These Air Fryer 3-Ingredient Protein Bagels are soft, chewy, and packed with protein — no yeast, no waiting, just mix, shape, and air fry your way to the most satisfying homemade bagels you’ve ever pulled out of your kitchen.
My sister texted me this recipe on a Tuesday morning with the message “you’re going to think I’m lying” — and honestly? I did think she was lying. Three ingredients, no yeast, done in under 30 minutes? That sounds like a recipe that ends in disappointment and a sad trip to the grocery store.
But these air fryer 3 ingredient protein bagels are genuinely, embarrassingly good, and I’ve made them at least a dozen times since that Tuesday.
If you love the idea of homemade bagels but have zero interest in a three-hour yeast-proofing situation, welcome. You’re in the right place.
Table of Contents
What Makes These Bagels So Great
These aren’t your average homemade bagels — they’re protein-packed, surprisingly fluffy, and come together with almost no effort. The secret weapon is cottage cheese, which adds moisture, structure, and a serious protein boost all at once.
You get that golden, slightly chewy crust and a soft, pillowy inside without any of the usual bagel drama. No yeast, no rise time, no standing around watching dough do nothing. Whether you’re making these as a quick weekday breakfast, a protein dinner side, or stacking them high with your favorite toppings, they deliver every single time.
Air Fryer 3 Ingredient Protein Bagels
Equipment
- Air Fryer
- Mixing bowl
- Fork or spatula
- Pastry brush
Ingredients
Dough
- 1 cup all-purpose flour plus extra for kneading
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 pinch salt optional
- 1 + 2 tablespoons cottage cheese 2% or 4%
Egg Wash
- 1 egg optional
- 1 splash water or milk
Toppings
- everything seasoning
- poppy seeds
- sesame seeds
Instructions
- In a bowl, mix flour, baking powder, and salt until combined.
- Add cottage cheese and mix until a rough dough forms.
- Knead the dough on a floured surface for 1–2 minutes until smooth.
- Divide into 4 pieces, roll into logs, and shape into bagel rings.
- Brush with egg wash and sprinkle with desired toppings.
- Air fry at 300°F for 15–17 minutes until golden brown.
- Let cool for at least 15 minutes before slicing and serving.
Notes
Ingredients
| Group | Ingredient | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Dough | 1 cup all-purpose flour | Plus extra for kneading |
| Dough | 2 teaspoons baking powder | Use fresh for best rise |
| Dough | Pinch of salt (optional) | Highly recommended for flavor |
| Dough | 1 cup + 2 tablespoons cottage cheese | 2% or 4% fat works great |
| Egg Wash | 1 egg (optional) | For that golden brown finish |
| Egg Wash | Splash of water or milk | Whisked together with the egg |
| Toppings | Everything seasoning | Because it belongs on everything |
| Toppings | Poppy seeds | Classic and gorgeous |
| Toppings | Sesame seeds | Nutty, toasty, perfect |
A quick note on the cottage cheese: if yours looks extra watery, drain it through a fine mesh strainer for about 5 minutes before using. Too much moisture can make your dough sticky and harder to shape. The 4% fat version gives you a slightly richer, more pliable dough — both work, but full-fat is a little more forgiving for beginners.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Let’s get into it. Put on a good playlist, flour your hands, and let’s make some bagels.
Step 1: Mix the Dry Ingredients
Add your flour to a medium bowl and stir in the baking powder. Toss in a pinch of salt too — it’s optional on paper, but skipping it leaves your bagels tasting a little flat. Give everything a quick whisk so it’s evenly combined. That’s literally the whole first step.
Step 2: Add the Cottage Cheese
Make a well in the center of your flour and scoop in all that cottage cheese. Using a fork or a small rubber spatula, start mixing it together. It’ll look like a lumpy, clumpy situation at first — don’t panic, that’s normal. Keep mixing until it starts coming together into a rough dough. You can also do this step in a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook if you’d rather keep your hands clean.
“At this stage the dough doesn’t need to be pretty — it just needs to be mostly combined. The real magic happens in the next step.”
