Strawberry Cheesecake Protein Bagels (Print version)

High-protein strawberry bagels with creamy cheesecake filling and a crisp crumble topping.

# What You Need:

→ 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

# How to Make:

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. Stir until a sticky dough forms. Gently fold in diced strawberries, being careful not to crush them.
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 connecting the ends and pinching to seal. Arrange on the prepared baking sheet.
05 - In a small bowl, blend together softened cream cheese, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract until smooth. Transfer to a piping bag or zip-top bag with the corner snipped off.
06 - Using your thumb or the back of a spoon, gently press a deep well into the center of each bagel, being careful not to puncture the bottom. Pipe approximately 1 tablespoon of cheesecake filling into each well.
07 - In a separate bowl, combine flour, rolled oats, and brown sugar. Cut in cold diced butter using a fork or your fingertips until coarse crumbs form. Distribute the crumble mixture evenly over the cheesecake-filled centers.
08 - Brush the exposed bagel dough with the prepared egg wash, avoiding the crumble topping.
09 - Bake for 22 to 25 minutes until bagels achieve a golden brown color and are cooked through. Transfer to a wire rack and cool before serving.

# Expert tips:

01 -
  • They taste like dessert but deliver serious protein, so you'll actually stay full until lunch.
  • The crumble topping gives you that satisfying crunch that makes ordinary bagels feel special.
  • You can prep the dough ahead and bake fresh whenever the craving hits.
02 -
  • Don't overmix the dough—you want a slightly shaggy texture that just barely comes together, or your bagels will be dense and heavy instead of tender.
  • The strawberries should be relatively small and fresh; frozen ones weep too much liquid and make the dough soggy.
  • Make sure your cream cheese is actually softened before you try to mix it, otherwise you'll be fighting lumps the entire time.
03 -
  • Keep your butter genuinely cold when making the crumble—warm butter creates a paste instead of crumbs, and you lose that satisfying texture.
  • If your dough feels too sticky to work with, chill it for fifteen minutes before shaping; this makes handling infinitely easier.
  • Use a piping bag for the filling instead of a spoon—it's cleaner, more controlled, and honestly more fun.
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