Crunchy on the outside.
Tender on the inside.
ONLY 3 INGREDIENTS.
And the most unbelievable part yet? These 3-ingredient bagels take 30 minutes from start to finish.
Ok, let me say that again:
3 ingredients and 30 minutes.
These 3-ingredient bagels come straight from the viral corridors of TikTok. It was there I first saw at-home cooks baking bagels
- without yeast,
- without kneading,
- without proofing,
- without boiling.
Color me skeptical. But, when my friends at Icelandic Provisions asked me to come up with a high-protein recipe, I decided I’d give these “high-protein 3-ingredient bagels” a whirl. And I had to scrape my jaw off the ground. They were soooooo tender, so flavorful, and so gosh darn easy!
So, without further ado, let’s get to it!
Disclaimer: Some of the links in this post may be affiliate links for products I use and love. If you make a purchase after clicking one of those links, I may earn a small affiliate commission, perhaps enough to buy some extra gochujang or gochugaru 🙂
Will these 3-ingredient bagels taste like ny style bagels?
I’ll save you the suspense:
No.
If you want a chewy, yeasty, NY style bagel, you’re going to have to do it the old fashioned way, with yeast, malt powder, proofing, boiling, and baking. But, having made bagels a ton (you can find a recipe for one in my cookbook), they’re no joke. You often spend half the day making them before you get to enjoy that first, hot, chewy bite. Are they worth it? Yes, of course. But not every day!
These 3-ingredient bagels are for when you want a tender, right-out-of-the-oven bread shaped like a bagel in under 30 minutes. The outside will be nice and crunchy, while the inside will be super soft. These 3-ingredient bagels also carry a wallop of flavor. Unlike NY style bagels (which I associate more with a malty yeastiness), these bagels will have a bit of tang from one of its 3 ingredients: a high-protein yogurt.
It’s perfect for when the kids are coming home after basketball practice, that Sunday morning when you discover you’ve run out of bread, or that midnight craving that strikes when you least expect it.
How Do These 3-Ingredient Bagels Work?
The key to these 3-ingredient bagels is the protein. Typically, yeast, kneading, and proofing are required for the all-important gluten formation that creates the bready, chewy loveliness of a bagel. By removing kneading and proofing from the equation, the extra protein is necessary to provide the structure that gluten would otherwise supply.
Key Ingredients and Notes on Substitutions for 3-ingredient bagels.
As promised, there are only 3 required ingredients for these 3-ingredient bagels. Let’s discuss each one in turn:
All Purpose Flour.
The first ingredient is all purpose flour. But guess what? You can also use bread flour (which has more protein) for a chewier bagel. You can also use your favorite gluten-free flour, since, as we discussed above, the protein is doing most of the leg work for these 3-ingredient bagels.
High-Protein Yogurt.
Of the three ingredients, a high-protein yogurt is the most important to get right. Why? Because without protein, your bagels will fall apart. My absolute favorite high-protein dairy-free yogurt is Icelandic Provision’s Oatmilk Skyr. For this 3-ingredient bagels recipe, I used the plain flavor, which has a whopping 16 grams of plant-based protein per serving. If you want to know where you can purchase Oatmilk Skyr, you can use their nifty store locator. Otherwise, if you don’t have access to Oatmilk Skyr, feel free to substitute with your preferred high-protein dairy-free plain or Greek style yogurt.
Baking Powder.
If you don’t want flat bagels, you’ll need a leavening agent: baking powder. All you need is a couple teaspoons of this stuff and it’ll make sure your bagels bake up beautifully.
Optional Ingredients.
Look. I know said only 3 ingredients, but if you’ve got a bit more time on your hands, here are a few things you can do to bring these super simple bagels to the next level:
- Sea salt: add a teaspoon to your dough, together with the baking powder, for some extra flavor. You can also sprinkle the tops of your shaped bagels with a little coarse sea salt before you pop them in the oven.
- Extra virgin olive oil: whisk together a little olive oil with some extra yogurt or skyr to create the perfect “wash” to brush onto your bagels. This will give them the perfect crunch.
