Easy Homemade Greek Yogurt Bagels

Greek yogurt bagels are soft, golden, and surprisingly simple to make at home with just four basic ingredients. No yeast, no waiting, no boiling required, just mix, shape, and bake! These tender bagels come together in under 30 minutes and taste absolutely delicious toasted with a schmear of cream cheese or piled high with your favorite breakfast toppings.

Love More Dessert Recipes? Try My 4 Ingredient Blueberry Bagels or this Pumpkin Donuts with Maple Glaze next.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• Incredibly simple – No yeast, no rising time, and no complicated steps
• Ready in 30 minutes – From mixing bowl to golden bagels faster than a coffee run
• Budget-friendly – Uses pantry staples you probably already have
• Customizable – Top with everything bagel seasoning, sesame seeds, or keep them plain and simple
• Perfect for meal prep – Make a batch and enjoy fresh bagels all week long

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Ingredients You’ll Need

For the Bagels:

• 1 cup all-purpose flour, plus more for kneading (the base that holds everything together)
• 2 teaspoons baking powder (gives these bagels their lift and tender texture)
• ¼ teaspoon salt (enhances all the flavors)
• 1 cup plain non-fat Greek yogurt (the magic ingredient that makes these work!)

For Topping:

• 1 egg, beaten (creates that beautiful golden shine)
• Optional toppings: everything bagel seasoning, sesame seeds, poppy seeds, or coarse salt (dress them up however you like)

Why These Ingredients Work

The beauty of this recipe is in its simplicity. Greek yogurt does the heavy lifting here, providing moisture, protein, and that signature tangy flavor while keeping the bagels tender and soft. The thick, creamy texture of Greek yogurt replaces the need for yeast, butter, and all those extra steps traditional bagels require.

Baking powder steps in to give these bagels a gentle lift without any waiting around for dough to rise. All-purpose flour creates just enough structure to hold the bagel shape while staying soft and easy to bite into.

The egg wash brushed on top isn’t just for looks—it creates that gorgeous golden crust that makes these bagels look like they came straight from a bakery window. A pinch of salt might seem small, but it wakes up every other flavor and keeps these bagels from tasting flat.

Essential Tools and Equipment

• Large mixing bowl
• Measuring cups and spoons
• Wooden spoon or sturdy spatula
• Baking sheet
• Parchment paper
• Small bowl (for egg wash)
• Pastry brush
• Wire cooling rack

Step-by-Step Instructions

Step 1: Preheat and Prepare

Preheat your oven to 400°F (205°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. This temperature is hot enough to create a beautiful golden crust while keeping the insides soft and tender.

Step 2: Mix the Dry Ingredients

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt until everything is evenly distributed. This only takes a moment but ensures your baking powder is spread throughout so every bagel rises evenly.

Step 3: Add the Greek Yogurt

Add the Greek yogurt to your dry ingredients and stir with a sturdy spoon or spatula. At first, it might look like a shaggy mess, but keep stirring! The dough will come together into a sticky ball. Don’t worry if it looks rough—that’s exactly what you want.

Step 4: Knead the Dough

Transfer your dough to a lightly floured surface and knead gently for about 1–2 minutes. The dough should feel smooth and just slightly tacky.

If it’s sticking to your hands like glue, sprinkle in a little more flour, one tablespoon at a time, until it’s manageable. You’re not making bread here, so don’t overwork it—just bring it together nicely.

Step 5: Divide and Shape

Divide your dough into 4 equal pieces. Roll each piece between your hands and the counter to form a rope about 6–7 inches long. It doesn’t have to be perfect—homemade bagels have character!

Bring the ends together and pinch firmly to seal, creating that classic bagel ring shape.

Step 6: Brush and Top

Place your shaped bagels on the prepared baking sheet, leaving a little space between each one. Beat your egg in a small bowl and brush it generously over the top of each bagel—this is what gives them that beautiful bakery shine.

Now comes the fun part: sprinkle on your favorite toppings! Everything bagel seasoning is my go-to, but sesame seeds, poppy seeds, or just a pinch of coarse salt are all wonderful.

Step 7: Bake Until Golden

Slide your baking sheet into the preheated oven and bake for 18–22 minutes, until the bagels are puffed and golden brown on top. Your kitchen will smell absolutely amazing. The bagels should look lightly bronzed and feel firm when you gently press the top.

Step 8: Cool and Enjoy

Let the bagels cool on the baking sheet for about 10 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack. I know it’s tempting to dive right in, but this little rest helps them set up and makes them easier to slice.

You Must Know

The texture of your Greek yogurt matters more than you might think. Make sure you’re using thick, Greek-style yogurt, not regular yogurt or a watery brand. If there’s liquid pooling on top when you open the container, drain it off first.

The dough should be slightly sticky but manageable—if it’s so wet you can’t shape it, you’ll need to add more flour gradually. On the flip side, if you add too much flour during kneading, your bagels will turn out dense and dry instead of soft and tender.

Personal Secret: After brushing on the egg wash, I like to sprinkle just a tiny pinch of flaky sea salt on top even when I’m using other seasonings.

Also, don’t skip toasting them before serving, even when they’re fresh. A quick toast in the toaster or under the broiler transforms these from soft and tender to crispy on the outside with a warm, pillowy center—absolutely perfect.

