So often we just eat food without thinking about what’s in it. At least, we do if we don’t have any allergies, but not everybody can be as carefree as that.
And one foodstuff that always seems to trip people up, is bagels.
Really, any baked good can be difficult when it comes to knowing the ingredients because you already have the finished product in your hand, and you don’t necessarily know what went into making it.
So, if you’re vegan, avoiding eggs for dietary reasons, or are allergic to eggs, you probably wonder: do bagels have eggs in them?
If that7s the case, then today’s post is perfect for you because we’ll be covering what exactly is in bagels, which ones have eggs in them and which ones don’t.
That way, you’ll be crystal clear on all things bagels moving forwards.
Ready? Then let’s get to it.
What’s In A Bagel?
It might be easier for us to put together a typical list of bagel ingredients here, so you understand generally what is used to make them:
- Yeast
- Flour
- Sugar
- Egg white
- Egg yolk
- Water Salt
Traditionally, bagels were simply a boiled and baked mixture of yeast, flour, salt, and water. There was nothing more to it.
But as more and more people began to care about the way their food looked, these slightly anaemic-looking bread products weren’t really cutting it.
Instead, people wanted their bagels to look the part. That’s where eggs came in.
Egg yolk is often added into the dough mixture itself, to give it a brighter, yellow-brown finish that’s more pleasing to the eye.
It also adds a little extra flavor compared to the traditional bagels too. Egg white, on the other hand, is often used to glaze the bagels before baking, helping to create a shiny finish on the bagel.
This doesn’t add much in terms of flavor, but it definitely makes it more appealing to the eye.
But are bagels vegan? Do bagels have eggs in them – or rather, do all bagels have eggs in them?
Well, if you’re vegan, or avoiding eggs for another reason, then you’ll be happy to hear that not all bagels use eggs, and some are certainly vegan.
The difficult thing for you guys is knowing exactly which ones do and which ones don’t. Thankfully, we’re on hand to help, and we’ve done our best to provide a helpful guide on the matter.
Please note: however, that we’re not able to research every bagel brand or bagel-selling bakery, so whilst our guide is full of helpful tips and tricks, and even some brand examples, we can’t cover it all.
If in doubt, you should always check the ingredients list on your packaged bagels yourself, and you should always ask for the ingredients list of a product in a restaurant to be safe.
Checking yourself is always a good practice, so you know exactly what you’re putting into your body whenever you eat anything.
Kinds Of Bagels
So, with all that said, let’s talk about different kinds of bagels, bagels with eggs, and ones without.
That way, you have a pretty good safety netlist of bagels you know are right for you. Before we talk about eggs, let’s just take a moment to appreciate how complex the world of bagels really is.
You can pick up all different kinds of bagels nowadays, everything from plain, chocolate chip, cinnamon raisin, and onion bagels, all the way to salt, Asiago (cheese), poppyseed, and everything bagels (which literally have everything thrown into them).
Why do we bring this up? Because if you’re wondering if bagels are vegan, then it can be difficult because of all the different options available to you.
That’s why conducting your own research and asking questions is always your best bet.
But to get you started, we’ve put together a helpful guide about bagels with eggs and bagels without eggs below!
Which Bagels Have Eggs?
We’re going to keep this section fairly short because quite a lot of brands and restaurants use eggs in their bagel dough.
It comes back to the desire for people to have shiny, nice-looking bagels.
But rather than sitting here and telling you which brands and restaurants use eggs in their recipes, we thought it’d be easier to move on to the ones that we know for sure don’t use eggs.
Honestly, the list of bagels without eggs is much shorter than the list for ones that use eggs, and since you’re here wondering if bagels are vegan or if there are any egg-free bagels, we think you’ll get the most out of the next section.
Just remember to always double check the ingredients of store-bought bagels, and always ask a member of staff in a restaurant or coffee shop to find out if eggs are used or not.
And also remember that the type of bagel makes very little difference when it comes to the likelihood of an egg being used or not.
