This post may contain affiliate links and we will earn a commission if you purchase through those links. Thank you for supporting us!
If you love the famous Panera cinnamon crunch bagels, you have to try these cinnamon crunch protein bagels! This lighter, high-protein copycat version delivers all the sweet, crunchy, and cinnamon-packed flavor you love, without the extra calories.
These homemade protein bagels are made with a simple 2-ingredient dough made with cottage cheese. That means no yeast, no rise time, and no boiling, just quick, easy, and protein-packed bagels you can whip up anytime. Each bite has that classic Panera-inspired crunch on top with a soft and chewy inside.
If you love Panera copycat recipes, make sure to try our Panera autumn squash soup next! And if you’re looking for more healthy bagel recipes, don’t miss our cozy cinnamon raisin bagels, savory jalapeño cheddar bagels, classic cottage cheese everything bagels, and festive pumpkin bagels.
Why You Will Love These Cinnamon Crunch Bagels
- No Boiling or Rising Required: Skip the complicated steps! These bagels are quick and easy to make at home.
- A Healthier Panera Copycat: These bagels are packed with all the cozy cinnamon crunch flavor you love, with a lighter twist.
- High-Protein: Each bagel has about 8 grams of protein!
- Simple Ingredients: Made with a cottage cheese-based two-ingredient dough, these bagels are super easy to make with only a handful of simple ingredients, and there’s no yeast required!
“This is definitely a keeper!!”
– linda
Ingredients Needed
- Flour, Baking Powder, & Salt: Combine the flour, baking powder, and salt to make self-rising flour.
- Cinnamon: Add cinnamon to the dough for that delicious cinnamon flavor throughout.
- Brown Sugar: These bagels are lightly sweetened with brown sugar or a sugar-free sweetener such as brown monk fruit.
- Cottage Cheese: Comes together with the self-rising flour to form the protein-packed bagel dough! You can use fat-free, low-fat, or full-fat cottage cheese.
- Vanilla Extract: A splash of vanilla extract for flavor.
- White Chocolate Chips: Mini white chocolate chips are incorporated into the batter to mimic the flavor of the classic Panera cinnamon crunch bagels.
- Cinnamon Crunch Topping: Brush the bagels with egg wash and sprinkle with the brown sugar and cinnamon mixture.
Find the full measurements in the recipe card below.
Substitutions & Variations
- Cottage Cheese Options: Fat-free, low-fat, or full-fat cottage cheese all work well in this recipe.
- Yogurt Option: You can swap the cottage cheese for 2/3 cup of plain non-fat Greek yogurt.
- Self-Rising Flour: You can substitute self-rising flour in this recipe. If you do, simply leave out the baking powder and salt, since self-rising flour already contains both.
- White Chocolate Options: If you don’t have mini white chocolate chips, use regular or sugar-free white chocolate and roughly chop it. Or, you can leave it out if preferred.
How To Make Cinnamon Crunch Bagels
Step 1: To a large bowl, add the flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and sweetener.
Mix well to combine.
Step 2: Add the cottage cheese and vanilla extract. Stir until the dough begins to come together. It may look crumbly at first, which is normal.
Knead the dough for about 2 minutes until it forms a smooth ball.
Step 3: Lightly flour a work surface. Divide the dough evenly into four portions.
Step 4: Roll each portion into a ball and gently flatten. Add 1 teaspoon of mini white chocolate chips to each portion and lightly knead them in.
Step 5: Shape each portion into a bagel by forming a hole in the center. Place the bagels on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
Step 6: In a small bowl, whisk the egg for the egg wash. In another bowl, mix the brown sugar and cinnamon for the topping.
Step 7: Brush each bagel with the egg wash.
Then, sprinkle evenly with the cinnamon-sugar mixture.
Step 8: Bake the bagels at 350°F for 22-25 minutes.
Step 9: Let the bagels cool for 20 minutes to allow the cottage cheese to set before slicing and serving.
Serving Suggestions
These cinnamon crunch protein bagels are delicious on their own or with your favorite toppings! Spread on some cream cheese for a classic combo, go cozy with cinnamon-sugar butter, or keep it simple with regular butter. You can even try them with strawberry chia jam or homemade blueberry jam. The sweet and spiced flavors pair beautifully together!
