Bagel Chips
Bagel chips are bagels sliced thin, brushed with oil, and baked or toasted until they dry out into a crisp, sturdy cracker. They keep the dense, chewy bagel's flavor (plain, everything, garlic, whole wheat) but trade the soft interior for a shattering crunch, which makes them a common substitute for crackers or pita chips with thick dips and spreads.
Varieties
Plain and whole wheat bagel chips are the most neutral and work with almost any dip. Everything and garlic varieties carry visible seasoning and a stronger savory edge, best matched with cream-based or herbed dips. Cinnamon-raisin bagel chips are a sweet version meant for dessert-style spreads rather than savory dips, and they don't substitute well for savory bagel chips in recipes.
Buying tips
Check the bag for broken or crushed pieces before buying, since bagel chips are brittle and shatter easily in transit. Seasoned varieties like everything or garlic tend to taste fresher than plain, since the coating masks any staleness. Buy smaller bags if snacking occasionally, since they lose crunch once opened for more than two weeks.
Substitutes
Pita chips — 1:1
Thinner and lighter than bagel chips but similarly neutral, so they work well with the same dips without changing the flavor much.
Melba toast — 1:1
Lower fat and more delicate than bagel chips; good for spreads but breaks more easily under thick dips like spinach artichoke.
Toasted baguette slices (crostini) — 1:1 by piece
Sturdier and slightly chewier in the center, a closer texture match to bagel chips than most crackers, and easy to make at home in the same oven session.
Plain water crackers — 1:1
Much lower in calories and fat per piece and less chewy, so they work best under thin spreads rather than thick dips.
Homemade tortilla wedges, baked crisp — use as needed
A good swap for southwestern-style dips, but the corn flavor doesn't match the wheat flavor of bagel chips, so treat quantities by taste rather than a fixed ratio.
Storage
Keep bagel chips in their original bag pressed of air, or transfer to an airtight container, at room temperature. They stay crisp for about 2 to 3 weeks unopened and 1 to 2 weeks once opened. Keep them away from humidity and any moisture from dips; if they go soft, spread them on a baking sheet and re-crisp in a 300°F oven for 5 to 8 minutes.
How to use
Serve alongside thick dips like hummus, whipped feta, or spinach artichoke dip that would overwhelm a thinner cracker. Break them into a salad for crunch instead of croutons, use whole as a base for mini crostini with cream cheese and smoked salmon, or crush them into coarse crumbs for a crunchy topping on baked mac and cheese or casseroles.
What it pairs with
Pairs well with hummus, baba ganoush, whipped feta, and spinach artichoke dip. Cinnamon-raisin bagel chips work well with sweet spreads like cream cheese and honey or a light fruit compote instead of savory dips.
Nutrition
Because they're baked rather than fried, bagel chips have a calorie profile closer to crackers than to potato chips, but seasoned varieties (especially garlic and everything) tend to run higher in sodium. Whole wheat or multigrain bagel chips add more fiber than plain white ones.
FAQ
Are bagel chips just made from stale bagels?
Commercially they're made deliberately from freshly baked bagels sliced thin and dried out with oil and heat, not leftover stale ones, though homemade versions commonly start with day-old bagels since they slice more cleanly.
Can I make bagel chips at home?
Yes. Slice bagels into rounds about 1/8 to 1/4 inch thick, brush both sides with olive oil, season if desired, and bake at 300 to 325°F for 12 to 18 minutes, flipping halfway, until golden and crisp throughout.
Are bagel chips gluten-free?
Most standard bagel chips are made from wheat bagels and are not gluten-free, but a few brands make gluten-free bagel chips from rice- or gluten-free-flour bagels.
Why do my homemade bagel chips turn out chewy instead of crisp?
They were likely sliced too thick or baked at too high a temperature, which browns the outside before the center dries out. Slice thinner and use a lower, slower bake to dehydrate the center fully.
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