Cottage Cheese Bagel Recipe

The first time I made these cottage cheese bagels, it was one of those early-morning kitchen experiments where you’re bleary-eyed, still wearing yesterday’s socks, and just hoping the coffee kicks in before the kids wake up. You know the kind. I’d been seeing cottage cheese everywhere—on TikTok spreads, in pancake batter, even in scrambled eggs—and I thought, "Alright, let’s see what all the fuss is about." But what really pushed me to try these was that I needed a breakfast that actually kept me full past 10am.

So there I was, blending up cottage cheese in my old food processor, trying to keep the noise down. I added some self-rising flour, shaped the dough with fingers still half-asleep, and popped them into the oven. Thirty minutes later, I pulled out four golden, puffy little miracles. Bagels! Real ones! Slightly tangy, pillowy inside, crispy outside. And protein-packed to boot. I almost cried.

(And hey—if you're into simple, smart recipes like this, you might also want to peek at my Chukandar Juice, that clever 7 Second Coffee Loophole, or the soothing Turmeric Trick. They all come from the same love of feel-good kitchen magic.)

I grew up in Philly where a good bagel was a thing—not just bread with a hole in it. And while these aren’t quite your traditional boiled New York-style beauties, let me tell ya, they absolutely scratch the itch. And you’d never guess they’re made with just three ingredients. Seriously, it almost feels like a trick.

Folks ask me all the time now: "Wait, there’s no yeast? No rising?" Nope. Just smooth cottage cheese, self-rising flour, and an egg for that shiny, golden top. That’s it.

And guess what? You can bake ‘em or air fry ‘em. I tested both methods, and the air fryer batch came out just as tasty—maybe even better, since they cooked up quicker and stayed soft inside. If you're like me and your oven is always busy with other things, this trick might just be your new best friend.

As for toppings? Oh, don’t even get me started. I’ve gone full buffet mode: cream cheese and sliced tomato, almond butter and honey, turkey and Boursin, you name it. It’s become a family thing now—everyone builds their own. My youngest just wants butter and sprinkles, and hey, I’m not judging.

So if you’re looking for a keto cottage cheese bagel recipe, something low carb or just something dang easy and high-protein, I think you’ll be pretty smitten with these. Just don’t be surprised if you start keeping cottage cheese in the fridge just for bagel emergencies.

Here are some questions folks often ask me…

Is cottage cheese good for bagels?
Oh, absolutely. It gives the dough this soft, chewy vibe and ups the protein like crazy. I’d say it makes the bagel feel a little richer, too.

How do you make Bethenny Frankel's viral cottage cheese bagel?
From what I’ve seen, hers is super similar—cottage cheese blended smooth, mixed with flour, and baked. Sometimes she adds Greek yogurt too. But this version sticks to just 3 ingredients and still hits all the right notes.

What can I mix with cottage cheese?
So many things! Try chives, black pepper, lemon zest, or even some grated cheddar. For sweet twists, go with cinnamon and a drizzle of maple syrup.

Does cottage cheese melt like cheese?
Not really. It softens and sort of blends into other ingredients when baked, but you won’t get a gooey melt like mozzarella. Still, it adds creaminess and structure in a lovely way.

Cottage Cheese Bagel Recipe

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