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High-Protein Cottage Cheese Bagels
I’m back with another cottage cheese recipe, and these cottage cheese bagels might be one of my favorites so far! One of the easiest ways to add protein to everything from banana chocolate chip muffins to cottage cheese pancakes, this not-so-secret ingredient not only boosts the protein of whatever it’s in, but it also creates the best fluffy texture. I’ve tested the recipe SO many times and have finally perfected the taste and texture of what I think are the best homemade bagels ever!
I promise, you don’t notice the cottage cheese at all, especially when you top your bagels with seasonings! Baked instead of boiled, the bagels turn out beautifully golden with a soft, chewy interior and incredible savory flavor. My kids are obsessed, and honestly, I am, too. Try them out, and you’ll never go back to store-bought bagels again!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Minimal Ingredients – Unlike pre-made bagels that typically contain lots of preservatives and sugar, these come together with 7 simple ingredients, most of which you probably have on hand.
- Quick + Easy – With no need to proof yeast or boil the dough, these cottage cheese bagels come together with minimal prep time and bake in minutes. They’re honestly easy enough for weekdays, but I love them on weekends for something a little special.
- High-Protein – A single bagel provides 10 grams of protein, making this recipe way more filling than your standard homemade bagels.
- Versatile – Swap out different toppings or include mix-ins to recreate your favorite bagel flavor and make this recipe your own. (See my suggestions below!)
RELATED: Homemade Gluten-Free Bagel Recipe
Ingredients
- Cottage Cheese – Whole milk cottage cheese works best for a fluffy texture and softer dough, but you can use low-fat cottage cheese in a pinch. Use either large curd or small curd. Just make sure to blend it up!
- All-Purpose Flour – This forms the base of the dough, giving the bagels structure.
- Almond Flour – I like to use almond flour to create the classic chewy bagel texture while adding fiber and healthy fats.
- Baking Powder – Make sure it’s fresh, or your bagels won’t rise!
- Salt
- Egg – Whisked and spread over the bagels before baking, this helps the seasonings stick to the dough and promotes even browning.
- Everything Bagel Seasoning – This is optional, but it adds the BEST savory flavor! You can always leave them plain or add a little bit of brown sugar instead.
How to Make Cottage Cheese Bagels
This is the easiest recipe for bagels ever. All you need is a blender, a large bowl, a baking sheet, and a small bowl. Here’s how to make high-protein Cottage Cheese Bagels:
- Blend the cottage cheese – Pulse your cottage cheese in a blender until smooth. Depending on the blender, it may not be completely smooth. Just remove as many lumps as you can!
- Combine ingredients – Whisk the dry ingredients in a large bowl, and stir in the blended cottage cheese until a dough forms. Knead the dough by hand to incorporate any flour.
- Portion – Transfer the dough to a lightly floured surface, and roll it around until it’s no longer sticky. Then, portion it into four equal pieces, and lightly roll each piece in the flour so it doesn’t stick to your hands.
- Shape – Working with one ball of dough at a time, roll the dough into logs, and connect the ends to create a circular bagel shape.
- Arrange the bagels – Transfer the bagels to a parchment paper-lined baking sheet, and use your fingers to widen the holes. Don’t skip this, or they’re likely to close as they bake!
- Season – Brush the top of each bagel with egg wash, and add everything seasoning, if desired.
- Bake – Transfer the baking sheet to the oven, and bake until the bagels are puffed up and golden brown. Cool the bagels on the pan before slicing and serving.
Tips
- Blend the cottage cheese well. For the smoothest dough, blend the cottage cheese until it’s as smooth and creamy as possible. A few small lumps are totally fine, but smoother cottage cheese creates a more even texture.
- Don’t overwork the dough. Mix and knead just until the dough comes together. Overmixing can make the bagels dense and tough instead of soft and fluffy.
- Widen the bagel holes. Before baking, gently stretch the center holes a bit larger than you think they need to be. The dough rises in the oven and can close up quickly. Trust me, I tested the recipe without widening the holes, and they totally closed up as the bagels baked.
- Bake until deeply golden. Don’t pull the bagels out too early! Baking them until they’re nicely golden helps create the best texture.
- Let them cool before slicing. The bagels continue setting as they cool, so letting them rest for 10-15 minutes helps improve the texture.
