These 3-ingredient cottage cheese bagels will be your new obsession. Make them in the oven or the air fryer and enjoy them as a healthy, savory snack (or part of a sandwich) any time of day!
Looking for more cottage cheese recipes? Try cottage cheese toast, cottage cheese dip, or creamy avocado dip next time.
Cottage Cheese Bandwagon
It seems like cottage cheese has been having its moment for a while now. And I’m all about the cottage cheese trend!
Cottage cheese eggs, cottage cheese toast, cottage cheese pancakes, cottage cheese pizza crust, you name it.
Lately, my own obsession has been savory cottage cheese bowls with cherry tomatoes, avocado, and balsamic glaze.
So, when I discovered I could make high-protein bagels from just three simple ingredients, including cottage cheese, I was all in. I’m always looking for a healthy breakfast recipe to start my day with extra protein for both me and the kids. Now I can’t stop thinking about all the sandwich and topping combinations I want to try with it!
Testing this Cottage Cheese Bagels Recipe
I’ve seen many variations of high-protein bagels on TikTok using greek yogurt, but very few with cottage cheese. I tested them both and the difference in taste and texture was minimal. But, cottage cheese has more protein than Greek yogurt!
I also tested this recipe using a gluten-free flour with baking powder. They didn’t rise quite as much, as expected, but they were still delicious and soft!
Lastly, I tested a batch of these in the air fryer to make sure they worked, and I had a reliable air fry time. I recommend preheating your air fryer like an oven for even cooking! They were just as delicious and actually took almost half the time as the oven!
Need a bread recipe? Some of my favorite bread recipes to make are these healthy sourdough buns or pull-apart sourdough dinner rolls.
Why You’ll Love These 3 Ingredient Bagels with Cottage Cheese
- Quick: Just mix, knead, roll, and shape before baking. No rising required!
- Easy: With three simple ingredients, this recipe doesn’t require a lot of mess or effort.
- High protein: Having cottage cheese first thing is a great way to add protein to the day. They have (11 grams of protein per serving), much more than regular bagels.
- Make-ahead: Whip up a double batch, slice and freeze them, and pop one in the toaster each morning.
- Any time of day: Enjoy them as your breakfast, afternoon snack, or as part of a sandwich. Top them any way you’d like!
How to Make Cottage Cheese Bagels
Here are the basic steps, with images, for these cottage cheese protein bagels. Skip down to the recipe card below for the full printable recipe.
Blend the Cottage Cheese
Blend or pulse one cup of cottage cheese on high in a blender or food processor until smooth.
Mix with Dry Ingredients
Transfer it to a large bowl and add the flour. Mix until completely combined and the dough starts to pull away from the sides of the bowl.
Divide the Dough
Roll it into a ball of dough and knead until smooth. Divide dough into 4 equal balls.
Shape Into Bagels
Roll each ball out into a 6-7-inch rope, about 1-inch thick. Join the ends to make a bagel shape and pinch the seam, laying them on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
Brush with Egg Wash and Season
Brush the tops with a beaten egg white and top with your seasoning of choice.
Bake Until Golden
Bake at 375 on the very top rack position for 25-30 minutes, until puffed and golden brown. Allow to cool for 15 minutes before slicing and serving.
What Type of Flour to Use
This recipe calls for self-rising flour to keep them easy and three ingredients. However, you can use whole wheat flour, all purpose flour or gluten-free flour instead of self-rising flour. Add 2 teaspoons of baking powder and a pinch of salt to mimic self-rising flour.
I don’t recommend swapping another type of flour, like the almond in this gluten-free pizza crust. That and coconut flour absorb too much moisture, and you’ll have very dry bagels.
Recipe Variations
- For gluten-free bagels, use 1 cup of a quality gluten-free flour blend with xanthan gum. (I tested this with King Arthur’s.) Mix it with 2 teaspoons baking powder and 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt.
- Different toppings: Sesame seeds, everything bagel seasoning, shredded asiago cheese, or poppy seeds are just a few ideas.
- Spread butter or cream cheese overtop just like you would with traditional bagels.
- Make lox, tuna salad, chicken salad, or any of these tasty bagel sandwich ideas.
- Spread this Boursin cheese overtop and make a savory turkey sandwich.
Freezing and Storing Tips
Allow the bagels to cool completely and store them in an airtight bag at room temperature (not in the refrigerator, which can make them stale faster) for 3-4 days. Or freeze them immediately for up to 4 months.
Success tip: Be sure to slice them almost all the way through before freezing them so you can toast them from frozen.
This recipe is sponsored by American Dairy Association Mideast. All thoughts and opinions are my own. Thank you to brands like theirs who believe in our mission and recipes so we can continue to share free ones with you. Visit their website for dairy nutrition facts, cooking tips and to learn about dairy farming.
If you make these easy protein bagels, I’d love for you to give them a star rating ★ below. You can also tag me on Instagram so I can see it!
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Cottage Cheese Protein Bagel Recipe
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Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375 and position the rack to the top position. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Blend cottage cheese: Place the cottage cheese in the food processor or blender and pulse or blend on high until smooth, stopping to scrape down the sides as needed.
- Add flour: Transfer it to a medium bowl and add the flour. Mix until completely combined and the dough starts to pull away from the sides of the bowl. Transfer the dough to a generously floured work surface and knead the dough 8-10 times, until smooth. Add more flour to the work surface as needed until the dough is no longer sticky.
- Shape and season: Roll the dough into a ball and divide it into 4 equal balls. If you want them to be the exact same size you can weigh out each piece of dough to approximately 80g. Roll each ball out into a 6-7-inch rope, about 1-inch thick. Join the ends to make a circle and pinch the seam tightly to seal. Brush the tops with a beaten egg and top with your seasoning of choice.
Bake
- Bake in the preheated oven until puffed and golden brown, 25-30 minutes. Allow to cool for 15 minutes before slicing and serving. Bagels stay fresh in an airtight container at room temp for up to 4 days.
Air Fry
- Preheat the air fryer to 350 for 5 minutes. Spray the air fryer basket with nonstick spray and air fry for 12-14 minutes, until golden brown and no longer doughy in the center.
Notes
Video
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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Followed the recipe with whole milk cottage cheese! Turned out incredible. Excited to start making my own high protein bagels instead of store bought brands. Thank you!
Awesome. Thank you for sharing Wendy!
Doubled the recipe.
Made four with everything bagel topped with cheese.
Made four with five chocolate chips, pushed down in the top of the bagel.
They are absolutely delicious. Thank you for sharing the recipe.
You’re so welcome!
So delicious! I have tried a similar recipe with Greek yogurt but prefer the texture and taste of these.
I agree! Thanks Kate!
These are pretty delicious and great substitute for store bought bagels. Easy recipe too
Thanks Kim!
tasted good. Used 4% fat cottage cheese and all purpose flour. Baked for 30 min and let set. They were still doughy on the inside though. Still tasted good, I assumed being doughy wouldn’t matter since there wasn’t egg in the mixture.
Hi Jeffrey! Thanks for sharing. Everyone’s oven temps can vary. The size of your bagels and even the baking sheet color can affect bake times. I always recommend going of texture and doneness over exact times as they’re just an estimate.
Delicious. So quick and easy!
More bun like than bagel, but they a great protein option and it toasted beautifully. Have added this recipe to my family cookbook. 🩷
Awesome. Love it when we make it in the cookbook! Thank you Corinne!
I’m impressed how easy those bagels are to make . And best of all , they taste delicious, especially if you are hungry.
Thanks Lutzia!!
How much xantham gum for non-self-rising flour?
Hi Melissa. Check to be sure your flour doesn’t already include xantham gum. If it doesn’t, add about 1/4 teaspoon of xanthan gum per 1 cup of flour.
I used GF flour, added xanthan gum, baking soda, and salt, and Daisy low fat cottage cheese. They came out WAY better than I was expecting. Will be meal prepping breakfast sandwiches with these. Thank you!
You’re welcome Noelle!
So delicious! I have made these several times and plan on making them every week … I made a batch with garlic/herb topping and one batch with shredded Monterey Jack and diced chiles. Sooooo good! Great for breakfast and lunch time sandwiches … I highly recommend you make these bagels. So easy too!
Oh yum that sounds delicious! Thank you Dianne!!
Hi! Can I mix the ingredients and refrigerate to bake at a later time?
