5-Ingredient Greek Yogurt Bagels

Homemade bagels might sound like one of those recipes that’s way too complicated for a regular Tuesday morning, right? Between kneading dough, waiting for it to rise, boiling each bagel, and then baking them, traditional bagel recipes can easily eat up half your day—not exactly realistic when you’ve got a million other things on your to-do list.

That’s where these Greek yogurt bagels come in to save the day. With just six simple ingredients and no yeast required, you can have fresh, warm bagels on your table in under 30 minutes. They’re perfect for busy mornings, weekend brunches, or anytime you’re craving that chewy bagel texture without all the fuss.

What Kind of Greek Yogurt Should I Use?

For this recipe, you’ll want to stick with full-fat Greek yogurt rather than the low-fat or non-fat versions. The full-fat variety has a thicker consistency and more moisture, which helps create that perfect chewy bagel texture. If you only have non-fat Greek yogurt on hand, it can work in a pinch, but your bagels might turn out a bit drier and less tender. Make sure you’re using plain Greek yogurt, not regular yogurt, since Greek yogurt is much thicker and strained – regular yogurt has too much liquid and will make your dough way too sticky to work with.

Options for Substitutions

This simple bagel recipe is pretty forgiving, but there are a few things to keep in mind when making swaps:

• Greek yogurt: This is the star ingredient that makes these bagels work, so I wouldn’t recommend substituting it. The thick texture of Greek yogurt is what gives these bagels their structure. Regular yogurt is too thin and won’t give you the same results.
• All-purpose flour: You can use whole wheat flour for a heartier bagel, but swap only half the amount (use ½ cup whole wheat and ½ cup all-purpose) or your bagels might turn out dense. Bread flour also works great and will give you a chewier texture.
• Baking powder: Make sure your baking powder is fresh – it’s what makes these bagels rise. If you only have baking soda, you can use ½ teaspoon baking soda plus ½ teaspoon cream of tartar to replace the 2 teaspoons of baking powder.
• Egg: The egg is just for the wash on top, so if you don’t have one, you can brush the bagels with milk or melted butter instead. They’ll still brown nicely in the oven.

Watch Out for These Mistakes While Baking

The biggest mistake people make with Greek yogurt bagels is over-kneading the dough, which activates too much gluten and turns your bagels tough and chewy instead of soft and fluffy – stick to just 15-20 kneads and stop as soon as the dough comes together.

Another common error is using regular yogurt instead of thick Greek yogurt, which has too much moisture and will leave you with a sticky, unworkable mess that won’t hold its shape.

When shaping your bagels, make sure the holes are bigger than you think they need to be (about 2 inches wide), since they’ll shrink considerably during baking and you don’t want to end up with dense rolls instead of proper bagels.

Finally, don’t skip the egg wash – it’s what gives these bagels their golden, slightly crispy exterior, and without it they’ll look pale and unappetizing even when fully cooked.

What to Serve With Greek Yogurt Bagels?

These bagels are perfect for breakfast or lunch, so I like to set up a little bagel bar with different toppings. Cream cheese is always a winner – try plain, chive, or even strawberry if you’re feeling sweet. For a more filling meal, pile on some smoked salmon, sliced tomatoes, red onion, and capers for a classic bagel sandwich. If you’re keeping it simple, butter and jam work great too, or go savory with avocado, a fried egg, and everything bagel seasoning on top.

Storage Instructions

Store: Keep your Greek yogurt bagels in an airtight container or zip-top bag at room temperature for up to 2 days. If you want them to last longer, pop them in the fridge where they’ll stay fresh for about 5 days.

Freeze: These bagels are great for freezing! Once they’re completely cool, wrap each one individually in plastic wrap, then place them all in a freezer bag. They’ll keep for up to 3 months, which is perfect for busy mornings.

Toast: To bring your bagels back to life, slice them in half and toast them straight from the fridge or freezer. No need to thaw first! They’ll crisp up nicely and taste almost as good as fresh-baked.

Estimated Nutrition

Estimated nutrition for the whole recipe (without optional ingredients):

• Calories: 500-600
• Protein: 20-25 g
• Fat: 5-8 g
• Carbohydrates: 85-95 g

Ingredients

• 1 cup + 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
• 2 1/4 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 cup Greek yogurt (I prefer Fage 5% for a richer dough)
• 1/2 tsp granulated sugar
• 1 egg (lightly beaten for the egg wash)

Step 1: Prepare Equipment and Mise en Place

• 1 egg
• cooking oil spray

Preheat your oven to 375°F (or air fryer to 280°F if using that method).

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and lightly spray it with cooking oil to prevent sticking.

