My sister and I were reminiscing about foods of the past, and I thought about the cherry bagels I used to buy at the SuperValu bakery in Kenosha, WI. My love affair with bagels may have started there. This is a recipe for my rendition of this childhood favorite, made gluten-free and vegan.
As much as I like making things from scratch, I recently found a baking mix that we've been having a lot of fun with. The brand is Chebe and the mix is mostly tapioca flour and starch making the breads that result gluten-and-grain-free. The dough is kneadable (fun for the kids) and the breads stand in well for wheat versions. By adding cheese or all-purpose gf flour or coconut flour, you can change the texture and create versions of flatbread, rolls, breadsticks, etc. By buying the boxed mix rather than the frozen products, you can make them vegan or dairy-free.
Makes 4-7 bagels {from Chebe's Gluten-Free Bagel recipe}
2 eggs
2 Tablespoons oil (grapeseed or coconut (melted)
1 package Chebe all-purpose baking mix (7.5 oz)
1 Tablespoon lucuma powder or sweetener of choice
3 Tablespoons vanilla almond milk (added 1 T at a time)
1 Tablespoon beet juice (optional for color: you can replace with 1 T milk)
1 C dried cherries {chopped or minced to your preference}
Preheat oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit . Boil 3 quarts of water in a 5-quart pot. Blend eggs and oil in a mixer or by hand. Add baking mix and blend, adding the almond milk until the dough holds together. Knead dough for a few minutes and then let rest. Chop cherries and roll into dough.
Separate dough into 4-6 pieces and roll into patties {3/4 inch high}. I use a small lid to punch out a nickel-sized hole from the middle, but you can also just push through it with your finger.
Drop into the boiling water for 1.5-2 minutes. After they float around for a bit, flip with a slotted spoon or tongs and boil the on the other side for 1 to 2 minutes.
Remove and place on a parchment-lined or ungreased baking pan. Bake at 450 for 15-18 minutes. The outside will brown, and they will be firm to the touch. Remove from the oven and place on a cooling rack for at least 10 minutes to allow the bubbles in the dough to set {you’ll be happy you waited}. Slice with a serrated knife and enjoy with a vanilla macadamia spread or vegan cream cheese. Enjoy!