Hi Samara! Yes it should be fine to mix the ingredients and store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 24 hours. Then shape and bake!
I make these weekly as buns instead of bagels. They work great to meal prep breakfast sandwiches for the week! I have also used them as a bun for smashburgers. LOVE these!
Love this. Thank you so much for sharing, Lauren!
I made these in the air fryer and they came out delicious. I didn’t take a picture as I somehow lost my bagel hole. I think I just didn’t make my rope long enough. Didn’t matter as they were perfectly delicious. I will make these again and again.
Thanks for sharing, Shelley!
Can these be toasted later? Can they be frozen?
Yes they can! Freeze for up to 3 months and toast directly from frozen!
My first time baking something, as easy as 1,2,3! super delicious bagels
Awesome! Glad you loved it, Rosie!
Excellent , easy , delish ….used everything bagel seasoning…..yum
Glad you loved it, Olga!
These were so good! Do you think that the dough could be made in The evening and baked fresh in the morning?
Thanks Tina! I haven’t tried this, but I think it would work. I know freezing overnight would be fine. Let me know if you try it!
Great and healthy recipe.
So glad you loved it Amanda. Thanks for sharing!
Great and health recipe.
Thanks Amanda!! Glad you loved it.
I love bagels so I’m so glad I got a chance to make these! I had to do couple things to modify them to make them work (put a little water with the cottage cheese in the blender to make it blend more easily, add a little more flour to keep it from sticking) buy they came out pretty great. Ait fryer worked better for me. 🙂
Thanks for sharing, Joyce!
Very easy and very delicous. I used AP flour w added salt and baking powder. I wonder if the “chew” would be more traditional with bread flour? I will try next time as this recipe is a keeper
Glad you loved them, Yolanda!
I have made them twice now. The first time with 4% cottage cheese and the second time with non fat because the store sent me the wrong one. I did add approximately 1 tablespoon of butter to the mix. The 4% came out fluffier but still good.
Thanks for sharing, Donna!
Great taste. Just compared to a bag of store bought bagels. These have half the carbs and calories. Love that there aren’t as many added ingredients such as corn syrup. The protein was only slightly more 11grams vs 14grams.
Thanks for sharing, Shanda!
I use Daisy‘s 4% cottage cheese, Bob’s red Mill gluten-free whole purpose flour, and everything bagel seasoning. The bagels were delicious. I haven’t stored them for longer than a day, but they’re amazing out of the oven!
Win win!
So glad you loved them Jenn. Thanks for sharing!
Did you have to use baking powder for the flour to be self rising?
These were amazing. I made Asiago ones. Soon good.
So glad you loved them Jennifer!
Can’t wait to try making this. Thanks!
These were so amazing, even plain. They had great consistency on the outsides with a soft fluffy inside. They are so easy to make and definitely will be a staple in our house. A bagel that doesn’t make me feel guilty for having 1 or 2. Delicious and healthy option=big win💜
What a great compliment. Thanks for taking the time to share, Bren!
I couldn’t believe how easy these were. It came out fantastic, I’m using 4% milk fat.
So glad you loved them, Jen!
Delicious and so easy!
So glad you loved them, Maria!
Just made these this morning and they were delish! I only had 2% cottage cheese on hand, and they still tasted really good! Imagine that the full fat cottage cheese would make it that much better 🙂 Thank you for giving my morning a special boost!
So glad you loved it Courtney!
I used 2% Greek yogurt instead and they’re perfect. Pleased with this recipe
Love it Mags. Thanks!
These are amazing. I’m lazy and didn’t even blend the cottage cheese, just used small curd and they still came out fantastic in the air fryer.
Thanks for sharing, Ashley!
AMAZING!! I’ve tried a lot of protein – trying to be healthier – stuff and always regret it. Not this one. 😍 I’ve made them multiple times already. Thank you!
So glad you liked it Kelley!
I love how easy this recipe is! I just found that my bagels did not cook all the way through and I had them top rack at the right temperature for a longer time not too sure what to do to fix this for next time
Thanks for sharing Rochelle! Everyone’s oven temps can vary. The size of your bagels and even the baking sheet color can affect bake times. I always recommend going off texture and doneness over exact times as they’re just an estimate. Hope this helps 🙂
Just made these and they were really good!! Moist and flavorful.
Thanks for sharing, Emily!
The whole family loved them!
Thanks for sharing, Grace!
Sooo essy and delicious! They are a huge hit and my boys love them. The higher protein makes me happy too. Thank you!!
So glad they were a hit. Thanks Danielle!
I just made them. Delicious and perfect size.
Thanks for sharing, Barb!
Have you tried freezing the dough? Like make the bagels, place them on a sheet in the freezer, defrost and then do the egg wash to bake?
Hey Erin! Yes, you can freeze the dough then bake! You can bake them directly from frozen, just add extra cook time.
I made these the other day and put in the air fryer and they were delish! I felt like I had to add a lot of extra flour because the mixture was so sticky and that’s with weighing out all my ingredients. Will definitely make again. To me they were just as good, if not better, than any bagel you buy at the supermarket. I froze some and brought them to work with me for quick breakfast!
Thanks Kelsey! The texture of the dough will depend on the type and brand of cottage cheese you use. I used Good Culture full fat cottage cheese and don’t usually have to add any extra flour. Hope this helps!
These are delicious I added everything seasoning! I followed the gluten free recipe and cooked in air fryer! My toddler loves them ate so fast we didn’t have any to freeze. Just made two more batches to freeze.
Love this. Thanks for sharing, Heather!
These are delicious and almost foolproof. The dough was extremely sticky because I didn’t add enough flour but they still came out great. And they freeze well. This is a game changer!
Glad you loved it, Gene!
Delicious. I used 1/2 cup cottage cheese and 1/2 cup greek yogurt and preheated my baking sheet when the oven was preheating. Also I didn’t have self-rising flour so I used your tip of adding baking powder and salt to the AP flour and it worked perfectly. I used everything seasoning on this first batch!
Thanks for sharing, Jane!
Absolutely delish and easy!!! Thanks you so much for sharing your recipe!
You’re welcome. I’m so glad you loved it!
I love this recipe. Any suggestions how make them stay shaped like bagel? Mine baked into the shape to look more like a roll lol
Hi Kasia! Glad you love them. You likely need to roll your dough into a thinner longer rope so it leaves more space in the center as the bagel bakes. Hope this helps! 🙂
How much xanthum gum do you use for 1 cup AP flour?
Hey Becky! You don’t need xanthan gum in all purpose flour!
These are AWESOME!! I don’t eat cottage cheese, but I had to give them a try after seeing Bethany Fraenkel loved them. You have to try them!!!😊
Awesome. Glad you loved them Val!
Fluffy on the inside, toasty on the outside! Perfect treat for when you’re craving a bagel but not all the calories. Baked at 375 degrees for 27 min. Used 1% milk fat cottege cheese, regular flour and 2 teaspoons of baking powder. Perfection!
Glad you loved them Lauren!
Absolutely delish! Very light and fluffy and a good way to get in some protein! Thank you!
Love to hear it. Thanks Kathy!
Bethany Frankel posting this cottage cheese flour bagel recipe on TikTok now.
I just went and looked it up!!
Hi did you make the Bethany version? I did today and baked at 375 for 30 min and still doughy inside so it was a bit disappointing and they went into the trash. I’m going to try Molly’s method and see if I get better results as hers look great. 🙂
Can I sub einkorn flour?
Hey Cait! I haven’t tested this with einkorn flour. Let me know if you try it!
Good bit a bit salty for my taste.
Hi Cyndy! Glad you liked them. If you want to make them less salty, you could reduce the amount of seasoning you put on top. Hope this helps!
A perfect recipe– easy and so delicious!! Thank you!!
You’re welcome! So glad you liked it, Tonya!
if i use bread flour instead, should i still use the same measurements or alter it?
You can use the same measurements! Just adding the baking powder in!
Wow, what an easy way to up my protein game! These turned out great and were delicious. I added little pumpkin seeds to up the protein even more and give them a little crunch. Thanks for sharing : )
Thank you!!
These taste amazing!!! I used King Arthur Measure for Measure GF flour and added the baking soda and salt. Mine were not as pretty as your picture-I was afraid to over-knead and perhaps I didn’t mix thoroughly enough in the bowl? Will try again tonight.
