cottage cheese bagels (19g and no protein powder)
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.
Servings: 4 bagels
Calories: 318kcal
Ingredients
the dough
- 2 tablespoon warm water 105–110°F
- 1 teaspoon honey
- 2 teaspoon active dry yeast
- 1 cup low-fat cottage cheese blended smooth
- ½ cup egg whites see notes for using whole eggs
- 2 cups bread flour plus more for kneading
- 1-½ teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
the boil
- 2 quarts water
- 1 tablespoon honey or barley malt syrup
- 1 teaspoon baking soda baking powder works in a pinch
topping
- 2 tablespoon egg whites for brushing
- flaky sea salt flaky sea salt, everything bagel seasoning, sesame seeds, or topping of choice
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
Bread flour preferred: All-purpose works but the chew won't be the same. Do not use self-rising flour.
Blend the cottage cheese mostly: We just want to blend it to get rid of the big curds but not over blend so it becomes watery.
Egg white wash: Brush right after the 2-minute air-dry step, before the oven. This is what gives the bagels their shine and helps toppings stick.
Storage: Room temp in an airtight bag for 2 days. Refrigerator for up to 5 days. Freeze for up to 3 months (they freeze great!!), just slice before freezing for easy toasting.
Using whole eggs: Go ahead and use whole eggs, just measure by weight or volume with the number of eggs you need. Probably about 3 whole eggs. Just know the texture will be a bit denser, high in calories, and a bit lower in protein.
Nutrition
Serving: 1bagel | Calories: 318kcal | Carbohydrates: 54g | Protein: 19g | Fat: 2g | Fiber: 1.6g | Sugar: 3g