Air Fryer Yogurt Bagels
By Emma
Certified Culinary Professional
•
Recipe tested & approved
Bagels made quickly in the air fryer with a tangy yogurt dough, coated in poppy and sesame seeds. Lightly crisp crust, chewy inside, no yeast needed. Uses baking powder and soda for leavening. Perfect for busy mornings without boiling or oven fuss. Ready from mixing to table in under 45 minutes. Dairy-forward flavor with Greek yogurt but flexible. Seed combo adds crunch and nutty taste.
Prep:
20 min
Cook:
30 min
Total:
50 min
Servings:
4 bagels
#air fryer
#bagels
#quick breads
#yogurt baking
#seed toppings
#no yeast
Bagels without yeast? Been there, done that. Using Greek yogurt cooks up tangy dough that’ll surprise you with plain flour and no rising time. Skip boiling steps that kill morning vibe. The air fryer? Goldmine. Crisp crust fast, chewy inside, small batch magic. Sometimes I mix whole wheat for bite and nuttiness. Seeds? Not just sesame. The poppy’s pop adds texture you didn’t know you wanted. Egg white glues them to dough like a charm without bleach-white look. Cooking times are a guide only—watch for golden shift, listen for the faint crunch as they bake. Tried this a dozen times, tweaked flour ratio, oil amount, all nail balance every time.
Ingredients
- 105 g (7/8 cup) all-purpose flour unbleached
- 60 g (1/2 cup) whole wheat flour
- 7 ml (1 1/2 tsp) baking powder
- 3 ml (3/4 tsp) sugar
- 3 ml (1/2 tsp) fine sea salt
- 1 ml (1/4 tsp) baking soda
- 200 ml (3/4 cup plus 1 tbsp) plain Greek yogurt 2%
- 40 g (2 tbsp) olive oil plus extra for basket
- 1 egg white beaten
- 15 g (2 tbsp) poppy seeds
- 15 g (2 tbsp) sesame seeds
About the ingredients
Flour: Adding whole wheat colors and adds bite; keep total flour weight similar. Baking powder and soda together trigger quick puff and slight tang from soda. Greek yogurt is the boss here- moisture holder and tang trump card. Sub swapping yogurt with skyr or thick sour cream works but adjust flour downward slightly if too wet. Egg white gives better seed adhesion without soggy spots like whole egg. Oil rounds out crust crunch, adds mouthfeel. Seeds can be switched to anything with texture: sunflower, flax, crushed nuts. Don’t skip salt—it hits flavor right and balances yogurt tartness.
Method
- Mix the flours, baking powder, sugar, salt, and baking soda in a bowl until evenly spotted white and light brown. The mix looks dusty but feels coarse.
- Add the Greek yogurt first then drizzle the oil over all. Mix with a spoon until the dough clings together sloppy, then switch to hands quickly to form a slightly sticky but smooth ball. Avoid over-kneading or dough gets tough.
- Cut dough into 4 uneven pieces—some bagels rustic, some rounder. Roll each piece into rough 25 cm (10 in) ropes. Pinch ends tightly so circle holds well during cooking or it unravels, ruining the shape.
- Set seeds on a shallow plate large enough to roll the bagels. Use egg white to brush one side; flip onto seeds to press and coat well. The egg white helps seeds stick without sogginess. Then brush opposite side lightly with oil.
- Preheat air fryer basket with a quick oil spritz to prevent sticking. Place 2 bagels, seed side up, spaced apart but not crowded. Cook at 185°C (365°F). Listen for soft crackles, watch for golden brown crust—usually 6–7 mins.
- Flip carefully with tongs. Cook another 5 mins till bottom browns too. The bagels should yield a hollow sound if tapped, crust firm but not brittle.
- Repeat with remaining bagels. Let cool fully on rack before slicing—not rushing this or they steam inside and get gummy.
- Try them toasted the next day—texture changes, seeds crisp more, slight tang sharpens.
- Pro tip: If dough is dry, add spoon of yogurt; if too sticky, dust with flour sparingly.
- Seeds swap: Try Everything Bagel seasoning or crushed walnuts for crunch twist.
- Got no air fryer? Bake on parchment at 200°C (400°F) for 12-15 mins flipping halfway. Watch color closely – too dark means bitter burnt crust.