I really can’t believe the texture – it’s incredible.
Thanks Lisa!
Love this recipe. I made these and incorporated cinnamon raisins into the dough & added brown sugar on top of the egg wash. They are fluffy and yummy!
So glad you loved them!
Oh no, my bagels came out doughy in the center.
What did I do wrong?
Hey Jen! Sounds like they just didn’t more time cooking. Did you do the oven or air fryer method?
My bagels were still doughy inside after 12 mins in the airfyer. I even preheated. Should j have put them on the bake setting in the air fryer and not the air fryer setting?
You’ll want to air fry them until they’re cooked through! I’d try another 2-3 minutes!
Hi,
I love this recipe but wondering if it could be adapted to make one big loaf instead of bagels! Any ideas on how to do that? Thank you!
Hey there! This is a pretty versatile 2-ingredient dough that can also be made into pretzels and pizza crust. However, I haven’t tried it as a loaf of bread! I recommend searching a bread recipe specifically. Thanks!
My oven runs a little hot, they ended up a bit darker than I would have liked. Should have checked them part way through. They still were very tasty, even with some operator error. So soft on the inside with a nice, crunch exterior! Will definitely be making this one again.
Thanks for sharing Wendy!
Can u substitute self rising flour for almond flour
Hey there! I haven’t tested this, but it would likely yield a very different result. I’ve seen people do it with bagel bites with success, just not full bagels! If you do, you’ll need to add 1 tsp baking powder. Definitely report back if you try it!
Want to try these, they look so good! Will pressed cottage cheese work?
Hey Sonja! I haven’t tested this, so I can’t say for sure, but I think it should be ok. If you try it let me know!
I LOVE this recipe and have made bagels and rolls. Would it work to use almond flour?
Hey Charla! I haven’t tried this, but I’ve seen several recipes use almond flour lately with success. Let me know if you try it!
These were so easy to make and delicious! Will definitely be making them again.
Thanks Beth!
Amazing! I used bread flour, low fat cottage cheese and split it into 6 bagels instead of 4 and it was hit with all ages. Highly recommend.
Thanks, Liz!
Easy to make. I made it twice and the recipe is reliable. I saw the bagels at Instagram. Thank you 💯💯💯
So glad you found them! Thanks for taking the time to comment!
Making them now for the second time! My husband loved them, and so did I! I can’t believe three ingredients worked so well and made one of the best bagels we’ve ever had. Fluffy, fresh, delicious. Great job!
Love to hear this, thanks!
These are fantastic! I’ve made so many variations with different fillings (cinnamon raisin, asiago and herb, whole wheat, gluten free), and I’ve even turned the dough into a pizza crust which worked out amazing! I’ve shared the recipe with coworkers and now it’s almost a contest to see who can be most creative with it. Thanks for such a great recipe!
Ohhh pizza dough is genius!! Love it!
Hi!
I was wanting to make these more carb-friendly. Could I substitute almond flour and add 1 Tbls of baking powder? Thank you so much.
Hey there! Unfortunately, you can’t swap almond flour equally in this recipe. It has a much different texture and absorbs a lot of moisture. I recommend searching for an almond flour bagel. I’ll put this on my list to test soon though!
Hi Amanda. Did you use the whole dough for pizza crust? Did you cook the same temp and time? Thanks.
These came out so good. I am trying to work more protein in my diet and recently have discovered how versatile cottage cheese is and I’ve got to say these bagels are delicious. I put some cinnamon, nutmeg and raisins in mine and I’m hooked!
Agree, it’s so versatile! Glad you liked them!
Yummy and super easy! Thank you!
You’re welcome!
Made these a couple days ago. Doubled the recipe to make some onion (put onion powder and dried onions on top) and some plain. Not sure why but mine was super sticky making very hard to actually roll and shape. Used self rising flour and low fat cottage cheese (my preference). Do I need to add more flour? Otherwise we all loved them, both texture and flavor and making again!
Rated 4 just because difficult to work with and shape from being so sticky
Glad you like them Tina!
Made another double batch and used more flour on service to knead & hands and made a huge difference on stickiness I first experienced. Bagels came out much better looking too since I could actually roll! Changing my review to a 5, was “user error”!
*also opted to used spray butter on top vs egg this time.
Thanks Tina!!
I had the same issue the first time. Here’s what I do now with 5 star results: measure your cottage cheese into a sieve with a basket coffee filter in it. Let it sit about half an hour. You’d be surprised how much liquid drains out. Make as directed, 5 stars guaranteed!
Wow!! Just made them using whole wheat flour!! Amazing and so quick and easy 5 stars for sure!!! So light yet filling!! 😊Thanks for the recipe!!
Thanks Liza!
whole wheat flour? wow. that’s awesome! Did you use the same amount as the self rising flour? Did you have to add anything to the flour? Sorry for all the questions.. I’m new at this!
I made these for my Daughter and I used self-rising flour. They tasted great but my daughter said they were not as “puffy” as when her Mom makes them. I’m going to try again and maybe knead the dough more…..not sure why I don’t get the same “puffy” results ha ha
Thanks Steve!
I did a double recipe so i used 2 cups of self rising flour and a whole 16oz container of Lactaid Cottage Cheese do to the fact I’m lactose intolerant. I did kneed the dough for 10 minutes but it was still sticky. So I rolled it into a log and cut it into 8 pieces, and I put flour on my fingers so the dough wouldn’t stick to me while I shaped the bagels and put the holes in the center of them. I also added a 3/4 cup of cheddar cheese and one finely diced, jalapeno to the dough. And I put thinly sliced jalapenos and more cheddar cheese on top of the bagels.
Hey there! These definitely shouldn’t be mini bagels. They should be the size of the ones in my pictures! Next time try rolling the rope out a bit longer and making a larger circle before baking!
Better than store bought bagels! My family loves this recipe and I have had fun making different flavor bagels. 5/5!!
Love it! Thanks Amanda!
Hello! In the recipe notes it is instructed to use 3 tsp of baking powder, whereas in the post it is stated 2 tsp of baking powder. Which is the right measurement? Thank you.
Sorry about that! It’s 3!
I used Pushkins GF flour and added the 2t of baking powder. Delicious!! Thank you!
I also tried with Greek yogurt but it wasn’t as good. Stick to the recipe people!!
I tried it with yogurt too and think cottage cheese is definitely better:)
Pretty good for the first time. I tried using Greek yogurt the first time and the cottage cheese is way better. They turned out more fluffy and I did use the self rising flour. They came out a little too puffy. They looked more like rolls, but they were still pretty yummy. I used a as I’d go cheese and jalapeños as well.
Thanks!
I am by no means a cook but THESE WERE SO EASY AND TASTE AMAZING!! I used Everything Bagel Seasoning.
Thanks so much Jennifer! Glad you liked them!
These are sooo good. I can’t believe how good they are considering how easy they are to make. Even my picky 6 year old likes them.
Delicious!! I never make bagels because they are time consuming to make. These are very easy and taste great! I sprinkled Asiago cheese on them. I might wait until they are 1/2 way cooked before sprinkling the cheese next time. Thanks for the great recipe!
So crispy and soft on the inside! I was so excited to try them and I loved them! Good way to incorporate cottage cheese into meals!
Delish delish delish and soooo easy. Cooked in air fryer 13 mins at 350 nice and golden brown. I won’t buy in the store anymore. Making on Sunday for the week! I’m thinking blueberries with a sweet cream cheese topper 😋😋so many variations I can make the possibilities are endless! Thanks for sharing this free recipe 🙏🫶🏼
I made these GF! I used 1/2 cup of Jules All-purpose flour and 1/2 cup of Bob’s All purpose flour (need to add xanthem gum) and Lactaid (4% milk fat) cottage cheese, then sprinkled with Everything Bagel seasoning–baked them in my convection oven at 375 for 20 minutes and loved them!! Great texture & flavor–this is a keeper 🙂 Thanks so much!!
To my GF (and lactose intolerant) friends give this a try!
So easy – so good !! I’ve tried different toppings and loved them all!
Hiya I made these today and although they taste and look beautiful I was a little disappointed that the consistency is more of a roll than a chewy bagel. I realize they aren’t going to taste exactly like a regular bagel given the difference in ingredients and the way they are made. Do you think they would hold up to a quick water bath? Do you think that would make them a little chewier like regular bagels.
