Blueberry Protein Bagels Lemon Glaze (Print Version)

Soft, chewy bagels filled with blueberries and topped with a bright lemon glaze for a fresh start.

# Ingredient List:

→ 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

→ 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

# Steps:

01 - In a large mixing bowl, whisk together bread flour, protein powder, sugar, salt, and yeast until thoroughly combined.
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 blueberries into the dough until evenly distributed throughout.
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 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 to a gentle boil in a large pot.
09 - Preheat oven to 400°F.
10 - Boil bagels 2 to 3 at a time for 1 minute per side. Remove with a slotted spoon and return to baking sheet.
11 - Bake for 20 to 25 minutes until bagels are golden brown and cooked through. Cool on a wire rack.
12 - Whisk together powdered sugar, lemon juice, lemon zest, and enough milk or water to reach a drizzling consistency.
13 - Once bagels are cool, drizzle with lemon glaze. Let set before serving.

# Helpful Hints:

01 -
  • You get real bagel texture—chewy on the inside, slightly crispy outside—without any of the guilt because the protein actually belongs there, not sprinkled on top like an afterthought.
  • Fresh blueberries burst as you bite through, and that lemon glaze isn't overly sweet; it just brightens everything up like a little sunrise on your plate.
  • They freeze beautifully, so you can make a batch on Sunday and have grab-and-go breakfasts for the entire week.
02 -
  • Water temperature when mixing the dough is non-negotiable; I once used water straight from the tap that was too hot, and the bagels never rose properly—learn from my mistake and use a thermometer.
  • Boiling time is short on purpose; even one extra minute per side can make the bagels tough and dense, so set a timer and don't get distracted scrolling your phone.
  • Frozen blueberries genuinely stay more intact than fresh ones during kneading and baking, so if you have a choice and want those purple bursts to stay distinct, go frozen.
03 -
  • Use a kitchen scale for weighing flour and protein powder instead of just measuring cups; it's the difference between fluffy and dense, and once you taste the improvement, you'll never guess again.
  • Save a small amount of dough before adding blueberries to test-boil one bagel first; it costs nothing and tells you instantly if your water temperature is right and your technique is dialed in.
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