Cottage cheese gives these low carb Protein Bagels a wonderful texture and flavor. They’re easy to make and have 13g of protein per serving. Perfect for breakfast or lunch!
I have jumped on the cottage cheese bandwagon. As in took a flying leap and landed with a resounding thud. Seriously, why did no one ever tell me how high in protein this funny curdy stuff is?
Now that I am aware and enlightened, what shall I do with that knowledge? Well, to start, I re-created the viral Protein Bagels with low carb ingredients. And they are fabulous!
I already have a classic recipe for Keto Bagels made with fathead dough, and they are well loved by readers. But this cottage cheese bagel recipe is definitely worth a try, especially if you are trying to increase your protein intake.
We love them toasted and spread with a little of our homemade Boursin cheese. They also make awesome breakfast sandwiches!
Be sure to check out all of my low carb high protein recipes.
Why you need to try this recipe
I am going to let you in on a little secret: I recently signed a contract to write another cookbook. Yes, I KNOW I said I was never going to write another one again after The Ultimate Guide to Keto Baking. But the publisher came to me with this project and I got excited about it. That’s when I know it’s right.
And these Protein Bagels are destined for that project. I kept seeing social media posts for “two ingredient bagels” made with cottage cheese and I wanted to test it out. But the original recipe takes self-rising flour, which is essentially wheat flour with baking powder already mixed in.
Knowing that a low carb version would need something more to hold it together and to help it rise, my protein bagel recipe has six ingredients (not including the toppings). I’d say that’s pretty great for a keto-friendly bread recipe!
They have a different texture than fathead dough, they are less heavy but also less chewy. They could easily just be a tasty bun or roll, if you don’t want to bother with the bagel shape.
And they have 13.3g of protein and only 4.1g net carbs. How’s that for fabulous?
Ingredients you need
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- Cottage cheese: I have only tried this recipe with whole milk cottage cheese. I imagine 2% would work too but you may need to add more flour if the dough is too sticky.
- Egg whites: I recommend using fresh egg whites, rather than those from a carton, for better lift.
- Keto flour: Of course, we can’t use wheat flour, so I use a combination of almond flour with a bit of coconut flour for the right texture.
- Protein powder: You can use whey protein (I recommend this protein isolate) or egg white protein powder.
- Pantry staples: Baking powder, salt.
- Toppings: Everything bagel seasoning, sesame seeds, poppyseeds, or your favorite bagel topping.
Step by Step Directions
1. Blend the cheese: Place the cottage cheese in a blender and blend until smooth. Transfer to a large bowl and whisk in the egg whites until well combined.
2. Add the dry ingredients: Add the almond flour, protein powder, coconut flour, baking powder, and salt. Use a rubber spatula to really work the ingredients together.
3. Form into balls: Wet or oil your hands and form the dough into 6 large balls. You will need to re-wet your hands for every ball. Place on a baking sheet lined with a lightly greased silicone mat. Press down with your palm to about 1 1/2 inches thick.
4. Make holes: Dip the end of a wooden spoon into some water and press into the center of each mound. Move the spoon in a small circle to make the hole a little bigger.
5. Add the toppings: Brush the tops of the bags with melted butter or oil and sprinkle with everything bagel seasoning.
6. Bake: Bake at 350ºF 18 to 22 minutes, until puffed and just beginning to brown. The bagels should be firm to the touch. Remove and let cool completely before slicing open.
Expert Tips
Having wet or greased hands is a MUST when shaping them. The dough is a bit sticky but you will be able to roll it into balls as long as you take this precaution. If your dough is so sticky that you still struggle, you need to add a bit more flour.
I’ve made these a couple of times now and I found that if I press them down to much, they are a bit too flat. So just be mindful of that when shaping these bagels.
They don’t have to be bagel-shaped! This dough makes wonderful easy rolls or buns too. You could brush them with a little garlic butter like my Keto Dinner Rolls.
If you find that they spread too much during baking, it means you didn’t have enough flour. Try adding another few tablespoons of almond flour or one additional tablespoon of coconut flour.
Frequently Asked Questions
There are a number of good keto bagel recipes that use things like mozzarella cheese. But they can be heavy and have a lot of calories. These protein bagels are lighter, with fewer calories, and still very low carb. They are perfect for the keto diet.
Many protein bagel recipes still contain wheat and have a lot of carbs. This recipe for low carb protein bagels has only 4.1g net carbs per serving and more than 13g of protein. So they are perfect for healthy low carb and gluten-free diets.
Store the bagels in a covered container on the counter for up to 3 days or in the fridge for up to a week. You can also freeze them for several months.
Related recipes
Protein Bagels Recipe
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup (157.5 g) cottage cheese, (whole milk)
- 2 large egg whites
- 1 cup (112 g) almond flour
- 1/3 cup (36 g) unflavored whey protein powder
- 2 tbsp (14.2 g) coconut flour
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/2 tbsp butter, melted
- 1 tbsp Everything Bagel Seasoning
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350ºF and line a baking sheet with a silicone mat.
- Place the cottage cheese in a blender and blend until smooth. Transfer to a large bowl and whisk in the egg whites until well combined.
- Add the almond flour, protein powder, coconut flour, baking powder, and salt. Use a rubber spatula to really work the ingredients together.
- Wet or oil your hands and form the dough into 6 large balls. You will need to re-wet your hands for every ball. Place on the prepared baking sheet and press down with your palm to about 1 1/2 inches thick.
- Dip the end of a wooden spoon into some water and press into the center of each mound. Move the spoon in a small circle to make the hole a little bigger.
- Brush the tops of the bagels with melted butter or oil and sprinkle with everything bagel seasoning.
