Cottage Cheese Bagels

# The Ingredients You'll Need:

01 - 1 cup cottage cheese, low-fat or full-fat

02 - 1 large egg

03 - 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

04 - 2 teaspoons baking powder

05 - 1/2 teaspoon salt

06 - 1 egg, beaten for egg wash

07 - 2 tablespoons everything bagel seasoning or sesame seeds

01 - Preheat oven to 375°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

02 - Process cottage cheese in a food processor or blender until completely smooth.

03 - In a large mixing bowl, combine blended cottage cheese, egg, flour, baking powder, and salt. Mix until a soft dough forms.

04 - Lightly flour your hands and work surface. Divide dough into 4 equal portions.

05 - Roll each portion into a 7-inch rope, then form into a ring by pinching the ends together to seal.

06 - Place bagels on prepared baking sheet. Brush each bagel with beaten egg and sprinkle generously with bagel seasoning.

07 - Bake for 22 to 25 minutes until golden brown and puffed.

08 - Allow bagels to cool for 5 minutes before slicing and serving.

01 -

They're ready in 35 minutes total, which means you can have fresh bagels before most people even think about breakfast.
Each one packs 11 grams of protein, so you'll actually stay full instead of reaching for a snack an hour later.
The cottage cheese keeps them impossibly fluffy without any yeast magic or complicated rising times.

02 -

Don't skip blending the cottage cheese—I learned this the hard way when my first batch turned out grainy and disappointing, and smooth cottage cheese is what makes these actually good.
The dough should feel soft and slightly sticky, not dry or thick; if it seems too dry, the cottage cheese moisture varies by brand and you might need to adjust slightly by feel.

03 -

Let the bagels cool for a full 5 minutes before slicing—they're still setting up inside and cutting too early makes them fall apart.
If you're adding mix-ins like chives or cheese to the dough, do it when you combine the wet and dry ingredients, not after, so everything distributes evenly.