The Gluten-Free Bagel Brand That's Not Worth Your Money

Sticking to a gluten-free lifestyle can be tricky. Present in everything from baguettes and sliced loaves to cake and doughnuts, it's hard to bypass this protein that's found in wheat, barley and many other popular grains. And while some brands have made a concerted effort to make better gluten-free products, there are others that simply haven't risen to the challenge. If you're on the hunt for a gluten-free bagel, for example, there's one brand that's not worth your money; BFree.

The loser in our list of the best store-bought gluten-free bagel brands, ranked worst to best, these bagels simply don't pass muster. Sold in packs of four, they did look reasonably sized at first glance. However, when we dug into the packet, the top bagel had fallen apart and the ones stacked below were very soft. Call us purists, but we reckon a proper bagel should have a shiny crust and a dense, chewy texture that's heavier than other yeasted breads. You should be able to pick it up without it breaking into pieces due to the way it's boiled and baked; a classic technique that firmly sets the outer crust. BFree's offering crumbled in our mouths and didn't have the sturdy feel of an authentic bagel. It was also lacking in flavor and had an odd aftertaste.

BFree bagels contain an additive called xanthan gum, which is supposed to mimic some of the binding properties of the gluten present in regular flour. Its job is to help gluten-free baked goods to hold their shape, which should, in theory, produce bread that has heaps of much-needed structure. However, BFree bagels simply didn't have the dense, filling texture that's the very the hallmark of a quality bagel and its mouthfeel was almost sandy and crumbly. Perhaps their structure would've held up better if they'd been toasted first as the BFree website advises? We chose not to toast any of the bagels and try them fresh from the packet without the addition of variables (such as schmears and flavorful toppings) to produce fair results.

The best gluten-free bagel in our taste test was from Little Northern Bakehouse. Firstly, it was hefty in size, which we loved, but more importantly than that it had the characteristic dense texture that's expected of a bonafide bagel. It also had a toasty quality to it even though we didn't warm it up, which made it taste like it had just come out of the oven. These bagels would be perfect for serving with a classic slathering of cream cheese and lox, or make a yummy base for a gourmet bagel topping of smashed avocado salad due their thick texture and chewy crumb.