Plain, cinnamon raisin, whole wheat, blueberry, onion, or any other bagel variety for that matter, are all just as likely to contain egg either in the dough or as an egg wash to help toppings stick.
So check it before you chance it and head to the section below if you want more detailed guidance!
Bagels Without Eggs
Around here we prefer to do more detailed guides about where to go as opposed to where not to go.
So, to kick things off, let’s talk about restaurants that offer great vegan bagel options that don’t use eggs in their dough or as an egg wash for toppings.
The first place on our list is Starbucks. Their raisin and sprouted grain bagel options are vegan-friendly as stated on their website.
However, it’s really important that you remember that just because some of their bagels are vegan, it doesn’t mean all of them are.
If you see a bagel flavor you like the sound of in your local Starbucks branch, then make sure you ask whether it uses egg or not, just to be sure.
One of the best places egg-avoiding vegan bagel lovers can head to is Einstein Bros. Bagels.
Of course, they offer a lot of toppings over at Einstein’s, so you’ll need to be pretty diligent in looking over the entire menu to make sure you don’t order anything that isn’t vegan-friendly.
But the bagels themselves are usually vegan-friendly, it’s the toppings that aren’t.
Be sure to ask if you’re unsure, but you’ll definitely be able to find vegan bagels here.
Our final restaurant/coffee shop option is Dunkin’ Donuts. So many of their bagels are vegan-friendly.
Ask if you’re unsure, of course, but we know for a fact that the following are all delicious vegan bagels: multigrain, everything, cinnamon raisin, sesame, and plain.
If you’re looking for a vegan bagel without eggs you can grab on the go, then Dunkin’ Donuts is another great option.
But what about your at-home bagels? You know, the ones you grab in the store, are they vegan?
Well, not all of them, but some certainly are. Without going into too much detail and boring you with specific ingredients etc, we’ll list some known vegan-friendly popular brands you can usually pick up at the grocery store, including which ones in their range are vegan.
Vegan Bagels Brands
In many ways, buying bagels at the store is much easier for those looking for bagels without eggs, because you can take as much time as you need to make sure they really are vegan.
Remember, not all of them will be, so ALWAYS read the labels before taking them home.
For now, though, here’s our egg-free vegan-friendly bagel list:
- Thomas‘ (blueberry, cinnamon swirl, plain, 100% wholewheat, cinnamon raisin, onion, and everything flavors)
- Dave’s Killer Bread (all of their bagels are advertized as vegan-friendly, but to double check, they have a really clear ingredients list on their website for all of their bagels so you can look at the list before you head to the store so you know exactly which ones you want)
- Cobblestone Bread Co (whole wheat bagels)
- Rudi’s Organic Bakery Bagels (all flavors)
- Trader Joe’s Bagels (plain and whole wheat)
- Sara Lee’s Bagels (all except the soft and smooth varieties)
This list is by no means exhaustive, we’re sure there are plenty of other restaurants, coffee shops, and bagel brands available with vegan-friendly egg-free options – we will keep updating this list as the time goes by.
Below, though, we’ll give you some final tips to set you on the right path when researching for yourself.
Egg-free Bagels: Things to Keep In Mind
Just before we leave you, here are our final tips for you to keep in mind when conducting your own research or wondering are bagels vegan:
- Try making your own. This is our top tip. Bagels taste even better when made at home, and you’ll know exactly what’s in them. It’s a win-win!
- Read the label. If you are going to buy store bagels, always read the label to look for eggs.
- Look for vegan certified products – most brands will advertise that they’re vegan, and if they’re vegan, then there are no eggs present and you’re good to go.
- Ask. Ask at a restaurant, email the manufacturer, ask your vegan friends – the point is, seek help and you’ll find it, and it’s always better to double check before you buy.
That’s all for today, folks. We hope this guide has been helpful, so you can find delicious egg-free bagels whether you’re at the grocery store or on the move!
