Back-to-School 3-Ingredient Bagels

Every fall, our school welcomes back students with a fun event: Books & Bagels.

The kids can each invite a parent, grandparent or other special guest to the classroom for breakfast – a beautiful little buffet of bagels, cream cheese, and fruit – and everyone finds a spot to sit down and curl up with a book. While it isn’t always easy to get the kids to school a full hour early (or get this mama’s booty out of those elementary chairs afterwards), it’s such a fun treat for the kids and grown-ups alike.

This year, of course, will be a bit different. But even though we won’t have the same tradition, it doesn’t mean that we can’t start one of our own.

Case in point: making bagels together.

Have you seen these 2 or 3 ingredient bagels that are all the rage? Now to be clear, the texture isn’t quite the same as a chewy authentic bagel. (New Yorkers, my apologies.) But there’s also no rising overnight. No boiling. No long list of ingredients for those of you counting calories and WW points. No fuss.

Plus, everybody can play with different toppings and additions, making it a great activity to do with your kiddos.

Easy as 1-2-3: Shortcut Bagels
Here’s the lowdown, complete with step-by-step photos. You can also see the full recipe here »

Step 1: Let’s Dough

Preheat your oven to 375°F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper, and spray it with no-stick cooking spray. In a large mixing bowl, combine 2 cups self-rising flour and 2 cups nonfat Greek yogurt. (Personally, I love Fage Total 0% yogurt for this, since it’s super thick.)

Mix until crumbly. Turn onto a lightly floured surface, brush your hands with flour, and knead until dough forms.

Tip: Moisture can vary with different brands of yogurt. If your dough is too sticky, just add a little additional flour.

Step 2: Ring It Up

Divide dough into 8 pieces. Shape each into a ball. Poke your thumb through the middle, and gently stretch until you have a bagel-shaped ring. Place on baking sheet; repeat.

That’s it – that’s your basic bagel! Simple, right?

Step 3: Add Toppings & Bake

Brush with a beaten egg, and sprinkle with the TS seasonings of your choice.

For “everything” bagels, combine 3 tablespoons Magic Chicken Original Seasoning Blend, ½ tablespoon sesame seeds and 1 teaspoon poppy seeds. (Keep any leftover mix in a jar or bag to season everything from pizza crust to avocado toast. It’s so good!)

Bake 25 minutes on the top rack of the oven. Let cool 15 minutes before slicing. Voila!

Enjoy them plain or toasted for breakfast, pizza bagels, egg sandwiches, you name it. And remember, you can experiment with different seasonings and toppings. We made a few with Seasoned Salt and sprinkled on shredded sharp Cheddar cheese during the last few minutes of baking, too.

Cinnamon Raisin Variation
Prefer a sweeter bagel? Add 1 tablespoon Cinnamon Spice Seasoning and ½ cup raisins or dried cranberries to the bowl with your flour/yogurt mixture. We made a separate batch like this, and they were delish!

Keep ‘em in your refrigerator for up to 3 days, or you can freeze them for two weeks for quick breakfasts and afterschool snacks.

Enjoy!

– Jen

Tips & Hints

• Don’t have self-rising flour? Make your own by combining 2 cups all-purpose or bread flour with 1 tablespoon baking powder and ½ teaspoon salt.
• Be sure to use thick Greek yogurt. If there’s any liquid, it should be drained before using.
• If you want to get darker color on your bagels, turn on the broiler for 30-60 seconds. Just watch ‘em closely!