Lemon Poppy Seed Bagels (Printable)

Fluffy bagels with lemon zest, poppy seeds, and a light lemon glaze for a bright, flavorful bite.

# What You Need:

→ Dry Ingredients

01 - 2 cups bread flour
02 - 1 cup vanilla or unflavored whey protein powder
03 - 2 tablespoons poppy seeds
04 - 1 tablespoon baking powder
05 - 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
06 - 1/4 cup granulated sugar
07 - Zest of 2 lemons

→ Wet Ingredients

08 - 1 cup plain Greek yogurt, non-fat or low-fat
09 - 1 large egg
10 - 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
11 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

→ Boiling Water

12 - 2 quarts water
13 - 1 tablespoon honey

→ Egg Wash

14 - 1 large egg, beaten with 1 tablespoon water

→ Light Lemon Glaze

15 - 3/4 cup powdered sugar
16 - 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
17 - 1 teaspoon lemon zest

# How To Make It:

01 - Preheat oven to 375°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
02 - In a large bowl, whisk together bread flour, protein powder, poppy seeds, baking powder, salt, sugar, and lemon zest until evenly distributed.
03 - In a separate bowl, stir together Greek yogurt, egg, lemon juice, and melted butter until smooth and well combined.
04 - Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients and mix with a wooden spoon. Knead by hand until a soft, slightly tacky dough forms, approximately 2 to 4 minutes. Adjust consistency by adding yogurt if too dry or flour if too sticky.
05 - Divide dough into 8 equal portions. Roll each portion into a ball, poke a hole in the center, and gently stretch to form a bagel shape with a hole.
06 - Arrange bagels on the prepared baking sheet. Cover loosely with a towel and allow to rest for 15 minutes.
07 - In a large pot, bring water and honey to a gentle boil.
08 - Reduce heat to a simmer. Working in batches, boil bagels for 30 seconds per side. Remove with a slotted spoon, allowing excess water to drip off, and return to baking sheet.
09 - Brush boiled bagels with the prepared egg wash to achieve a golden finish.
10 - Bake for 18 to 22 minutes or until golden brown and cooked through. Transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely.
11 - While bagels cool, whisk together powdered sugar, lemon juice, and lemon zest until smooth.
12 - Drizzle the lemon glaze over cooled bagels and allow to set before serving.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • They taste bright and delicious, not like you're eating a protein shake in bagel form.
  • The technique is forgiving enough for a weekday morning but impressive enough to share with people who actually know how to bake.
  • You get 13g of protein per bagel without any chalky aftertaste or weird texture.
02 -
  • Don't skip the boiling step; it's what makes these actual bagels instead of just bread rolls shaped like bagels, and it creates that signature chewy crust.
  • The glaze will look too thin at first, but it thickens as it cools, so resist the urge to add more powdered sugar or you'll end up with a thick coating that masks the lemon flavor.
03 -
  • Zest your lemons before you juice them; once you've squeezed them, getting the zest off is nearly impossible and the oil distribution is uneven.
  • If you notice the glaze isn't setting, you might have added too much lemon juice; a pinch more powdered sugar will fix it without overpowering the flavor.
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