Instructions

• In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a dough hook, combine 1 cup warm water (about 110°F), 2 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast (one packet), and 1 1/2 tablespoons sugar. Let sit until foamy, about 10 minutes.
• With the mixer running on low, add 3 cups all-purpose flour, 2 tablespoons jalapeno (fresh or canned), 1 teaspoon salt, and 1 teaspoon garlic salt. Mix until the dough comes together.
• Continue kneading with the dough hook about 5 minutes, until the dough is elastic and springs back when poked. If the dough is too sticky to handle, add more flour a little at a time until manageable.
• Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Knead by hand a few times, then shape into a ball.
• Lightly coat a clean bowl with cooking spray. Place the dough ball in the bowl and coat the top of the dough with cooking spray as well. Cover the bowl and let rise in a warm place until doubled in size, about 1 hour.
• After the dough has doubled, punch it down and transfer it to a floured surface. Divide the dough into 9 equal pieces and roll each into a ball.
• Place the 9 dough balls on a greased baking sheet or a baking sheet sprayed with cooking spray, leaving space between each. Spray the tops lightly with cooking spray, cover, and let rise 10–15 minutes.
• While the dough is resting, bring a large pot of water and 1 tablespoon brown sugar to a rapid boil.
• Uncover the dough balls. For each ball, poke your finger through the center and rotate it to enlarge the hole into a bagel shape. Repeat for all bagels, then cover and let rise another 10–15 minutes. Preheat the oven to 415°F during this final rise.
• Working one or two bagels at a time (depending on pot size), carefully place them into the rapidly boiling water. Boil 2 minutes on one side, then flip and boil 2 minutes on the other side. Remove with a slotted spoon and return to the prepared baking sheet. Repeat until all bagels are boiled.
• Divide the 1 1/2 cups cheddar cheese evenly among the bagels and sprinkle the cheese on top of each boiled bagel.
• Bake in the preheated 415°F oven 25–28 minutes, or until the bagels are slightly browned and the cheese looks crispy. Remove from the oven and let cool completely.
• Store cooled bagels in an airtight container in the refrigerator.