Fireball Bagels Are Here & They're Perfect For Your Hungover Mornings
Fireball, the cinnamon-flavored booze responsible for many a wild college night, has officially been morphed into a breakfast food -- and we must rejoice. Alex Berkowitz, owner of The Bagel Nook in Freehold, New Jersey, took one for Team Fire and created his own interpretation of Fireball bagels, which have since gone viral (naturally). Ready to buy Fireball bagels is mass quantities? Here's what you need to know.
Made with a splash of the famous cinnamon whiskey in the dough and dipped in an equally boozy reduced glaze, Berkowitz's genius bagel creation is practically bursting with cinnamon flavor that's bound to awaken your senses if you're mid-hangover.
Delish writer Lindsay Funston went to The Bagel Nook to see firsthand exactly how Berkowitz makes his now-famous Fireball bagels.
From the superhot baking temperature to the legitimate fire that ignites in the pan as Berkowitz reduces the alcohol in a sizzling hot pan, she was able to experience the process up close and personal — and I'm so jealous.
Though Elite Daily didn't make the pilgrimage out to New Jersey, we did slide into The Bagel Nook's Instagram DMs for a quick interview with Berkowitz.
When asked about the inspiration behind the college student-approved breakfast, he tells us that it was actually a local radio DJ's idea. "Cubby over at 103.5 asked us to make a special Fireball bagel for him for his birthday in exchange for passes to meet the Backstreet Boys," the bagel maker — who apparently doesn't even like Fireball — says. Honestly, when the chance to meet an iconic boy band like the Backstreet Boys is involved, no further inspiration is needed.
Taste-wise, Berkowitz says the bagels have notes of "sweet hot cinnamon with yummy sugar and cinnamon on top."
He credits the baking process — boiling them, tossing them in cinnamon-sugar, and baking them to perfection in a 500-degree oven — for their ooey-gooey texture. Once they come out of the oven, they're dipped in that glorious Fireball reduction and dusted with powdered sugar before being sliced open and served with a schmear of apple pie-flavored cream cheese. NOM.
You Must Be 21+
While Cosmopolitan reported that The Bagel Nook's Fireball bagels aren't boozy because all the alcohol is cooked down, Berkowitz says otherwise. They're made with whiskey, he tells us, so you "must have a 21 or older ID" to order the spiked cinnamon bagel, which (depending on your toppings) will cost you around $5 in-house.
If your Fireball-obsessed self can't make it to Freehold to try these better-than-a-shot bagels, you can get a taste of The Bagel Nook shipped right to your door via Goldbely. The Fireball flavor isn't on the site (yet?), however, the shop's other claims to internet fame like Oreo bagels and Cheetos Flamin Hot bagels are. Each shipment costs $79 for a dozen bagels, one pound of flavored cream cheese, and a bag of the extra toppings (i.e. Oreos and Flamin' Hot Cheetos).
As for what you can expect upon receiving your freshly-made bagels, Goldbely notes on their website,
Bagels are made fresh-to-order, individually wrapped and picked up for immediate shipment. Upon arrival, you may open the box and serve them immediately or store them in the freezer to preserve them for up to six months. Cream cheese is made-to-order. Although each box is tightly packed with ice packs and picked up for immediate shipment, it is normal for the ice packs to partially or fully thaw during shipment. Upon receipt, please refrigerate.
And just like that, a bit of Instagram's most enviable #foodporn is at your fingertips. Cheers to that!
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