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There’s something about a cozy fall morning that calls for pumpkin and chai – and these Pumpkin Chai Protein Bagels hit both notes perfectly. They’re protein-packed, lightly sweet, and have a warm chai spice that makes your kitchen smell incredible. Plus, they’re made with simple, real ingredients – pumpkin puree, Greek yogurt, and a boost of collagen for extra protein. No yeast, no long rise time, just mix, shape, and bake. They’re the kind of wholesome, homemade bagel that feels like a weekend treat but fits easily into any weekday morning.
Reasons I love these bagels:
- They’re high protein – there are 20 grams of protein for each bagel!
- They come together super easily without any yeast, rising time, or boiling. Just simply mix, shape, and bake!
- They’re a great meal-prep for the week.
- They get a nice little crispy texture in the toaster still. Then add some grass-fed butter or cream cheese? YUMM.
Nutritional benefits of these Pumpkin Chai Protein Bagels
- Collagen accounts for about 30% off your body’s protein, so it provides structure, support, and strength to your skin, hair, nails, muscles, joints, connective tissues, bones, and more. It’s super easy to implement in your diet from adding it to coffee, smoothies, oatmeal, and more.
- Pumpkin is rich in polyphenols and antioxidants. It’s great for our digestive health, blood sugar, cholesterol, eyesight, and more.
- Chai spice has many nutrients from the cinnamon, cardamom, ginger, cloves, etc. It helps keep blood sugar balanced, is rich in antioxidants, and not to mention delicious!
- Greek yogurt is rich in protein, b-vitamins, calcium, phosphorus, zinc, and more. It’s filling and a great way to add protein to your diet. Be sure to always opt for grass-fed dairy products!
- I’m a big believer in high-quality flour. I use Sunrise Flour Mill for all my baking because it’s non-GMO, unbleached, properly grown, properly milled, and organic. Wheat products in America are highly sprayed with Glyphosate which is shown to wreak havoc on our gut microbiome. Properly grown and prepped wheat products are easier to digest and are actually nutrient-dense.
Ingredients for Pumpkin Chai Protein Bagels
Flour – I used flour by Sunrise Flour Mill (non-GMO, organic, unbleached heritage flour – the best!). The heritage flour and white flour work great for this recipe. The wheat flour will also work well but have more of the classic wheat flavor.
Collagen peptides – This adds a good chunk of the protein in this recipe. And you don’t even taste it!
Pumpkin puree – To make them pumpkin bagels! We’re also using pumpkin pie spice to add more pumpkin flavor.
Coconut sugar – I’ve also used maple syrup with lots of success as well, but adding just a bit more flour (1 Tbsp) will help if using maple syrup since it’s liquid. Adding sweetener is optional (it just helps because of the earthy flavor of pumpkin puree).
Chai spice – To add the chai flavor
Baking powder – Make sure you use fresh baking powder. I definitely recommend replacing baking powder and baking soda every 1-2 months after opening. I know that seems like a chore, but it makes a HUGE difference in baking.
Salt – Helps bring out the flavor.
Greek yogurt – Stonyfield grass-fed greek yogurt works great, as well as Chobani non-fat (0%) greek yogurt. I also tried a couple other brands (Nancy’s and Trader Joes), and they didn’t work well because they were thin and runny. I definitely recommend a thick, non-fat greek yogurt like the Stonyfield grass-fed or the Chobani 0% one. If using a yogurt that’s more thin and runny, then you’ll need to add more flour to the recipe.
Egg – This will be for an egg wash. It’s essential because it is what makes the tops of the bagels turn golden brown in the oven. I tried it without it and I also tried butter instead, but the egg wash was far superior. If you are allergic to eggs, then I just recommend replacing the egg wash with butter and keep in mind they won’t be as golden brown, but they will still taste the same!
How to make Pumpkin Chai Protein Bagels
- Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Line a large baking sheet w/ parchment paper.
- In a mixing bowl, combine the dry ingredients.
- Add the yogurt and pumpkin and mix with a spatula until it’s a shaggy dough.
- Dump the shaggy dough onto a floured surface. Knead together with a floured hand until it’s a smooth ball. The dough should not be sticky, so add a bit more flour if needed.
- Let it rest for 5-10 minutes.
- Divide the dough into 4 equal portions. Roll each portion into a ball, stick your thumb through the center to create a hole and stretch and form into a large bagel with about 1.5” hole in the center. Repeat with each portion.
