These Passover Bagels are soft, sweet-and-savory matzo meal rolls topped with sesame seeds. Serve them warm during your Pesach Seder or alongside your favorite Passover meals.
Passover Bagels
These Passover Bagels are one of those recipes that always come back to our table year after year. They are soft, slightly sweet, savory, and topped with sesame seeds for the perfect golden finish.
Even though they are called bagels, they are really more like Passover rolls made with matzo meal. The little indentation in the center gives them that bagel look without going all the way through.
Serve them warm during your Seder, with dinner, or anytime during Pesach when you want something comforting and homemade.
Why You’ll Love These Passover Bagels
- Made with matzo meal
- Soft, savory, and slightly sweet
- Perfect for Pesach and Seder dinner
- Freezer-friendly
- Great warm with butter, spreads, or charoset
- A traditional family recipe
I learned this recipe from my grandma, and that’s what makes it extra special. She always called them bagels, even though technically the hole doesn’t go all the way through. So in our family, Passover Bagels remain.
What Are Passover Bagels?
Passover Bagels are small matzo meal rolls baked until golden brown. They are soft inside, lightly crisp on the outside, and finished with an egg yolk glaze and sesame seeds.
Since they are made with matzo meal instead of regular flour, they are a wonderful bread-style option during Passover.
Tips For Best Results
- The dough will look dry before adding the eggs. This is normal.
- Let the hot dough cool for a few minutes before adding the eggs.
- Use damp hands to shape the dough so it does not stick.
- Make an indentation in the center, but do not press all the way through.
- Serve warm for the best texture.
These are especially delicious right out of the oven. They start savory and finish with a little sweet flavor, which makes them incredibly addictive.
Can I Make Them Ahead?
Yes. These Passover Bagels freeze beautifully. Let them cool completely, wrap tightly, and freeze until needed.
To serve, thaw at room temperature and warm briefly before serving. They are best enjoyed warm.
How To Shape Passover Bagels
After the dough is mixed, roll it into small balls about the size of a ping pong ball. Place them on a parchment-lined baking sheet and use your thumb or the back of a wooden spoon to make a small indentation in the center.
Do not press all the way through the bottom. You want a little dip, not a full hole.
I hope you can make these delicious Passover Bagels at home. If you do, tag me on Instagram @livingsweetmoments or use the hashtag #LivingSweet.
Passover Bagels
Ingredients
For Bagels
- 2 1/2 cups Matzo Meal
- 1 1/2 cups Water
- 1/2 Cup Vegetable Oil
- 2 Tablespoons Sugar
- 1 Teaspoon Salt
- 6 Eggs cracked and slightly whisked
For Topping
- 2 Egg Yolks
- 1/2 Teaspoon Sugar
- Sesame Seeds
Instructions
- Preheat Oven to 350 Degrees Fahrenheit
- In a small saucepan place the water, sugar, oil and salt. Heat on medium-high heat
- Pour the Matzo Meal in a bowl
- When the water mixture starts boiling, quickly pour it on the bowl that contains the matzo meal
- Stir with a wooden until combined. Dough will be dry. Let it cool for about 5 minutes
- Add the eggs and stir with a wooden spoon until you achieve a sticky dough
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper
- With damp hands, make little balls (about the size of a ping pong ball) and place on the cookie sheet
- Using your thumbs or the back of a wooden spoon, make an indentation in the center of each ball. Careful not to cut all the way through the bottom
- Bake in the oven for 30 minutes
- Meanwhile, beat the egg yolks and the sugar with a fork
- When the 30 minutes are up, remove the sheet pan from the oven and "paint" a little egg yolk all over the tops of the bagels. Sprinkle with sesame seeds
- Bake for 25 to 30 minutes more or until browned
- Enjoy!
Notes
- The dough will look dry before adding the eggs. This is normal.
- Use damp hands when shaping the dough to prevent sticking.
- Be careful not to press all the way through when creating the center indentation.
- These Passover Bagels freeze beautifully. Wrap tightly and thaw at room temperature before serving.
- Gluten-free matzo meal can be substituted if needed.
- Serve warm for the best texture and flavor.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
Nutrition
Frequently Asked Questions
Are Passover Bagels really bagels?
Not exactly. They are more like matzo meal rolls with an indentation in the center, but in many families they are traditionally called Passover Bagels.
Can I freeze Passover Bagels?
Yes. Let them cool completely, wrap tightly, and freeze. Thaw at room temperature and warm before serving.
Can I use gluten-free matzo meal?
Yes. Gluten-free matzo meal can be substituted if needed.
How should I serve Passover Bagels?
Serve them warm during Seder, with Passover meals, or alongside spreads, charoset, butter, or savory toppings.
