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You can make heart shaped bagels right in your own kitchen with just a few simple tweaks to your usual bagel routine.
Making heart shaped bagels is easier than you think, and the process is honestly a lot of fun once you get the hang of it.
Whether you’re baking for Valentine’s Day, a birthday breakfast, or just because you love a cute pastry, these heart shaped bagels are sure to steal the show.
In this post, we’ll cover how to make heart shaped bagels from scratch, the best dough consistency for shaping, and my favorite tips for keeping those hearts perfectly defined.
Let’s get to baking.
Why Making Heart Shaped Bagels Is Totally Doable
Making heart shaped bagels is totally doable because you don’t need any fancy molds or special equipment.
The trick is all in how you roll and pinch the dough before boiling.
Once you understand the basic bagel recipe, turning them into hearts just becomes a creative shaping game.
Here’s why heart shaped bagels work so well and why you should try them.
1. Bagel Dough Is Incredibly Forgiving
When making heart shaped bagels, the dough is stiff and dense by design.
That density means it holds its shape beautifully, so your hearts won’t puff into blobs while baking.
A standard bagel dough with high protein bread flour gives you that chewy texture and structural integrity.
This is your best friend when you’re aiming for heart shaped bagels that actually look like hearts after they come out of the oven.
2. The Shaping Method Is Simple
To make heart shaped bagels, you start with a regular bagel rope, just like you would for a classic round bagel.
Roll your dough into a rope about 8 inches long, then bring the two ends together to form a circle.
Instead of sealing it completely into a round, pinch the bottom point together firmly to create the bottom of the heart.
Then, press the top center of the circle inward and slightly downward to form the two lobes of the heart.
And that’s the entire secret to making heart shaped bagels, it’s really just a pinch and a press.
3. Boiling Sets the Shape
The boiling step in making heart shaped bagels is what locks in that adorable shape.
When you drop your bagels into boiling water with malt syrup or honey, the exterior sets quickly.
This means the heart shape you made before boiling will hold firm during the oven bake.
Skipping the boil would give you softer, bread-like rolls that might lose their definition, so don’t skip it.
The boil is your insurance policy for perfect heart shaped bagels every single time.
Step-By-Step Guide on How to Make Heart Shaped Bagels
Now let’s walk through the exact process for making heart shaped bagels from mixing to baking.
This recipe makes about 8 medium heart shaped bagels, and the whole process takes roughly 2 hours including rising time.
1. Mix and Knead the Dough
Start by mixing 4 cups of bread flour, 1.5 teaspoons of salt, 1 tablespoon of sugar, and 2 teaspoons of instant yeast in a large bowl.
Add 1.5 cups of warm water and 1 tablespoon of olive oil, then stir everything together until a shaggy dough forms.
Turn the dough onto a floured surface and knead for about 10 minutes until it’s smooth and elastic.
You’ll know the dough is ready when it springs back when you poke it lightly.
This smooth, elastic dough is exactly what you need for heart shaped bagels that hold their form.
2. First Rise and Portioning
Place your kneaded dough in a lightly oiled bowl, cover it with plastic wrap, and let it rise for about an hour.
The dough should double in size, which means it’s full of gas and ready to be shaped.
After the rise, punch the dough down and divide it into 8 equal pieces.
Roll each piece into a tight ball and let them rest for 10 minutes.
This resting period relaxes the gluten, making the dough much easier to roll into ropes for heart shaped bagels.
3. Shape the Hearts
This is the fun part of how to make heart shaped bagels.
Take one dough ball and roll it into a rope about 8 inches long, keeping it even in thickness.
Bring the ends together to form a circle, but don’t seal them completely like you would for a round bagel.
Instead, pinch the two ends together at the bottom, making a sharp point.
Now press the top center of the circle inward with your thumb, creating two distinct bumps at the top.
Gently reshape and widen those top bumps so they look like the rounded lobes of a heart.
Place each shaped heart on a parchment-lined baking sheet and repeat with all the dough.
Cover them with a damp towel and let them rest for 20 minutes while you prepare the water bath.
4. Boil and Bake
Preheat your oven to 425°F (220°C) and bring a large pot of water to a boil.
Add 2 tablespoons of malt syrup or honey to the boiling water, which gives the bagels a beautiful golden crust.
Carefully drop 2–3 heart shaped bagels at a time into the water, boiling each side for 1 minute.
Use a slotted spoon to flip them, and then transfer them back to the baking sheet.
If you want toppings like sesame seeds or everything seasoning, sprinkle them on right after boiling.
Bake the heart shaped bagels for 18–20 minutes until they’re deep golden brown and sound hollow when tapped.
5. Cool and Enjoy
Let your heart shaped bagels cool on a wire rack for at least 15 minutes before slicing.
This cooling step lets the crumb set, so you get that perfect chewy texture inside.
Slice them open, toast them lightly, and top with cream cheese, smoked salmon, or even strawberry jam.
Heart shaped bagels are best enjoyed fresh, but they also freeze beautifully.
Just wrap them in plastic and pop them in a freezer bag for up to 3 months.
Tips for Perfect Heart Shaped Bagels Every Time
While making heart shaped bagels is straightforward, a few small pointers can make a big difference in your final result.
Here are the things I wish I knew before my first batch of heart shaped bagels.
1. Don’t Over-Proof the Dough
Over-proofed dough is too soft and airy, which makes it hard to shape into crisp heart shapes.
Stick to the recommended rise times and keep an eye on your dough in warm kitchens.
If the dough feels too loose when shaping, pop it in the fridge for 15 minutes to firm up.
Firm dough is your friend when making heart shaped bagels.
2. Pinch the Bottom Point Well
The bottom point of your heart shaped bagels is the weakest spot during baking.
If you don’t pinch it firmly enough, the dough can relax and the point will round out.
Use a strong pinch and even twist the dough slightly to seal it securely.
This extra pinch ensures your heart shaped bagels keep that iconic pointed bottom.
3. Use Bread Flour for Best Structure
All-purpose flour works in a pinch, but bread flour gives you a higher protein content.
Higher protein means more gluten development, which means sturdier heart shaped bagels.
The extra chewiness also makes the heart shape look more defined and professional.
So for the best heart shaped bagels, reach for bread flour every time.
So, How Do You Make Heart Shaped Bagels?
You can make heart shaped bagels by shaping standard bagel dough into a circle, pinching the bottom into a point, and pressing the top inward to form two lobes.
The boiling step locks in the shape, and the oven bakes them to a beautiful golden perfection.
Making heart shaped bagels is a simple, joyful process that anyone can master with a little practice.
From the first pinch to the final bite, these bagels are pure love in carbohydrate form.
I hope this guide has shown you exactly how to make heart shaped bagels and given you the confidence to try them yourself.
So go ahead, preheat that oven, dust your counter with flour, and bake up a batch of heart shaped bagels that will make everyone smile.