Pin Recipe My gym buddy Marcus showed up one Saturday morning with these chocolate chip protein bagels, still warm from his oven, and I was absolutely skeptical—protein powder in a bagel? But one bite changed everything. The dough was impossibly soft and chewy, studded with melting chocolate, and that peanut butter drizzle brought this perfect sweetness that tasted nothing like the chalky protein shakes I'd been forcing down. I asked for the recipe immediately, and now they're my Saturday morning ritual.
I made a double batch for a Sunday hiking trip with friends, and watching everyone's faces light up when they bit into these—chocolate melting, peanut butter silk dripping down their fingers—made me realize these aren't just breakfast. They became our inside joke, the thing people ask about before they ask about the hike itself.
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Ingredients
- Bread flour (2 cups/250 g): This is the backbone of your chew—all-purpose won't give you that same tender density that makes bagels special.
- Vanilla protein powder (1 cup/100 g): The mild vanilla flavor disappears into the chocolate and peanut butter, so don't overthink it.
- Granulated sugar (2 tbsp): Just enough to wake up the yeast and add subtle sweetness without competing with the chocolate.
- Instant dry yeast (2 tsp): Check your expiration date—dead yeast means flat bagels, and flat bagels are heartbreak.
- Salt (1/2 tsp): Keeps the yeast from going wild and balances all the sweetness coming your way.
- Warm water (3/4 cup/180 ml at 110°F/43°C): Too hot and you kill the yeast, too cool and nothing rises—use a thermometer if you're nervous.
- Melted unsalted butter (1 tbsp plus more for brushing): Unsalted lets the chocolate and peanut butter be the stars.
- Semisweet chocolate chips (1/2 cup/90 g): Don't use cheap chocolate or those waxy chips—they melt flat and taste like disappointment.
- Water for boiling (2 quarts/2 liters): This creates the crucial crust that locks in that chewy interior.
- Honey or brown sugar for boiling water (2 tbsp): Adds subtle flavor and helps caramelize the outside.
- Creamy peanut butter (1/4 cup/60 g): Use the real stuff, not the natural separated kind—consistency matters here.
- Milk for drizzle (2 tbsp, dairy or plant-based): Loosens the peanut butter to the perfect drizzle consistency.
- Maple syrup or honey (1 tsp): Ties the whole drizzle together with a whisper of sweetness.
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Instructions
- Mix your dry team:
- Whisk together bread flour, protein powder, sugar, yeast, and salt in a large bowl—this helps everything distribute evenly so you don't get pockets of pure yeast taste. Think of it like introducing your ingredients before the party starts.
- Bring it together:
- Pour in the warm water and melted butter, mixing until you've got a shaggy, slightly sticky dough. It won't look pretty yet, and that's exactly right.
- Knead into silk:
- Work the dough by hand or with a dough hook for 6 to 8 minutes until it transforms into something smooth and elastic that springs back when you poke it. This is where the magic happens—you're developing gluten strands that create the chew.
- Fold in the chocolate:
- Gently knead in the chocolate chips, being careful not to crush them into oblivion. They should stay as distinct little pockets of melty joy throughout the bagel.
- Let it breathe:
- Pop the dough into a lightly greased bowl, cover it with a damp towel, and leave it somewhere warm for 30 to 40 minutes—you're looking for it to nearly double in size. A cold kitchen means longer rising time, so don't stress if it takes longer.
- Shape your bagels:
- Punch down the dough, divide it into 6 equal pieces (a kitchen scale makes this foolproof), and roll each into a ball. Poke a hole in the center and gently stretch it into a bagel shape—they shouldn't be perfectly uniform and honestly, the wonky ones taste better.
- Prep your water bath:
- Get 2 quarts of water simmering with honey or brown sugar in a wide pot while your oven preheats to 375°F (190°C). This honey water is what creates that signature bagel crust.
