High Protein Cinnamon Bagels (Printable Version)

Chewy bagels infused with cinnamon and raisins, enriched with Greek yogurt for moist texture.

# What You’ll Need:

→ Dry Ingredients

01 - 3 cups bread flour
02 - 1 cup vanilla or plain whey protein powder
03 - 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
04 - 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
05 - 2 1/4 teaspoons instant dry yeast
06 - 1 teaspoon salt

→ Wet Ingredients

07 - 1 cup plain Greek yogurt
08 - 1/2 cup warm water

→ Mix-ins

09 - 3/4 cup raisins

→ For Boiling

10 - 2 quarts water
11 - 1 tablespoon honey or barley malt syrup

→ For Topping

12 - 1 egg, beaten for egg wash
13 - Cinnamon sugar for sprinkling

# Method:

01 - In a large bowl, combine bread flour, protein powder, cinnamon, sugar, yeast, and salt. Mix thoroughly until evenly distributed.
02 - Add the Greek yogurt and warm water to the dry mixture. Stir with a spoon until a shaggy dough forms.
03 - Knead by hand or with a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook for 8 to 10 minutes until the dough becomes smooth and elastic.
04 - Add the raisins and knead briefly until evenly distributed throughout the dough.
05 - Place the dough in a lightly greased bowl, cover, and let rise in a warm place for 1 hour until doubled in size.
06 - Punch down the dough and divide into 8 equal pieces. Shape each piece into a ball, poke a hole through the center, and stretch to form a bagel shape with a 2-inch center hole.
07 - Place formed bagels on a parchment-lined baking sheet, cover, and let rest for 15 minutes.
08 - Preheat oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit.
09 - Bring 2 quarts of water to a gentle boil. Add honey or barley malt syrup if using.
10 - Boil bagels 2 to 3 at a time for 1 minute per side. Remove with a slotted spoon and return to the baking sheet.
11 - Brush tops with beaten egg and sprinkle with cinnamon sugar if desired.
12 - Bake for 20 to 25 minutes until golden brown and cooked through.
13 - Cool on a wire rack before serving.

# Expert Hints:

01 -
  • These bagels have 14 grams of protein per piece, so you're actually full until lunch instead of raiding the pantry by mid-morning.
  • The Greek yogurt makes them impossibly tender without being dense, and honestly, once you taste the difference it makes, you'll never go back.
  • They feel fancy enough for weekend brunch but come together easily on a regular Tuesday night when you want to meal-prep something worthwhile.
02 -
  • The boiling step is non-negotiable and not optional; that's the single thing separating real bagels from dense bread rolls, and skipping it is the most common mistake I see people make.
  • Greek yogurt consistency varies by brand, so if your dough feels too wet after mixing, add flour 1 tablespoon at a time rather than doubling down on water.
  • Don't attempt to use non-fat Greek yogurt; the full-fat version is what creates that signature tender crumb that makes people ask for your recipe.
03 -
  • If you don't have a stand mixer, hand kneading works just fine; it takes longer but gives you time to think about how happy you'll be eating these, which is honestly the best meditation.
  • Boiling time is strict; 1 minute per side gives you that chewy exterior without waterlogged insides, and using a slotted spoon prevents them from sinking and sticking together.
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