In recent years, bagels have gone from humble breakfast staple to over-the-top food trend. From rainbow-colored rings to dessert-inspired doughs, bakeries everywhere seem determined to reinvent the wheel. But while these flashy creations may rake in likes on Instagram, they often disappoint where it matters most: taste and texture.
Truth is, a proper bagel isn’t supposed to be a sugar bomb, a novelty, or a sponge for artificial flavoring. It’s supposed to be chewy, crusty, and comforting—the kind of carb that satisfies without needing gimmicks. And yet, far too many of today’s trendy bagels prioritize looks over quality, flavor, or, let’s be honest, common sense. (Looking at you, chocolate chip cookie bagel.)
In this guide, we’re calling out six bagel flavors that sound fun—but are better left on the shelf. These bagels often fall flat in flavor, are loaded with dyes and additives, or just make your breakfast more complicated than it needs to be.
But don’t worry—this isn’t just a roast session. We’re also shining a light on six classic bagels that always deliver, whether you’re going sweet, savory, or somewhere in between. From the perfection of an everything bagel to the cozy nostalgia of cinnamon raisin, these timeless flavors remind us why bagels became beloved in the first place.
Your breakfast deserves better—and we’ve got the bites worth waking up for.
1. Skip: Rainbow Bagels
Underneath those vibrant swirls of food coloring lies a bagel that sacrifices flavor for Instagram appeal. The excessive dye often leaves a chemical aftertaste that no amount of cream cheese can mask.
Bakeries typically use large amounts of artificial coloring to achieve those bright rainbow patterns, which some people report causes digestive discomfort. Plus, the focus on appearance means these bagels often lack the proper texture.
Many rainbow bagels end up being too soft and cakey rather than delivering that signature bagel chew. Save your taste buds and stick with bagels that prioritize flavor over flashy looks.
2. Skip: Chocolate Chip Cookie Bagels
Chocolate chip cookie bagels exist in a confusing middle ground—neither a proper bagel nor a satisfying cookie. The chocolate chips often burn during the boiling process, creating bitter spots throughout.
Morning sweet tooths might be tempted, but the reality disappoints when the chocolate melts into your toaster or makes a mess of your hands. The dough itself usually lacks the density and chew that makes bagels special.
Most bakeries add extra sugar to the dough, transforming what should be a bread product into an overly sweet breakfast imposter. When you want a cookie, eat a cookie. When you want a bagel, choose one that knows what it is.
3. Skip: Birthday Cake Bagels
Birthday cake bagels might seem festive, but they’re essentially sugar bombs masquerading as breakfast. The sprinkles become oddly chewy when baked into dough, creating strange texture issues throughout each bite.
The artificial vanilla flavoring often tastes chemical rather than like actual vanilla. These bagels typically contain food dyes that can stain your fingers, clothes, and even your teeth temporarily.
Cream cheese only makes matters worse, adding more sweetness to an already sugar-heavy creation. Birthday cake belongs on a dessert plate at a party, not in your toaster on a Tuesday morning when you need actual sustenance to start your day.
4. Skip: Blueberry Bagels with Artificial Flavoring
Those neon-purple blueberry bagels with suspiciously perfect berry pieces? They’re usually packed with artificial flavors that taste nothing like actual blueberries. The fake berry bits often have a strange, chewy texture that sticks to your teeth.
Real blueberry bagels exist and can be delicious, but the mass-produced bright purple versions rely on chemicals to mimic fruit flavor. These imposters typically contain artificial coloring that can stain your mouth and fingers.
Many people report a medicine-like aftertaste from the synthetic blueberry flavoring. If you love berries with your breakfast, you’re better off adding real fruit to a quality plain bagel or seeking out bakeries that use actual blueberries.
5. Skip: Pumpkin Spice Bagels
Pumpkin spice has invaded everything each fall, but its presence in bagels is particularly unfortunate. Most pumpkin spice bagels contain very little actual pumpkin, relying instead on a heavy hand with cinnamon and nutmeg to create the illusion.
The spice blend often overwhelms the bagel’s natural flavor and doesn’t pair well with traditional toppings like cream cheese or butter. Many bakeries add excessive sugar to these seasonal offerings, creating a confused product that’s neither satisfying as bread nor as dessert.
The artificial pumpkin flavoring commonly used leaves a strange aftertaste that lingers long after breakfast. This is one autumn trend that should stay in the coffee cup and out of your bagel basket.
6. Skip: Bacon-Infused Bagels
Bacon makes many foods better, but bagels aren’t one of them. The bacon bits incorporated into the dough often become rubbery and lose their crisp texture during the boiling and baking process.
