Lemon Poppy Seed Protein Bagels (Printer Friendly)

Bright, fluffy bagels with lemon zest, poppy seeds, and protein, finished with a light lemon glaze.

# What You Need:

→ Dry Ingredients

01 - 2 cups bread flour
02 - 1 cup vanilla or unflavored whey protein powder
03 - 2 tablespoons poppy seeds
04 - 1 tablespoon baking powder
05 - 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
06 - 1/4 cup granulated sugar
07 - Zest of 2 lemons

→ Wet Ingredients

08 - 1 cup plain Greek yogurt, non-fat or low-fat
09 - 1 large egg
10 - 1 tablespoon lemon juice
11 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

→ For Boiling

12 - 2 quarts water
13 - 1 tablespoon honey

→ Egg Wash

14 - 1 large egg, beaten with 1 tablespoon water

→ Light Lemon Glaze

15 - 3/4 cup powdered sugar
16 - 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
17 - 1 teaspoon lemon zest

# Directions:

01 - Preheat oven to 375°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
02 - In a large bowl, whisk together bread flour, protein powder, poppy seeds, baking powder, salt, sugar, and lemon zest until evenly distributed.
03 - In a separate bowl, stir together Greek yogurt, egg, lemon juice, and melted butter until smooth.
04 - Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients. Mix with a wooden spoon, then knead by hand until a soft, slightly tacky dough forms, approximately 2 to 4 minutes. Adjust consistency by adding yogurt if too dry or flour if too sticky.
05 - Divide dough into 8 equal portions. Roll each into a ball, then poke a hole in the center and gently stretch to form a bagel shape with uniform thickness.
06 - Arrange bagels on the prepared baking sheet. Cover loosely with a towel and let rest for 15 minutes.
07 - Bring 2 quarts water and 1 tablespoon honey to a gentle boil in a large pot.
08 - Reduce heat to a simmer. Boil bagels in batches for 30 seconds per side. Remove with a slotted spoon, allowing excess water to drip off, and return to baking sheet.
09 - Brush boiled bagels with beaten egg wash, ensuring even coverage on all surfaces.
10 - Bake for 18 to 22 minutes or until golden brown and cooked through. Cool on a wire rack before glazing.
11 - While bagels cool, whisk together powdered sugar, lemon juice, and lemon zest until smooth and pourable.
12 - Drizzle glaze over cooled bagels. Allow glaze to set completely before serving.

# Pro Advice:

01 -
  • These bagels have that perfect chewy-soft texture without sitting heavy in your stomach, thanks to the Greek yogurt and protein powder doing the heavy lifting.
  • The lemon flavor comes through so clean and bright that you'll find yourself making these weekly, even when you weren't specifically craving them.
  • They're simple enough for a weekday breakfast but feel special enough to impress someone you're cooking for.
02 -
  • Don't skip the boiling step thinking you can just bake them—boiling is what creates that signature bagel chew and sets the crust properly; skipping it gives you dense bread, not bagels.
  • Your dough consistency matters more than exact measurements because humidity in your kitchen affects how much flour you actually need, so add flour or yogurt gradually and trust the feel of the dough.
  • Fresh lemon juice makes an enormous difference in the glaze and throughout the recipe, so if you only have bottled, consider reducing the amount and adding a drop of lemon extract to compensate.
03 -
  • If your kitchen is cold or humid, let your bagels rest for 20 minutes instead of 15—they'll hold their shape better when they hit the boiling water and give you a better final result.
  • Don't over-knead the dough or your bagels will be tough; 2 to 4 minutes of kneading is truly enough, and if anything, err on the side of less.
  • Zest your lemons before juicing them every single time, because once they're juiced they're harder to zest and you might miss out on that precious peel.
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