Crispy or chewy? Texture is everything when it comes to bagels. As soon as a bagel leaves the oven, the clock starts ticking as its water content drops and its starches start to change. The pressure is on, and we’re faced with the ultimate question: to toast or not to toast?

The case for fresh bagels

The best bagels are, hands down, freshly baked. No other opinion is valid, sorry! This of course is the golden rule for 99.9% of all baked goods. Once it cools down to room temperature it loses some of its punch, and after 6 hours or so, it is almost a different food entirely. Both water loss as it dries out and the hardening that occurs as the bagel’s starches become stiff contribute to this. However, not everyone knows what they’re missing. Not everyone has tasted a fresh bagel: the mass-produced bagels made by machine and shipped to sandwich shops and grocers are baked long before they’re consumed, and have a different texture. Some places might mask it with a heat lamp or reheating oven, but it just isn’t the same. Freshly made by human hands is best.

Why toast a bagel?

Maybe you don’t have access to fresh handmade bagels. Maybe you’re simply not awake in time to get some! Either way, toasting transforms a bagel past its prime. It makes tough starches pliable again, and takes it in a different direction—crispy. Mass-produced (think grocery store) bagels benefit from this process a lot. When you want a more firm surface for your toppings, it works wonders in the way of stopping your bagel from getting soggy! The toasting procedure also can improve the flavor of some bagels, much in the same way that roasting anything heightens flavor. Although the subtlety of a fresh bagel may be lost, a toasted bagel’s crunchy edges and chewy insides are definitely desirable.

What’s the best way to toast?

So, how should you go about toasting those leftover bagels? It depends on how you’ve stored them. It is important to store your bagels so only a minimal amount of drying and toughening occurs. Refrigerating a well-made, preservative-free bagel ensures bagel death. You must use it or freeze it right away. If you need the bagels several hours later, the best way to store them is in a sealed paper bag at room temperature. Looking for longer-term storage? Freeze them individually, either in plastic or in tin foil. To thaw, simply place at room temperature before toasting. If you’ve stored your bagels in this way—the bagel is hard but not necessarily dried out—toast it before slicing in an oven for five minutes or so. If you didn’t manage to do this, to counteract its dryness and staleness, try dipping it in hot water and toasting it whole. Although that may seem strange, this just echoes the way bagels are made: boiled first, then baked. It’s a good way to breathe new life into a bagel!