Cottage Cheese Protein Bagels (Print Version)
# Ingredients:
→ Dry Ingredients
01 -
1 cup plain all-purpose flour (swap for whole wheat or gluten-free blend like cup4cup, weighing 5 oz total)
02 -
2 teaspoons baking powder (check freshness date or your bagels won't puff up)
03 -
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt (reduce amount if you're using table salt)
→ Wet Ingredients
04 -
1 cup 2% cottage cheese (well-drained of extra moisture, brands like Good Culture work great)
05 -
1 egg white (or just use a whole large egg, beaten)
→ Optional Toppings
06 -
Everything bagel mix, sesame seeds, poppy seeds, dried bits of garlic, dried onion pieces
# Instructions:
01 -
Mix flour, baking powder, and salt in a big bowl. Stir them together well. Drop in your drained cottage cheese and mix it up with a fork until everything's combined. You'll end up with something that looks like small bits and pieces.
02 -
Get your hands in there and work the dough around in the bowl until it sticks together and feels smooth but slightly tacky. This won't take more than 2 minutes. The dough shouldn't stick to your fingers when you touch it.
03 -
Cut the dough into 4 equal chunks. Take each piece and roll it into a rope about 3/4-inch thick, then connect the ends to make a bagel shape. You can also just make a ball, poke your finger through, and widen the hole a bit.
04 -
Brush some egg wash over your bagels and shake your favorite toppings on both sides.
05 -
Give the air fryer basket a light oil spray. Put your bagels in without crowding them together. Cook at 280°F for about 15-16 minutes until they're golden brown. Don't bother flipping them. Let them sit for at least 15 minutes before slicing.
06 -
Heat your oven to 375°F. Cover a baking sheet with parchment or a silicone mat. If you go with parchment, spray it so the bagels don't stick. Bake on the top rack for 25 minutes. Cool for at least 15 minutes before cutting.
# Notes:
01 -
When your cottage cheese isn't drained enough, your dough might feel too sticky. Just add a bit more flour to fix it.
02 -
You can store extra bagels in the freezer wrapped tight in plastic or foil. Warm them up in foil in the oven later.