What yogurt should I use?

Thick, Greek yogurt is best here. It means you'll end up with a dough that's easy to work with and not sticky. I find that whenever I use plain yogurt that's a lot runnier, the dough takes a while to come together and I end up having to add a lot more flour. So stick to Greek if you can. If you can only find plain yogurt, you can drain some of the liquid away using a fine sieve lined with cheesecloth. Let it sit in the sieve for about 10 minutes then use it.

Can I use fat-free yogurt?

Yes! I've had great results using a fat-free Greek yogurt, so it's totally fine to use in this recipe.

How long will the bagels last?

They'll last for 3 days in a sealed container but really are best on the day they're baked. Pop them in the toaster on days 2 and 3 to freshen them up.

Can I freeze the bagels?

You can! These bagels are great to freeze. I like to slice them in half and then freeze them in zip lock bags - then you can just pop them in the toaster and defrost them easily and quickly. You can freeze them whole, you'll just need to let them thaw for a few hours before using them. I cut them because I normally want a bagel quickly and end up slicing them to serve anyway!

Can I use a different flour?

Make them gluten-free by using self-raising gluten-free flour, or you can use bread, wholemeal or wholewheat flour and add baking powder.

Can the dough be frozen?

I wouldn't recommend freezing the dough - it doesn't defrost well at all. You can put it in the fridge for a day and return to it later, but I wouldn't freeze it.

2 Ingredient Greek Yogurt Bagels (No Yeast)

Name: 2 Ingredient Greek Yogurt Bagels (No Yeast)
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 30 min
Cuisine: american
Ingredients: 300g (2 cups) self-raising flour (or use plain flour and add 2 teaspoons of baking powder); 280g (1 cup + 2 tablespoons) thick Greek yogurt (I use Fage); 1 teaspoon salt; Everything bagel seasoning; Za’atar; Dukkah (try my easy dukkah recipe); Sesame seeds; Poppy seeds; Grated cheddar and pickled jalapeños; Flaky sea salt; Cinnamon and sugar

Description

Can you believe you can make truly AMAZING bagels with just 2 ingredients, in 30 minutes? All you need is Greek yogurt and self-raising flour and you’re on your way to enjoying fresh, homemade bagels.

I’m including the option to boil the bagels before baking here, as is the traditional method, but you can skip this step if you like.

Ingredients

Units Scale

For the bagels –

300g (2 cups) self-raising flour (or use plain flour and add 2 teaspoons of baking powder)
280g (1 cup + 2 tablespoons) thick Greek yogurt (I use Fage)
1 teaspoon salt

Topping ideas –

Everything bagel seasoning
Za’atar
Dukkah (try my easy dukkah recipe)
Sesame seeds
Poppy seeds
Grated cheddar and pickled jalapeños
Flaky sea salt
Cinnamon and sugar

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Instructions

Make the bagel dough. Start by heating your oven to 400F/200C fan and line an oven tray with baking paper. Add the self-raising flour, Greek yogurt and salt to a large bowl. Mix with a large wooden spoon or spatula until it’s starting to look like crumbly breadcrumbs, then get your hands into the bowl to bring the mixture together into a rough dough. You’ll need to give it a couple of kneads in the bowl – just press down on the mixture with the palm of your hand, then fold the part you just pushed away back over itself and repeat for about 30 seconds. The dough shouldn’t be sticky – if it is, add a tiny bit more flour and work it into the dough with the kneading motion. (Need more help with kneading? Check out my post all about how to knead dough).
Shape the bagels. Get your dough out onto a lightly floured flat surface and cut into 4 roughly equal pieces. You can weigh them if you want to get precise. There are two ways you can form the bagels. You can roll them out into ropes with your hands, approximately 6″ long then join the ends to form a circular bagel shape and press the two ends of the dough together to seal. Or, form your dough into a rough circle, then press down with your hands to create a flatter disc. Use your fingers to make a whole in the middle, then gently stretch the dough out into a bagel shape. Place the bagels onto the prepared baking tray.
Boil the bagels. This is an optional step BUT I find it creates a more authentic-looking and tasting bagel. Classic bagels are boiled before baking to help develop that gorgeously golden and chewy crust. All you have to do is get a large pot of water boiling on the stove (you’ll want enough water in there so the bagels will be fully covered). Lower the bagels into the water and give them a little nudge with a large wooden spoon or fish slice so they don’t stick to the bottom. Boil for one minute, then carefully flip the bagels over with a fish slice, and let them boil for another 30 seconds. Use a fish slice to remove the bagels from the water and place them back onto your lined baking tray.
Top the bagels. If you’ve boiled your bagels, you can sprinkle your toppings straight on top of your bagels on the tray (the water will help the toppings stick). If you’ve skipped the boiling step, brush the tops of the bagels with the whisked egg (or use milk/plant-based milk or water).
Bake the bagels. Transfer the tray to the oven and bake for 20 – 25 minutes, until they look golden brown and glorious. I like to rotate the oven tray halfway through to make sure they’re all cooking and browning evenly. Remove from the oven, then enjoy!

Notes

HOW TO MAKE JALAPENO CHEDDAR BAGELS: Add 1/4 cup chopped pickled jalapeños and 1/4 cup grated cheddar into your bagel dough, then top each bagel with a handful of grated cheddar and a few pickled jalapeño slices!

HOW TO MAKE CHOPPED JALAPENO POPPER BAGELS: Lay out 1/4 cup of cream cheese on a large board and top with a couple of slices of crispy bacon, 1/4 cup pickled jalapeños, a handful of chives, 1/4 cup grated cheddar and salt and pepper. Chop everything together until you’ve got a cream cheese paste, then smear onto your bagels.

STORAGE: The bagels will keep for 3 days, stored in an airtight container at room temperature. Just pop them in the toaster to freshen them up. They also freeze really well – I normally slice them in half and freeze them in zip-lock bags. You can then defrost from frozen in your toaster.

INGREDIENT NOTES: It’s important to use a thick, Greek yogurt here or you’ll have trouble with the dough (it’ll be very sticky). You can use a fat-free Greek yogurt too, I’ve found that works well. You could also use sour cream. If you only have plain yogurt, you can drain some of the liquid using a fine sieve lined with – let it sit for about 10 minutes.

SERVING SUGGESTIONS: There are so many ways you can serve these bagels – go for a classic smear of cream cheese, load them up with smashed avocado and halloumi, try combining scrambled eggs, chilli oil and cheese or go for cream cheese or labneh with smoked salmon and capers.

Prep Time: 5
Cook Time: 25
Category: baking
Method: oven
Cuisine: american

Nutrition

Serving Size: 1 bagel
Calories: 320
Sugar: 2.4g
Sodium: 608.1mg
Fat: 2.1g
Saturated Fat: 0.4g
Unsaturated Fat: 0.5g
Trans Fat: 0g
Carbohydrates: 58.7g
Fiber: 2.3g
Protein: 14.9g
Cholesterol: 3.5mg