Hello! I find them to be chewy like a bagel, so I’m not sure what happened here. I haven’t tried a water bath, but let me know if you give it a try!
I read that a hot water bath about a minute in each side makes all the difference. I’m going to try it.
This recipe was spot on. It was delicious and super easy. I did it with the all-purpose flour, which meant that I added the 3 teaspoons of baking powder and a pinch of salt. They turned out so delicious. This will be my regular recipe from now on for my bagels, forget buying store-bought
I made them and they were fantastic. They are flavorful and yet light and so easy to make. I’m going to try using whole wheat flour next. Do I need to adjust the measures if whole wheat flour is used?
These came out great! I’m always looking for high protein foods to keep my muscle when restricting calories! I used the air fryer and am very pleased with the results
These bagels were so easy to make and were absolutely delicious!! My whole family loved them. This will be a staple in my house going forward!!!
Beautiful looking bagels. Do I put the two teaspoons of baking powder to make self rising flour in a whole bag of all purpose flour or the recipe? I did put two teaspoons in the recipe but I think it’s too much, like overpowering for 4 bagels, so maybe it was for a bag of all purpose flour to convert it to self rising. Thank you for any input. They are gorgeous looking, but I can taste my baking powder.
I love making homemade sourdough bread, but its a serious time commitment of 1-2 days. I found this truly easy recipe and whipped it up in less than an hour. Perfect for breakfast sandwiches for us this morning, and so delicious! thanks for this posting!
Great
Can use regular unbleached flour?
Yes you can, just follow the directions in the notes!
Hi, could I make these with spelt flour?
Hey! I haven’t tested these with spelt flour. Report back if you try it!
Excellent!! Will be making these from now on!! No more store bought bagels for us. So easy , so fluffy, so tasty!
Hi Molly! Great recipe! I made them for dinner, 2 with shredded cheddar cheese on top, and 2 with everything bagel mix and they were a hit. I’m definitely making them again and doubling the recipe next time.
Love these bagels! How long will they last if you freeze them?
Up to 3 months!
Question, in the recipe notes on the bottom you say to use 3 tsp baking powder and a half tsp salt if you are using reg flour. In your notes before getting to your recipe above it says to use 2 tsp baking soda and a pinch of salt. So I’m confused which one to follow since you said it both ways.
Use 3 tsp!
Thanks for posting this. These are delicious. Great if you’re trying to watch what you eat easy and satisfying.
Can you add some cinnamon and raisins?
For sure!
Sorry, no air fryer… regular oven works??
Yep!
So easy and so good! I used regular flour and baking powder. Worked perfectly.
Made this per ur recipe. Very easy and very tasty!
Could I use almond flour for this recipe?
Hey Heidi! Unfortunately you can’t swap almond flour and regular flour equally because they have different protein and gluten structures. I recommend searching for an almond flour bagel recipe! Thanks!
I love making these and adding nutritional yeast to them! Can you clarify the nutritional 180kcalories. Is this the same as 180 calories?
How do I adapt this recipe if I am using Einhorn flour?
Hey Basia! I’ve never used Einhorn flour in this recipe but I do know that it absorbs more liquid than traditional flour, so you may need to add a splash of milk or more cottage cheese if you give it a try.
These are really good and so easy. Takes no time to throw together. Was nothing to make half savory and the other half sweet. Everyone was happy.
Delicious and easy bagel recipe! I used whole wheat flour and everything bagel seasoning. The cottage cheese was a was a welcome alternative to yeast. Thank you for this great recipe!
You’re welcome!
These are awesome!
I’m thrilled that I came across your recipe for these cottage cheese bagels – and I’m amazed at how you (or whomever) came up with the idea of mixing cottage cheese with flour to come up with these absolutely delicious bagels. After tasting my first batch I vowed never to purchase ready made bagels again – why would I when these are so easy and delicious! My 15 year old granddaughter asked to come over today and learn how to make these bagels. She enjoyed the process and will be making them on her own at home from now on. Just look at what you have started!
Can these be made with coconut/almond flour to make it keto friendly?
Hey Penny! I haven’t tried these with coconut or almond flour and my guess it it wouldn’t be quite the same because of the protein structure in coconut or almond flour, but I think I may need to test out a version to share here!
Thank you for including a gf option!
You’re welcome!
Where has this recipe been my whole life!!! WOW! Totally impressed with these protein bagels thank you for sharing this!! They turned out incredible and exactly like the photo.
You’re welcome! So glad you love them!
These are perfection! Super fluffy, soft on the inside and perfectly crisp on the outside! I hate the amount of ingredients in store bought bagels so I appreciate the simplicity of this recipe. And thank you for the all purpose flour substitution! These will become a staple in our home!
So good and easy to make. The texture was nice and moist. My daughter loved them too. Will definitely be making them again. Next time I’ll roll them out thinner and leave a bigger hole in the middle-they turned into a big roll with no hole, but we didn’t mind. Thanks for the awesome recipe.
You’re so welcome, Amanda!
Delicious and easy to make! Thank you!
You’re welcome, Bonnie!
Better than any store bought bagel! My husband and kids love this recipe.
Thank you!
These were amazing. I made with bobs red mill Gluten Free flour
2tsp of baking powder and lactiad cottage cheese. They turned out so much better than expected. Quick easy and delicious. Best yes they are gluten free and dairy free. Yum yum
I’m so glad you shared this Kristina! Love that you made them gluten free and dairy free.
FYI—Lactaid brand cottage cheese still contains dairy. It just has an enzyme to remove the lactose in the dairy product, not the dairy. 😊
This was REALLY good and simple to make. The bagels turned out crisp on outside and light and fluffy inside. I used all purpose flour instructions in my air fryer. YUMMY!
Thank you!
Love, these are so good! I want to make a large batch and send them to school with my daughter.. have you tried freezing?
Thanks
Made these sprinkled with parmesan. Delicious! So easy – will definitely make them again. Thank you!
Just made the bagels!! This is my new go to for bagels.
What happens if you use low fat cottage cheese to save calories? Since you said it was best to use full fat. Does the texture change? Does it work at all?
Yes it could change the texture! But I’ve tried it with low fat and it’s worked too!
Love these bagels so much. I donate plasma and need to eat high protein foods without tons of calories. Love carbs, but the calories for protein is usually not worth it. These bagels are the perfect answer.
These are so good. I’ve made them a few times now. I make breakfast sandwiches with them. And my kids like them for lunch!
I love this recipe! My kids have no idea they’re getting protein with their carbs. I double the recipe and make half cinnamon raisin and half everything. Don’t stick self-rising flour so followed the substitution. Thanks for sharing!
I woke up at 4 am with bagels on my keto brain. I needed a recipe that I could use what I had on hand. I only had 3/4 cup cottage cheese so I adapted the self rising flour to 3/4 cup too. This made 3 bagels. I sprinkled on shredded Parmesan cheese and then baked them off. I wish I could leave a photo, because they are beautiful! Not overly chewy. It is like a bagel and a biscuit made a love child. Thank you for sharing this recipe!!! Now I can have bagels again.
These were so good! I used onion for the topping and toasted them afterwards. It gave them a nice crunch on the outside and soft and chewy on the inside. Didn’t have any cream cheese so it was just a little bit of butter. I’ll be doubling this next time.
Really really good!
Don’t have self rising flour. What do I use?
Hey there! Instructions are in the recipe notes!
Amazing! So good and easy!
Thanks!
This is a great recipe! Thank you! I added sharp cheddar and jalapeños to the top before I took them out of the oven. Thank you again!
This combo sounds incredible!
These bagels really are amazing!
My doctor told me they never have a bagel again and now I can!
I thought they would taste like imitation bagels, but they taste like the real deal. If not better!
Love that!! Such a win!
Worked well. Mixed cheddar into it
Thanks!
Shockingly delicious! The holes all closed up during baking, but that’s no problem. Their density was similar to a bagel and the exterior reminded me of baking powder biscuits. Have you tried boiling them like New York style bagels before baking? I’m curious if that would give the exterior a more bagel-like chew. Regardless, we will be making these again and again and again!!!
Hello! Thanks so much. I haven’t tried boiling them but I bet it would work. Glad you liked them!
This was my first time making any kind of bagel at home and this recipe is amazing!!! I used with Greek yogurt and am so surprised at how easy and yummy they are!
Thank you! Glad you liked them.
