Lemon Poppy Seed Bagels (Printable)

Fluffy lemon and poppy seed bagels topped with a light, tangy lemon glaze.

# Components:

→ 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

→ For Boiling

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

# Directions:

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.
03 - In a separate bowl, stir together Greek yogurt, egg, lemon juice, and melted butter until smooth.
04 - Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients. Mix with a wooden spoon, then knead by hand until a soft, slightly tacky dough forms, approximately 2 to 4 minutes. If dough is too dry, add 1 tablespoon of yogurt; if too sticky, add additional flour.
05 - Divide dough into 8 equal portions. Roll each into a ball, then poke a hole in the center and gently stretch to form a bagel shape.
06 - Arrange bagels on the prepared baking sheet. Cover loosely with a towel and let rest for 15 minutes.
07 - In a large pot, bring water and honey to a gentle boil.
08 - Reduce heat to a simmer. Boil bagels in batches for 30 seconds per side. Remove with a slotted spoon, letting excess water drip off, and return to baking sheet.
09 - Brush boiled bagels with egg wash.
10 - Bake for 18 to 22 minutes or until golden brown and cooked through. Cool on a wire rack.
11 - While bagels cool, whisk together powdered sugar, lemon juice, and zest.
12 - Drizzle glaze over cooled bagels. Let glaze set before serving.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • They taste like a bakery treat but pack 13 grams of protein, so you actually feel full until lunch.
  • The bright lemon flavor reminds you of spring no matter what season it is outside.
  • You can make a batch on Sunday and have grab-and-go breakfasts all week without any of that preservative aftertaste.
02 -
  • Don't skip the boiling step thinking you can just bake them; that water creates the chewy crust that separates a real bagel from dense bread.
  • If your dough feels too sticky after mixing, resist the urge to add flour all at once—add it one tablespoon at a time or you'll end up with dry, tough bagels.
03 -
  • If you love lemon even more intensely, add a few drops of lemon extract to the dough or glaze for a brightness that almost tastes like sunshine.
  • Toast one of these with light cream cheese and a tiny bit of honey, and you've got something restaurant-quality sitting on your kitchen counter.
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