For breakfast, we like to enjoy these bagels with a warm pumpkin spice latte, chai latte, or pumpkin chai latte. They also pair beautifully with a yogurt and berry parfait or a cottage cheese fruit bowl. For extra protein, serve them alongside scrambled eggs with cottage cheese or a slice of our cottage cheese egg bake. You can also make them part of a cozy spread with a side of apple cinnamon oatmeal or pumpkin oatmeal.
Shawna’s Expert Tips
- Distribute the White Chocolate: Add one teaspoon of mini white chocolate chips to each bagel before shaping. This ensures the white chocolate is evenly incorporated, so you don’t end up with some bagels packed with white chocolate and others with hardly any.
- Cinnamon Crunch Topping: Make sure to sprinkle the cinnamon-sugar mixture evenly over the tops of the bagels before baking for the best flavor and presentation.
- Flour Your Work Surface: Lightly flour your work surface when kneading and shaping the dough to prevent it from sticking.
- Let the Bagels Rest: Once baked, let the bagels cool for at least 20 minutes before slicing. This gives the cottage cheese time to set and keeps the texture soft and chewy.
Storage Instructions
Refrigerating: Store leftover cinnamon crunch protein bagels in an airtight bag or container in the fridge for 2-3 days. When ready to enjoy, reheat in the oven until warmed through.
Freezing: You can freeze these bagels, too! Once cooled completely, place the bagels in a freezer-safe container or bag and freeze for up to 1-2 months. For easier reheating, slice them in half before freezing.
More Healthy Bagel Recipes to Try!
- Jalapeño Cheddar Protein Bagels
- High-Protein Cottage Cheese Everything Bagels
- Cinnamon Raisin Bagels With Cottage Cheese
- Easy Pumpkin Bagels
If you try this recipe, please be sure to leave us a comment and star rating, ★★★★★, letting us know how it turns out for you.
CINNAMON CRUNCH PROTEIN BAGELS (PANERA COPYCAT)
Ingredients
For the Bagels:
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar or brown monk fruit
- 3/4 cup cottage cheese, fat-free, low-fat, or full-fat
- 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 4 teaspoons mini white chocolate chips, or chopped sugar-free white chocolate
For the Topping:
- 1 egg, for the egg wash
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar or brown monk fruit
- 1 pinch of cinnamon
Instructions
- To a large bowl, add the flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and sweetener. Mix well to combine.
- Add the cottage cheese and vanilla extract. Stir until the dough begins to come together. It may look crumbly at first, which is normal. Knead the dough for about 2 minutes until it forms a smooth ball.
- Lightly flour a work surface. Divide the dough evenly into four portions.
- Roll each portion into a ball and gently flatten. Add 1 teaspoon of mini white chocolate chips to each portion and lightly knead them in.
- Shape each portion into a bagel by forming a hole in the center. Place the bagels on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
- In a small bowl, whisk the egg for the egg wash. In another bowl, mix the brown sugar and cinnamon for the topping.
- Brush each bagel with the egg wash, then sprinkle evenly with the cinnamon-sugar mixture.
- Bake the bagels at 350°F for 22-25 minutes.
- Let the bagels cool for 20 minutes to allow the cottage cheese to set before slicing and serving. Once cooled, you can toast them before enjoying, if desired.
Video
Notes
- Self-Rising Flour: You can substitute self-rising flour in this recipe. If you do, simply omit the baking powder and salt, as self-rising flour already contains both.
- Yogurt Option: You can swap the cottage cheese for 2/3 cup of plain non-fat Greek yogurt.
- White Chocolate Options: If you don’t have mini white chocolate chips, use regular or sugar-free white chocolate and roughly chop it. Or, you can leave it out if preferred.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Ok, so at first I looked at that bowl of ingredients and thought THIS will never knead into a smooth ball. Well, I’ll be darned, knead it for the recommended 2 minutes and voila, a smooth ball!! Anyway, this is definitely a keeper!!
Hi Linda, thank you so much for sharing this! It’s amazing what just a couple minutes of kneading can do! I’m so glad you ended up with a smooth dough ball and that the cinnamon crunch bagels are a keeper!
If you love Panera’s Cinnamon Crunch Bagel, you’re going to fall in love with this lightened-up protein bagel!