- Bake 18 to 22 minutes, until puffed and just beginning to brown. The bagels should be firm to the touch. Remove and let cool completely before slicing open.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional Disclaimer
Please note that I am not a medical or nutritional professional. I am simply recounting and sharing my own experiences on this blog. Nothing I express here should be taken as medical advice and you should consult with your doctor before starting any diet or exercise program. I provide nutritional information for my recipes simply as a courtesy to my readers. It is calculated using MacGourmet software and I remove erythritol from the final carb count and net carb count, as it does not affect my own blood glucose levels. I do my best to be as accurate as possible but you should independently calculate nutritional information on your own before relying on them. I expressly disclaim any and all liability of any kind with respect to any act or omission wholly or in part in reliance on anything contained in this website.
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Do I need to use protein? Can I just omit it?
That would sort of defeat the purpose of them being protein bagels. I suggest you look at my other keto bagel recipe. https://alldayidreamaboutfood.com/protein-bagels/
I really don’t care about the protein or else I won’t have asked you. So can I just omit and btw some of us can’t use xanthan gum. I thought this recipe was perfect for me so I asked but there’s no need to be rude about it it was harmless question. But don’t worry there are other sites I can this type of recipe.
No, you cannot. The protein is a vital part of the recipe. I wasn’t being rude, Just pointing you to another recipe you might like better.
I have these in the oven now! I might have cheated and used a donut mold instead of a flat silicone mat and it ended up making 8 of them instead of 6. I added some onion powder to the dough and sprayed the bottom of the molds with oil before adding seasoning and then again on top. ibe made your other bagels and they’re a fave but I had cottage cheese so thought I’d try these instead. I’m excited to see how they come out.
Really good recipe! Mine came out alittle flat, I didn’t have a silicone pad and just used parchment paper. Does that make sense to why they could have turned out flat?
You probably needed a bit more flour.
I made these for the first time today. I ended up having to add more flour to them as it was too wet. I may have added to much flour though as they looked bit dry and had cracked along the tops when they baked. I am waiting for them to cool now. I just hope they taste alright. I really wish there was a video of these. maybe then I could figure out what happened.
I made these today and they are very easy to make and yummy. I took half the dough and added dried cherries and a little almond flavoring.
My question is, do you have a recipe for a sweet bagel? Maybe a cinnamon raisin or cranberry?
I have recently discovered that I am sensitive to both whey protein powder and coconut flour… ACK!!!
I can, however, use beef protein powder… Would the beef protein powder work in place of the whey powder? And can I use more almond flour to replace the coconut flour…??
TIA😘🥰
Not in this recipe, it will be very gummy. You could try egg white protein.
Not sure what went wrong; or it did. I tried this recipe to the letter (yes, I used 4% cottage cheese)
.
Tried one with no toppings after it had a chance to cooled off. Came out REALLY dry, and more like the consistency of a biscuit than a bagel. No chewiness at all. Also, they’re pretty small compared to a store bought KETO bagel. At least I was able to cut it, and not have it break up; which is what I’ve experienced with other KETO bagel recipes.
If I make it again, I’ll probably leave off the seasoning from the top. Not a knock on the recipe. It’s just not one of my favorite flavors. Perhaps just use some granulated onion or salt crystals instead (Hmmm….Salt Bagels. 🙂 ).
1. Store-bought keto bagels aren’t really keto! 2. Sounds like you probably over-baked them. It’s hard to gauge if you aren’t an experienced baker… but if they were dry, it’s usually over-baking.
I am going to make these today and was wondering if it needs to be whey protein isolate or just regular whey. I do have both and need to know which is best. Thank you
Either should work!
Hello Carolyn,
I don’t use cottage cheese. Can I substitute tofu or cream cheese instead?
Thanks Joan
Sorry, no idea. This is a cottage cheese based recipe.
I am in love with this recipe. I have made it many times and the simplicity and the taste are great. It is the most bread bread I have eaten that is keto and I love that it doesn’t use cheese since I want to fully appreciate any cheese that I consume since cheese is a daily thing for me. I don’t bother with the holes since I usually make an egg sandwich or avocado toast with them. Do you think the recipe could possibly work to make a loaf of bread? Any suggestions are welcome.
So great to hear!
I’ve made these a few times since discovering your new recipe. I totally love that they are a little less caloric and not using the cheese. It is faster to throw together and a bit lighter. Great for all the things you mention. I have a #12 portion scoop and I wet that and can scoop all the dough without getting my hands in this dough. I don’t bother with the hole, makes it better for sandwiches and avocado toast .
I finally got around to trying these (was a little worried they would taste like coconut, but the don’t!) and they are fabulous!! Will be making larger batches and freezing.
Thanks again Carolyn for another great recipe! 👏😊👏
Love this easy recipe that packs in the protein. Mine came out great with 20 minutes in the oven. I used egg white powder instead of protein powder with good results. Bagels are softer than high carb bagels, but still held up loaded with lox, tomato, and onion.
I made these using a silicone donut pan and it worked perfect. They were the bomb! Thanks for so many anazing recipes!
Hi Caroline
These are absolutely the best! I have tried a few bagel recipes, but this one is better than any I have tried. I like the idea of using cottage cheese instead of fathead dough. They are perfect and so easy to make. By the way, as was asked in another post, could I use ricotta instead, if I don’t have cottage cheese to hand?
I am not sure for these bagels, it may not have the right texture.
Love this recipe!
Although I think it is more of a muffin recipe than a bagel one it is delicious. I triple the recipe and use one large container of 4% cottage cheese. I use a vanilla beef protein powder instead of whey and add 3T of sweetener (for a triple recipe) with a good shake of cinnamon. I don’t use the bagel seasoning, instead I use granulated sweetener on top. I do cook them in a bagel pan, the texture is more like a muffin than bagel. This recipe has become a staple in my weekly menu.