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Cottage cheese bagels recipe card image with ingredients and garnish

The Ultimate Guide to Cottage Cheese Bagels: A Protein-Packed Delight


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  • Author: Emily Parker
  • Total Time: 35 minutes
  • Yield: 4 bagels 1x

Description

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!


Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 cup self-rising flour (Note 1)
  • 1 cup full-fat cottage cheese (Note 2)
  • 1 large egg, beaten, for egg wash
  • Toppings: sesame seeds, everything bagel seasoning, shredded asiago cheese, or poppy seeds

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 375°F and position the rack to the top position. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
  2. 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.
  3. Transfer the cottage cheese 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.
  4. Roll the dough into a ball and divide it into 4 equal balls (approximately 80g each). 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.
  5. 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.
  6. Alternatively, preheat the air fryer to 350°F 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

Flour. 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 1 teaspoon baking powder and 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt.

 

Cottage Cheese. A full-fat cottage cheese is best. The consistency of the dough will depend on the type of cottage cheese you use and the brand you use. 

 
 

Regular Flour. If you don’t have self-rising flour, you can follow the same instructions as the gluten-free option, but use all-purpose flour.
Greek Yogurt. I’ve also tested these with plain Greek yogurt with great success!

 

Sticky Dough. The consistency of the dough will depend on the type of cottage cheese used and the brand. I love Good Culture Full Fat Cottage Cheese. How you measure your flour also plays a role. Make sure you’re measuring correctly with the spoon and level method, or weigh it for best results. Continue to add flour a Tablespoon at a time until it’s no longer sticky and knead the flour well into the dough on the work surface. 

  • Prep Time: 10 minutes
  • Cook Time: 25 minutes
  • Category: Baking
  • Method: Bake or Air Fry
  • Cuisine: American

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 1 bagel
  • Calories: 180
  • Sugar: 2g
  • Sodium: 182mg
  • Fat: 4g
  • Saturated Fat: 1g
  • Unsaturated Fat: 2g
  • Trans Fat: 0.01g
  • Carbohydrates: 25g
  • Fiber: 1g
  • Protein: 11g
  • Cholesterol: 50mg