Everyone needs a great bagel recipe they can adapt to their liking, so we whipped up these easy, protein-packed Farmer Cheese Bagels with Lifeway Farmer Cheese for you! You can make these bagels sweet or savory depending on your preference (we left instructions for each), and better yet, you can feel good knowing that these bagels are packed with protein to satisfy your hunger and support blood sugar levels more easily than standard bagels high in preservatives that have little protein for satisfaction. Our Farmer Cheese is also rich in live and active cultures which works wonders for the dough to keep these bagels soft and tender. Spread your favorite sweet or savory toppings on top, and you can even add more Farmer Cheese on top if you like once the bagels are sliced open.
Cultured Dairy: The Nutrition Benefits You Need to Know
With increasing research linking the correlation between probiotics, gut health, and immunity, it’s no secret that the integrity of our gut is vital to our health. Although additional factors such as stress, antibiotic usage, and individual health conditions can contribute to the condition of our gut, a focus on healthy food choices is one of the easiest ways to support the microbiome.
Several studies have shown a strong association between the gut-brain-microbiota. Probiotics introduced to the gut have been found to support immunity, improve allergies, and improve digestion.
Studies have shown that reduced diversity of healthy gut bacteria during early years is associated with an increase in food allergies during school-age years. In addition, kefir made from whole milk helps absorb key nutrients such as Vitamins A, D, E, and K. Vitamin K is important because it helps your bones absorb calcium. It’s important to know that kefir contains a special trio: vitamin D, K, and calcium – all three crucial elements to support bone health. Lifeway Farmer Cheese is also a great source of all these nutrients, just in a different format for all the cheese lovers out there.
Prep Time: 20 mins Servings: 4
Ingredients
For the Base Recipe:
- 1 cup self-rising flour (use gluten-free equivalent to make these gluten-free)
- 1 cup Farmer Cheese
- 1/2 tsp. sea salt
- 1 egg (for egg wash)
Optional Add-Ins and Optional Toppings:
- Optional Add-Ins for Savory Bagels: 1 tsp. garlic/onion powder or 1 tbsp. everything bagel seasoning
- Optional Add-Ins for Sweeter Bagels: 1 tsp. cinnamon, 1 tsp. honey or maple syrup, and/or 1/4 cup raisins or freeze-dried blueberries and/or any other sweet spices you enjoy
- Optional Savory Topping: poppy seeds, garlic or onion flakes, black pepper, sesame seeds, shredded cheese, or everything bagel seasoning
- Optional Savory Topping: cinnamon and/or coconut sugar
Directions
- For the base recipe: Blend Lifeway Farmer Cheese: Place the Lifeway Farmer Cheese in the food processor or blender and pulse or blend on high until smooth, stopping to scrape down the sides as needed. Transfer to a medium bowl, then add in the flour and salt. If you want to make your bagels sweet or savory, now is when to add in the optional savory or sweet add-ins.
- Mix together until completely combined and the dough starts to pull away from the sides of the bowl. Transfer the dough to a generously floured work surface and knead the dough 8-10 times, until smooth. Add more flour to the work surface as needed until the dough is no longer sticky.
- Shape and season: Roll the dough into a ball and divide it into 4 equal balls. If you want them to be the exact same size you can weigh out each piece of dough to approximately 80g. Roll each ball out into a 6-7-inch rope, about 1-inch thick. Join the ends to make a circle and pinch the seam tightly to seal. Brush the tops with a beaten egg and top with a sweet or savory topping we suggest, whichever one you prefer.
- Carefully place the bagels on a baking sheet covered in parchment paper -- not wax paper. You can bake the bagels in the oven or air-fry them. To bake, bake on 350 degrees for 12-15 minuets or until the bagels are golden-brown on the tops and a fork comes out clean. To air-fry them, air-fry at 350 degrees for 12-15 minutes until golden brown and a fork comes out clean.
- Once the bagels are done, remove from the oven and enjoy, or let them cool until completely cooled to room temperature, then you can cover them in an air-tight container. Keep in a cool place for up to 2 days, or store them in the fridge or freezer well covered for longer than that.
- Once you cut the bagels open, spread more farmer cheese on top where you can then add more things on top of each bagel slice with the farmer cheese spread. For sweet toppings, feel free to add sweet like fresh fruits or all-fruit jam, honey, peanut butter, or almond butter. For savory choices, choose herbs, avocado, hemp seeds, or any other savory toppings you like.