Can I make these with whole wheat flour since I can’t have white ?
Yes you can!
Can I mix up the dough in a food processor? Excited to try these
Hello! No I wouldn’t mix up the dough in a food processor. You could do it in a stand mixer though!
These taste delicious. I didn’t add any flavor(s) to the bagels because I wanted to see how they tasted plain and I loved them. When I added the recipe to my Macro Nutrition Calculator, they came out to 9g of protein each, which is fine. Thanks for the recipe!
Thanks!
Made these today for the first time. I won’t be buying bagels ever again! Going to try cinnamon or blueberries.
Love this recipe, so easy to make and they taste great! Highly recommend it.
Thanks Amanda!
Love love love these bagels!!! I did have to use a lot more flour while kneading than the recipe called for, in order for the dough not to be sticky. This would definitely affect the calorie and carb count, but still many fewer calories and way healthier than a normal bagel!
Thanks so much!
Hi, can you tell me in grams for flour and cheese? Thank you, wanna try this
Hello! There’s a little toggle in the recipe card for metrics!
I’ve seen similar recipes all over social media. Today I decided to give it a try. Delicious! And it brought me to your website as well. Double win!
I found my air fryer required the full 12 minutes to keep them from being a little doughy in the middle. Will use this recipe often as I am always looking for a high protein small portion breakfast. But I can also see using the bagel for lunch sandwiches.
YES so glad you found my website! Glad to have ya!
This recipe is perfect!! I have been making the Greek yogurt version for a while but this one is far superior. It makes a very fluffy, higher protein bagel! You can use this recipe for many other “healthier” bread alternatives. Highly recommend.
Yes you’re so right! It’s like magic! Thanks, Brianna.
Love this healthy recipe! I’ve made it a few times and am noticing my bagels are flat and mushy on the inside. Any tips?
I would check the expiration on your ingredients first! Maybe buy fresh and then check the temp of your oven and make sure it’s calibrated correct:)
Not too bad. I used my mixer and that was fantastic to incorporate the dough. I will weight my dough next time so that they are more even in size. Will also make the bagel wider as they pretty much closed up in the middle. Might try adding a little cinnamon and raisens for something a bit different.
Love those tips Kathy! Thanks for sharing.
I forgot to say that i sifted the flour and it raised very well and did not fall flat.
Came together great, cooked really well even after i made my own homemade self rising flour for the recipe. They tasted really good. Next time i will not put the bagel seasoning on them. It was a little to strong.
Thanks!
Can’t wait to make these but I would like to know how much xanthan gum to use? I will be making my own self rising flour. It doesn’t say in you recipe I’m trying to follow.
Thanks. Shirley.
Hey Shirley! You don’t need xanthan gum if you’re making self-rising flour. That’s only for gluten-free bagels! Just use regular flour, 3 teaspoons baking powder and 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt. Thanks!
These turned out awesome! Have you ever experimented using almond flour?
Hello! I haven’t, but I don’t think it would work. It’s a very different protein structure and the ratios wouldn’t work. I should develop another almond flour bagel recipe!
So easy and so good. Will be making these regularly. Thanks!
Thanks so much!
Thanks for the recipe, easy to make and tasty!
Note the texture is a bit spongey,which didn’t bother me at all . Will definitely make again.
Thanks!
Thanks, Donna!
Oh my gosh, these were so good. I am not a fancy cook at all as a matter of fact, I had to look up a video to watch on how to knead dough because I’ve never made anything that I needed to knead! I used King Arthur’s all purpose flour and added the baking powder and salt and they came out wonderfully! Cannot wait to share these with my family and friends. Thank you.
Just made these and they are amazing. Will definitely make these again. Very hard to eat just one
Love that!
So GOOD! I didn’t have cottage cheese so I substituted ricotta cheese. Will definitely make again and try with cottage cheese.
Thanks!
I have been dying make these. Let me tell you….THEY DO NOT DISAPPOINT !!!
So so easy to make and delicious. Thanks for a great recipe
Hey Karina! It could be the humidity in the air or the way you’re measuring. However, if you’re adding flour it shouldn’t turn sticky again. Not sure how that happens! Take a look at the video to get an idea of what it should look like. It should be slightly sticky and you can flour your hands to help. Thanks!
Made mine gluten free and doubled the recipe. We absolutely loved it and plan on making them again. Got 8 small bagels out of the recipes but they were airy and delicious. I kneaded by hand and will try mixer next time to see if makes any difference in the dough.
So glad you liked them!
Made these and they were so good! I used 1% cottage cheese and turned out fine! Also next time I’m dipping these into a bowl with toppings instead of just doing a sprinkle. Will be making again, and already sent 3 people the recipe!!
Thanks so much! I so appreciate you sharing the recipe!
Just made these & they are very good. Can’t wait to try one tomorrow morning toasted. I’ll definitely make these again. I did mine in the air fryer that has the trays instead of the basket. Still turned out great!! Did them for 11 min & were perfect
Thank you!
Yum! Seriously so good. Followed the recipe as listed.
Thanks Shannon!
These were fabulous!! I will make them again and look forward to experimenting with some mix-ins!
Thanks, Amy!
Absolutely great – loved how they turned out!
Thanks!
I never ever comment on recipes but I just made these and they’re AMAZING! I was feeling a bit experimental so boiled two of the bagels before baking and baked the other two per your instructions. Both are amazing – wasn’t sure if boiling them would work because it’s a non-standard recipe, but it created a lovely chew and super crispy crust. These are a new staple for me, it’s so great to have a high-protein bread that’s genuinely as delicious as its traditional counterpart 🙂
I’m honored you commented, Lilly! Thanks so much for sharing your experiment!
Hi Lilly – how long did you boil them? I wanted to try that too! Thanks
Yes please share!
Could you do these as “mini” bagels? If so, how many would you recommend making and would it change cook time?
I’m also wondering if blue berries can be added in?
Hey Melissa! I haven’t tested this, but I think you could do it! I would try and make 8 bagels and cut the bake time in half to start. Let me know if this works!
I made cheddar jalapeño, everything bagel and chocolate chip! They all turned out amazing. I’m gonna try blueberry, cinnamon and pumpkin next!
Wow sounds amazing!!
Any recommendations for making these blueberry? I keep frozen wild blueberries in the freezer so I’m curious if I can include them.
Hey there! I haven’t tried it but I think you could add them straight from frozen. Start with less and see how it goes because they do have some moisture so I’d be curious how that affects the dough. Thanks!
The bagels were amazing. I’m about to try this as a pizza crust fingers crossed it works out well!!
OMG yumm pizza crust! Please report back!
I cooked mine in a silicone mold, and they came out raw in the middle after 30 minutes. not sure what I’m doing wrong except maybe not letting them sit long enough after I take them out of the oven? The dough was pretty moist when I put them in. Suggestions?
Hey there! You don’t need to cook them in a silicone mold. You can just shape them and bake them on a sheet pan. Thanks!
These are delicious. My husband said they are better than a Dunkin’ donut bagel.
Wow that’s a huge win! Thank, Chris!
So good! These were easy to make and turned out delicious in the oven. Thanks for the recipe!
Thanks, Julie!!
Can you put seasoning in the dough?
Yes you can!
I’ve made these 3 times now, two of those times with my young children! (6 and 3). I added seasoning in with the flour because when baking with littles, brushing anything on top of dough becomes insane 🤪 and it came out great! Thank you for this recipe from a parent whose trying to eat right while in a stressful life chapter. 🙂
I feel ya, Naomi! My kids are 2 and 4 and I’m in the same boat! Thanks for taking the time to share:)
Just made these! They turned out beautiful! So yummy🖤🖤
Love that!! Thanks!
Could I throw some pumpkin puree in for a pumpkin flavored bagle?
I haven’t tried this but you definitely could! Maybe reduce the cottage cheese a bit because the pumpkin will add too much moisture. Blot the pumpkin dry too!
These are absolutely delicious. 20-30 min start to finish. Perfect
Thanks, Kelli!
The downfall is now this is the only way they eat bagels, the great thing is making memories with my grandbabies and passing down recipes and the know how that you can do it and not have to spend money. I’m more farm girl than city girl so this is a fabulous add
Love this! Thanks!
Can you use almond flour?
Hey there! No, you can’t swap almond flour because they have very different structures and textures. I recommend searching an almond flour bagel recipe instead! Thanks!