- Place them on the lined baking sheet and brush with the whisked egg for an egg wash.
- Bake the bagels for 28-35 minutes, or until med-deep golden brown on top. Remove from the oven and let them cool on the baking sheet. The texture becomes better as it cools.
How to store these bagels
Let the bagels cool completely to room temperature first. Then store in an airtight container in the refrigerator and eat within 5 days. You can also store in the freezer for up to 3 months – freeze them individually wrapped and placed in a freezer friendly container. When ready, let thaw at room temp for a couple hours or in the refrigerator overnight.
A note on the yogurt
I tried many different yogurt brands for this recipe, and Stonyfield grass-fed greek yogurt and the 0% Chobani definitely worked the best in my option. The yogurt is super thick, which helped create a dense bagel compared to other brands. For some reason, other brands had a thinner, runny yogurt (even if it was 0%). You are more than welcome to use those brands, but please keep in mind that you will have to add more flour!
You want the dough to be smooth, not sticky. So add flour accordingly if using another brand. Some brands (Like Trader Joes), I added up to 1/3-1/2 cup more flour. So if you want an easy recipe, then just opt to purchase the Stonyfield grass-fed greek yogurt or the Chobani non-fat (0%).
Do these bagels toast well?
They do! I want you to know, though, that it takes a little longer than traditional bagels to get the nice golden brown look. Normal bagels are usually ready in about 6 minutes in my toaster, but I do 8-9 minutes for these bagels. Keep in mind that every toaster is different.
Other recipes you’ll love
Pumpkin Spice Protein Bagels (using pumpkin spice collagen)
Pumpkin Protein Bagels (using unflavored collagen)
I hope you love these Pumpkin Chai Protein Bagels! Please be sure to leave a comment and review if you try the recipe. It helps me a ton to receive feedback, and I love hearing from each of you!
PrintPumpkin Chai Protein Bagels
These Pumpkin Chai Protein Bagels are soft, subtly sweet, and full of cozy fall flavor. Made with pumpkin puree, chai spice, and Greek yogurt, they come together without yeast or long rise times. Each bagel gets a boost of protein from collagen peptides, making them a nourishing and satisfying breakfast or snack that’s as wholesome as it is delicious.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Total Time: 45 minutes
- Yield: 4 bagels 1x
- Category: breakfast, snack
- Method: Oven
Ingredients
Dry:
265g flour (1 1/2 cups packed), more as needed
33g (1/4 cup) collagen peptides
18g coconut sugar (2 Tbsp)
2 tsp (7g) baking powder, make sure it’s fresh so they rise well
2 tsp (6g) chai spice
1/2 tsp (2g) pink himalayan or sea salt
Wet:
170g (3/4 cup) thick, non-fat greek yogurt (I use Stonyfield grass-fed)
88 g pumpkin puree (1/3 cup)
Additional:
1 egg, whisked and set aside (a large egg would be enough for several batches)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Line a large baking sheet w/ parchment paper.
- In a mixing bowl, combine the dry ingredients.
- Add the yogurt and pumpkin and mix with a spatula until it’s a shaggy dough.
- Dump the shaggy dough onto a floured surface. Knead together with a floured hand until it’s a smooth ball. The dough should not be sticky, so add a bit more flour if needed.
- Let it rest for 5-10 minutes.
- Divide the dough into 4 equal portions. Roll each portion into a ball, stick your thumb through the center to create a hole and stretch and form into a large bagel with about 1.5” hole in the center. Repeat with each portion.
- Place them on the lined baking sheet and brush with the whisked egg for an egg wash.
- Bake the bagels for 28-35 minutes, or until med-deep golden brown on top. Remove from the oven and let them cool on the baking sheet. The texture becomes better as it cools.
To store: Let the bagels cool completely to room temperature first. Then store in an airtight container in the refrigerator and eat within 5 days. You can also store in the freezer for up to 3 months – freeze them individually wrapped and placed in a freezer friendly container. When ready, let thaw at room temp for a couple hours or in the refrigerator overnight.
NOTE: If using a regular yogurt that’s more runny (compared to greek yogurt) or if using a whole milk yogurt, then be sure to increase the flour in the recipe! The bagel dough should not be sticking to your fingers, so add a little at a time until it is no longer sticky. Every yogurt has a different consistency. I personally have success with Stonyfield Grass-fed 0% yogurt, Nancy’s grass-fed 0% greek yogurt, and also tried Chobani 0% with success as well. Stonyfield is what I created this recipe from.
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