Blueberry Protein Bagels Lemon (Printable Version)

Chewy bagels with juicy blueberries, protein boost, and a zesty lemon glaze for a fresh breakfast.

# What You'll Need:

→ Dough

01 - 2½ cups bread flour, plus extra for dusting
02 - 1 cup vanilla protein powder (whey or plant-based)
03 - 2¼ teaspoons instant dry yeast
04 - 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
05 - 1 teaspoon salt
06 - 1 cup warm water (110°F)
07 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
08 - 1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries

→ Boiling

09 - 8 cups water
10 - 2 tablespoons honey or maple syrup (optional)

→ Lemon Glaze

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

# Steps:

01 - In a large mixing bowl, whisk together bread flour, protein powder, sugar, salt, and yeast.
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, 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 into a ball, then poke a hole through the center with your finger and gently stretch to create a bagel shape.
07 - Place shaped bagels on a parchment-lined baking sheet, cover, 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. Preheat oven to 400°F.
09 - Boil bagels 2 to 3 at a time for 1 minute per side. Remove with a slotted spoon and return to the baking sheet.
10 - Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until bagels are golden brown and cooked through. Cool on a wire rack.
11 - Whisk together powdered sugar, lemon juice, lemon zest, and enough milk or water to reach a drizzling consistency.
12 - Once bagels are cool, drizzle with lemon glaze. Let set before serving.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • These bagels actually taste like breakfast, not a protein shake you can hold in your hand.
  • The lemon glaze cuts through the richness in a way that makes you want to reach for a second one (and then feel zero guilt about it).
  • Homemade bagels are easier than you think, and once you nail this, you'll wonder why you ever waited in a line for them.
02 -
  • Frozen blueberries genuinely outperform fresh ones here—they hold their shape and create little pockets of fruit instead of turning the dough purple and soggy.
  • Don't skip the boiling step thinking you can just bake them; boiling is what makes bagels bagels, not just round bread.
  • The dough will feel slightly stickier than bread dough because of the protein powder, but that's exactly right—don't add more flour or your bagels will be dense.
03 -
  • If your dough isn't rising well, your kitchen might be too cold—try placing the bowl inside a turned-off oven with just the light on, which creates a cozy 75 to 80°F environment that yeast loves.
  • A slotted spoon is non-negotiable for boiling; a regular spoon lets water drain too slowly and you'll end up with waterlogged bagels.
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