Step 3: Knead the Dough
Turn the dough out onto a well-floured surface and knead it with your hands for about 1–2 minutes. You’re going for a semi-smooth ball — not perfect, just cohesive. If it sticks to your hands, dust them with a little more flour and keep going. Add flour a tablespoon at a time; you don’t want the dough to get dry and crumbly, just barely not sticky.
A stand mixer with a dough hook handles this beautifully if kneading isn’t your thing.
Step 4: Shape Your Bagels
Divide the dough into 4 equal sections. Roll each piece into a log that’s about 6–7 inches long and roughly ¾ inch thick, then pinch the two ends together to form a ring. Repeat with all four pieces. They don’t need to be perfect — a little rustic charm is part of the homemade bagel aesthetic, and nobody’s judging.
Step 5: Egg Wash and Toppings
Crack your egg into a small bowl, add a splash of water or milk, and whisk it all together. Lightly brush the egg wash over each bagel using a pastry brush or rubber brush. This is what gives you that gorgeous, bakery-style golden color. Now go wild with toppings — everything seasoning is always a win, but sesame seeds, poppy seeds, or a combo of all three are equally excellent.
Skipping the egg? Your bagels will still cook up beautifully — they’ll just be a little paler on the outside. Totally fine.
Step 6: Air Fry Until Golden
Preheat your air fryer to 300°F. Once it’s ready, spray the basket with cooking spray or line it with a piece of parchment paper. Arrange your bagels in a single, even layer — no stacking! If you have a smaller air fryer, work in batches. Cook for 15–17 minutes until they’re deep golden brown.
Check in around the 10-minute mark just to make sure things are on track. All air fryers run a little differently, so yours might need slightly more or less time. You’re looking for golden brown on the outside and fully cooked through — no doughy centers.
Step 7: Cool Before Slicing
This step is non-negotiable, even though it’s the hardest one. Let your bagels cool for at least 15 minutes before slicing into them. The insides need time to set — cutting too soon gives you a gummy texture instead of that light, fluffy interior you worked for. Set a timer, make some coffee, resist the urge. It’s worth it.
Expert Tips, Variations, and Troubleshooting
Tips for Perfect Bagels Every Time
Use fresh baking powder. Old baking powder is the number one reason bagels come out dense. If yours has been sitting in the back of the cabinet since last year, just buy a new can. It costs almost nothing and makes a huge difference.
Drain your cottage cheese. Even if it doesn’t look super watery, a quick 5-minute drain through a fine mesh strainer helps create a more workable dough. This is especially useful if you’re working in a warm kitchen.
Don’t skip the rest time. Those 15 minutes of cooling aren’t just a suggestion — they’re what transforms the inside texture from gummy to glorious. If you can wait 20 minutes, even better.
Fun Variations to Try
Cheese Bagels: Fold ¼ cup of shredded cheddar, mozzarella, or gruyère directly into the dough before shaping. The cheese melts into the dough as it cooks and creates irresistible pockets of flavor — honestly one of the best things you can do to this recipe. Big cheese bagels energy.
Sweet Cinnamon Bagels: Skip the savory toppings and sprinkle on cinnamon sugar before air frying. Serve warm with cream cheese or a little honey butter. It’s practically dessert — and honestly not far off from some of those keto-friendly dessert vibes if you swap to a low-carb flour blend.
Protein Dinner Side: Slice these in half and serve alongside chili chicken wraps for a high-protein, satisfying dinner combo. Or stack them with grilled chicken, avocado, and sriracha for a next-level sandwich situation.
Gluten-Free Version: Swap the all-purpose flour for a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend. The texture will be slightly denser but still delicious. Great for anyone eating gluten-free without wanting to give up homemade bagels.
Troubleshooting Common Problems
Bagels came out too dense: Most likely old baking powder, or the dough wasn’t kneaded enough. Make sure you’re working the dough for a full 1–2 minutes to develop structure.
Dough is too sticky: Add flour a tablespoon at a time and make sure your hands and surface are well-floured. If your cottage cheese was very wet, that’s usually the culprit — drain it next time.