- The boil:
- Working in batches so you don't overcrowd the pot, gently drop bagels into simmering water and boil for 30 seconds per side using a slotted spoon to flip and remove them. They should sink, then float—that's when you know they're ready.
- Brush and bake:
- Transfer boiled bagels to a parchment-lined baking sheet, brush lightly with melted butter, and slide them into the oven for 18 to 20 minutes until they're golden brown and firm. The crust should have a slight sheen when they come out.
- Cool with patience:
- Let them rest on a wire rack for at least 5 minutes—I know it's torture, but cutting into a too-hot bagel will collapse the crumb structure. This is when they really set up and become the perfect chewy texture.
- Make your drizzle magic:
- Whisk peanut butter, milk, and maple syrup together in a small bowl until you've got something pourable but not watery. Taste it—if you want it sweeter, add a tiny bit more syrup.
- Final touch:
- Drizzle the peanut butter mixture over cooled bagels in whatever pattern makes you happy. A fork works great for creating thin lines, or you can just let it pool naturally—it's your bagel.
Pin Recipe Last month my daughter came home from school asking why her friends' breakfasts were so boring, and I handed her one of these while it was still slightly warm. She took it to school the next day and apparently became the most popular kid in her grade for exactly fifteen minutes. That's when I knew these bagels were more than a recipe—they were a love language.
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Why The Boiling Step Matters So Much
When I first made these, I was impatient and skipped the boiling, thinking the oven would do the same job. Wrong. Those bagels baked up light and fluffy like bread rolls, and I was genuinely disappointed until I realized what I'd missed. The boiling creates that thin, chewy, slightly crunchy crust that seals in moisture and makes each bite feel authentic. It's the difference between a breakfast bread and an actual bagel, and it takes maybe five minutes total.
Chocolate Chip Distribution Secrets
The first time I made these, I dumped all the chocolate chips in at once with zero finesse, and they all sank to the bottom of the dough. The bottom bagel got basically a chocolate chip pancake situation while the tops were bare. Now I knead them in gently, folding the dough over itself repeatedly to distribute them evenly throughout. You can also try doing this in two additions if your dough is sticky—it takes a little longer but you get that gorgeous speckled effect throughout.
Storage and Make-Ahead Hacks
These bagels actually improve slightly on day two as the crumb sets up further, so don't panic if you make a full batch and can't eat them all immediately. Store them in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days, or freeze them wrapped individually in plastic wrap for up to a month—just thaw and gently toast them to refresh the crust. The peanut butter drizzle is best applied fresh, but you can drizzle and refrigerate for up to 24 hours if you're prepping ahead.
- Freeze unbaked shaped bagels for up to a week, then boil and bake straight from frozen (add 2 to 3 minutes to boiling time).
- Make the drizzle ahead and store it in the fridge—it'll thicken slightly but reheats beautifully with a few seconds in the microwave.
- Leftover bagels can be sliced and toasted like regular bagels, or split and turned into breakfast sandwiches with cream cheese and jam.
Pin Recipe There's something deeply satisfying about pulling bagels from the oven, watching that peanut butter drizzle melt slightly into the warm crust, and knowing you made something that feels both indulgent and actually good for you. These will become your thing too.
Recipe FAQs
- → How do I achieve the chewy texture in these bagels?
Boiling the shaped dough briefly before baking creates the characteristic chewy crust, locking in moisture and structure.
- → Can I substitute the protein powder with another ingredient?
Yes, you can use a plant-based or dairy protein powder depending on your preference to maintain the nutritional balance.
- → What is the purpose of the peanut butter drizzle?
The peanut butter drizzle adds rich, creamy flavor and a touch of sweetness, complementing the chocolate chips beautifully.
- → How long should the dough rise before baking?
Allow the dough to rise for 30–40 minutes until nearly doubled in size to develop lightness and flavor.
- → Are there alternatives to chocolate chips in this preparation?
Dark chocolate chunks or dried fruits such as raisins can be used as add-ins for varied texture and taste.