You’ll Also Love: Cinnamon Raisin Bagel French Toast Sandwiches
Variations
Cinnamon Raisin Bagels. Skip the everything bagel seasoning, and mix cinnamon and raisins into the dough for a slightly sweet option. You can also sprinkle cinnamon sugar on top before baking.
Cheddar Jalapeño Bagels. Fold shredded cheddar cheese and diced jalapeños into the dough before shaping for a savory, slightly spicy twist.
Sesame or Poppy Seed Bagels. Swap the everything bagel seasoning for sesame seeds, poppy seeds, or flaky sea salt.
Garlic Herb Bagels. Add garlic powder and dried herbs like parsley or Italian seasoning to the dough for extra savory flavor.
Mini Bagels. Divide the dough into smaller portions to make mini bagels perfect for snacks or kids’ lunches. Just make sure to keep an eye on the oven, and adjust the baking time as needed!
Sweet Bagels. Add a drizzle of honey or maple syrup to the dough and top with cinnamon sugar for a sweeter version.
Serving Suggestions
Of course, you can never go wrong with a classic spread of cream cheese. I also like to serve these cottage cheese bagels with nut butter and jelly. My kids love them topped with peanut butter, sliced bananas, and a dash of cinnamon!
However, my favorite way to serve them is as breakfast bagel sandwiches, topped with savory items like scrambled eggs, sausage, bacon, avocado, smoked salmon, cucumber, or red onion.
Of course, these bagels are also delicious as part of a breakfast or brunch spread with items like fresh fruit, granola and yogurt bowls, strawberry banana chia smoothies, or a Whole30 breakfast casserole. They’re my go-to for weekend brunches and special occassions!
How to Store
These bagels are best served right away while they’re still fresh. However, if needed, you can store leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days, or transfer them to the fridge for up to 5 days. For the best texture, lightly toast them before serving.
You can also freeze the bagels for up to 2 months. I recommend slicing them in half before freezing so they’re easy to toast straight from frozen whenever you need a quick breakfast or snack!
More Healthy Breakfast Ideas
- High-Protein Breakfast Biscuits
- Peanut Butter Chocolate Healthy Donuts
- Oatmeal Date Breakfast Cookies
- Palm Springs Date Overnight Oats
- Protein Soufflé Pancakes
- Strawberry Overnight Oats
More Ways to Use Cottage Cheese
- Lemon Blueberry Cottage Cheese Pancakes
- Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins
- Protein Pancakes with Greek Yogurt
- Cottage Cheese Pancake Bars
- Cinnamon Roll Cottage Cheese Pancakes
- Cottage Cheese Breakfast Rounds
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Cottage Cheese Bagels
Video
Equipment
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup 4% cottage cheese
- 3/4 cup all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled, plus extra for dusting the counter)
- 1/4 cup almond flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
- 1 large egg (for brushing the bagels)
- 1 Tablespoon Everything Bagel Seasoning (optional as topping)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F.
- Add the cottage cheese to a blender and blend until smooth.
- In a large bowl, whisk the flour, almond flour, baking powder and salt.
- Add the blended cottage cheese to the dry ingredients and stir together until a dough forms. Knead by hand to incorporate any remaining flour, about 2 minutes.
- Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and roll around in the flour so it’s not sticky.
- Divide the dough into 4 equal pieces. Lightly roll each piece of dough into the flour so it doesn’t stick to your hands.
- Roll one piece of dough into a 7-inch to 8-inch log, then connect the ends and press together to form a bagel shape. Repeat with the remaining 3 portions of dough.
- Place bagels evenly spaced out on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
- Use your fingers to widen the bagel hole slightly. This will help the dough maintain the bagel shape as it rises in the oven.
- Whisk the egg then brush onto each bagel.
- Optionally, sprinkle bagels with everything bagel seasoning.
- Bake for 20-23 minutes until puffed and golden, then let cool for 10-15 minutes before slicing in half.
Notes
- Ideally, the cottage cheese should be fully smooth once blended. But, many home blenders won’t blend it completely smooth on its own, that is ok! Just blend as best as you can, pause, scrape down the sides and blend again. If there are a few cottage cheese lumps that is ok.
- Step 9 is super important. I made the same batch during the 2nd test, and the bagel hole totally closed up as the bagel rose in the oven. So once the bagels are formed on the pan, using your fingers to widen the bagel hole really helps to maintain the shape in the oven!
- If you don’t want to use the Everything Bagel savory seasoning, feel free to leave them plain or even add a little bit of brown sugar on top for a sweeter taste!
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