Making Easy High-Protein Cottage Cheese Bagels in the Air Fryer

If you’re looking for a healthier, protein-packed alternative to traditional bagels that you can make in minutes, you have to try this recipe.

We’re harnessing the power of cottage cheese and a few simple ingredients to create amazing, chewy bagels, and we’re using the air fryer to get them perfectly golden-brown without any boiling.

This recipe is a fantastic kitchen hack. By blending cottage cheese until it’s smooth, we create a creamy, tangy, and high-protein base for our dough.

When mixed with self-rising flour, it bakes up into a bagel that is wonderfully soft and chewy on the inside with a satisfyingly firm crust. It’s a game-changer for a quick and nutritious breakfast.

This is a fun, fast, and guilt-free way to enjoy a fresh, warm bagel any time the craving strikes. Let’s get our blenders and air fryers ready!

Essential Tools

• Air Fryer
• Blender or Food Processor
• Medium Mixing Bowl
• Parchment Paper (air fryer-specific liners are great)
• Pastry Brush
• Spatula

Quick Recipe Snapshot

Here’s a quick look at how incredibly fast you can have fresh, homemade, high-protein bagels.

Ingredients

This simple, high-protein recipe uses just a few ingredients to create delicious, chewy bagels.

• Self-Rising Flour – This is the essential shortcut, containing both baking powder and salt to make the bagels rise without yeast.
  • 2 bagels: ½ cup
  • 4 bagels: 1 cup
• Full-Fat Cottage Cheese – You must use a full-fat (at least 4%) cottage cheese for the best flavor and texture.
  • 2 bagels: ½ cup
  • 4 bagels: 1 cup
• For the Topping:
  • Egg Wash: 1 large egg, beaten. This is for getting that shiny, golden-brown crust.
  • Everything Bagel Seasoning: Or your favorite toppings like sesame seeds, poppy seeds, or coarse salt.

The Flavor Architects A Look at the Ingredients

• Cottage Cheese: This is the star of our high-protein dough. When blended until smooth, it provides a tangy flavor, incredible moisture, and a significant protein boost that you don’t get in traditional bagels. The fat content is important for a tender crumb.
• Self-Rising Flour: This is our magic shortcut. It’s a pre-mixed blend of all-purpose flour, baking powder, and salt. The baking powder reacts with the natural acidity in the cottage cheese, creating the leavening that makes the bagels puff up and become light.
• Egg Wash: This is the key to achieving that classic, shiny, and deeply golden-brown bagel crust. It also acts as the “glue” to help your toppings stick securely.
• Everything Bagel Seasoning: This popular blend of sesame seeds, poppy seeds, dried garlic, dried onion, and coarse salt provides a huge burst of savory, crunchy, and aromatic flavor that perfectly complements the tangy bagel.

Cooking Instructions

This fun and easy recipe is a simple process of blending, mixing, shaping, and baking in the air fryer for a quick, satisfying result.

Step 1: Create the Smooth Cottage Cheese Base

The first and most important step for this recipe is to transform the lumpy cottage cheese into a smooth, creamy base.

Place your full-fat cottage cheese into a small blender or food processor. Blend on high for 30-60 seconds, until the cottage cheese is completely smooth, creamy, and resembles a very thick yogurt.

This step is essential for creating a uniform dough without any curds.

Step 2: Form the Dough and Shape the Bagels

In a medium mixing bowl, combine the self-rising flour and the smooth cottage cheese. Use a spatula to mix the two ingredients together until a shaggy, thick dough begins to form.

Lightly flour a clean work surface and turn the dough out. Knead the dough gently with your hands for just 2-3 minutes, until it becomes smooth and is no longer overly sticky. Divide the smooth dough into four equal pieces.

Roll each piece into a thick rope about 6-7 inches long. Join the ends of the rope together, pinching them firmly to form a classic bagel shape.

Step 3: Apply the Topping

Before placing the bagels in the air fryer, you’ll want to give them their classic finish for the best color and flavor.

Line your air fryer basket with a piece of parchment paper to prevent any sticking. Place the shaped bagels on the parchment paper, leaving a little space between each one. Take your beaten egg and use a pastry brush to apply a thin, even layer of the egg wash over the top and sides of each bagel.

Immediately after brushing with the egg wash, sprinkle your Everything Bagel Seasoning or other toppings generously over the bagels.

Step 4: Air Fry to Golden Perfection

Carefully slide the basket into your air fryer. Air fry the bagels at 330°F (165°C) for 12 to 15 minutes.

A slightly lower temperature is good for this dough to ensure the inside gets cooked through before the outside gets too dark.

The bagels are done when they have puffed up nicely and are a deep, beautiful golden-brown on top.

Let the bagels cool in the basket for a few minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.

Recipe Variations

This simple dough is a wonderful base for your own bagel creations.

• Cinnamon Raisin: Knead ¼ cup of raisins and 1 teaspoon of cinnamon into the dough before shaping.
• Cheddar Jalapeño: Knead ¼ cup of shredded sharp cheddar cheese and 1-2 tablespoons of finely chopped pickled jalapeños into the dough for a savory, spicy twist.
• Herb and Garlic: Add 1 teaspoon of garlic powder and 1 teaspoon of dried herbs (like rosemary or Italian seasoning) to the self-rising flour before mixing.

Serving Suggestions

These fresh, warm bagels are perfect for a classic breakfast or lunch.

• Classic Cream Cheese: Slice them in half and toast them, then slather with your favorite cream cheese.
• Breakfast Sandwich: Use a toasted bagel to build a delicious breakfast sandwich with a fried egg, cheese, and your choice of protein.
• Avocado Toast: Mash half an avocado on top of a toasted bagel and sprinkle with red pepper flakes and a little flaky sea salt.
• With Butter: Sometimes, a simple pat of butter on a warm, fresh-from-the-air-fryer bagel is all you need.

Storage & Reheating Tips

These bagels are at their absolute best the day they are made, but they store well.

• Storage: Let the bagels cool completely. Store them in an airtight bag or container at room temperature for up to 3 days.
• Reheating: The best way to enjoy a leftover bagel is to slice it in half and toast it. You can do this in a regular toaster, or in the air fryer for 2-3 minutes at 350°F (175°C) until warm and crispy.

Common Mistakes & Fixes

FAQs

Can I make my own self-rising flour?

Yes, absolutely! If you don’t have self-rising flour, you can easily make your own. For every 1 cup of all-purpose flour, simply whisk in 1 ½ teaspoons of baking powder and ¼ teaspoon of fine salt.

Do I have to use full-fat cottage cheese?

For the best flavor and the most tender, moist texture, full-fat (4% or higher) cottage cheese is highly recommended.

You can use a low-fat cottage cheese, but the resulting bagel may be slightly drier and less rich.

Can I bake these bagels in a conventional oven?

Yes, you can. Prepare the bagels as directed. Place them on a parchment-lined baking sheet and bake in a preheated oven at 375°F (190°C) for 20-25 minutes, or until they are golden-brown and cooked through.

The texture will be slightly different than the air-fried version.

Enjoy Your Homemade Protein-Packed Bagels!

You are now ready to make the easiest, quickest, and most satisfying homemade bagels you’ve ever had.

This cottage cheese bagels in air fryer recipe is a fantastic way to enjoy a fresh, warm bagel that fits perfectly into a healthy, high-protein lifestyle.

Have fun making them your own with different toppings and enjoy every delicious bite!