Protein Bagels

These protein bagels need just two key ingredients to make and pack in over 10 grams of protein each! No yeast needed, you can make them with or without protein powder!

Protein Bagels

For high protein breakfasts, my favorite recipes to make are protein shakes, protein waffles, and these protein bagels.

I try to change up my breakfasts but my go-to (since I was a kid!) has always been a bagel with cream cheese. When I started a high protein bodybuilding diet, I thought they’d be something I’d no longer be able to enjoy.

Are bagels high protein?

Traditional bagels that you find at your grocery store or bakery are not high in protein. They are made primarily of carbs, with most brands having just 2-3 grams of protein. Luckily, with a few tweaks you can enjoy high protein bagels that taste like their inspiration!

Why you’ll love this protein bagels recipe-

• No yeast needed. Unlike traditional bagels, these have no yeast in them and they are baked, not boiled!
• Ready in 15 minutes. From start to finish, this recipe takes less than 15 minutes to make. The hard part is choosing what to serve your bagels with! 
• At least 10 grams of protein each. Each bagel has over 10 grams of protein each, but you can swap out some of the protein flour for protein powder, then the protein content increases and each bagel now has 17 grams of protein each! 
• No fancy mixers or kitchen gadgets. All you need is just one mixing bowl and a mixing spoon! 

What I love about this recipe is just how much they taste like actual bagels! So often, high protein recipes taste far less superior to their original versions, but I could not tell the difference. They were perfectly chewy with a golden crust. Topped with some low calorie peanut butter and served with a protein hot chocolate, these make the perfect, protein-packed breakfast!

How do you make protein bagels?

The Ingredients. 

• Protein flour– An enriched self-rising flour with added protein in it. I used Vetta protein flour, that has 21 grams of protein per serving. If you can’t find protein flour, standard self rising flour can be used.
• Greek yogurt– Non-fat Greek yogurt has over 21 grams of protein per half cup. I used a full cup in this recipe, which provides 42 grams of protein. 
• Bagel toppings– Sesame seeds, poppy seeds, and everything but the bagel seasoning. 

The Instructions.

In a mixing bowl, add your protein flour and Greek yogurt and mix until a thick dough remains. Lightly wet your hands and gently knead the dough until smooth.

Next, transfer the dough onto a floured surface. Divide the dough into eight portions and shape them into bagel shapes. Place them onto a lined baking sheet and sprinkle with your favorite bagel toppings. Bake the bagels for 15-18 minutes, or until golden on top. Remove the high protein bagels from the oven and let them cool completely before slicing and enjoying. 

Tips to make the best recipe

• For a golden crust, brush some melted butter or a whisked egg yolk on top of the bagels before adding the toppings. 
• Slice the bagels in half before freezing them, so you can directly remove them from the freezer and toast them.
• To increase the protein content to the bagel dough, you can swap out 1/4 cup of the flour for unflavored protein powder. 

How can I add more protein to my bagel?

Here are some of my favorite healthy, protein-packed filling ideas for bagels-

• Cheese– Cheddar, tasty, American, and Pepper jack cheese all pack in 7-10 grams of protein per slice. Cottage cheese can add up to 20 grams per half cup.
• Nut and seed butter– Almond butter, peanut butter, and sunflower seed butter all have at least 6 grams of protein per two tablespoons.
• Spreads and dips– Hummus, tzatziki and avocado all have between 3-5 grams of protein per serving.
• Eggs– Egg salad, boiled eggs, or a fried egg.
• Meat, poultry, and seafood- Smoked salmon, grilled chicken, tuna salad, and turkey bacon.

Storing, freezing, and reheating instructions

• To store: Leftover bagels can be stored at room temperature, covered, for up to 3 days.. If you’d like to keep them longer, store them in the refrigerator. 
• To freeze: Place cooled bagels in a ziplock bag and store them in the freezer for up to six months. 
• Reheating: Slice the bagels in half and toast them before adding your favorite spreads and/or fillings. 

More high protein recipes to try

• Protein shakes (40 flavors!)
• Muffins
• Cookies
• Brownies
• Donuts

Frequently Asked Questions