GETTING STARTED
How to Use Your Bagel Board
Welcome to the community of bakers who refuse to settle for ordinary bread. These boards were handcrafted in our Colorado Springs workshop to bridge the gap between home kitchens and professional bakeries, acting as your companion in achieving that legendary NYC-style finish. Whether you are using our Classic series or the modular Signature line, you are now equipped with the same hardware used by the industry's best. Remember that artisan baking is a tactile craft; as you move through these steps, focus on the rhythm of the process to turn a simple weekend project into a lifelong tradition.
STEP 1 — SOAK
Saturating the Wood
Start the soak when you put your boil water on the stove. Submerge the boards in cool water, and by the time the pot reaches a rolling boil, the cedar and burlap have taken on all the water they are going to hold. We weighed our boards through a soak to check: they reach full saturation within 2 to 5 minutes, and a 10-minute soak added nothing more. That stored water is what keeps the cedar from scorching in the oven. As it evaporates during the bake it steams the underside of the dough, so the crust can expand fully and take on that glossy shine. Skip the soak and the board chars instead of steams.
STEP 2 — SHAPE
The Foundation of the Bloom
Once your dough is proofed, use your handcrafted wood bagel shaper or your finger to form consistent, uniform rings while maintaining even tension across the surface. This structural foundation is essential for the bagel to "bloom" upward on the board during the bake rather than spreading outward. Tight, consistent shaping ensures that every bagel in the batch bakes at the same rate and develops that iconic high-shouldered profile and dense, chewy interior. By mastering this step, you guarantee that your finished batch has the professional look and texture of a high-end artisan shop.
STEP 3 — BOIL
The Malt-Infused Bath
A quick 30–60 second boil in a malt-infused bath defines a true bagel giving the crust its color and shine with an authentic "chew." Add a tablespoon of diastatic malt powder to the water for a traditional golden color and that signature bakery shine. Once the bagels are boiled, remove them and apply your Everything seasoning or other toppings immediately while the dough is still tacky to lock them in place. You must work quickly during this stage so the bagels hit the boards while they are still warm and moist to maximize the thermal transition in the oven.
STEP 4 — BAKE
Baking the Bottoms First
Place your boiled bagels directly onto the wet burlap, toppings-side down, to start the first half of the bake. While this feels counterintuitive, the moisture in the saturated burlap acts as a thermal shield, protecting your delicate seeds and garlic from the direct heat of the oven while the dough begins its initial rise. Slide the boards directly onto a preheated baking stone or steel; the steam rising through the burlap will keep the crust pliable, allowing the bagels to reach their maximum height and oven spring before the crust finally sets.
STEP 5 — FLIP
The Finishing Reveal
After roughly 5–7 minutes, the bagels will have puffed significantly and the burlap will begin to dry, signaling it is time for the flip. Using the integrated handle, pull the board forward and flip the bagels in one fluid motion directly onto the hot stone or steel. This reveal is the defining moment of the bake, allowing the bagels to finish directly on the hot surface to sear the bottom and lock in the final shape. Watch for a deep, golden-brown color across the entire batch to ensure you have achieved a uniform, professional-grade crust.
AFTER THE BAKE — CLEANING
Preserving Your Workshop Tools
Proper maintenance ensures your handcrafted tools last for a lifetime of traditions. Never use dish soap on the cedar boards; the porous wood will absorb the scents, which can then transfer to your bagels. For Classic boards, a simple rinse with warm water and a soft brush is all you need. If you are using the Signature series, you can unsnap the burlap for a deeper clean; while the wood remains soap-free, the detached burlap can be cleaned with light dish soap since it is no longer in contact with the cedar. Always air-dry your boards on their side rather than flat on the counter to prevent warping and ensure total airflow.
TROUBLESHOOTING
If your first bake didn't go perfectly...
How long does the board actually need to soak?
Less time than most instructions say, including our own older ones. We weighed two boards through a soak: each took on roughly 65 to 70 grams of water, and both reached full saturation within 2 to 5 minutes. A 10-minute soak added nothing meaningful. Submerge them when the boil water goes on; they are done absorbing before the pot boils.
My bagels stuck to the burlap during the flip. What happened?
The most common culprit is an insufficient soak. If the cedar fibers and burlap aren't fully saturated, the moisture in the dough gets pulled into the board, causing it to grip the bagel. Ensure you're doing a full submersion soak for at least five minutes; we have weighed the boards, and five minutes is fully saturated. If you're baking multiple batches back-to-back, give the boards a quick thirty-second "refresh" dip between uses to keep them hydrated.
The cedar is starting to turn dark or has "burn" spots. Is it ruined?
Not at all. That is just a natural patina caused by the caramelization of wood sugars and malt water at high temperatures. Think of it like a well-seasoned cast iron skillet; your boards will darken and develop character as you use them. This doesn't affect the flavor or safety of your bagels and is actually a sign of a well-loved workshop tool.
Can I use dish soap to get a deeper clean on the wood?
We strongly recommend against using soap on the cedar itself. Because cedar is highly porous, it will absorb the floral or chemical scents of commercial soaps, which can transfer to your dough during the next bake. However, if you own the Signature line, the advantage of the snap-on design is that the burlap covers can be removed and cleaned with light dish soap. Since the fabric is detached from the wood during cleaning, you can thoroughly sanitize the covers without risking the scent-profile of your cedar boards.
The boards are starting to warp or "cup." How do I fix this?
Wood is a living material that responds to moisture levels in the air. If boards are dried flat on a counter, the top dries faster than the bottom, causing the wood to curve. To prevent this, always air-dry your boards on their side (vertically). If warping has already occurred, a deep soak followed by drying them on the opposite side usually pulls the fibers back into alignment.
How do I know when it's time for new burlap?
In a typical home kitchen, burlap covers last for roughly 50 to 100 bakes. If you notice the edges fraying significantly or the fabric developing a "yeasty" smell that won't wash away after a deep clean, it's time for a refresh. Signature owners can easily swap out their snap-on covers, to keep their boards in professional condition without replacing them completely.
The bottoms are browning too fast after the flip. What do I do?
Move them. A preheated steel in particular drives heat into the dough quickly, so if the bottoms are darkening ahead of the tops, slide the bagels onto a room-temperature sheet pan for the last few minutes of the bake. In our own kitchen the bagels come off the steel and onto a sheet pan 7 to 8 minutes after the flip more often than not. The bottoms stay golden instead of seared and the batch finishes evenly.
Is there a substitute for a bagel board?
You can bake bagels without one; parchment on a preheated stone or steel is the closest stand-in, and plenty of good bagels come out of home ovens that way. What a substitute can't reproduce is the flip method: the wet cedar and burlap shield the toppings, steam the crust from below, and let the bagel finish right side up on the stone. We compared every common surface honestly in What Should You Bake Bagels On?