So easy and so yummy!
Thank you!!
I just want to tell you that I made these bagels and I love them and I intend to keep making them I want to thank you so very much. It’s great to have options when we’re trying to be more mindful of our carb content. Have a beautiful day.
Love that! Thank you!
I was outside when this overwhelming delicious aroma awakened my senses.
My neighbor Stephanie stepped out so I asked her “what are you cooking, it smells so good”?
She told me she was trying out a new recipe “bagels made with cream cheese, only 3 ingredients”.
An hour late there was a knock on the door. It was her young son with 2 fresh bagels!
These bagels are the best! The bagels were moist, just right amount of chewy, crust was lightly crusted with everything seasoning atop.
My better half and I ate them plain.
So so good!
Thank you Stephanie for the bagels and a new tried and approved recipe Very impressed,
I can’t wait to make a batch myself.
Thanks so much!
I have made these once before. These cottage cheese bagels are delicious and super easy to make. I like mine with sesame seeds. I baked them in the oven last time, but I am trying the air fryer this time. I didn’t have self rising flour so I just made my own by adding 1 1/2 tsp. of baking power to the flour and sifting it together. Works the same. Next time I am going to try using plain yogurt.
Thanks for sharing! Glad you like them!
Super easy to make and they came out so yummy!!! Thanks!
You’re welcome!!
Loved them! Grey recipe thanks for sharing!
Thank you!!
I was sceptical about the two ingredients bagel, but OMG they were amazing! I used GF bread flour and they came out fantastic! Thank you !!
So glad to hear that! Thanks!
It’s actually a question, can you make cinnamon raisin or cinnamon crunch bagels with this same recipe and just add cinnamon and raisins?
For sure!! You could even use the cinnamon chips like Panera does.
whats the ratio of replacing cottage cheese to using greek yogurt?
1:1 ratio!
So delicious and surprisingly easy to make! I definitely plan to make them again soon!
Love that!!
Delicious and so easy. I made mine gluten free follow instruction changes in your notes and used Greek yogurt. Loved them. This recipe is a keeper! Thank you for sharing.
You’re so welcome, Lisa! Thanks for sharing!
I have been wanting bagels but didn’t want the calories! I’m loving these and was so easy to make. Only change I made was I didn’t use the egg wash but used a small amount of milk.
Yes milk is a great option to brown the tops too! Thanks, Krissy!
Love this recipe! My family also loves it. I ran out of self rising flour so I made it with whole wheat flour and added 2 tsp of baking powder and 1/4 tsp of salt for every cup of flour. I did not add the xanthan gum that was recommended for the gluten free ones. They did not rise as much as I wanted them to but still tasted great.
So glad you like them, Cathy!
Mind blown!!! I knew you had a recipe for these so I googled “bagels made with cottage cheese” and YOUR recipe came up first!! I can’t believe how amazing these are! And how delicious! So light and airy. They have perfect destiny and are chewy!
Thanks so much, Kerry!! Glad you like them!
These are excellent! I prefer them with self rising flour I make with bread flour. The best part I don’t get reflux after eating like all of the store bought products. The only negative I have is they call to me 😂
Love that Sara! Thanks for sharing!
Just whipped some up for breakfast as I’ve been craving everything bagels and my goodness they’re good and so easy to make! Thank you this simple and delicious recipe!!
You’re so welcome, Maddie! Thanks for taking the time to share.
Amazing!! I was sceptical about the recipe but honestly they were fabulous! 💗 thanks for the post!
You’re so welcome!
Absolutely love them. Unfortunately, unfortunately, the video does not play only the sound.
Hey there! So glad you love them. I just checked and the video seems to be working for me. Thanks!
Holy cow, why did I wait so long to make these. So so so good. Thank you!
I dont know, but I’m so glad you did! So glad you liked them!
Do you need the egg?
It’s for the egg wash! You could do without it but it won’t be as golden brown on the top.
So easy! Have shared and everyone is a fan
Love that, Carol! Thanks!
Really good! The first time I made them I used AP flour and missed the note about baking powder so they came out flat and sad (but still edible). This time I followed better and they were fluffy and delicious! Not as dense as a traditional bagel, but that would be expected with so few ingredients. Also, she wasn’t kidding about a GENEROUSLY floured work surface when kneading as the dough is sticky and needs that extra flour to come together and not stick to your counters. Will definitely be making again!
Thanks, Laurel! So glad you like them!
Just made these. I didn’t have self rising flour so I followed the directions for the GF bagels but with AP flour. These might be the best bagels I’ve had!! Thanks for a great recipe!
Thank you so much, Katie! Love that!
Love these bagels! I’ve made cinnamon, cinnamon raisin, and blueberry. They come out the perfect consistency (chewy, dense inside/crunch outside) every time!
Thanks, Lynne!! Sounds amazing!
These are absolutely delicious and super easy to make! This was my first time making bagels, and I can’t wait to start playing with different types of flour!
So glad you like them, Heather! Thanks for taking the time to comment.
Hi Molly, Can’t wait to make these. I have a gluten free question for clarification. Can I get great results with King Arthur’s gluten-free measure for measure flower for protein bagel recipe? Thank you in advance! Can’t wait to make these gems! Stacy, Florida
Hey there! Yes, I tested this recipe with that flour. Just make sure you add the baking powder too!
These were great! Thank you! Can you make the dough and refrigerate it for a couple days before cutting into 4’s and baking? These took me a while to make, and I can’t tell if it would be better to bake a double batch or to make two doughs and save one for another day. Thank you!
That’s a great question! I’d recommend doing it overnight, but probably not a couple of days. If they were a yeast bread, I’d say yes, but because they’re made with baking powder/soda it likely will cause them to fall. I think you’re better off making a double batch and freezing half of them. Hope that helps!
Do you add the xanthan gum to the AP flour?Or just the baking powder and salt?
Hey Jen! If you’re using all purpose flour, only add the baking powder and salt. The xanthan gum is for those using a gluten-free flour blend that doesn’t have xanthan gum in it.
My kiddos and I loved it! We ate them as is and as a breakfast sandwich with turkey bacon and over medium eggs, delicious!!!
This sounds incredible!! I’m going to make breakfast sandwiches with them asap!
These were so good. I only had low-fat cottage cheese – not sure if this is why, but initially, the dough mixture was too dry. I added a tablespoon of whole milk and bazinga – it worked! Thank you for the great and easy recipe. PS: My daughter has celiac; we’re going to try your GF steps and see how it goes.
THank you so much for taking the time to share!
These are great I just made them using king Arthur’s wheat keto flour and I loved them
Thanks
Thanks, Ken! I’ve never tried their keto flour but will have to soon!
How much of the Keto wheat flour did you use in the recipe? 1 cup?
The best thing I’ve ever made !!! Thanks for the share, they are my new addiction & turned out perfect in my air fryer. Hard to only eat one though HAH!
OMG love this!!! Thanks, Samantha!
Do yourself a favor don’t make this. All it does is so gummy you can’t make a dough. Did exactly what it said. No dough to be found. I had to add a ton more flour to even be able to do anything with this. This recipe is a dud
Hey Jennifer! Bummer you felt this way. There are tons of reviews saying this recipe is the best they’ve ever made. Sounds like something went wrong with your ingredients or measurements. Would love to help you figure out what went wrong! What kind of cottage cheese and flour did you use? How were you measuring the ingredients? Thanks!
Can you use bread flour?
You could, but they may have a slightly chewier texture! Just be sure to follow the instructions to add the baking powder and salt.
Hey Mila! Yes, the recipe recommends adding more flour as you knead it!
My daughter raved about these for ages so I finally tried. Followed the recipe to a T and they turned out excellent! I used all purpose flour with additional baking powder and salt. These are fantastic toasted, and I can imagine that the topping possibilities are endless! I’ll definitely be making these a lot! Thanks for the recipe!
Thank you so much!!
I loved these! Mine didn’t quite fluff up so they were very skinny bagels. If you have tips, I’m happy to hear them. They still tasted amazing though!
Hello! What kind of flour did you use? You’ll want to make sure you’re self rising flour or baking powder isn’t expired. It shouldn’t be any older than 6 months for best results!
Hey Samantha! Make sure you generously dust the counter with flour and knead it into the dough with the palm of your hand. This prevents it sticking and develops the gluten so it shouldn’t be sticky by the time you shape them. Be sure to watch the video at the bottom of the recipe card to see what it should look like!