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Your lttle bagels look fantastic. My problem. No where around here can get the Matza Meal. Can you suggest a substitute? There are a lot of food items that I can not get in this area. If the big chain that is here does not sell it here I can not get it. Though in other states they may sell it. Thank You for your time.
Hi Barbara! Since they are for Passover, I haven’t tried a substitute. I am sure you can find Matzo meal online.
I used to live in a rural area and had to make my own matzo meal, by running sheets of matzo first through my food processor to chop them very fine, and then through a sieve with relatively large holes to get the right texture. Pieces that were too big to fit through the strainer, went back into the food processor for another round. It’s time-consuming, but it’s seem to work.
Wow Nicole! That is a process! Is it possible to buy them online?
The little Cuisineart processor works way better than the big Cuisineart. Crumble up the prices as you drop them into the littles Cuisineart bowl . It takes about 3 minutes to make matzo meal.
The mini Cuisineart processor works way better than the regular Cuisineart. Crumble up the prices as you drop them into the mini Cuisineart bowl . It takes about 3 minutes to make matzo meal.
great tip thanks!
Matzot is easy to get in most places and can be used for most recepies that demand matzo meal. As chicken tenders, tempura veggies etc. As Nicole posted out. My solution is to put the cracked matzot in the food processor and work it out till one gets the preferred texture. It is like polenta with different degrees from coarse to fine, it all depends on how are the goodies one intends to produce. Matzo Meal and most Koscher products are available in the web but shipping makes them expensive.
Bravo! The begelits are delicious, We make keftes with similar dough as Al pastries. Chag Kascher Pessah Sameah l’ Kulan.
Glad you liked them and great tip on the matzo meal… now I know that I can have easy matzo meal at the push of a button.
Hi Tiffany, I’m looking forward to making these Passover bagels. One question, is there any reason why I couldn’t make a hole all the way through on these?
My husband and I, originally from BY, lived in Miami for over 15 years, before moving to PR. Since Hurricane Maria, we have put our efforts into moving back to Miami, and should be there by the middle is April. I hope we get to meet one day. Thanks for this new addition to my Passover repertoire.
Hi Merrill! Thanks for stopping by. That is a very good question! I do it the way my grandma does it but you can certainly make the hole all the way through, although I love how the sweet topping pools in the middle while it bakes in the oven.
Good luck with your endeavors and we’ll be waiting for you here in Miami 🙂
My granddaughter loves everything bagels
Could I cut down on the sugar in the roll recipe and then put everything bagel seasoning from Trader Joe’s on them
Would cutting down the sugar make the rolls not rise properly
Sure Deborah! the bagel seasoning sounds like an excellent idea!
These sound amazing. Do you know if the can be frozen if made ahead of time for a baby naming?
I’ve never tried freezing them but I’m sure it would work just fine. Just make sure to defrost them overnight in the fridge and heat them in the oven before serving
I used to make Passover “rolls” like these every Pesach, but now that two of my kids are medically gluten-free, I haven’t had any success in substituting the gluten free matzo meal for the regular in this type of recipe. The first two times I tried to make these, the mixture turned so gummy the moment I added the gf matzo meal that it couldn’t even be stirred so I ended up having to throw out the whole mixture, because I couldn’t form the balls, even with well-oiled hands. The third and last time I tried it I scooped blobs onto the baking sheet and attempted to bake them, but they stayed small and became hard as rocks! Have you ever actually succeeded in making these bage;s with the gluten free matzo meal,and if so, how did you modify the process or other ingredients to get the best edible result?
Our family miss these so much and would really appreciate your help in time for Pesach this year! Many thanks.
Hi Barry! My mom is gluten free as well and I’ve tried making them like you (gf matzo meal) and wasn’t successful either. I make my own gluten-free flour mix with rice flour, Sorghum flour, Tapioca Flour, Potato Starch and Xanthan Gum. I may try it this year with those ingredients, it may not be “matzo bagels” but at least it’s something.
I am not sure if those ingredients are kosher for Pesaj though.
There is a gluten free recipe you can adapt that’s online..or perhaps looks at it, and compare recipes.
http://koshereveryday.com/cant-believe-theyre-passover-bagels/ Instead of tapioca starch can use potato starch.
Thanks Sheryl for the gluten free version of these! my mom can finally eat them 😉
Is the sugar in the roll necessary? Is the sugar added to the egg for the topping necessary also? I don’t care for sweet bagels. I imagine it can be left out for a savoury Bagel.
Not necessary at all! You can top it with garlic powder, onion powder, poppy seeds, etc
What’s the best way to store them overnight? I don’t want them to get doughy or hard…..
You can store them in a zip top bag after they are baked
If i want to make them bigger like a regular size bagel, would the cooking time be any different?
yes Jocelyn, I like to make them bigger during the week, bun size, just bake them 5-10 minutes longer