Stuffed Bagel Bites – Healthier Version

These cream cheese stuffed bagel bites have less than half of the calories of average bagels and are also packed with extra nutrients.

I love bagels, but they are not exactly guilt-free snacks. The average calorie of a plain bagel is 360 calories, and if you add one tablespoon of cream cheese, the calories go up to 430 calories 🙁

So I decided to make a lower-calorie (less-guilty) version of bagels. These stuffed bagel bites are only 139 calories each WITH cream cheese, and I also incorporated special ingredients for extra nutrients.

Ingredients for These Stuffed Bagel Bites

• Bread Flour – Bread flour has higher protein content than all-purpose flour. Protein keeps you full longer and produces more gluten, which gives a chewier texture.
• Oatmeal (Oat Flour) – By simply grinding oatmeal, I created oat flour. Oat flour has more protein and soluble fiber than all-purpose flour.
• Kosher Salt
• Active Dry Yeast
• Warm Water – for yeast
• Sugar – for yeast
• Olive Oil
• Everything Bagel Seasoning – or any seasoning you like
• Low-Fat Cream Cheese (Neufchatel Cheese)
• Feta Cheese – low-calorie and low-fat cheese and also a good source of B vitamins, calcium, and phosphorus.

Tips for Baking These Stuffed Bagel Bites

Baking bagels at home is not as difficult as you may think. Here are some helpful tips before starting the process:

Kneading

Not kneading enough or kneading too much will be a problem. Knead until the dough is smooth on the outside, springs back when pressed on with your fingers, and is no longer sticky. ^[1]

Rising Dough

The best temperature for yeast fermentation is between 90˚F-95˚F (32˚C-35˚C) ^[2], but what if you are in a cold environment? Instead of cranking up the room temperature, heat your oven to the lowest temperature that you can set to (Mine was 170˚F). Then, turn it off and slightly leave the door open. Cool the inside till it hits somewhat similar to a hot summer day temperature. Then place the dough to rise inside the oven and close the door.

Instruction

Preparation (If you are making homemade oat flour) – Grind quick oats or any oats in a blender/food processor until they become fine powders.

1. In a large mixing bowl or the bowl of your stand mixer fitted with a hook attachment, combine the active dry yeast and warm water. Stir it around and let sit for 5 minutes until the mixture is foamy.
2. Add bread flour, oat flour, sugar, and salt. Mix by hand or with the dough hook at low speed for 1 minute. Once all of the ingredients are mixed, add olive oil and slowly knead by hand or with your dough hook on low-medium speed until all is combined. After kneading, your dough should be smooth and elastic.

3. Shape the dough into a ball. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and allow to rise in a warm environment (about 75°F or 80°F/24°C or 27°C)* for 1 hour or until doubled in size.

4. While the dough is rising, prepare a cream cheese mixture. Put cream cheese and feta cheese in a small bowl and mix until combined. Set it aside in the refrigerator. 

5. Once the dough has risen, punch the dough down to release the air. Divide the dough into 30g each (or about the size of a ping pong ball). Flatten each piece with your fingers or use a rolling pin. Place the cream cheese mixture in the center of the flattened dough, then fold the dough around to wrap the filling inside. Pinch the opening to seal as best as you can. Repeat this process until you have 14 bagel bites and set them aside in a warm environment.

6. Preheat the oven to 400F.

7. In a large pot, start heating up some water. Once the water starts boiling, drop the bagel bites and boil them for about 1 minute. Then take them out of the water and drain.

8. In a small bowl, place Everything bagel seasoning. Roll the bagel bites in the seasoning to coat them all around then place them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.

9. Bake the bagel bites for 10 minutes or until the tops are golden brown. Remove the bagel bites from the oven and allow them to cool.

If you like these stuffed bagel bites, you may also like:

• Ham and Cheese Pockets – Rilakkuma
• Mini Cream Puffs – 0 Carbs and 0 Sugar
• Mini Chocolate Cheesecakes – Low-Sugar & Crustless