With just three base ingredients, these easy bagels are a most delicious breakfast to share with the kids. The 3-Ingredient Bagels include a substantial amount of protein to fuel us, are soft and easy for littles to chew, and are just so yummy!
We love bagels in our house, and for those times I run out or simply want a homemade option, this easy bagel recipe is the one that I turn to. I love that this dough comes together in minutes, that we can add any toppings we like, and that they are soft and tender—which means them super easy for little kids to chew.
These are great fresh out of the oven, toasted with cream cheese or butter, as bread for a sandwich (I love that option!), and just as a high protein toddler breakfast.
They taste similar to store-bought bagels and are one of the easiest homemade bagel recipes I know…which makes them a real win to me!
(You may also like my Greek Yogurt Pizza Dough, which uses similar ingredients, and my Baked Donuts as other homemade options.)
Table of Contents
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Ingredients You Need
Here’s a look at the ingredients you need to have on hand to make 3-Ingredient Bagels so you know what to pick up from the store or have ready.
- Flour: I use all-purpose flour here to ensure the easy bagels are fluffy, tender, and have the best texture.
- Baking powder: Adding baking powder to the bagel batter means you don’t have to wait for yeast to activate and there’s no substantial kneading required.
- Greek yogurt: I use plain, whole-milk Greek yogurt here to add protein and moisture to the bagel batter mixture. This type of yogurt works best.
- Salt (optional but recommended): Adding a little salt to the batter ensures that the bagels have the best flavor.
- Egg (optional): For a golden finish to the tops of the bagels, you can brush with a little egg wash. You can skip it to make things easier or if there is an egg allergy.
- Sesame seeds, everything bagel seasoning, coarse salt (optional): Add any of these to the tops of the bagels (it adheres best if you use the egg wash) to add flavor.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Here’s a preview of how to make these 3-Ingredient Bagels so you know what to expect from the process. Scroll down to the end of this post for the full information, including the amounts and the timing.
Step 1. Add the flour, baking powder, salt, and yogurt to a large bowl. Stir together with a fork to make a crumbly dough. Knead lightly.
Step 2. Divide the dough into 4 equal portions.
Step 3. Form into balls. Roll into a tube and form a circle. (the dough will be sticky). Place onto the prepared baking pan.
Step 4. Optional: Brush with egg and sprinkle with seasoning. Bake until golden brown..
TIP: You can eat these warm out of the oven, or let them cool and slice and toast them lightly and add the toppings you prefer.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, you can substitute self-rising flour in place of the all-purpose flour. You will just also want to change the amount of the baking powder added, so see the Notes at the end of the recipe for the details.
Let cool fully, then store in an airtight container or bag. You can store them at room temperature for about 3 days or in the fridge for a week, or in the freezer for up to 6 months. (I recommend slicing them before you freeze them so they are easy to toast.)
Yes, though the fat content in whole milk Greek yogurt adds tenderness and is useful for the diet of a toddler as they need fat for brain development. (Fat can also help us feel full a little longer!)
How to Store
Let the 3-ingredient bagels cool fully, then store in an airtight container or bag. You can store them at room temperature for about 3 days or in the fridge for a week, or in the freezer for up to 6 months.
(I recommend slicing them before you freeze them so they are easy to toast.)
Best Tips for Success
- Toast and top with cream cheese, butter, or another favorite topping.
- Use self-rising flour in place of the all-purpose and add just ½ teaspoon baking powder.
- Double the recipe to make more.
Related Recipes
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10-Minute Bagel Pizzas
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Bread for Babies and Toddlers
Snacks
Easy Yogurt Flatbread
I’d love to hear your feedback on this post, so please rate and comment below!
3-Ingredient Bagels (Fast and EASY)
Ingredients
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 cup plain Greek yogurt
- ½ teaspoon salt (optional but recommended)
- 1 egg (lightly beaten; optional)
- sesame seeds, everything bagel seasoning, coarse salt (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and spray with olive oil.
- Add the flour, baking powder, yogurt, and salt (if using) to a large bowl. Stir together with a fork to make a crumbly dough. Then, knead lightly with your hand a few times to bring it fully together and make sure that the flour and yogurt are evenly combined.
