This 2-Ingredient Bagel Recipe Will Make You Even More Excited About Brunch
A healthy twist makes these pretty much guilt-free, too.
If you asked me how to make a two-ingredient bagel a few weeks ago, I would have told you to buy a bagel and put your favorite cream cheese on it. Technically, that’s two ingredients! But now I know you really can make the delicious circles of carby goodness with just a couple of kitchen staples.
Although there are a few different options out there for this simple method, they all include the same two ingredients: self-rising flour and Greek yogurt. This not only makes them super easy to bake, but also a bit healthier than traditional bagels with less sugar, more protein, and a nice boosts of nutrients like calcium and potassium.
And if those ingredients sound familiar, you’ve probably also tried whipping up two-ingredient pizza dough with the exact same stuff. I was a little worried my bagels would come out tasting just like smaller versions of that dough, but I was hopeful for a more distinctly bagel-y result. I chose to follow the Weight Watchers recipe because it seemed to be the most straightforward (and has a surprisingly low point value for those who also follow their eating plans).
However, I will admit I was annoyed at first that the promise of two ingredient bagels actually lists three ingredients. My frustration cooled down after I realized it’s just because you brush them with an egg wash before baking. The dough itself really is just two things: one cup of self-rising flour and one cup of Greek yogurt, which you mix together and knead on a floured surface until it’s no longer sticky. This takes just a few minutes, but be prepared for your hands to get covered in the clingy dough.
Because there’s no yeast, you don’t have to let the dough rest before portioning into fourths and rolling them out into “snakes,” per the recipe’s imaginative description. Then pinch the ends together to form a circle, place on a greased or parchment paper-lined baking sheet, brush the tops with a whisked up whole egg (this gives it the glossy bagel-shine). After the egg wash, you can add toppings (which, again, is technically a fourth ingredient, but I can let that slide, too). I used an everything bagel mix, but you can really go for anything from your spice cabinet, or just keep them plain.
The recipe says to let them bake in the oven at 375 degrees Fahrenheit for 25 to 30 minutes. I left mine in the oven for 28 minutes until they seemed perfectly browned on the outside.
Here’s how my two-ingredient bagels turned out:
They certainly looked like every other bagel I’ve ever eaten, but the flavor is definitely a bit different from the kind you buy in shops. Like the pizza dough, there’s the tiny tang from the yogurt and an overall subtle floury taste — which obviously makes sense given those are the two main ingredients. The egg wash gives it a lovely outside crust and the everything seasoning made my batch a seriously close contender for store-bought options. They even crisped up nicely in my toaster for my favorite crunchy bagel texture.
Even though they don’t taste exactly like regular bagels, I really liked them and will totally be making this recipe again. I’m especially excited to get more creative than what you’d typically find in bagel shops, trying out different spices and seasonings mixed into the dough or sprinkled on top. Adding few dashes of coriander is currently calling to me, but the possibilities really are endless.
Before stumbling upon the recipe, the idea of making bagels at home felt way too daunting. Traditional methods that involve mixing a yeasty dough with sugar, flour, and other various ingredients (depending on the recipe you pick), then letting it rest before boiling the dough in hot water sounds… tedious. As grateful as I will always be to those who have mastered those techniques at my favorite bagel shops, I am glad I now have a much easier method in my back pocket for future homemade brunches!