Bagels aren’t browning: Your air fryer might run cool. Bump the temperature up to 310°F and add a few extra minutes, checking every couple of minutes so they don’t over-cook.
Bagels aren’t holding their ring shape: This usually means the dough log wasn’t pressed together firmly enough at the join. Pinch those ends together well and press them against each other before air frying.
Storage Instructions
| Storage Method | Duration | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Room Temperature | 1–2 days | Wrap tightly or store in an airtight container |
| Refrigerator | Up to 5 days | Store in an airtight bag or container |
| Freezer | Up to 3 months | Slice before freezing for easy grab-and-toast mornings |
Reheating Tips
From the fridge, pop your bagel halves into the toaster for 2–3 minutes — crispy outside, warm and soft inside. From frozen, you can either thaw overnight in the fridge or go straight from freezer to toaster on a slightly longer cycle.
Try to avoid the microwave if you can; it tends to make them chewy in a not-great way. But if you’re in a real rush, 20–30 seconds on medium power does the job.
No-Waste Kitchen Ideas
Got bagels going stale? Slice them thin and bake at 350°F for 10–12 minutes to make homemade bagel chips — perfect for dipping into hummus, cream cheese, or guacamole. Or cube them up and use them as croutons for a hearty soup.
Leftover cottage cheese is a kitchen gift — use it in pancake batter, as a high-protein pasta sauce base, blended into smoothies, or as the base for something truly special like this banana pudding cheesecake. If you’re on a baking roll, these churro cruffins and springtime crinkle cookies would round out a pretty incredible weekend baking session.
Nutritional Information (Per Bagel, Approximate)
Note: Values are estimates based on the base recipe without toppings. Will vary with different cottage cheese fat content and optional ingredients.
| Nutrient | Per Bagel |
|---|---|
| Calories | ~185 kcal |
| Protein | ~11g |
| Carbohydrates | ~26g |
| Fat | ~3g |
| Fiber | ~1g |
| Sugar | ~2g |
| Sodium | ~250mg |
Not bad for a homemade bagel, right? That protein number is all cottage cheese doing its thing — it’s genuinely impressive for something that tastes this good.
Air Fryer 3-Ingredient Protein Bagels FAQs
Can I make these air fryer 3 ingredient protein bagels without an air fryer?
Yes! Bake them in a regular oven at 375°F for about 20–25 minutes until golden brown. The texture will be slightly different — a little less crispy on the outside — but they’ll still be delicious homemade bagels that you’ll be proud of.
Can I use Greek yogurt instead of cottage cheese?
You can! Plain, full-fat Greek yogurt is the most common substitute and works really well — same quantity, same process. Cottage cheese does give a slightly higher protein content and a different texture, but Greek yogurt bagels are equally delicious and popular in the bagel world.
Are these considered keto-friendly?
In their standard form with all-purpose flour, these aren’t keto. But swap the flour for almond flour or a low-carb 1:1 blend and they get much closer to keto desserts and snacks territory. They make a great addition to a lower-carb lifestyle even without the swap, thanks to that impressive protein punch.
Why do my bagels look lumpy or uneven?
Totally normal for homemade bagels! The dough is rustic by nature, and slight imperfections are just part of the charm. If you want more uniform bagels, use a kitchen scale to divide the dough into equal pieces, and take your time rolling the logs to an even thickness before shaping.
Can I double the recipe?
Absolutely — just double all the ingredients and work in batches in the air fryer. These freeze beautifully, so making a big batch and freezing half is actually a genius move for busy mornings.
Ready to Make Your New Favorite Bagel?
If you’ve made it this far and haven’t started preheating your air fryer yet, what are you waiting for?! These air fryer 3 ingredient protein bagels are genuinely one of those recipes that becomes a permanent fixture in your rotation — fast, satisfying, endlessly customizable, and just really, really good.
Give them a try this week and let me know how they turn out! Drop a comment below with your favorite toppings, and if you make them, I’d absolutely love it if you shared your photos on Pinterest — it truly makes my day to see your creations. Happy bagel making!