- (The dough may be a little sticky, so expect that. You can add a little more flour as needed, 1 tablespoon at a time. You can can coat your fingers and/or the bagels with a little flour as you work. Or wash your hands halfway through which will help, too.)
- Divide the dough into 4 equal portions. Form into balls. Roll into a tube about 8 inches long, and form a circle. Place onto the prepared baking pan.
- Optional: Brush with egg and sprinkle with seasoning.
- Bake for 24-26 minutes, or until lightly golden brown. Remove from oven and let cool on a wire rack.
Equipment
Notes
- Let bagels cool fully, then store in an airtight container or bag. You can store them at room temperature for about 3 days or in the fridge for a week, or in the freezer for up to 6 months. (I recommend slicing them before you freeze them so they are easy to toast.)
- Toast and top with cream cheese, butter, or another favorite topping.
- Use self-rising flour in place of the all-purpose and add just ½ teaspoon baking powder.
- Double the recipe to make more.
Do you have any suggestions for how to add flavor to it? For example, my kiddo doesn’t like seasoned bagels (e.g., does not like everything bagel) but he does like blueberry. Wondering if I could add frozen or freeze-dried blueberries to this?
You might be able to grind up freeze-dried blueberries and work them into the batter. Or top with a flavored cream cheese?
Hi Amy,
I just made them this morning and were a hit!
Was out of everything bagel seasoning and so substituted with herbs-de-Provence.
For blueberry bagels, I just added a handful of frozen wild blueberries with slightly more flour and it worked well too!
Thank you for a great recipe!
So delicious and easy! My 4 year old liked them okay but my husband and I both liked them so much I have already made twice this week!
Hi Amy GF momma here looking to reduce Gluten in the kiddos. Can these be made with GF 1:1 flour and with vegan green yogurt. I’m GF they are DF. I would make them GF and DF.
I haven’t tested them that way so I can’t say for sure, but let us know if you try it!
Hi! Could we use a 1:1 gf all purpose flour? Excited to try these but we have a wheat allergy in our house. Thanks!
This looks amazing! Thinking about making mini bagels for my little guy. Would you recommend adjusting the bake time if smaller in size? TiA ❤️
I am pretty sure the baking time will be similar, though you can check it starting a few minutes sooner. Enjoy!
Would this work with dairy free yogurt?
Look for a Greek style nondairy yogurt that’s plain and unsweetened.
These bagels are tender, delicious and so easy to make with ingredients I almost always have on hand.
A lot less chewy/tough than “normal” bagels so great for my toddler and easy to digest for this pregnant mama!
Yay! That’s why I love them too!
Dinner tonight will be bagels!! Have you tried subbing part or all of the AP flour with White WW flour?
Oh yay! I haven’t but I bet it will work great. Enjoy!
THANK YOU for this recipe! We made them last night and were so good I immediately stood up and made another batch 😂😂
So quick and easy and they taste sooo good!
Yay!
Easy and delicious! Game changer recipe that I’ll be adding to our rotation.
Very interesting and easy recipe! Came out exactly as it should. The bagels did have a slight bitter taste to them. Any idea how to remedy this? I used Fage yogurt.
Maybe try to make sure the baking powder is evenly distributed throughout the flour? That’s the only thing I can think of so I hope it helps!
Can I use bread flour?
My son loves bagels, I’m excited to make this!
I haven’t tried that but I bet it would work!
Can you substitute the greek yogurt with anything else for dairy allergy?
A nondairy Greek style yogurt (plain and unsweetened)
In the article FAQs it says you can swap self rising flour for the all purpose and omit the baking powder… but In the recipe notes it says to still add 1/2tsp of baking powder when using self rising flour…. 🤔 could you clarify which instruction gets me the best bagel! Thanks ☺️
Yes, swap in self rising flour and add the extra baking powder.
I just tried to make this dough twice, but the consistency was waaaayyyy too sticky to even form into balls. I even added some additional flour to help make it less sticky with no luck. Any thoughts? 🤔 (I followed the recipe exactly!)
When that has happened to me, I add 1 tbsp more flour at a time and knead the dough a few more times to make sure the flour and yogurt are evenly mixed. hope that helps!