Hello, how many grams has cottage wich used to for this recipe?
Hey! 220g of cottage cheese. Thanks!
I made a batch of these with everything seasoning . Delicious,you would never know there is cottage cheese in it. Love this
Thanks, Debbie!
I made a half batch of these today with oat flour, chia seeds & Mrs Dash garlic & herb seasoning. I was worried because I only have lowfat cottage cheese, but they still turned out really good. The only issue I had was that lack of gluten combined with the stickiness of the dough wouldn’t let me work them into a bagel shape, so I essentially made scones. Very nice texture nonetheless (crusty on the outside, soft in the middle). I will definitely try these again, next time maybe using half regular & half oat flours.
Thanks, Kay! I’ll have to try it this way next time!
Every time I make these I need about twice as much flour to cottage cheese, otherwise the dough is way too sticky! I’ve tried two different types of self-rising dough and full fat cottage cheese and still the same result.
That’s so interesting! I haven’t had this issue and I haven’t heard this feedback. You should generously flour your work surface and need a bit more flour into the dough. Maybe that’s where the extra flour comes in!
The egg is in recipe, is it for the egg wash? I don’t see an egg anywhere else. Thanks.
It’s for the egg wash!
Hi there! First time making, with gluten free flour. On here, it says 3 tsp baking powder but on the Instagram caption, it says 2. Which one should it be? I did 2 and a half- they came out fluffy but also still a little doughy in some parts inside after 14 mins. Thanks!
Hey Lindsay! It should be 3! I retested them after sharing on Instagram and decided they needed a little more baking powder. Cover them with foil and bake a little more if they’re taking longer. This could also be variation in oven temps!
Just made these and they are fantastic! The extra flour while kneading is a must! Is the egg wash supposed to go on the whole bagel or just the top where you’re putting your seasoning?
Thank you! So glad you liked them. The egg wash just goes on the tops.
I have almond flour, xanthan gum, and baking powder. How much xanthan gum do 8 add to this recipe?Thank you
Hello! Unfortunately it won’t work with just almond flour. I would search for an almond flour bagel recipe specifically for that because I haven’t tested it this way. Thanks!
Obsessed with these! Great recipie!
Thank you!!
Followed the recipe to the T. The recipe was very easy to follow, and they tasted delicious; light and airy texture…and they looked great, too! I served them with egg salad, and they were a big hit.
Love this! Serving with egg salad sounds amazing. Thanks for sharing, Gigi!
Delicious! This is my first time trying a cottage cheese bagel recipe and it turned out excellent. I couldn’t get the dough into a rope, because it was too sticky, so I just made bagel balls and it is still great. I used everything bagel topping and they are amazing! I will try again to see if I can master the rope part of the recipe.
Hey Sandra! Make sure you knead the dough with a decent amount of flour to help prevent it from sticking. It’s important to knead it to develop the gluten (if you aren’t doing gluten-free) and it helps knead a bit more flour into it which makes it less sticky. Thanks!
I tried this today and it does taste good but the texture is like a biscuit and not a bagel for me. I made 3 instead of 4 so maybe it was too dense? Do you know how I could fix this?
Hey Rachel! It should have a light and airy texture to it. Sometimes this can happen if you overwork the dough because the gluten develops too much. I’d try kneading until it just comes together and make 4 instead of 3. Also double check that your self rising flour or baking powder if you’re using regular flour are not expired. Thanks!
Thank you! I made these gluten-free and used a donut pan. FANTASTIC
Thank you!!
Just made these for my wife and I. Bagel, egg, cheese & sausage breakfast sandwich. These are so awesome. My fist time ever making “bread”. My wife is so impressed that I did this and they came out so good on the first try! Thank you for sending me the recipe!
Love that, Bruce! That bagel sandwich sounds amazing. Going to add that to our weekend menu!
I tried making these today with gf flour. They didn’t really rise and were still not cooked fully after 30 minutes but very brown on the outside. Any tips for next time I make these?
Hey there! What gluten-free flour did you use? You’ll also want to make sure your baking powder isn’t over a year old! In general the gluten-free won’t rise quite as much, but they shouldn’t have any problems cooking through the center.
Can they be frozen
Yes, you can freeze them and put them in the toaster straight from frozen!
Hi, i am soooo excited to make these. Before i do, just checking no egg goes in the mix? Just on top of the bagel?
Hey Nicky! That’s correct. It’s just for the egg wash!
Could almond flour be used instead
Hello! No, you cannot sub almond flour in this recipe. It has a very different protein and gluten structure. I recommend searching for an almond flour bagel recipe!
It definitely helps to up my protein in the day a little bit! It was a good, yummy alternative to regular bagels. I will say, I’m not sure if it’s because I’m at very high altitude, but they didn’t rise as much as I had hoped. Just something to play with living in the mountains!
Hey Marissa! I know that can be tricky! Also double check that your baking powder or self-rising flour isn’t older than 1 year. That can make a difference. Thanks!
So easy and so delicious!! I had to eat one right out of the oven.
Love that! Thanks!
I just made these today. I am no disappointed at all. I used jalapeno everything seasoning. These are so delicious. Thank you for sharing the recipe.
Hey Jana! The jalapeno sounds INCREDIBLE. I’m going to try that next with some shredded cheddar. Thanks!
Would be 5 stars for Great chewy bagel texture. One star loss for Very strong baking powder taste/after taste. Thinking maybe my just purchased self rising flour needed to get better distribution. Will try with APflour & own BP per notes next time to see if I can’t hit the 5 stars
Thanks, Ernie! Yes, this could just be personal preference or the type you purchased. Make sure you get aluminum-free baking powder. Thanks!
If I am using AP flour, do I need to add xanthum gum? Or just the baking soda and salt?
Just the baking soda and salt!
As easy as it sounds and really tasty and satisfying as a bagel option. I added some shredded cheese and everything bagel seasoning right into the dough, then brushed with egg and sprinkled very lightly with more everything seasoning.
Sounds amazing!!! Thanks!
These turned out amazing! This was my first time making any kind of bagel and the directions were easy to follow. Can’t believe they’re made with cottage cheese. Thank you for this recipe! My 4 y.o. loved em too
You’re so welcome!!
These were really easy to make, and they turned out so delicious! I am saving this recipe (truly the easiest one I’ve found for high protein bagels!) and sharing with all of my friends!
Love that, Melanie! Thank you!
I made these today and they are very good. I’m so pleased at how they turned out. I put one batch in the oven and one in the airfryer. Both are good, but I think the oven batch might have cooked slightly better. The ones in the air fryer didn’t look quite cooked on the bottoms after 10 minutes so I turned them over and popped them back in for 2 more minutes. The one I sliced and ate was cooked nicely. They were so easy to make. Next time I will roll the ropes a bit longer so when I join them there is a bigger hole. They rise so much and many of mine completely closed. I was afraid the ends wouldn’t stay closed when they cooked, but they did nicely.
Love this feedback, Vicky!! Thank you!
So good!!!! I was born and raised on bagels (SoFlo Jewish community) and these were fantastic!! 5 stars all around!
Wow—what a compliment!! Thank you, Brittany!
Hey Adam! Double check that your baking powder isn’t expired! If it’s been longer than 6 months, I’d try buying new and trying them again. Hope this helps!
Mine didn’t puff up like in the video 🙁
Sorry to hear that!! Did you make the gluten-free version? Would love to help troubleshoot!
Amazing! A welcome addition to Mother’s Day breakfast. Easy to make, I cooked them in my oven’s air fryer. They came out delicious, light, and fluffy!
Thanks for commenting, Chanel! Glad you enjoyed them for Mother’s Day!
I have made these twice in a week and they are so delicious. I have to now have cottage cheese available in my fridge because my family says these are better than store bought!
This is the best compliment!! We’re the same!
So delicious!! And so easy! My everything bagel seasoning was a little salty, so I’m looking for some recommendations there, but so many topping possibilities!
Thanks, Melissa! Maybe try another seasoning or make it yourself. You could do cinnamon crunch like Panera, asiago cheese, cinnamon raisin, or even savory options!
Ohh. Excited to try for Mother’s Day! Can I make the dough the night before and store in fridge?
