I love recipes that give you big flavor with very little fuss. These bagels use just a handful of pantry staples and Greek yogurt to make soft, slightly chewy rings studded with raisins and warming cinnamon. They’re a reliable morning fix when you want something homemade without a whole day of planning.
There’s no bulky yeast schedule here — no proofing and watching the dough rise. You’ll mix, shape, egg-wash, and bake. The method is forgiving, and the results are honest: golden-topped bagels with a tender interior and a touch of sweetness from the raisins.
Practical, quick, and satisfying. This version keeps things simple but gives you room to tweak textures and add finishing touches, which I’ll cover below.
The Essentials
These bagels hinge on two main techniques: a yogurt-based quick dough and an egg wash finish for color. The self-rising flour handles leavening for you, so you don’t need yeast. The cinnamon adds aroma and warmth, and the raisins bring pockets of sweetness that bloom in the oven.
Plan for a short hands-on time (mixing and shaping) and about 25–30 minutes in active oven time plus the brief increase in heat at the end to brown the tops. Use room-temperature yogurt if possible — it mixes more evenly. If your dough looks dry when you first add 1 cup of yogurt, add more little by little as the instructions specify.
Ingredients
- 2 cups self-rising flour — the structure and lift for these bagels; no yeast needed.
- 1½ teaspoons ground cinnamon — gives the dough its warm spice note.
- 1 to 2 cups nonfat Greek yogurt (see instructions for details) — binds the dough and provides tenderness; adjust within the range to get the right texture.
- ½ cup raisins — folded into the dough for bursts of sweetness.
- 1 large egg — makes the egg wash to give the tops a glossy, browned finish.
- pinch of salt — added to the egg wash for seasoning.
- 1 teaspoon water — mixed into the egg wash to thin it for brushing.
2 Ingredient Cinnamon Raisin Bagels Cooking Guide
Follow these steps in order. I keep quantities and sequence exactly as written so the dough behaves predictably. If you want a brief tip before starting: work on a lightly floured surface and keep your hands floured while shaping.
- Preheat the oven to 375°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
- In a large bowl, stir together 2 cups self-rising flour and 1½ teaspoons ground cinnamon.
- Add 1 cup of the nonfat Greek yogurt to the flour mixture and stir until it forms a shaggy, clumping dough. If the dough is still dry, add more yogurt, a little at a time, up to the remaining yogurt (total 1 to 2 cups) until the dough is cohesive and not quite sticky.
- Stir in the ½ cup raisins until evenly distributed.
- Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface. Knead by hand for about 5 minutes, until the dough is smooth and elastic. If the dough is sticky, sprinkle a small amount of the self-rising flour on the surface or your hands as needed.
- Divide the dough into 8 equal pieces. Shape each piece into a ball.
- Use your thumb to poke a hole through the center of each ball and gently stretch the hole to form a ring (about a uniform-sized bagel). Flour your hands as needed to prevent sticking.
- Arrange the shaped bagels on the prepared baking sheet, leaving space between them. If you want extra raisins on top, reserve a few from the ½ cup when mixing and press them onto the tops now.
- Make the egg wash: whisk the 1 large egg, the pinch of salt, and 1 teaspoon water together until smooth. Brush the egg wash evenly over each bagel.
- Bake at 375°F for 20 to 22 minutes, rotating the baking sheet once halfway through baking.
- Remove the baking sheet briefly from the oven, increase the oven temperature to 450°F, then return the sheet to the oven and bake for an additional 3 to 4 minutes, until the tops are browned.
- Remove the bagels from the oven and let cool slightly before serving. Store cooled bagels in a sealed container at room temperature up to 24 hours or refrigerate up to 3 days; freeze individually wrapped if desired.
Top Reasons to Make 2 Ingredient Cinnamon Raisin Bagels
- Speed: No need to wait for yeast to bloom — the dough comes together fast.
- Simplicity: Minimal ingredients, most likely already in your pantry or fridge.
- Flavor: Cinnamon and raisins create a cozy combination that’s breakfast-friendly and snack-ready.
- Flexibility: The dough accepts small tweaks in texture (more or less yogurt) without failing.
- Kid-friendly: Shaping is a fun activity for kids — they can make their own mini bagels.
Swap Guide
- Yogurt texture: You can try full-fat Greek yogurt instead of nonfat for a richer crumb. The source recipe calls for nonfat, but the dough works with thicker yogurts.
- Fruit swaps: If you dislike raisins, swap for currants or chopped dried apricots — just keep the ½ cup total dried fruit.
- Flour: The recipe relies on self-rising flour. If you don’t have it, you’ll need to add baking powder and salt to plain flour (not covered here since ingredients must stay as given).
- Spice adjustments: Increase or decrease the 1½ teaspoons ground cinnamon to taste, or add a pinch of nutmeg for depth.
Gear Up: What to Grab
- A large mixing bowl — room to stir and fold without spillage.
- Parchment-lined baking sheet — for easy release and cleanup.
- Measuring cups and spoons — accurate flour measurement keeps texture consistent.
- A whisk or fork for the egg wash — smooth brushing is important for even color.
- Bench scraper or knife — helps divide dough into even portions.
Mistakes Even Pros Make
- Using too much flour while kneading — it can dry the dough. Keep additions minimal and add yogurt instead if the dough feels too stiff (within the 1 to 2 cup range).
- Skipping the egg wash — you’ll miss that golden, bakery-style finish that also helps any extra raisins stick.
- Uneven shaping — holes that are too small will close up while baking; aim for a uniform hole so the bagel looks like a bagel when finished.
- Baking without rotating halfway — ovens have hot spots; rotate once for even color and doneness.
Allergy-Friendly Swaps
- Dairy-free: Substitute a thick dairy-free plain yogurt (such as coconut-based) for the nonfat Greek yogurt, keeping the 1 to 2 cup guideline. Texture will vary slightly.
