Cottage Cheese Almond Flour Bagels

Name: Cottage Cheese Almond Flour Bagels
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 35 min
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 1 1/2 cups almond flour; 1/4 cup cornstarch or tapioca flour; 2 teaspoons baking powder; 1/2 teaspoon salt; 3/4 cup cottage cheese, blended smooth; 1/2 teaspoon apple cider vinegar; 1 egg, beaten (for brushing); 1 tbsp everything bagel seasoning, sesame seeds or poppy seeds

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These Cottage Cheese Almond Flour Bagels are crispy on the outside, chewy on the inside, and packed with 10 grams of protein per bagel. They’re gluten-free, and come together in under 35 minutes.

Cottage Cheese Almond Flour Bagels on parchment paper with a small bowl of everything bagel spice on the side.

Recipe Highlights

High in protein: Thanks to the cottage cheese and almond flour these bagels have 10g protein each! Try serving them with my Creamy Whipped Feta Dip.
Gluten-free: Made with almond flour and cornstarch.
Tested to perfection: After six rounds of testing, I found the exact combination of ingredients that gives these bagels the best texture, so you can trust this recipe works!
Easy to customize: Use any topping you like, from sesame seeds to everything bagel seasoning.
Great for meal prep: These bagels keep well in the fridge and freeze beautifully, making them perfect to batch bake ahead of time.

Girl eating a cottage cheese almond flour bagel.

I tested this Cottage Cheese Almond Flour Bagel recipe six times to get it just right and I’m so happy with how they turned out!

Whenever I share a cottage cheese baked goods one of the most common questions I get is whether almond flour can be swapped in, so I decided to create an almond flour bagel recipe from the start. The result is a bagel that is crispy on the outside, chewy on the inside and gluten-free friendly.

The biggest game changer in testing was the cornstarch (or tapioca flour!). Without it, the bagels were a bit crumbly and didn’t hold their shape well. With it the texture is so much better and that’s the version I kept coming back to. I also found that just a small dash of apple cider vinegar makes a noticeable difference in how the bagels rise, so don’t skip it.

If you love high-protein baked goods, you’ll also want to try my Cottage Cheese Pizza Buns and my Banana Cottage Cheese Muffins. Both are reader favourites and come together just as quickly.

Ingredient Notes & Substitutions

Ingredients for Cottage Cheese Almond Flour Bagels.

Almond flour: The base of these bagels. Almond flour is naturally gluten-free and high in healthy fats, but it behaves very differently from all-purpose flour. Make sure you’re using blanched almond flour, not almond meal for the best texture. Expect a different texture for these bagels than you would be wheat flour. They’ll be slightly grainer, similar to my Almond Flour Pancakes.

Cornstarch: This is the ingredient that holds everything together and gives the bagels their slightly chewy texture. You can also use tapioca flour or arrowroot flour. Any of these work. This ingredient is important to provide structure, hold the bagels together and give them that classic bagel “chew.”

Cottage cheese: Any percentage works, I use 2%. Make sure to blend the cottage cheese until smooth. I also use this for my viral Cottage Cheese Chocolate Mousse.

Apple cider vinegar: This reacts with the baking powder to help the bagels rise and hold their shape. It’s a small amount but makes a noticeable difference. White wine vinegar or lemon juice can be used as a substitute.

How To Make Cottage Cheese Almond Flour Bagels

*This is a recipe overview. The full recipe with measurements and instructions can be found below in the recipe card.

almond flour and cornstarch in a clear mixing bowl.

Step 1: Mix the almond flour, cornstarch and baking powder together in a bowl.

almond flour, cornstarch and blended cottage cheese in a clear mixing bowl.

Step 2: Mix the blended cottage cheese and apple cider vinegar and add it to the bowl.

Cottage Cheese Almond Flour Bagel dough in a clear mixing bowl.

Step 3: Mix together. Then divide the dough into 4 portions.

Step 4: Use your hands to roll out each portion into a long log.

Step 5: Then shape into a circle.

A hand brushing egg wash onto unbaked Cottage Cheese Almond Flour Bagels.

Step 6: Brush with egg wash.

unbaked Cottage Cheese Almond Flour Bagels on a baking sheet topped with everything bagel seasoning.

Step 7: Sprinkle with everything bagel seasoning.

four Cottage Cheese Almond Flour Bagels on a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Step 8: Bake at 375 degrees for 22-25 minutes.

Storage & Reheating

Store your cottage cheese almond flour bagels in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. To freeze once cooled, place them in a freezer-safe bag or container for up to 2 months. Slice them before freezing so you can pop them straight into the toaster from frozen!

Jess’s Tips

Blend the cottage cheese: Any lumps in the cottage cheese will affect the texture of the dough, so make sure it’s fully blended before adding it in. A small blender or food processor work well. Blended cottage cheese is also delicious in this Cottage Cheese Queso Dip.
The dough consistency matters: The dough should feel soft and moldable, not extremely wet and sticky, and not dry or crumbly. Cottage cheese brands vary in thickness so if your dough is too loose, just add more almond flour a tablespoon at a time until it comes together nicely.
Wet your hands when shaping: lightly wet your hands until damp before shaping the dough into bagel. This will help prevent the dough from sticking to your hands.
Don’t skip the cornstarch: I tested this recipe without it and the bagels become crumbly and can fall apart easily.
Use blanched almond flour, not almond meal: Almond meal is coarser and will give you a much denser, grainier bagel. Blanched almond flour is finely milled and gives the best result.
Shape them tightly: Make sure to pinch the ends of the rope together firmly when forming the bagel shape. If the seam isn’t sealed, the bagels can open up during baking.
Serve with favourite toppings: These are great with cream cheese, Whipped Ricotta, smashed avocado, if you make them with just sesame seeds or poppy seeds on top some Homemade Chia Seed Jam. For more high-protein meal ideas, try pairing with my Jalapeño Popper Chicken Salad.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why is my dough too sticky?

This usually comes down to the thickness of your cottage cheese. Different brands vary quite a bit. If your dough feels too wet and sticky, add more almond flour one tablespoon at a time until the dough is soft and moldable but not sticky.

Why is my dough breaking when I try to shape the bagels?

This probably means your dough is too dry! Add some more blended cottage cheese to the dough until it is soft and moldable.

Two hands holding a Cottage Cheese Almond Flour Bagel.

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Chia Seeds