Hey there! I haven’t tested this, but I think it should be fine! Dust the tops of the dough with a little flour so it doesn’t stick, then cover with plastic wrap. Let them come to room temp for about an hour before baking. Thanks!
These are absolutely delicious made exactly as you suggested! Will be making them often!
Love that! Thanks!
My bagels ended up getting dark inside and gooey. I had to add milk to the cottage cheese to get it smooth. Could that have been the issue? Or maybe 375 is too high for the oven? They got golden brown on top so I took them out before the 25 mins 🙁
Hey Taylor! Every oven can vary so I recommend using an oven thermometer to make sure it’s calibrated right. Also make sure the rack is set to the middle and not the top. If the bagels are looking too brown, cover them with foil rather than removing them. That way the inside bake but the outsides don’t continue browning. Thanks!
Just wanted to thank you for posting this recipe. I have made a couple of times now (using regular flour, as do not have self-rising). I quite enjoy the soft, chewy centre. They are so easy to make! I was doubting my ability, but here I am making bagels at home!!
Wondering if anyone has made these into cinnamon bagels. I have tried twice, but even though I have used a fair bit of cinnamon, I am not achieving a strong cinnamon taste after baking. Maybe there is a magic amount of cinnamon, or something else I need to be adding to help. Any suggestions? Thank you!
Hey there! I’ve actually made these into cinnamon bagels:) I mixed cinnamon chips into the bagel dough then covered the tops with a mixture of cinnamon, sugar, and flour. Hope this helps!
Interesting. I’m in Canada and doesn’t look like we have cinnamon baking chips here. Will keep an eye out though! Thanks.
Super easy and delicious! Thank you!!!
I used bread flour and 2% cottage cheese. Worked out well. Looking forward to making an egg sandwich tomorrow for breakfast!
You’re welcome, Angeline! Thanks for taking the time to share.
These were so lovely ! Just a quick question on how to store them , can you leave them in the breadbin for a few days like regular bagels or is it best to keep them in the fridge due to them being made with cottage cheese ?
Hey there! They tend to get a little hard at room temperature after a day or so. I haven’t tried a bread bin, so if you try it let me know! Reheating usually softens them back up again.
Hi Molly! I would love to make these in a big batch… Since they only last four days, can I freeze them? thanks!
Hey Natalie!! Yes, you can freeze them! We do it all the time. The best part is you can toast them straight from frozen:)
Hi Maggie! Thanks for the feedback. The gluten-free version doesn’t rise quite as much as the regular version in general, but they shouldn’t be hard and small. Did you bake or air fry them?
This tastes so much better than the ones made with yogurt! Thank you for this recipe.
You’re welcome!!
Love these bagels!! I can’t stop making them! Just today my daughter and I made 40 of them. We doubled the recipe and made plain, choc chip, cinnamon, and apple cinnamon. Of course we had to taste test a couple and they were delicious. We are freezing them so I don’t have to make them weekly. Thank you for the recipe
Hey Tana! Oh my gosh this is amazing! Apple cinnamon sounds so good. Did the moisture in the apples affect the bagel at all? I tested these with cinnamon crunch on top too and they were amazing. So glad you shared this with me!
No they didn’t!! I also baked them 5 minutes longer. I did try frozen strawberries but they didn’t come out so good! I’m going to try blueberries next batch. My son in law just request a crunchy topping for his cinnamon ones! How did you make the topping?
Amazing!! Thanks for sharing! I used the cinnamon crunch recipe from this blogger’s site. It was delish! https://cookingwithkarli.com/cinnamon-crunch-bagel/
These are great! They are so light and fluffy. I cooked them in my oven for 25 mins, but I think they could’ve gone a little longer for the inside. Other than that, I’m already planning on making this again and doubling the recipe!
Love that, Sam! I actually had a similar result one of the times I tested this. Give it some extra time and cover them with foil if they’re starting to brown too much.
Oh my gosh were these delicious!! And SO easy!! I will definitely be doubling the batch and freezing some next time. So glad I found this recipe!
Thanks, Maureen!!
Loved them! Very easy, I topped with everything but the bagel seasoning, delicious!
Thanks, Lisa!
So easy I made gluten free and regular! Will be a staple in my house thank you for this! Breakfast sandwiches were loved by my family!
It’s on my list to make these into breakfast sandwiches! So glad you liked both versions. Thanks!
Have you tried a dairy-free version of this recipe? These look good, but I avoid dairy. Thanks!
Hey Aubrey! I haven’t tried a dairy-free version, but I have tested these with greek yogurt and they worked well. You could try a plant-based greek yogurt (I like Kite Hill). If you do let me know how it is! I’m sure others would love to hear how it turns out too. Thanks!
The bagels are good. I have had an issue with the consistency. I have had to add more flour to each batch I made. First batch came out pretty fluffy, still sticky to make. The second were considerably flatter than the first. When I mix the flour and cottage cheese it is so sticky. I have it stuck all over my counter and hands. I keep checking the recipe to see if I got it wrong. I am using AP flour with the added baking powder and salt.
Hey Mary! Yes, the dough will be very sticky. It gets all over my hands too. A good tip for this is to wet your hands with some water periodically while you’re working with the dough. You want to add some flour to the work surface while you’re kneading, but not too much more than the recipe calls for. The second batch is likely flatter because you added too much flour to the dough. Hope this helps!
These were great. I made my own self- rising flour, using your recipe. I made half whole wheat and half all purpose flour.
So glad it worked for you! Thanks for sharing!
Haven’t made yet but from others Comments looks yummy! Question: Just found out am allergic to egg yolks. Do you have a recommendation for a substitute? What does the egg contribute to recipe?
Hey Patti! They are so yummy! You can do an egg white wash on the top or just spread a little milk. The egg just helps them brown better. Omitting the egg won’t affect the baked bagel texture. Thanks!
Loved this recipe! Just made them with Everything Bagel seasoning and they are delicious! Thank you for sharing!
Thanks, Amy! Love to hear that!
Perfect recipe !! Thanks for sharing!
You’re welcome, Heidi!!
Mine still seem gooey in the middle even tho air fried them 14 mins. Suggestions?
Hey Rachel! Hmm….maybe try them a little longer! Were the tops browning too much?
Yes they were browning too much.
Hey Rachel! Try covering them with foil next time just like you would in the oven! This likely depends on which air fryer you have.
These were so yummy and so easy! Love how much protein is in one serving! We did regular cream cheese on some with everything seasoning and we did butter and honey on plain ones and both were super yum! Will definitely be keeping this in my recipe box! Thank you!
Love that, Andrea!! I agree, having 11 grams of protein in a bagel is such a win.
I just made the cottage cheese bagels and I have to say…They are delicious!! Soft and fluffy. I used bread flour instead of all purpose and added the B.P. and salt. I made two with everything bagel seasoning and 2 with cinnamon sugar. I will definitely be making up several more batches so I can freeze 6!! Thank you for the recipe!!
You’re welcome! It’s on my list to make cinnamon sugar ones too!
These r so good. Thank you for the recipe
Thank you!!
How much Xanthum gum do we use?
Hey Jane! I tested these with a gluten-free flour mix that already included xanthan gum. But, a good rule of thumb is 1/2 teaspoon of xanthan gum for every 1 cup of flour. Hope that helps!
I just made this, but substituted Einkorn flour…..absolutely delicious! Next time, Im making double bathes and freezing them. Thank you!
Thanks for sharing you’re substitute! I haven’t tried that so I’m sure people will be grateful to know it works. Highly recommend freezing:) Thanks!
I just made this recipe for Cottage Cheese Bagels and WOW!!! I mistakenly added the beaten egg to the batter and the recipe still worked. Used “everything bagel” seasoning. Did not wait 15 minutes to eat…smells way too delicious to wait!
LOL love this!! Good to know it still works with the egg in there. Just a little extra protein:)
Looks delish. Can I use all purpose flour instead of self raising?
Yes you can! Just add a pinch of salt and 2 teaspoons of baking powder to the dough. Thanks!
Hi there Molly.
Can I use baking soda instead of baking powder? What’s the difference?
Hello! No, you can’t use baking soda instead. Baking soda needs an acidic ingredient in the recipe to react to like lemon juice, buttermilk etc. Baking powder already has the acidic component so it will react and help them rise. If you have cream of tartar (it’s acidic) you can mix that with baking soda as an alternative. Thanks!