Pro Tips & Cooking Hacks

• Use a kitchen scale for perfect portions – Divide your dough into 4 equal pieces by weight (about 85–90 grams each) for perfectly uniform bagels
• Don’t skip the egg wash – It’s the difference between homemade-looking and bakery-looking bagels
• Toast before serving – Even fresh bagels taste better with a quick toast to crisp up the exterior
• Keep flour nearby – Have extra flour on hand for dusting, but add it sparingly to avoid tough, dry bagels
• Work quickly – Baking powder starts working as soon as it gets wet, so don’t let the dough sit around too long before baking
• Rotate the pan halfway – For the most even browning, rotate your baking sheet at the 10-minute mark
• Check the seal – Make sure the ends of your bagel rope are pinched together firmly, or they might open up during baking

Flavor Variations & Suggestions

These bagels are a blank canvas ready for your creativity. Stir a tablespoon of dried herbs like rosemary or Italian seasoning right into the dough for savory herb bagels that pair beautifully with soup. For a touch of sweetness, add a tablespoon of honey and a sprinkle of cinnamon sugar on top before baking—they’re lovely for weekend brunch.

You can fold in a handful of shredded cheddar cheese and some chopped jalapeños for spicy cheese bagels, or keep it simple with a generous coating of garlic powder and dried parsley. If you love onion bagels, mix in some dried minced onion or onion powder.

Blueberry bagels are surprisingly wonderful too—just fold in a handful of dried blueberries and dust the tops with coarse sugar. The dough is forgiving and welcomes whatever flavors speak to you.

Make-Ahead Options

These bagels are wonderful for meal prep and actually taste even better the next day after toasting. You can make the dough, shape the bagels, and refrigerate them on the baking sheet covered with plastic wrap for up to 24 hours before baking. Just add a couple extra minutes to the baking time since they’ll be cold from the fridge.

If you want to bake them all at once and save them for later, let them cool completely and store them in an airtight container or zip-top bag in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. For longer storage, wrap each bagel individually in plastic wrap, place them all in a freezer bag, and freeze for up to 3 months.

When you’re ready to enjoy one, thaw it at room temperature for about an hour or pop it straight from the freezer into the toaster. They reheat beautifully and taste nearly as good as fresh.

What to Serve With Greek Yogurt Bagels

These bagels are perfect vehicles for all your favorite spreads and toppings. Slather them with cream cheese—plain, veggie, or flavored—and you’ve got an instant breakfast. They make wonderful breakfast sandwiches piled with scrambled eggs, crispy bacon, and a slice of melted cheese.

For a lighter option, top them with mashed avocado, a sprinkle of red pepper flakes, and a drizzle of olive oil. They’re also lovely with butter and jam for a simple afternoon snack with tea.

I love serving them alongside a big bowl of tomato soup for lunch or with smoked salmon, capers, and thin slices of red onion for a fancy weekend brunch. Fresh fruit, a little bowl of berries, or a simple green salad rounds out the meal nicely.

Allergy Information

These bagels contain gluten (wheat flour), dairy (Greek yogurt), and eggs, which are common allergens. For a dairy-free version, you can substitute the Greek yogurt with dairy-free yogurt alternatives like coconut or almond milk yogurt, though the texture may vary slightly—look for the thickest option you can find.

For a gluten-free version, try using a 1-to-1 gluten-free flour blend, but know that the texture will be different and you may need to adjust the liquid slightly. Unfortunately, there’s no great substitute for the egg wash if you have an egg allergy, but you can brush the tops with a little milk or plant-based milk instead for some color, or simply skip it and bake them plain.

They won’t be quite as golden, but they’ll still taste delicious.

Storage & Reheating

Store your cooled bagels in an airtight container or zip-top bag at room temperature for up to 2 days, or in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. The fridge keeps them fresher longer, though they may firm up a bit—nothing a good toast can’t fix.

To reheat, slice them in half and pop them in the toaster until warm and crispy on the edges, about 2–3 minutes. You can also warm them in a 350°F oven for about 5 minutes if you prefer a softer texture.

For frozen bagels, let them thaw at room temperature for an hour, or toast them directly from frozen, adding an extra minute or two to the toasting time.

Questions I Get Asked A Lot

Can I use regular yogurt instead of Greek yogurt?

Regular yogurt is too thin and watery for this recipe and will make the dough too wet and sticky to shape. Greek yogurt’s thick, creamy texture is what makes these bagels work without yeast. If you only have regular yogurt, you could try straining it through cheesecloth for a few hours to thicken it up, but Greek yogurt is really the way to go here.

Why aren’t my bagels as chewy as store-bought bagels?

These are “quick” bagels made with baking powder instead of yeast, so they have a softer, more tender texture rather than that dense, chewy traditional bagel bite. They’re not boiled before baking like authentic bagels, which is what creates that signature chew. Think of these as delicious bagel-shaped rolls—still wonderful, just different! Toasting helps add a bit more texture.

My dough is too sticky to work with—what should I do?

Add flour gradually, one tablespoon at a time, kneading it in until the dough is manageable. It should still feel slightly tacky but not stick to your hands like glue. Different brands of Greek yogurt have different moisture levels, so you might need a bit more or less flour than the recipe calls for. Just go slowly and you’ll get the hang of it.

Do I have to use the egg wash?

The egg wash creates that beautiful golden, shiny top that makes these bagels look bakery-perfect, but you can skip it if you need to. They’ll be paler and more matte, but they’ll still taste great. You could brush them with milk or melted butter instead for a little color.

💬 Tried this recipe? Leave a comment and rating below! I’d love to hear how your Greek yogurt bagels turned out and what toppings you chose. Did you try any fun variations?