Cottage Cheese Bagels

If there’s one ingredient that’s had the biggest comeback in recent years, it’s cottage cheese. And just as creative cooks and bakers are adding it to dishes like macaroni and cheese and cottage cheese cookie dough, we’ve mixed it with flour to make cottage cheese bagels.

Cottage cheese has been trending for a while, and the ingredient’s popularity is still full steam ahead. It not only adds extra protein to recipes but also helps add moisture and create a fluffy texture in bread bakes. These bagels aren’t quite like classic bagels, but they are a delicious alternative if you’re open-minded about the classic breakfast food. All you have to do is combine cottage cheese and self-rising flour, then knead and form the dough. Brush the unbaked bagels with an egg wash and slide them into the oven. In under 45 minutes, you’ll have soft, tender bagels with a crisp exterior.

Ingredients for Cottage Cheese Bagels

• Cottage cheese: Grab a tub of the star of this recipe! Full-fat cottage cheese provides moisture and contributes to the tender texture of these bagels.
• Self-rising flour: Self-rising flour is flour with a leavening agent, such as baking soda or baking powder, and a bit of salt already mixed in.
• Egg: Whisk an egg to make an egg wash, which is brushed over the bagels before baking to create a golden, crisp exterior. The egg wash also helps keep toppings in place.
• Asiago cheese: This topping is entirely optional, but it helps create an even more flavorful savory bagel.

How to Make Cottage Cheese Bagels

Step 1: Prep the cottage cheese

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment. In a food processor or small blender, blend the cottage cheese until smooth.

Step 2: Make the dough

In a large bowl, combine the flour and cottage cheese until a crumbly dough mixture forms. Begin kneading the dough in the bowl with your hands until it pulls away from the sides of the bowl.

Editor’s Tip: Use a spatula to begin the process of combining the wet, blended cottage cheese with the flour.

Step 3: Knead and form the dough

Transfer the dough to a floured surface and continue kneading until smooth. Divide the dough into six equally sized balls and roll each until smooth.

Using your fingers, create a hole in the center of each ball at least 1-1/2 inches in diameter. Place the bagels on the prepared baking sheet.

Editor’s Tip: If you’re having a hard time forming the hole of the bagel, grease the end of a wooden spoon with cooking spray and use it to create the hole or make the hole bigger as needed.

Step 4: Brush with egg wash

In a small bowl, beat the egg with a fork. Brush the top of each bagel with the egg wash and sprinkle with the shredded Asiago.

Step 5: Bake the bagels

Bake the bagels until fluffy and golden brown, 25 to 27 minutes, rotating halfway through. Let cool for at least five minutes before serving.

Cottage Cheese Bagel Variations

• Make everything bagels: Yes, you can make this cottage cheese bagels recipe with the classic bagel topping! Once the egg wash has been brushed on top, sprinkle everything bagel seasoning onto each bagel.
• Use other seeds: If you love poppyseed or sesame seed bagels, sprinkle them over the egg wash before baking.
• Pair jalapeno and cheddar: Top your bagels with shredded cheddar cheese and sliced jalapenos for maximum flavor.
• Add cinnamon: Mix 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon with the dry ingredients and fold in raisins for a cinnamon raisin version of this recipe, or simply opt for a cinnamon-sugar topping. To do the latter, mix 3 tablespoons granulated sugar and 2 teaspoons cinnamon, then sprinkle it over the egg-washed bagels before baking for a crispy, sweet topping.

How to Store Cottage Cheese Bagels

Keep these bagels soft and fresh by storing them in an airtight container or zip-top bag.

How long do cottage cheese bagels last?

Store bagels in an airtight container at room temperature for up to three days. Store cottage cheese bagels in the refrigerator for up to five days.

Can you freeze cottage cheese bagels?

You can absolutely make a batch of this cottage cheese bagel recipe and keep them on hand in the freezer. To freeze the bagels, store them in an airtight container or freezer bag, or wrap each bagel individually in storage wrap and aluminum foil. Store them in the freezer for up to two months, and let them thaw at room temperature.

Cottage Cheese Bagel Tips

What if the dough is too sticky?

Your dough may be a bit sticky, and that’s okay! If it’s too sticky to knead or form the bagels, use a small amount of flour to help prevent sticking.

Can you make the cottage cheese bagels recipe in an air fryer?

Want these bagels ready even faster? Bake them in batches of three in your air fryer instead of the oven. Make the dough, form the bagels and bake them at 300° for 10 to 15 minutes until the tops are golden. Prep the air-fryer basket beforehand by lining it with parchment or greasing it with cooking spray.

How do you make gluten-free cottage cheese bagels?

If you want to make a gluten-free cottage cheese bagel recipe, swap in gluten-free self-rising flour for the regular self-rising flour.

Can you use all-purpose flour for cottage cheese bagels?

This recipe was designed for ease with self-rising flour as a key ingredient, but if you don’t happen to have any on hand, you can use all-purpose flour instead. If you do, use the same amount of flour and add 2 teaspoons baking soda and 1/2 teaspoon salt.

How should you serve cottage cheese bagels?

These cottage cheese bagels are incredibly versatile. Eat them plain, or cut them in half and enjoy them topped with classic spreads like cream cheese. These can also be used to make breakfast sandwiches with eggs and sausage patties or ham, or they make the perfect base for avocado toast. If you need a quick lunch, pile a bagel high with your favorite sandwich fixings.