Spinach Cottage Cheese Flagels (Printable Version)
Chewy flat bagels packed with fresh spinach and creamy cottage cheese for a satisfying breakfast or snack.
# What You’ll Need:
→ Dough
01 - 4 cups bread flour
02 - 2 tsp instant dry yeast
03 - 1 1/2 tsp fine sea salt
04 - 1 tbsp granulated sugar
05 - 1 1/4 cups warm water (110°F)
06 - 2 tbsp olive oil
→ Mix-ins
07 - 1 cup fresh spinach, finely chopped
08 - 1 cup cottage cheese, well drained
→ Topping
09 - 1 egg, beaten
10 - 2 tbsp sesame seeds or poppy seeds
# Directions:
01 - In a large mixing bowl, combine bread flour, instant dry yeast, fine sea salt, and granulated sugar. Mix thoroughly to distribute all ingredients evenly.
02 - Pour warm water and olive oil into the dry mixture. Stir with a wooden spoon until a shaggy, rough dough forms.
03 - Knead by hand on a floured surface or with a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook for 5–7 minutes until the dough becomes smooth, elastic, and pulls away from the sides of the bowl.
04 - Gently fold the chopped spinach and drained cottage cheese into the dough. Knead for 2–3 minutes until evenly distributed. The dough will feel slightly sticky due to the cheese moisture.
05 - Transfer the dough to a lightly oiled bowl, turning once to coat all surfaces. Cover with plastic wrap or a damp towel. Place in a warm, draft-free area for 1 hour until doubled in volume.
06 - Preheat oven to 425°F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
07 - Turn the risen dough onto a lightly floured surface. Divide into 8 equal portions using a bench scraper or knife.
08 - Roll each portion into a smooth ball. Flatten each ball to approximately 1/2 inch thickness. Press your thumb through the center and gently stretch the opening to create a 4-inch ring, maintaining a flat, disc-like shape.
09 - Place shaped flagels on the prepared baking sheet, leaving 2 inches between each. Cover with a clean kitchen towel and let rest at room temperature for 15 minutes.
10 - Brush the tops of each flagel with beaten egg using a pastry brush. Sprinkle sesame seeds or poppy seeds evenly over the surface if desired.
11 - Bake for 18–20 minutes until the flagels develop a deep golden-brown crust and sound hollow when tapped on the bottom.
12 - Transfer flagels to a wire cooling rack. Let cool completely for at least 30 minutes before slicing or serving.
# Top Tips:
01 -
- The cottage cheese keeps these flagels incredibly tender inside while maintaining that perfect chewy crust we all crave
- Spinach disappears into the dough making even veggie skeptics ask for seconds
02 -
- Draining cottage cheese through cheesecloth for 30 minutes prevents soggy dough a lesson I learned after three failed batches
- The hole will shrink during baking so make it larger than seems necessary
03 -
- Weighing flour is more accurate than cup measurements which is why my early batches were inconsistent
- A hot oven is non negotiable preheat for at least 20 minutes before baking