Cooking tips
Start mixing dry first—ensures even rising agents spread. Use hand when dough thickens to check texture. Dough sticks? A little flour on board or hands only lightly; too much steals moisture. Shape ropes steady but with rough edges allowed—rustic spots mean bite. Pinch ends tight, unstable bagels spread too flat. Egg white works better than whole egg for seeds without brown spots. Don’t crowd fryer basket; airflow matters. Flip gently, listen for crust crisp. They don’t smell like store bagels but way fresher. Rest after cooking—cutting hot = gummy mess as steam trapped inside. Toasted next day changes profile completely—always a nice bonus. If air fryer absent, use oven; watch times and color closely, weaker heat doesn’t brown same or crust can go rubbery.
Chef's notes
- 💡 Dry mix powders first helps rise spread evenly. Baking soda plus powder both trigger lift plus slight tang from soda. Don’t over knead dough or bagels get tough. Start wet ingredients slow, big clumps form first, then fingers work in fast to sticky smooth ball. Rough shape ropes loosely but pinch ends tight or bagels fall flat. Seed adhesion needs egg white brushed, no whole egg or soggy spots show. Roll seed side gently, press but not smash seeds deep. Oil spray basket before air frying but lightly just enough to stop sticking.
- 💡 Bagels cook best spaced and spaced apart. Crowding stalls airflow inside air fryer basket, crust won’t crisp same. Listen for soft crackles, smell light toasty aroma, watch edges color shift gold brown before flipping. Flip gently with tongs; careless flips tear dough surface. After flip cook five more for even bottom crust color. Hollow tap sound signals done. Cook times vary with fryer brand so rely on ears eyes touch more than clock. Rest cooked bagels fully on rack. Cut hot, steam trapped, crumb turns gummy and dense.
- 💡 If dough feels dry, spoon in extra yogurt drop by drop. Too sticky? Dust flour lightly on hands or board, don’t dump too much flour or chew turns dense. For seed swaps, everything bagel seasoning works; crushed walnuts add crunch twist. Using skyr or sour cream instead of yogurt changes hydration: adjust flour down slightly or dough too wet to shape. Egg white double duty—helps seeds stick and crust browns more even without burn spots. Oil added to dough rounds crust texture, deeper crunch but skip too much or crust gets oily and crust less crisp.
- 💡 When baking air fryer absent, use oven at 200 C (400 F). Arrange bagels spaced on parchment. Flip halfway through 12 to 15 minutes cook time, watch color closely. Too dark means bitter burnt crust; lower temp next round or shorten bake. Bagels won’t brown same without air flow so rely on tap and hollow sound mainly. Dough consistency same except might need extra hands kneading due to oven bake time differences. Storage leftovers in paper bag helps keep crust crisp longer; plastic makes crust soggy and chewy instead.
- 💡 Mix flour types to add bite and complexity. Whole wheat colors dough and adds deep flavor but too much and bagels dense. Keep weight total close to balance rise. Salt balances tang of yogurt and adds crunch taste. Don’t skip salt or dough tastes flat and dull. Egg white brushed twice helps seeds stay put, seeds crisp out better than whole egg. Resting after bake important for crumb texture and flavor development. Toast next day to perk seeds crisp, aroma sharpens, crumb firm but chewy. Trust those sensory cues more than time alone.
Common questions
Why combine baking powder and soda?
Powder gives lift puff; soda adds tang sharpness. Reacts faster with yogurt acid. Balance needed. Too much soda tastes bitter. Both keep dough rising quick without yeast. Mix dry first to spread evenly; skip and get uneven rise.
Can I substitute yogurt type?
Use skyr or thick sour cream closest match. Watch moisture; might need less flour. Thin yogurts ruin shape. Texture changes slightly; more tang with sour cream. Keep fat content similar to keep crumb soft. Adjust oil minimally if dough too sticky.
Bottom bagel sticks sometimes?
Spray oil lightly in basket before cooking. Don’t crowd bagels. Flip bagels mid-cook to brown both sides. Use tongs gently or scraping tears crust. Rest rack after cooking stops steam moisture build-up; remove bagels fast to avoid soggy bottoms.
How to store leftovers?
Paper bag room temp keeps crust crisper but softens crumb a bit. Plastic wrap traps moisture; crust loses crunch fast. Refrigeration dries crumb out quickly; if must refrigerate, toast before eating. Freeze bagels sealed tight, thaw and toast restores texture best.
