Strawberry Cheesecake Protein Bagels (Printable)

Soft bagels bursting with strawberry and creamy cheesecake notes, finished with a crunchy crumble topping.

# Components:

→ Bagels

01 - 1 cup all-purpose flour
02 - 1 cup white whole wheat flour
03 - 1/2 cup vanilla or unflavored whey protein powder
04 - 2 teaspoons baking powder
05 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
06 - 1 cup nonfat Greek yogurt
07 - 1 large egg white
08 - 1/2 cup diced fresh strawberries

→ Cheesecake Filling

09 - 4 ounces light cream cheese, softened
10 - 1 1/2 tablespoons powdered sugar
11 - 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

→ Crumble Topping

12 - 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
13 - 2 tablespoons rolled oats
14 - 2 tablespoons light brown sugar
15 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cold and diced

→ Egg Wash

16 - 1 large egg beaten with 1 tablespoon water

# Method:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
02 - In a large mixing bowl, whisk together both flours, protein powder, baking powder, and salt until evenly distributed.
03 - Add Greek yogurt and egg white to the dry mixture. Mix until a sticky dough forms, then gently fold in diced strawberries.
04 - Turn dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead briefly. Divide into 6 equal pieces. Roll each piece into a rope and form into a bagel shape by pinching ends to seal. Place bagels on the prepared baking sheet.
05 - In a small bowl, stir together cream cheese, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract until smooth. Transfer to a piping bag or zip-top bag with a corner snipped.
06 - Gently press a deep well into the center of each bagel without piercing the bottom. Pipe approximately 1 tablespoon of cheesecake filling into each well.
07 - In a separate bowl, combine flour, oats, and brown sugar. Cut in cold butter using a fork or fingertips until coarse crumbs form. Sprinkle evenly over the cheesecake centers.
08 - Brush exposed bagel dough with the egg wash mixture.
09 - Bake for 22 to 25 minutes until bagels are golden brown and cooked through. Cool on a wire rack before serving.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • They taste like a dessert but deliver 12g of protein per bagel, so you're not betraying your fitness goals.
  • The strawberry and cheesecake combination feels fancy enough for weekend brunch but simple enough for a rushed weekday morning.
  • They freeze beautifully, meaning you can have a homemade grab-and-go breakfast ready whenever you need it.
02 -
  • Don't skip the cooling step, even though you want to bite into one immediately—the cheesecake filling needs a few minutes to firm up or it'll be soup inside your bagel.
  • If your dough feels too sticky to work with, refrigerate it for 15 minutes before shaping; a cold dough is infinitely easier to handle and still turns out tender.
03 -
  • If your protein powder tastes chalky or bitter, choose a vanilla flavored one rather than unflavored—it makes a noticeable difference in the final taste.
  • The dough should be sticky but not wet; if it's too sticky to handle, you can add an extra tablespoon or two of flour, but hold back until you really need it because the yogurt content makes it naturally moist.
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