Blueberry protein bagels lemon (Print Version)

Soft, chewy bagels packed with blueberries and finished with a fresh lemon glaze for a flavorful breakfast.

# Components:

→ Dough

01 - 2½ cups bread flour, plus extra for dusting
02 - 1 cup vanilla protein powder, whey or plant-based
03 - 2¼ tsp instant dry yeast
04 - 2 tbsp granulated sugar
05 - 1 tsp salt
06 - 1 cup warm water, approximately 110°F
07 - 2 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
08 - 1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries, do not thaw if frozen

→ Boiling

09 - 8 cups water
10 - 2 tbsp honey or maple syrup, optional

→ Lemon Glaze

11 - 1 cup powdered sugar
12 - 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
13 - 1 tsp lemon zest
14 - 1 to 2 tsp milk or water, as needed

# Directions:

01 - In a large mixing bowl, whisk together bread flour, protein powder, sugar, salt, and yeast until evenly combined.
02 - Add warm water and melted butter to the dry mixture. Stir until a rough dough forms.
03 - Knead by hand or with a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook for 8 to 10 minutes, until dough is smooth and elastic.
04 - Gently fold in blueberries until evenly distributed throughout the dough.
05 - Shape dough into a ball, place in a lightly greased bowl, cover with a towel, and let rise in a warm place for 1 hour or until doubled in size.
06 - Punch down the dough and divide into 8 equal pieces. Roll each piece into a ball, then poke a hole through the center with your finger and gently stretch to create a bagel shape with a 2-inch center opening.
07 - Place shaped bagels on a parchment-lined baking sheet, cover with a towel, and let rest for 15 minutes.
08 - Bring 8 cups of water and honey or maple syrup, if using, to a gentle boil in a large pot.
09 - Preheat oven to 400°F.
10 - Boil bagels, 2 to 3 at a time, for 1 minute per side. Remove with a slotted spoon and return to the baking sheet.
11 - Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until bagels are golden brown and cooked through. Cool on a wire rack.
12 - Whisk together powdered sugar, fresh lemon juice, lemon zest, and enough milk or water to reach a smooth drizzling consistency.
13 - Once bagels have cooled completely, drizzle with lemon glaze. Allow glaze to set for 10 minutes before serving.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • You get legitimate bagel texture without the guilt—chewy, dense, and somehow better than the frozen kind.
  • They freeze beautifully, so you can make a batch Sunday and actually have a real breakfast ready on chaotic mornings.
  • The lemon glaze is bright enough to make you feel like you're eating something fancy, not just protein powder in bread form.
02 -
  • The boiling step is absolutely crucial and feels weird but non-negotiable—it's what creates that chewy interior and slightly crispy crust that separates real bagels from fancy bread.
  • Don't thaw frozen blueberries; they'll bleed into the dough and turn everything a murky purple instead of staying as little pockets of brightness.
  • Protein powder behaves differently than regular flour, so these need that full kneading time to develop proper structure, or they'll be dense and crumbly.
03 -
  • Keep your bench scraper or dough knife handy during shaping—wet hands make everything stick, but a light dusting of flour and a good scraper make dividing the dough into pieces feel easy and controlled.
  • The warmth of your kitchen matters more than you'd think; if your space is cold, the first rise might take longer than an hour, so don't panic—just wait until it's visibly doubled before moving on.
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