Are you a fan of the Bantam Bagels at Starbucks? Well, now you can prepare a lighter and more affordable version in the comfort of your own house! These Bagel Bites are so good, and they stay absolutely soft and delicious. So save yourself some money and let me show you how to make them!
Let me introduce you to my version of bagels which is stuffed with cream cheese and sprinkled with everything bagel seasoning. These bagel bites are a delicious breakfast, appetizer, or just a snack to munch on with a cup of tea.
Little Bite Size Nuggets
History of The Recipe
The first bagel dates back to the 17th century in the city of Krakow, Poland. Bagel balls were gifted to women after childbirth. The round shape symbolized long life and good luck for the baby; it was believed that Bagels had magical powers.
Later on, bagels were imported from Eastern Europe to the United States by immigrants. They became widely popular as they are a low-cost filling staple.
Fun Facts About Bagels
February 9 is the National Bagel Day.
The most popular choice of bagel bites is the plain one sprinkled with sesame.
The molecular biologist Robert Bohannon created a bagel that actually contains the caffeine equivalent of one to two cups of coffee. A perfect, well-balanced breakfast!
The popular Bagel Bites Recipe with cream cheese is the best combination for an everyday breakfast.
Bagels balls with cream cheese are the only dough that gets boiled before you bake them. Once you shape the dough into a circle, you should dip it in boiling water for 30 to 60 seconds. Then, drain it and bake it for about 10 to 12 minutes.
Breakfast Bagel Bites
Tips and Tricks
You should lightly flour your hands before preparing the dough. This prevents the dough from sticking to your hands.
Use kitchen gloves in order to keep your hands clean and to be able to work better with the dough.
Dip your fingers in warm water and rub them across the seams so that they fuse together in case you were not able to seal the balls.
Stuffed Bagel Bites
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Yes, the dough can be prepared ahead of time and stored in a container in the fridge. The dough can last for 1-2 days in the fridge before baking it.
Yes, of course, you can. All you have to do is put the leftover bites in a zipped plastic bag and place them directly in the freezer. It is preferable to double bag them in order to avoid freezer burn. You can keep them in the freezer for around 1 month.
In order to reheat them, you have to bake them in the oven at 375 degrees F for about 10-15 minutes. If they are frozen, make sure to completely thaw them first.
This is not recommended since the bagels will get chewy and soggy, and there’s no guarantee that the dough will cook evenly and properly.
Healthy Bagel Bites
Variations and Substitutions
You could always get creative with the cream cheese flavors, you could go for honey pecan cream cheese, jalapeño, or any flavor you like!
Add some cinnamon and raisins to the filling and top them with some cinnamon sugar.
One of my favorite ways to enjoy them is to stuff them with labne and top them with zaatar instead of the EBTB seasoning.
You could use some Ashta, Middle Eastern Clotted Cream to fill your bagel and sprinkle it with sesame seeds or poppy seeds.
You can always switch up and play around with the toppings and fillings when preparing this Bagel Bites Recipe. It is easy to be creative, you can design them the way you want!
Enjoy what is on the Inside!
Ingredients You Will Need
For the Dough:
Flour
Oil
Active dry yeast
Sugar
Salt
Baking powder
Powdered milk (optional)
Warm water or warm milk
Check out my Small Batch 10 Minute Dough recipe for more details!
For the Filling:
Cream cheese
For Boiling:
Water
Honey
For the Egg Wash:
Egg
Milk
Basket Full of Goodness!
Steps To Prep
First, mix 1 cup of flour with the yeast, sugar, salt, baking powder, and powdered milk (if using).
Once mixed, add the warm water or warm milk, and whisk together well until no longer clumpy.
Then, cover and set aside in a warm place for 10 minutes.
After 10 minutes, you should see the mixture look bubbly and frothy.
Now, add the remaining 1⅔ cups of flour and the oil.
Afterward, mix in your stand mixer, or by hand, until a smooth and soft dough forms, about 5-7 minutes.
Next, divide into equal-sized dough balls (about 20-22) and let them rest for 10 minutes while the water and honey mixture boils.
Once rested, spread each dough ball and add a chunk of cream cheese, then seal well.
After that, drop a few dough balls at a time then boil for 30 seconds.
Then, place on a baking sheet, brush with the egg wash, and sprinkle with seasoning.
Finally, bake at 400 degrees F for 15-17 minutes and broil for 1-2 minutes.
Other Must-Try Recipes:
Basbousa Bil Qishta (Semolina Cake With Cream)
Crispy Cheese Borek (Turkish Cheese Rolls)
Ashta, Middle Eastern Clotted Cream
Middle Eastern Cheese Fatayer (Cheese Pies)
Zaatar and Cheese Breakfast Bake
Halawat el Jibn (Sweet Cheese Rolls)
If you’ve tried this recipe, don’t forget to rate it and leave a comment below! I would love to hear about your experience. You can follow me on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube.
Bagel Bites Recipe
Ingredients
- 2⅔ cups flour
- ¼ cup oil
- ¾ tablespoon active dry yeast
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- 1½ tablespoons powdered milk optional
- 1 cup warm water or warm milk
For the Filling:
- 16 ounces cream cheese
For Boiling:
- 8 cups water
- ¼ cup honey
Egg Wash:
- 1 large egg
- 1 tablespoon milk
Instructions
- Mix 1 cup of flour with the yeast, sugar, salt, baking powder, and powdered milk (if using).
- Once mixed, add the warm water or warm milk, and whisk together well until no longer clumpy.
- Cover and set aside in a warm place for 10 minutes.
- After 10 minutes, you should see the mixture look bubbly and frothy.
- Now add the remaining 1⅔ cups of flour and the oil.
- Mix in your stand mixer (or by hand) until a smooth and soft dough forms, about 5-7 minutes.
- Divide into equal-sized dough balls (about 20-22) and let them rest for 10 minutes while the water and honey mixture boils.
- Once rested, spread each dough ball and add a chunk of cream cheese, then seal well.
- Drop a few dough balls at a time then boil for 30 seconds.
- Place on a baking sheet, brush with the egg wash, and sprinkle with seasoning.
- Bake at 400 degrees F for 15-17 minutes and broil for 1-2 minutes.
Notes
- Get creative! I use jalapeno-flavored cream cheese, honey pecan, or any flavor!
- You should lightly flour your hands before preparing the dough. This usually prevents the dough from sticking to your hands.
- Use kitchen gloves in order to keep your hands clean and to be able to work better with the dough.
- Cold cream cheese works best! This way it won’t melt into the seams of the dough!
In my families words, “These are the bomb”. They were perfect and so delicious. Will be a new favorite! Thank you!
Made these today they are absolutely delicious. Exceeded my expectations.
I have made this recipe so many times allahuma barik it’s great and quick! It’s become a favorite and I always refer to it, sometimes making slight adjustments. For example, not boiling it if I want to be quick, and it still turns out great! (Since I’m not always looking for a bagel). It’s been shared with others as well alhamdulillah!
It gets softer as you knead the dough and let it rest, so don’t worry if it seems it may not be coming together.
Jazak Allahu khayr!