By After sitting on this recipe for years, I finally perfected the cottage cheese bagel. And not the kind that's a faux Panera bagel, the kind that rivals any New York City bagel. Crispy on the outside, chewy on the inside, but with 19g of protein and 30% less calories, all thanks to cottage cheese and egg whites.
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I've made every version of the cottage cheese bagel floating around the internet. The quick baking powder ones, the self-rising flour shortcut, the air fryer version. And they're fine. But they're not bagels. They're fluffy bread with a hole in the middle.
When I went back to the actual method with yeast, rest, boil, bake (no, not the viral 2-ingredient version because I tested 3 different kinds) - that chewy, tight crumb finally showed up. The moment I pulled the first batch and tore one open, that was it! I knew we made it to the other side! So, let's make some bagels 🥯
Jump to:
let's adress the elephant in the room
Yes, these have more ingredients and steps than other high protein bagels. But you know what these have that others don't? Real, true, authentic texture! We are using a quick rise just to let the gluten relax and the shell to form so they are ready in under an hour, but have the same taste as though they proofed overnight.
key ingredients & swaps
All substitutions are a 1:1 substitute unless otherwise noted. See the recipe card for quantities.
- Warm water: This activates the yeast and the temperature window really matters here. Too cold and nothing happens. Too hot and you kill the yeast before it gets started. You're looking for 105-110°F, which feels like warm bath water on your wrist.
- Honey: Used in two places: a small amount feeds the yeast at the start, and a tablespoon goes into the boiling water for that characteristic bagel shine and slightly sweet crust. Barley malt syrup is the classic bakery swap in the boil & gives a slightly more traditional flavor. Either works.
- Active dry yeast: You can use instant yeast at the same amount - just mix it straight into the dry ingredients and skip the proofing step. If your yeast doesn't foam in 5-8 minutes, it's dead. Start over with a fresh packet.
- Low-fat cottage cheese, blended smooth: This is the protein anchor. Blend it before adding, but not too much that it's super liquidy. Different fat levels will react slightly differently, so just add a bit more flour or egg whites accordingly.
- Egg whites: They add structure and a clean protein boost without the fat from whole eggs. Whole eggs can substitute, but the dough will be richer and slightly denser. Also used to brush on the top before baking.
- Bread flour: Bread flour has a higher protein content than all-purpose, which develops more gluten during kneading. That's what gives these bagels their chew. All-purpose flour will make a softer, less chewy bagel. It'll still taste good, but the texture won't be the same. Do not use self-rising flour.
- Baking powder: A small amount added alongside the yeast helps with lift since the rest time is short at just 20 minutes rather than a full rise.
- Fine sea salt: Undersalted bagels are boring!
This recipe has not been tested with other substitutions or variations. If you replace or add any ingredients, please let us know how it turned out in the comments below!
a note on blending the cottage cheese
When cottage cheese is blended too much, it can become runny, which will result in a dough that doesn't hold together. Just blend it with the egg white briefly to get rid of the large curds.
step by step: tips to nail this recipe every time
- Proof the yeast before adding anything else: Don't just assume your yeast is alive. Stir the warm water, honey, and yeast together and give it 5-8 minutes. You should see foam. If nothing happens, the water was too hot, or the yeast is old - starting over takes 5 minutes, salvaging a failed batch does not 😅.
- Knead for the full 5 minutes: The dough will feel sticky and rough at first but that's normal. It transforms around the 3-minute mark into something smooth and elastic (it can take some muscle to knead and won't be super soft like my cottage cheese cinnamon rolls). If it's clinging to the surface and your hands the whole time, add flour a tablespoon at a time. But don't rush past this step. Under-kneaded dough tears when you shape it and splits open during the boil.
- Make the hole bigger than you think: The hole closes up during the boil and bake... like a lot! If it looks right when raw, it'll disappear by the time the bagel comes out. You want it to look almost comically large when you shape it. At least 2 inches across.
- Seal the seam well before boiling: Shape by rolling each piece into a rope and wrapping it into a ring, pressing the ends firmly together. If the ends aren't fully sealed, they'll separate in the water, and you'll have a horseshoe instead of a bagel (you can gently press this together again, but best to avoid it altogether). Press and roll the seam against the counter to really fuse it.
- Watch the boil time carefully: 30-45 seconds per side is the window. Less than that, and the skin doesn't set. More and the dough gets waterlogged and dense. They should puff slightly when they hit the water and float to the surface quickly, then flip repeat and remove.
quick recipe video
let that shell form
This is what sets apart a bagel from bread. After boiling in the honey water, let them sit on a towel for 2 minutes before adding the toppings and baking. The skin will toughen slightly, and then when baked, you'll get that perfect crust!
my bagels split open while boiling
Darn! The seam likely wasn't sealed well enough. After shaping, press the overlapping ends firmly together and roll the seam against the counter a few times. If the dough tears instead of stretching when you try to seal it, it needs another minute of kneading before shaping.
troubleshooting & testing notes
My bagels are good but not chewy
Two possible causes: all-purpose flour instead of bread flour, or too short of a boil. For real chew, you need bread flour and a full 30-45 seconds per side in aggressively boiling water.
It's a stiff dough to knead: The first few batches I made, I went too light on the kneading because bread dough with this much moisture felt like it needed to stay soft. The bagels came out fine-looking but tore during shaping, and the crumb was uneven. The fix was committing to the full 5 minutes and trusting that the dough would come together. It always does, usually right around minute 3 when it stops sticking and starts pulling clean from the surface. It's just a genuinely stiffer dough than I'm used to kneading for my lemon ricotta rolls.
