Gluten-Free and Yeast-Free Bagels

INGREDIENTS
- 2 cups all-purpose gluten-free flour mix
Or to make your own flour mix, use 1 ½ cups rice flour, ⅓ cup potato starch, ⅓ cup tapioca starch
- 1 ½ tablespoons xanthan gum
- ½ tablespoon baking powder
- ¼ cup oil
- ½ cup water
- 1 tablespoon ground chia seeds (suggested: use a coffee grinder) soaked for 5 - minutes in 3 tablespoons water
- 2 tablespoons molasses + 10 cups water for poaching
- Salt, seeds, sugar, or whatever else you want to sprinkle on top

PREPARATION
1. Prep your Oven and Stovetop
Preheat the oven to 400˚F and combine your molasses and water in a large pot. The molasses gives the bagels their traditional glazed exterior. Start bringing the water to a boil as you prepare your dough.
2. Sift your Dry Ingredients
Sift together the flour, xanthan gum, and baking powder. Xanthan gum is a binding, thickening, and emulsifying agent necessary for gluten free flour mixtures so that the baked goods don't end up crumby. It is derived from corn, so guar gum can be used instead if necessary. 
3. Add your Wet Ingredients
Stir in the oil, water, and chia seed mixture. Knead the dough with your hands, instead of with a mixer, until it is thick and moist. 
4. Form your Bagels
Divide the dough into six equal-sized balls. Flatten them slightly and form holes in the center with your fingers. 
5. Poach your Bagels
Drop them into the boiling water and keep them moving to prevent them from sticking to the bottom. They'll sink at first, but then begin to float. Remove them with a slotted spoon after three minutes and put them onto a lined baking sheet. Sprinkle them with your toppings of choice
6. Bake your Bagels
Place them in the oven and bake them for 10 minutes on each side.