Mini Protein Bagels with Greek Yogurt (4 Flavors)

Mini Protein Bagels

One Greek-yogurt dough makes eight mini bagels in four flavors: everything-seasoned, cheddar, rainbow-sprinkle, and cinnamon-raisin. There’s no yeast, rising, or boiling. The baked rings are tender and lightly golden, not chewy like traditional bagels.

Use thick yogurt and keep the dough slightly tacky so the rings are easy to shape without becoming dry. Leave the center holes wide enough to stay open as the bagels puff. The batch takes about 40–45 minutes, including a brief cooling time.

Ingredients for Mini Protein Bagels

• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (180g), plus 1–3 tablespoons only if needed for shaping
• 2 1/4 teaspoons baking powder (9g)
• 3/8 teaspoon fine salt
• 1 cup thick plain Greek yogurt (225g)
• 1 tablespoon milk, or just enough to brush the tops
• 2 teaspoons everything bagel seasoning
• 2 tablespoons shredded cheddar cheese (15g)
• 1 teaspoon rainbow sprinkles
• 1 tablespoon raisins (10g)
• 1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Optional: Add 1 teaspoon mini chocolate chips to the sprinkle pair, or serve the finished bagels with cream cheese.

How to Bake Mini Protein Bagels

1. Prepare the oven and pan: Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Lightly oil the parchment if sticking is a concern.
2. Mix the dough: Whisk the flour, baking powder, and salt in a bowl. Stir in the yogurt, then briefly work the mixture until no dry flour remains. The dough should be soft and tacky but not cling heavily to your fingers. If it is too sticky to shape, add the extra flour 1 tablespoon at a time.
3. Divide the flavors: Divide the dough into 8 roughly equal pieces, about 50g each, and assign two pieces to each flavor. Briefly work the raisins and cinnamon into one pair. If using mini chocolate chips, work them into the sprinkle pair.
4. Shape the rings: Roll each piece into a short rope and join the ends firmly, or gently open a hole through its center. Make thick rings about 2 1/2–3 inches across, with center holes about 1 inch wide. Place them about 2 inches apart on the baking sheet.
5. Add the toppings: Lightly brush the tops with milk. Gently press everything seasoning onto one pair, cheddar onto another, and rainbow sprinkles onto the sprinkle pair. Leave the raisins visible in the fourth pair, and keep the center holes open.
6. Bake and cool: Bake uncovered, starting to check at 12 minutes. Allow about 12–20 minutes total, depending on ring thickness and the oven; rotate the sheet once if the bagels brown unevenly. The exposed bread should look set and lightly golden, the undersides should be lightly browned, and the centers should feel springy rather than paste-like. The cheddar should be melted and browned in spots. Cool on the pan for about 5 minutes before moving or slicing.

How to Keep the Dough Easy to Shape

Greek yogurt varies in thickness. Mix until all the flour is incorporated before adding any extra; a thinner yogurt may need more flour to make the dough workable. Add only enough to shape the rings. Dough that remains slightly tacky bakes up more tender than dough made stiff with extra flour.

How to Tell When the Bagels Are Done

Check the bread rather than relying on the toppings: cheddar can brown before the dough beneath it is ready. If the exposed surface still looks wet or the underside is pale, bake a little longer and check again. Rings of slightly different thickness may finish at different times.

Serving and Variations

Arrange one of each flavor together and offer cream cheese alongside if desired. The savory bagels also go well with eggs. For another small savory breakfast, try these avocado egg toast bites.

For a single-flavor batch, use one chosen finish on all 8 bagels. If using self-rising flour in place of all-purpose flour, omit the separate baking powder and salt; the dough may still need a small flour adjustment for shaping.

Storage and Toaster Reheating

Let the bagels cool completely, then store them airtight for up to 3 days. Slice and toast them to refresh the texture. To freeze, slice the cooled bagels, wrap them individually, and place them in a freezer bag; toast from frozen as needed.

Nutrition

Approximate nutrition per mini bagel, based on 8 bagels: 115 calories, 6g protein, 1g fat, and 20g carbohydrates. Approximate values per 100g of baked bagels: 220 calories, 11g protein, 2g fat, and 38g carbohydrates. Estimates assume plain nonfat Greek yogurt and exclude optional additions, serving spreads, and any extra shaping flour. Yogurt brands and finished bagel weights will affect the values.