- Egg-free finish: Skip the egg wash and brush with a light milk alternative or a thin water-sugar mix for some shine; this removes the egg but keeps some color.
- Gluten-free: This recipe relies on self-rising wheat flour and won’t work as written with gluten-free blends unless they are specifically formulated to mimic self-rising flour. Proceed with a tested gluten-free conversion if needed.
Cook’s Commentary
I make these when I want the comfort of a bakery bagel without the day-long commitment. The trickiest part is getting the dough to the right tackiness — not dry, not sticky. Start with 1 cup yogurt and move slowly. I like to reserve a few raisins to press on top because they toast and look beautiful when browned.
The final high-heat blast at 450°F gives the tops that bakery-style color without overbaking the interiors. Watch carefully during that last 3–4 minutes; ovens vary, and a minute too long can push them from golden to too-dark.
If you like a chewier crust, flatten the rings slightly before the first bake so more surface area gets crisped. If you prefer a softer exterior, keep them a bit thicker.
Make-Ahead & Storage
- Room temperature: Store cooled bagels in a sealed container at room temperature up to 24 hours.
- Refrigerate: Keep in the fridge up to 3 days in an airtight container.
- Freeze: Wrap individually and freeze. Thaw at room temperature, then warm in a 350°F oven for 5–10 minutes or toast from frozen.
- Reheating tip: For a fresher texture, slice and toast or warm in a skillet with a little butter for 1–2 minutes per side.
Top Questions & Answers
- Q: Can I use whole-milk Greek yogurt instead of nonfat? — Yes. The recipe lists nonfat, but whole-milk Greek yogurt will work and give a slightly richer crumb.
- Q: My dough was sticky. What went wrong? — Sticky dough usually means too much yogurt or insufficient flour on the work surface. Sprinkle a small amount of the self-rising flour on your hands and work surface as you knead.
- Q: Can I skip the raisins? — You can omit them or replace them with an equal amount of another dried fruit; keep the ½ cup total.
- Q: Will these be as chewy as boiled bagels? — They won’t have the exact chewiness of traditionally boiled bagels, but they will be tender and pleasantly dense; shaping and baking technique help achieve a bagel-like bite.
- Q: How do I make them sweeter or less sweet? — Adjust by adding more raisins or pressing a light sprinkle of sugar on top before baking; reduce raisins or cinnamon slightly to tone sweetness down.
Time to Try It
These bagels are a reliable, low-fuss recipe for mornings when you want something homemade. Follow the steps exactly the first time, especially the yogurt range and the two-stage bake. Once you know how your oven handles the timing, you can fine-tune texture and color. Pull out your mixing bowl and give them a go — fresh cinnamon raisin bagels at home are worth the short effort. Enjoy, and let me know what small tweak you make next time.
2 Ingredient Cinnamon Raisin Bagels
Ingredients
Ingredients
- 2 cupsself-rising flour
- 1 1/2 teaspoonsground cinnamon
- 1 to 2 cupsnonfat Greek yogurt see instructions for details
- 1/2 cupraisins
- 1 largeegg
- pinch ofsalt
- 1 teaspoonwater
Instructions
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
- In a large bowl, stir together 2 cups self-rising flour and 1½ teaspoons ground cinnamon.
- Add 1 cup of the nonfat Greek yogurt to the flour mixture and stir until it forms a shaggy, clumping dough. If the dough is still dry, add more yogurt, a little at a time, up to the remaining yogurt (total 1 to 2 cups) until the dough is cohesive and not quite sticky.
- Stir in the ½ cup raisins until evenly distributed.
- Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface. Knead by hand for about 5 minutes, until the dough is smooth and elastic. If the dough is sticky, sprinkle a small amount of the self-rising flour on the surface or your hands as needed.
- Divide the dough into 8 equal pieces. Shape each piece into a ball.
- Use your thumb to poke a hole through the center of each ball and gently stretch the hole to form a ring (about a uniform-sized bagel). Flour your hands as needed to prevent sticking.
- Arrange the shaped bagels on the prepared baking sheet, leaving space between them. If you want extra raisins on top, reserve a few from the ½ cup when mixing and press them onto the tops now.
- Make the egg wash: whisk the 1 large egg, the pinch of salt, and 1 teaspoon water together until smooth. Brush the egg wash evenly over each bagel.
- Bake at 375°F for 20 to 22 minutes, rotating the baking sheet once halfway through baking.
- Remove the baking sheet briefly from the oven, increase the oven temperature to 450°F, then return the sheet to the oven and bake for an additional 3 to 4 minutes, until the tops are browned.
- Remove the bagels from the oven and let cool slightly before serving. Store cooled bagels in a sealed container at room temperature up to 24 hours or refrigerate up to 3 days; freeze individually wrapped if desired.
Equipment
- Baking Sheet
- Parchment Paper
- Large Bowl
- Whisk
- Brush
- work surface
Notes
To make a bagel with more "chew," substitute bread flour for AP flour in homemade self-rising flour recipe listed above.
Use strained thick Greek yogurt.Stay away from those that are labeled "Greek style" yogurt as they tend to have more moisture. Suggested brands include: Fage Total 0% Greek Yogurt and Stonyfield Greek Yogurt. If there is any liquid in your yogurt, it should be drained before using. Thick Greek yogurt works the best!
The dough can also be mixed together in a stand mixer using a dough hook attachment. Add the ingredients to a mixing bowl and mix on low speed until a shaggy dough forms. Increase to medium speed and knead until the dough no longer sticks to the sides of the bowl.
When rotating the baking sheet, check if the bottoms of the bagels are browning too fast. If so, simply place another baking sheet under the current baking sheet and continue baking.
