These Easy Buttered Protein Bagels taste just as good as fresh bagels from a bagel shop, but they’re higher in protein and more gut-friendly thanks to Lifeway Farmer Cheese used in the batter and Lifeway Salted Kefir Butter spread over the top.
Our creamy, high-protein farmer cheese is loaded with all essential amino acids your body needs, making it a complete protein source and one that’s easy to digest due to the probiotics it contains. It’s also a natural source of calcium to support your bones while the protein feeds your muscles. We’ve used our farmer cheese in protein bagels before, but we’ve never shared a version with our probiotic kefir butter — until now!
Lifeway Salted Kefir Butter spreads as smooth as silk over the top of everything from toast to bagels to muffins and more, and it’s rich and creamy thanks to being a European-style butter with 82% butterfat. That means more flavor and a more satisfying mouthfeel with every bite. Packed with billions of live probiotics, even more than commercial yogurts, our kefir butter is gut-friendly and has no lactose so you can enjoy it worry-free.
After spreading these Easy Buttered Protein Bagels with a generous layer of our probiotic kefir butter, they’re ready to serve. As for the flavor in this recipe, we used everything but the bagel seasoning, but you can play around with any sweet and savory toppings or flavors you desire. Lifeway Farmer Cheese and Lifeway Kefir Butter both play nice with ingredients of all kinds, so you can create whatever you crave most.
Grab more gut-healthy recipes here, and discover where to find Lifeway products in a store near you here.
The Benefits of Cultured Dairy for Better Health:
Research continues to show the importance of eating healthy foods, including cultured dairy such as kefir, for better gut health, a strong immune system, and to support the microbiome. Fermented foods like kefir hold important value in this line of research due to the link between the gut-brain axis and overall health.
Specifically, kefir has been shown to help diversify the microbiome, support the digestive system, reduce inflammation, support healthier blood sugar levels, and improve satiety since the bioavailable protein it contains triggers the release of GLP-1. Lifeway Kefir also contains a variety of nutrients that are vital for healthy bones and overall health including vitamins D3, K, and B 12 along with calcium and potassium. Along with our kefir, we also offer our creamy, cultured Lifeway Farmer Cheese, a high protein cheese made with live and active cultures to support a healthy microbiome that’s easy to spread and contains no added salt or sugar.
Prep Time: 40-45 mins Servings: 4 bagelsIngredients
- 1 cup Farmer Cheese
- 1 cup all-purpose flour (use gluten-free if needed)
- 1 tsp. baking powder
- 1 large egg, beaten (for egg wash)
- 1 tbsp. everything but the bagel seasoning (or other preferred seasoning)
- 2-3 ounces (4-6 tbsp.) Salted Kefir Butter
Directions
- Preheat the oven to 375°F. and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Set pan aside.
- In a blender or food processor, blend Lifeway Farmer Cheese until completely smooth and set aside.
- In a large bowl, mix the flour and baking powder together with the blended Lifeway Farmer Cheese until it forms a soft, cohesive dough.
- Divide the dough into 4 equal pieces. Roll each into a ball, then press your fingers through the center to create a hole, stretching gently until each ring is 3–4 inches wide. Place on the prepared baking sheet.
- Brush the beaten egg evenly over the top of each bagel for a shiny, golden crust. Sprinkle with everything bagel seasoning, if using (or other seasoning of choice).
- Bake for 25–30 minutes, until puffed and golden brown.
- Remove from the oven and let the bagels cool about 10-15 mins on the baking sheet before slicing.
- Once cooled for a bit, slice the bagels open and spread at least 1 tbsp. Lifeway Salted Kefir on top of each of the 4 bagels (feel free to use more if desired). Enjoy!
