Are Bagels Vegan? Egg Bagels, Honey and Dough Conditioners
Plain bagels are usually vegan: flour, water, yeast, salt and malt. Egg bagels, honey bagels, cheese toppings and L-cysteine are the exceptions. Here's what to check.
4 min read · Updated October 2026
Plain bagels are usually vegan. A traditional bagel is flour, water, yeast, salt and barley malt, boiled and then baked. The exceptions are egg bagels, honey or honey-wheat bagels, cheese-topped bagels, and some supermarket bagels made with dairy or L-cysteine from feathers.
Bagel types
| Type | Usually vegan? |
|---|---|
| Plain, sesame, poppy, onion, garlic, everything | Yes |
| Cinnamon raisin, blueberry | Usually; check for honey or milk |
| Egg bagel | No |
| Honey wheat | No (honey) |
| Asiago, cheddar, jalapeño cheddar | No |
| Pretzel bagels | Usually; some are brushed with butter |
| Bagels with egg wash for shine | No; ask at bakeries |
Ingredients to look for
- Eggs or egg wash: some bakeries glaze bagels for shine.
- Honey: sometimes in the dough or the boiling water instead of malt (see honey).
- Milk, whey, butter: in softer “bread-like” supermarket bagels.
- L-cysteine (E920): a dough conditioner that is often made from duck feathers or hair. See E920 and cysteine.
- Mono- and diglycerides: source-dependent emulsifiers.
Barley malt and malt syrup are plant-based and fine.
Bakery vs supermarket
Traditional bagel bakeries keep things simple, so plain varieties are usually vegan, but ask about egg wash and honey in the kettle. Packaged supermarket bagels have longer ingredient lists. Check the allergen statement for milk and egg, and scan for conditioners.
The fillings
Most bagel fillings are the obvious problem: cream cheese, butter, lox and egg. Vegan cream cheese, hummus, avocado, peanut butter and tofu “scramble” are easy swaps. For more on bread in general, read is bread vegan.
Need a faster check? Vegan ingredient checker
Frequently asked questions
- Do bagels have eggs?
- Plain bagels normally don't. Egg bagels do, and some bakeries use an egg wash.
- Are Thomas' bagels vegan?
- Several Thomas' plain varieties list no animal ingredients, but some flavours contain honey, milk or egg. Check the bag.
- Are Einstein Bros bagels vegan?
- Many of their plain bagels have been listed as vegan, but cheese, egg and honey varieties aren't. Check their current allergen guide.
- Is barley malt vegan?
- Yes. It's made from sprouted barley.
- Are everything bagels vegan?
- Usually. The seasoning is seeds, garlic, onion and salt.
Sources & verification
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