- Toppings: Top your bagels with a seasoning blend, cracked black pepper, poppy seeds, sesame seeds, etc. For mine, I went with the “everything seasoning” and they turned out great!
Step-by-Step Instructions for Making 3-ingredient Bagels.
Step 1.
Preheat your oven to 375° F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Step 2.
Add your flour, baking powder, and high-protein yogurt or skyr to a large bowl. Stir the ingredients together until you get a scraggly dough. Dust your work surface with a little extra flour and dump the contents of your bowl on it. Shape the dough into a ball. If the dough is too sticky, add a little flour, 1 tablespoon at a time, until it becomes manageable.
Step 3.
Divide the dough into 4 roughly equal pieces. Roll them into balls. Use your finger, a chopstick, or a skewer to poke a hole in the center of each ball. Then, gently pull the dough outward to stretch the hole into roughly the size of a quarter. Place each bagel on top of your baking sheet.
Optional: If you want to make a wash for your bagels, whisk together 2 tablespoons of yogurt/skyr, together with 1 tablespoon of olive oil and 1 tablespoon of water. Brush the tops of each bagel, generously, with this mixture. Then, sprinkle the top of each bagel with your favorite topping.
Step 4.
Place your bagels in the oven on the top rack and bake for 20 minutes. Then, raise the temperature to 400° F and bake for an additional 5 to 7 minutes. If you used a wash, your bagels will be golden brown. If you did not use a wash, they will be lighter in color, but fully cooked. Allow your bagels to cool for about 10 minutes. Enjoy your 3-ingredient bagels with your favorite spread (mine is vegetable cream cheese)!
Video.
Frequently Asked Questions.
How should I store these 3-ingredient bagels?
After a few hours, your 3-ingredient bagels should be placed in an airtight container and stored in the refrigerator. They will be good for about 5 days. After that, they should be frozen.
How do you make vegetable cream cheese?
Bring 8 ounces of your favorite vegan cream cheese to room temperature. Add it to a large bowl, together with 2 tablespoons of small diced carrot, 2 tablespoons of small diced celery, 2 tablespoons of chopped green onion, 1 tablespoon of minced chives, and 1 teaspoon of garlic powder. Mix everything together until well-combined and place in an airtight container. Thank me later.
Want More bread?
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Roasted Garlic Vegan Dinner Rolls.
The fluffiest, softest vegan dinner rolls with roasted garlic!
Check out this recipe
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Recipe Card.
Easy & Delicious 3-Ingredient Bagels (Vegan & GF Option)
These 3-ingredient bagels are so easy, they should be illegal!
-
Preheat your oven to 375° F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
-
Add your flour, baking powder, and high-protein yogurt or skyr to a large bowl. Stir the ingredients together until you get a scraggly dough. Dust your work surface with a little extra flour and dump the contents of your bowl on it. Shape the dough into a ball. If the dough is too sticky, add a little flour, 1 tablespoon at a time, until it becomes manageable.
-
Divide the dough into 4 roughly equal pieces. Roll them into balls. Use your finger, a chopstick, or a skewer to poke a hole in the center of each ball. Then, gently pull the dough outward to stretch the hole into roughly the size of a quarter. Place each bagel on top of your baking sheet.Optional: If you want to make a wash for your bagels, whisk together 2 tablespoons of yogurt/skyr, together with 1 tablespoon of olive oil and 1 tablespoon of water. Brush the tops of each bagel, generously, with this mixture. Then, sprinkle the top of each bagel with your favorite topping.
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Place your bagels in the oven on the top rack and bake for 20 minutes. Then, raise the temperature to 400° F and bake for an additional 5 to 7 minutes. If you used a wash, your bagels will be golden brown. If you did not use a wash, they will be lighter in color but fully cooked. Allow your bagels to cool for about 10 minutes. Enjoy your 3-ingredient bagels with your favorite spread (mine is vegetable cream cheese)!
Calories: 202kcalCarbohydrates: 34gProtein: 10gFat: 3gSaturated Fat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.2gMonounsaturated Fat: 0.03gSodium: 266mgPotassium: 74mgFiber: 2gSugar: 2gVitamin A: 1IUCalcium: 168mgIron: 3mg
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