Buzz
Store-bought pizza dough is one of my top bread hacks—possibly my absolute favorite. From lazy zeppoles to pretzels and cinnamon rolls, we've created countless treats with this versatile dough. It was only a matter of time before we tackled bialys too. Thaw that frozen dough you’ve been meaning to use and get ready for a snack that’ll be the bialy of your dreams.
The bialy, a beloved Jewish yeasted bread roll, originates from Białystock, Poland. It has a texture similar to a bagel, but without the boiling process. Instead, it's shaped, filled with a savory onion and poppy seed mix, then baked. The signature bialy shape is the trickiest part (but don’t worry, I’ve got you covered). Imagine a bagel without the hole, like a River Run inner tube or this cat bed. The center is pressed down to hold the flavorful onion filling, while the edges puff up into a chewy, soft ring. A fun, delicious summer treat.
While you can certainly make bialy dough from scratch, store-bought pizza dough is an excellent alternative. It’s a simple dough with chewy gluten structure, neutral flavor, and, best of all, it’s ready to use. No mixing, kneading, or first proofing required. If your dough is frozen, let it thaw; if it's refrigerated, leave it out on the counter for 20 minutes to come to room temperature.
Lightly dust your work surface with flour, then dump the dough onto it. Stretch it into a rough rectangle. A pound of dough yields eight bialys, so divide it in half and then cut each half into four pieces. Shape each piece into a ball. If you're unfamiliar with shaping bread, check out my video above for detailed instructions and tips for perfect bread balls. (Aside from my bread obsession, you'll find step-by-step shaping tutorials.)
Flour both sides of each dough ball and use your thumb and pointer finger on each hand to stretch them into discs, pinching from the center. This is just the first stretch, and the dough may feel resistant – that’s perfectly fine, you're only trying to flatten them a little. Place the discs on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Cover with a damp tea towel and let the gluten rest for 20-30 minutes.
During this time, the dough will proof a bit. Most importantly, you’ll be able to stretch and shape the bialys without the gluten snapping back. I skipped this step once and pricked the center to prevent puffing. The dough totally rebelled, bouncing back and puffing even more. Trust me, waiting 20 minutes is worth it, and it's a great opportunity to prepare your filling and preheat your oven to 450°F.
The filling is wonderfully simple. Sautéed onions with a touch of poppy seeds and salt. Dice a medium onion into small 1/4-inch pieces. I chose a sweet onion, but any variety would work well. Heat a tablespoon of oil and a little butter in a frying pan over medium-low heat. Once melted, add the diced onions and stir to coat. Season with salt and continue to stir until the onions become soft, translucent, and slightly browned—this should take around 10 minutes. Remove from heat and let them cool before stirring in the poppy seeds.
After resting, the pizza dough should be soft and easy to work with. Take a ball of dough, lightly coat the front and back in flour, and gently stretch it with your thumbs and index fingers, working from the center and rotating to maintain its round shape. The center should be very thin—you’ll almost be able to see through it. Place it back on the baking sheet and repeat this process with each bialy.
I came across this bialy shaping tip in this post, and while it may not have been a game-changer, it certainly helped me feel like the shape was more secure. Once the dough is stretched, use a small flat-bottomed measuring cup to press into the center, sealing the depression to prevent it from puffing up. Spoon about a tablespoon of the onion mixture into the center of each bialy, pressing it flat so it sits in the dough like an 'inner tube.' Bake at 450°F for 10-15 minutes or until the dough turns lightly golden brown.
These bialys are great at any time—whether fresh from the oven or after they've cooled down for a few hours. If you have leftovers, freeze them and bring them back to life by reheating in a toaster oven or air fryer at 350°F for a few minutes.
Pizza Dough Bialys
Ingredients:
1 package of pizza dough (16 ounces), thawed
1 medium sweet onion, finely chopped
1 tablespoon of oil
1 teaspoon of butter
½ teaspoon of salt
2 teaspoons of poppy seeds
Prepare a large sheet pan by lining it with parchment paper. If your pans are smaller, use two.
Flour a clean surface and place the dough on it. Divide the dough into eight equal portions. Shape each portion into a ball and then flatten it into a disk. Flour the bottom of each disk and place them on the sheet pan. Cover them with a damp tea towel and let them rest for about 20 minutes.
In the meantime, preheat the oven to 450°F. Add the oil and butter to a frying pan over medium-low heat. Once melted, stir in the onions and salt. Cook the onions until they soften, become translucent, and begin to brown at the edges. Turn off the heat and transfer the onions to a bowl. Stir in the poppy seeds.
Once the dough balls have rested, they should be easy to work with. Dust each one with flour, then pinch the dough between your thumbs and index fingers, stretching and pressing from the center. The center should be thin, but the edges should remain thicker. The bialys will end up 4 to 5 inches wide. Stretch each piece, then place it back on the sheet pan. Use a flat-bottomed glass or measuring cup to gently press the center flat. Spoon about a tablespoon of the onion mixture onto each bialy, spreading it evenly. Bake for 10-15 minutes at 450°F, or until puffed and golden at the edges.
