These easy homemade bagels each have 11 grams of protein, and you’d never guess they’re made with cottage cheese! They have the chewy interior and crisp exterior of a regular bagel, and toast up perfectly to spread with cream cheese, or use them to make breakfast sandwiches. They come together in 45 minutes or less.

four cottage cheese bagels on a piece of white parchment paper

If you’re a bagel lover looking for a boost of protein, I guarantee this cottage cheese bagel recipe will become a staple in your house!

As a Registered Dietitian, I feel good about keeping these cottage cheese bagels on hand. They TOTALLY satisfy a craving for a bagel.

They’re made with 5 basic ingredients you probably have in your pantry, including all-purpose flour, baking powder, and cottage cheese.

Unlike regular bagels, these cottage cheese protein bagels don’t have yeast. They’re leavened simply with the addition of baking powder.

They also don’t require any boiling. In fact, when I boiled these bagels during recipe testing, it was a complete mess 😂

My personal favorite bagel flavor is EVERYTHING, so I loaded up on the everything bagel seasoning. Feel free to keep them plain, or add sesame seeds, sea salt, or poppy seeds.

Let’s make bagels with cottage cheese

Whipped cottage cheese in a food processor
STEP 1: Whip cottage cheese in a food processor until completely smooth with no lumps. In my testing, I found a food processor works better than a blender here!
cottage cheese bagel dough in a mixing bowl
STEP 2: Mix together whipped cottage cheese, flour, baking powder, and salt. The dough will be a little bit sticky – that’s ok!
Ball of cottage cheese bagel dough
STEP 3: Sprinkle some flour on a clean countertop, turn out the dough, and knead it into a ball.
4 small triangles of bagel dough and a bench scraper
STEP 4: Divide the dough into 4 equally sized pieces.
ropes of bagel dough
STEP 5: Roll the dough balls into ~10 inch ropes.
4 raw bagel circles
STEP 6: Form circles with the ropes of dough.
raw everything bagels on a baking sheet
STEP 7: Make an egg wash in a small bowl, and pour everything bagel seasoning into a separate small bowl. Dip both sides of the bagels in the egg wash, and then the everything bagel seasoning for seasoning on BOTH sides! Pop them onto a parchment paper lined baking sheet.
four everything bagels on a parchment lined baking sheet
STEP 8: Bake the bagels in the oven until the crust is a deep golden brown. Let cool for a few minutes before slicing and eating.
everything bagels on a wooden cutting board, one spread with cream cheese

Recipe tip

If you have a food scale, I highly recommend using one for this recipe.

It ensures exact measurements, AND helps you create four bagels that are exactly the same size.

I’ve provided measurements in both cups and grams in the recipe card, so you can make these bagels with or without a scale.

cottage cheese bagel with cream cheese on small plate

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four cottage cheese bagels on a piece of white parchment paper

Easy Cottage Cheese Protein Bagels

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  • Author: Alex Aldeborgh, RD
  • Prep Time: 20 minutes
  • Cook Time: 25 minutes
  • Total Time: 45 minutes
  • Yield: 4 1x
  • Category: Breakfast
  • Method: oven
  • Cuisine: American
  • Diet: Vegetarian
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Description

These easy homemade bagels each have 11 grams of protein, and you’d never guess they’re made with cottage cheese! They have the chewy interior and crisp exterior of a regular bagel, and toast up perfectly to spread with cream cheese and your favorite toppings. They come together in 45 minutes or less.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 cup (226 g) full fat cottage cheese
  • 1 1/4 cups (150 g) all-purpose flour
  • 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
  • 1/4 kosher salt
  • 1 egg white
  • 1 tbsp cold water
  • 1/4 cup everything bagel seasoning
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Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
  2. Add the cottage cheese to a food processor. Whip the cottage cheese for about 1 minute until completely smooth with no lumps.
  3. In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together all-purpose flour, baking powder, and salt. Add the cottage cheese and mix until combined. Don’t overmix! The dough will be a bit sticky.
  4. Dust a clean countertop with flour and turn the dough out onto the surface. Knead for about 1 minute, until you have a well-shaped ball of dough.
  5. Use a bench scraper or knife to cut the dough into 4 equally sized smaller pieces – each weighing about 90 grams.
  6. Roll each ball into a 10 inch rope on your lightly floured surface. Start by rolling in the middle, then work your way out to the sides for an evenly shaped rope.
  7. Tuck the ends of the rope together to form circles.
  8. Make an egg wash: whisk together the egg white and water in a small, shallow bowl. Put the everything bagel seasoning in a separate shallow bowl in a thin layer.
  9. Dip the bagels into the egg wash on each side, then dip each side into the seasoning.
  10. Place the bagels, evenly spaced out, on the parchment paper lined baking sheet. 
  11. Bake for 20-25 minutes on the center oven rack, until the crust is deep golden brown. I found the sweet spot to be 22 minutes in my oven!
  12. Let the bagels cool for 5-10 minutes, then you can slice them in half and dig in.

Notes

Store leftover bagels in an airtight container on the countertop or fridge. Use within 3 days.

Nutrition Disclaimer

As a Registered Dietitian, I create nutritionally-balanced recipes using whole food ingredients to promote good health and well-being.  Additionally, I am a Certified Intuitive Eating Counselor. My nutrition philosophy encompasses an all-foods-fit approach, and I do not promote tracking calories, macronutrients, or other numbers. Nevertheless, I understand that this information can be educational and helpful for some people.

I cannot guarantee complete accuracy of the nutrition information provided here, as these numbers are estimates. Nutrition is individualized. If you have specific nutrition needs, please consult your physician or a Registered Dietitian. 

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 1 bagel
  • Calories: 196
  • Fat: 2.9 g
  • Saturated Fat: 1.6 g
  • Carbohydrates: 30.7 g
  • Fiber: 1 g
  • Protein: 11.3 g