Mix flour, brown sugar, salt, and yeast in a large bowl. Add warm water.
Knead until no longer sticky, about 10 minutes.
Set in lightly greased bowl, cover with warm, wet towel, and let rise for 1-2 hours.Bring water to boil in a large pot, then mix in brown sugar.
Portion out palm-sized dough balls, and roll each into 6 inch rope. Join the two ends to form a bagel shape, ensuring the hole is large (1-2 inches).
With slotted spoon, lower each bagel into boiling water and let cook 30-60 seconds on each side. Do not overcrowd pot. Boil about 4 bagels at a time.
Remove with slotted spoon and place on greased cookie sheet.
Bake at 425 degrees for about 20 minutes, or until brown.
Notes
I mentioned that these are healthier than storebought. This recipe has half the sodium of storebought bagels as well as no added preservatives. And because these don't have any preservatives, they're not going to stay good for as long as storebought bagels. The solution? First cut the bagels as you would when eating them, then freeze them in a ziploc bag or container! To thaw, either just throw them in the toaster still frozen, or microwave for 20-30 seconds. If you put a bowl of water in with them while microwaving, they won't become as chewy.