Lightly beat the egg in a small bowl and set it aside for the egg wash.

This prepares everything so you can move smoothly through the dough-making process without interruption.

Step 2: Mix Dry Ingredients

• 1 cup + 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
• 2 1/4 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp granulated sugar

In a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, salt, and granulated sugar.

Whisk these together until evenly distributed, breaking up any small clumps of baking powder.

This ensures the leavening agent is distributed throughout the dough for consistent rise.

Step 3: Create and Knead the Dough

• 1 cup Greek yogurt
• dry ingredient mixture from Step 2
• flour for dusting work surface

Pour the Greek yogurt into the dry ingredient mixture from Step 2 and stir until the dough just comes together and looks crumbly.

Transfer to a lightly floured work surface and knead gently for about 15-20 times until the dough becomes smooth and cohesive.

I find that not overworking the dough keeps these bagels tender rather than tough—you just want the ingredients combined, not developed like bread dough.

Step 4: Shape the Bagels

• dough from Step 3

Divide the dough into 4 equal portions and roll each into a ball.

Using your thumb, poke a hole through the center of each ball and gently stretch it into a bagel ring shape, about 3-4 inches in diameter with a hole roughly 1-1.5 inches wide.

Place each bagel on the prepared baking sheet, spacing them about 2 inches apart.

Step 5: Apply Egg Wash and Season

• egg wash from Step 1
• optional: everything bagel seasoning, seeds, or other toppings

Brush the top and sides of each bagel with the beaten egg wash from Step 1 using a pastry brush.

This creates a golden, shiny finish.

At this point, add your desired seasonings such as everything bagel seasoning, sesame seeds, poppy seeds, or cinnamon sugar before baking.

Step 6: Bake Until Golden Brown

• shaped bagels from Step 4

Place the bagels in the preheated oven and bake for 25 minutes (or 15-16 minutes in an air fryer), until they’re golden brown and spring back slightly when gently pressed.

The bagels should be cooked through and have a light golden exterior.

Step 7: Cool and Serve

• baked bagels from Step 6

Remove the bagels from the oven and let them cool on the baking sheet for about 15 minutes before serving.

I like to let them rest slightly so the crumb sets properly—they’re actually still slightly warm and at their best texture after this short cooling period.

Serve with your favorite toppings like cream cheese, butter, or jam.

5-Ingredient Greek Yogurt Bagels

Delicious 5-Ingredient Greek Yogurt Bagels recipe with step-by-step instructions.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 30 minutes mins

Total Time 47 minutes mins

Servings: 4 bagels

Calories: 550

Ingredients Method

Ingredients

  

• 1 cup + 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
• 2 1/4 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 cup Greek yogurt (I prefer Fage 5% for a richer dough)
• 1/2 tsp granulated sugar
• 1 egg (lightly beaten for the egg wash)

Method

 

1. Preheat your oven to 375°F (or air fryer to 280°F if using that method). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and lightly spray it with cooking oil to prevent sticking. Lightly beat the egg in a small bowl and set it aside for the egg wash. This prepares everything so you can move smoothly through the dough-making process without interruption.
2. In a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, salt, and granulated sugar. Whisk these together until evenly distributed, breaking up any small clumps of baking powder. This ensures the leavening agent is distributed throughout the dough for consistent rise.
3. Pour the Greek yogurt into the dry ingredient mixture from Step 2 and stir until the dough just comes together and looks crumbly. Transfer to a lightly floured work surface and knead gently for about 15-20 times until the dough becomes smooth and cohesive. I find that not overworking the dough keeps these bagels tender rather than tough—you just want the ingredients combined, not developed like bread dough.
4. Divide the dough into 4 equal portions and roll each into a ball. Using your thumb, poke a hole through the center of each ball and gently stretch it into a bagel ring shape, about 3-4 inches in diameter with a hole roughly 1-1.5 inches wide. Place each bagel on the prepared baking sheet, spacing them about 2 inches apart.
5. Brush the top and sides of each bagel with the beaten egg wash from Step 1 using a pastry brush. This creates a golden, shiny finish. At this point, add your desired seasonings such as everything bagel seasoning, sesame seeds, poppy seeds, or cinnamon sugar before baking.
6. Place the bagels in the preheated oven and bake for 25 minutes (or 15-16 minutes in an air fryer), until they're golden brown and spring back slightly when gently pressed. The bagels should be cooked through and have a light golden exterior.
7. Remove the bagels from the oven and let them cool on the baking sheet for about 15 minutes before serving. I like to let them rest slightly so the crumb sets properly—they're actually still slightly warm and at their best texture after this short cooling period. Serve with your favorite toppings like cream cheese, butter, or jam.