what this actually looked like in real life:

• made the tangzhong paste (quick, not bad)

• mixed the dough

• waited for it to rise… and waited… and waited

• shaped the bagels

• boiled them

• baked them

None of it was hard. But it’s definitely one of those recipes where you need:

• time

• patience

• and to actually want to be doing it

The real question: was it worth it?

Okay… this is where I expected to say “no.”

But honestly?

They were really good.

Like:

• soft on the inside

• slightly chewy on the outside

• actually noticeable difference from basic homemade bagels

BUT (because there’s always a but)

Just because something is better…doesn’t automatically mean it’s worth the extra steps.

And this is where most recipes online don’t really tell you the truth.

Would I make these again? honestly…

Yes… but not on a random weekday.

These feel like:

• a weekend bake

• something you do when you’re in the mood for it

Not:

• a quick “let’s just make bagels” situation

Final verdict

Tangzhong bagels are:

softer

better texture

actually really good

BUT

take more time

have extra steps

not something I’d do all the time

If you’re thinking about trying them:

Do it once.

Then decide if it fits your real life — not just what looks good online.

I’m testing all of these kinds of recipes in my “From Scratch, But Make It Real Life” series — because not everything needs to be this complicated.

The Recipe (What I Used)

Tangzhong:

• 2 tbsp flour

• ½ cup water (or milk)

Cook on low heat, stirring constantly until it thickens into a paste (This happens quickly within minutes). Let cool.

Dough:

• 3 ½ cups flour

• 1 tbsp sugar

• 1 tsp salt

• 2 tsp instant yeast

• 1 cup warm water

• tangzhong mixture

Mix, knead until smooth, let rise until doubled.

Shape + Boil:

• Divide into bagels.. make the holes bigger than you would think (they will shrink!)

• Let rest ~15–20 mins

• Boil 30–60 seconds per side

Bake:

• 425°F (220°C)

• 20–25 minutes

Not a professional recipe… just what worked for me in my very real kitchen.