Recipe
cottage cheese bagels (19g and no protein powder)
Ingredients
the dough
- 2 tablespoon (30 g) warm water (105-110°F)
- 1 teaspoon (7 g) honey
- 2 teaspoon (6 g) active dry yeast
- 1 cup (220 g) low-fat cottage cheese ( blended smooth)
- ½ cup (120 g) egg whites (see notes for using whole eggs)
- 2 cups (240 g) bread flour (plus more for kneading)
- 1-½ teaspoon (6 g) baking powder
- 1 teaspoon (6 g) fine sea salt
the boil
- 2 quarts (1.9 l) water
- 1 tablespoon (21 g) honey (or barley malt syrup)
- 1 teaspoon (5 g) baking soda (baking powder works in a pinch)
topping
- 2 tablespoon (30 ml) egg whites (for brushing)
- flaky sea salt (flaky sea salt, everything bagel seasoning, sesame seeds, or topping of choice)
Before you start!
If you make this recipe, please take a moment to leave us a review. We love to hear from you!
Instructions
- Stir together 2 tablespoon warm water, 1 teaspoon honey, and 2 teaspoon active dry yeast in a small bowl. Rest 5-8 minutes until foamy. If it doesn't foam, start over with fresh yeast.Usually, the hottest water from your tap is perfect! While this blooms, blend together the 1 cup low-fat cottage cheese and ½ cup egg whites. Blend just to combine and get rid of most of the curds, some are ok. If you overblend, it tends to liquify the mixture versus whipping it. The more liquid it is, the wetter th dough and therefore you'll need quite a bit more flour. If you have an immersion blender or food processor, these are less likely to liquify it so can be a safer bet.
- In a large bowl, whisk together 2 cups bread flour, 1-½ teaspoon baking powder, and 1 teaspoon fine sea salt. Add blended cottage cheese, egg whites, and yeast mixture. Stir until a shaggy ball forms.Turn dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 5 minutes until smooth and elastic. Add flour 1 tablespoon at a time if too sticky. The dough is ready when it bounces back slightly when poked and pulls clean from the surface.Cover with a clean towel and rest 20 minutes at room temperature.
- Preheat oven to 425°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Bring 2 quarts water to a rolling boil (or whatever fits in your pot that's large enough to boil at least one bagel). Add 1 tablespoon honey1 teaspoon baking soda.
- Divide dough into 4 equal pieces (or 8 smaller ones). Roll each into a rope and form into a ring, pressing and rolling the seam firmly to seal. Make the hole at least 2 inches across - it will shrink significantly.
- Working in batches, lower bagels into the boiling water. Boil 30-45 seconds per side. Remove and air dry on a wire rack for 2 minutes. Then transfer to the prepared baking sheet.Brush each bagel with egg whites. Top with flaky sea salt, everything bagel seasoning, or your topping of choice.
- Bake 20-25 minutes until deep golden brown. Tap the bottom - it should sound hollow. Let cool and then enjoy!
Video
Notes
Looking for more information?
Additional substitution information can be found above in the substitution section of this post.
Nutrition Disclaimer
Nutritional information is an estimate and for informational purposes only.
I’ve never made bagels at home before, and these turned out absolutely perfect! I also don’t normally write reviews, but this recipe was simple and SO good. My husband said it was the best bagel he’d ever had (I agree). I substituted whole eggs for egg whites for both the bagel dough and the egg wash, and there were no issues (just weighed out the eggs instead and used leftover for the egg wash). Thanks for this amazing recipe! Will for sure be making these again 🙂
So so happy to hear that!
Any idea if these can be done with GF flour?
I haven't tried it with GF flour but generally I have good success with 1:1 gf flour with my other bread recipes.
These are insane! I made a double recipe because I have kids and boy am I glad I did. They are so fluffy and yummy! We did two topped with cinnamon sugar, two everything bagel, two strawberry and two Asiago cheese. A big hit! In no way does this taste like cottage cheese.
That's so great to hear!
Yummy bagels, just needs a lot more flour or else it’s super sticky
Glad you enjoyed!
tried this today while working remote. new yeast and worked well. let it sit and proof for too long because had a Teams meeting. I just took out of oven and they look beautiful but big. taste so far is really good but will wait for them to cool down a bit. everything seasoning and sesame seed. do you think could make 8 out of this? the dough was very wet and took a long time to come together but worked it and added flour little at a time. thank you
Great to hear! You could def make 8 smaller ones! Did you blend the cottage cheese on its own in a blender vs food processor? Or what did the blending of it look like? The batter is usually overly wet if the cottage cheese is blended too long. Blenders tend to liquify it vs just creaming it if that makes sense.
I used whole eggs and doubled the recipe, and it took a decent amount of extra flour and kneading for the dough to get where I wanted it. End result was great though, light and fluffy on the inside and toasty outside.
Thanks so much for letting us know!
The recipe does not double quantities in grams when increasing the recipe. The bagels I made were suppose to be double, but the recipe did not double 30g->60g etc, so the bagels are terrible because some of the ingredients were double in cups/tbsp and others left single in grams. Backend code of the website needs updating.
Thanks for bringing this to our attention. We are currently in the process of updating this so the metric will scale correctly with the US customary units.