Strawberry Cheesecake Protein Bagels (Printable view)

Soft protein bagels with fresh strawberries, creamy cheesecake filling, and a crunchy 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 bowl, whisk together all-purpose flour, white whole wheat flour, protein powder, baking powder, and salt.
03 - Add Greek yogurt and egg white to dry mixture. Mix until a sticky dough forms. Gently fold in diced strawberries.
04 - Turn dough onto a lightly floured surface. Knead briefly, then divide into 6 equal pieces. Roll each piece into a rope and form into a bagel shape, pinching ends to seal. Place bagels on prepared baking sheet.
05 - In a small bowl, stir together cream cheese, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract until smooth. Transfer to a piping bag or zip-top bag with corner snipped.
06 - Gently press a deep well into the center of each bagel without piercing the bottom. Pipe approximately 1 tablespoon of cheesecake filling into each well.
07 - In another bowl, mix flour, oats, and brown sugar. Cut in cold butter with a fork or fingertips until coarse crumbs form. Sprinkle evenly over cheesecake centers.
08 - Brush exposed bagel dough with egg wash mixture.
09 - Bake for 22 to 25 minutes or until bagels are golden and cooked through. Cool on a wire rack before serving.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • They taste like a cheat meal but pack 12 grams of protein per bagel, so your body actually thanks you.
  • The whole process takes under an hour, and watching that crumble topping turn golden in the oven never gets old.
  • They reheat beautifully, meaning meal prep becomes genuinely easy instead of a Sunday chore.
02 -
  • The dough is supposed to be sticky—if you add too much flour trying to make it smooth, your bagels become dense and dry.
  • Don't skip the egg wash; it's what transforms them from homemade-looking to bakery-quality golden.
03 -
  • Use cold butter straight from the fridge when making the crumble—warm butter creates a paste instead of coarse crumbs.
  • If your cream cheese is cold straight from the fridge, let it sit on the counter for five minutes before mixing so it combines smoothly with the sugar and vanilla.
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