The grease from the bacon can create soggy pockets throughout the bagel, compromising that perfect chewy consistency we all love. The smoky flavor tends to overpower everything else, making even the most robust toppings taste like nothing but bacon.
Many bacon bagels rely on artificial bacon bits or flavoring rather than real meat. If you’re craving that savory breakfast combination, you’re much better off adding freshly cooked bacon as a topping to a regular bagel than choosing one with bacon baked in.
7. Try: Everything Bagels
The everything bagel represents bagel perfection—a harmonious blend of poppy seeds, sesame seeds, dried garlic, dried onion, and salt creating a flavor explosion. Each bite delivers a different combination of these toppings, ensuring no two mouthfuls are exactly the same.
The beauty lies in its versatility. Everything bagels pair wonderfully with plain cream cheese, which allows the toppings to shine, but also stand up to stronger flavors like lox or scallion spread.
The seeds add a satisfying crunch that contrasts beautifully with the chewy bagel texture. No wonder this variety has become the gold standard by which other bagels are measured. When in doubt at the bagel shop, the everything bagel never disappoints.
8. Try: Plain Bagels
Plain bagels showcase what makes these bread rings special: that perfect balance between a crisp exterior and chewy interior. Without toppings to hide behind, plain bagels must rely on quality ingredients and proper technique—the mark of a truly great bagel shop.
Their neutral flavor makes them the ultimate canvas for whatever toppings you’re in the mood for. From sweet options like butter and jam to savory choices like eggs and cheese, plain bagels adapt to your cravings.
For bagel purists, nothing beats a fresh plain bagel with a schmear of cream cheese. The unadorned surface allows you to appreciate the bagel’s glossy crust and distinctive malty flavor that comes from the traditional boiling process before baking.
9. Try: Sesame Seed Bagels
Sesame seed bagels deliver the perfect hint of nutty flavor without overwhelming your palate. The tiny seeds toast during baking, releasing natural oils that enhance the bagel’s aroma and create a delightful crunch against the chewy dough.
Unlike heavily flavored varieties, sesame bagels maintain versatility while adding character. The seeds stick beautifully to the bagel’s exterior thanks to the traditional boiling process, ensuring you get that signature texture in every bite.
Health-conscious eaters appreciate the added nutrients from sesame seeds, including calcium and iron. This classic has remained popular for generations because it strikes the ideal balance between interesting flavor and everyday enjoyment—distinctive enough to stand out but familiar enough for daily consumption.
10. Try: Cinnamon Raisin Bagels
Cinnamon raisin bagels bridge the gap between breakfast and dessert without crossing into too-sweet territory. The warm spice of cinnamon permeates the dough while plump raisins provide bursts of natural sweetness throughout each bite.
Unlike trendy sweet bagels that rely on artificial flavors, cinnamon raisin bagels use classic ingredients that have stood the test of time. The raisins develop a wonderful chewiness during baking that complements the bagel’s texture perfectly.
These bagels shine when lightly toasted, which caramelizes the exposed raisins and releases more cinnamon aroma. A light spread of plain cream cheese creates the perfect balance, cutting through the sweetness with its tangy richness. For those mornings when you need a little comfort, cinnamon raisin never disappoints.
11. Try: Onion Bagels
Onion bagels deliver bold flavor without gimmicks or trends. The onion pieces caramelize slightly during baking, creating sweet, savory notes that permeate the entire bagel without overwhelming your taste buds.
Unlike some newer bagel varieties that rely on artificial flavors, onion bagels get their character from real ingredients. The onion flavor stands up beautifully to savory toppings like lox, cream cheese, tomato, and capers—the classic deli combination.
Many bagel aficionados consider these the perfect midpoint between plain and everything bagels. You get distinctive flavor without the messiness of seeds falling everywhere. The lingering aroma might not make you the most kissable person after breakfast, but the flavor experience makes it completely worth it.
12. Try: Salt Bagels
Salt bagels feature large crystals of kosher or sea salt sprinkled generously over the top, creating a flavor experience that’s both simple and complex. The salt doesn’t just make the bagel taste salty—it enhances the natural flavors of the dough and creates a beautiful contrast with any topping.
The large salt crystals provide little bursts of intensity that wake up your taste buds. Many bagel lovers pair salt bagels with sweet cream cheese for a delicious sweet-and-salty combination that satisfies multiple cravings at once.
These bagels showcase the beauty of restraint in cooking—just one additional ingredient transforms the entire experience. The salt also creates a slightly crunchier exterior crust, adding another textural dimension that makes each bite more interesting than a plain bagel.
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