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Not to sound too cheesy, but my classic bagels just got three times better! With 3 different types of cheese, homemade Three Cheese Bagels are udderly delicious.

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bagel with cheese on the top setting on a flat surface with parchment paper.

3 Reasons You’ll LOVE Three Cheese Bagels

Make no mistake, homemade bagels actually aren’t that hard to bake! And this recipe in particular is easy-peasy, nice and cheesy. I will walk you through every step and help you realize that you’ve been needlessly wasting money on subpar bagels for far too long.
With three different types of cheese, these are packed with flavor and unbelievably irresistible. While I love the combo of parmesan, cheddar and monterey jack, you can combine any flavors you’d like to truly make these your own.
They make the VERY BEST base for the tastiest breakfast sandwiches or are delicious simply toasted and topped with melty butter. Anyway you slice it, 3 cheese bagels reign supreme.

cheese bagels in a pile on a wire cooling rack with one broken in half in the center of the photo.

Ingredients for 3 Cheese Bagels

Warm water (105°F -113°F)
Dry active yeast
Brown sugar, packed – Most bagel places use barley malt in their bagels but that isn’t something that is super available so we are using brown sugar which is a pretty good replacement.
Bread flour – Bread flour is a must. Trust me. I resisted for so so long but it makes THE biggest difference in your bagels. They will stay fresh for DAYS, won’t dry out and will give us the best most bagely texture ever.
Salt
Shredded Sharp Cheddar
Shredded Parmesan Cheese
Shredded Monterey Jack Cheese

How to Make 3 Cheese Bagels

In a small bowl, add the warm water, dry active yeast and brown sugar. Stir to combine and set aside.
In a large bowl or in the bowl of a stand mixer, add the 4 1/2 cups of bread flour, salt and 1/2 cup of shredded cheese. Stir to combine.
After a rest period of about 5 minutes, your yeast mixture should be bubbly and foamy. Add the yeast mixture to the dry ingredients.
If using a stand mixer, use the dough hook and knead for 10 minutes, you will most likely need to add the extra 3 tbsp of flour to keep the dough workable but soft.
If mixing by hand, start by stirring the dry ingredients into the yeast mixture until a shaggy dough forms. At this point, pour the contents onto a clean surface and knead by hand for 10 minutes. Add the extra 2-3 tbsp of bread flour as needed to keep the dough soft but workable. Knead by Pushing the dough, turning and folding it in half. Repeating this for 10 minutes.
Once the dough has finished kneading, allow the dough to rest for 5 minutes.
Use a sharp knife or bench scraper to cut the dough into 8 equal sized pieces. (Cut the dough in half, then each half in half again and then once more)
Take each portion of dough and knead into a tight ball.
Once in a ball, press your thumb into the center of the ball and gently squeeze and pull the dough while rotating it around your thumb to create the bagel shape. Place onto a parchment or silicone lined 3/4 cookie sheet (this is just a larger cookie sheet).
Repeat with the remaining dough.

Rise & Bake Your Bagels

Cover the cookie sheet with plastic wrap and allow the bagels to rise for 30 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 425°F once the bagels have risen for 30 minutes.
In a large pot, boil about 4 inches of water.
Once the water is at a rolling boil, carefully drop the risen bagels into the boiling water one by one. You may have to do this in a few batches.
Boil the bagels for about 1 minute, flip over to the other side and boil for an additional minute.
Using a large slotted spoon or spider strainer remove the bagels and return to the lined cookie sheet.
Repeat with the remaining bagels. While the next batch of bagels are boiling, top the boiled ones with shredded cheese.
Once all of the bagels have boiled and are topped with shredded cheese, bake in the 425° F oven for 15-17 minutes or until golden brown.
Allow the bagels to cool for 10 minutes before cutting and enjoying.
Store in a zip top bag at room temperature for up to 3 days. Enjoy!

How to store a Three Cheese Bagel

Store your bagels in an airtight zip lock bag on the counter for up to 3 days (and beyond)!

Do cheese bagels need to be refrigerated?

Nope! Even though these bagels contain cheese, you’re good to store these at room temperature.

pin image for the cheese bagels with text overlay.

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5 from 3 votes

Three Cheese Bagels

By: Karli Bitner

Not to sound too cheesy, but my classic bagels just got three times better! With 3 different types of cheese, homemade Three Cheese Bagels are udderly delicious.

Prep Time: 30

Cook Time: 15

Rest Time: 30

Servings: bagels

Ingredients

▢ 2 cups warm water (105° F- 113° F)
▢ 1 1/2 tbsp dry active yeast
▢ 1 tbsp brown sugar, packed
▢ 4 1/2-4 3/4 cup bread flour
▢ 2 tsp salt
▢ 2 cups shredded cheese mix (Parmesan, Monterey Jack, and Cheddar)

Instructions

In a small bowl, add the warm water, dry active yeast and brown sugar. Stir to combine and set aside.
In a large bowl or in the bowl of a stand mixer, add the 4 1/2 cups of bread flour, salt and 1/2 cup of shredded cheese. Stir to combine.
After a rest period of about 5 minutes, your yeast mixture should be bubbly and foamy. Add the yeast mixture to the dry ingredients.
If using a stand mixer, use the dough hook and knead for 10 minutes, you will most likely need to add the extra 3 tbsp of flour to keep the dough workable but soft.
If mixing by hand, start by stirring the dry ingredients into the yeast mixture until a shaggy dough forms. At this point, pour the contents onto a clean surface and knead by hand for 10 minutes. Add the extra 2-3 tbsp of bread flour as needed to keep the dough soft but workable. Knead by Pushing the dough, turning and folding it in half. Repeating this for 10 minutes.
Once the dough has finished kneading, allow the dough to rest for 5 minutes.
Use a sharp knife or bench scraper to cut the dough into 8 equal sized pieces. (Cut the dough in half, then each half in half again and then once more)
Take each portion of dough and knead into a tight ball.
Once in a ball, press your thumb into the center of the ball and gently squeeze and pull the dough while rotating it around your thumb to create the bagel shape. Place onto a parchment or silicone lined 3/4 cookie sheet (this is just a larger cookie sheet).
Repeat with the remaining dough.
Cover the cookie sheet with plastic wrap and allow the bagels to rise for 30 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 425°F once the bagels have risen for 30 minutes.
In a large pot, boil about 4 inches of water.
Once the water is at a rolling boil, carefully drop the risen bagels into the boiling water one by one. You may have to do this in a few batches.
Boil the bagels for about 1 minute, flip over to the other side and boil for an additional minute.
Using a large slotted spoon or spider strainer remove the bagels and return to the lined cookie sheet.
Repeat with the remaining bagels. While the next batch of bagels are boiling, top the boiled ones with shredded cheese.
Once all of the bagels have boiled and are topped with shredded cheese, bake in the 425° F oven for 15-17 minutes or until golden brown.
Allow the bagels to cool for 10 minutes before cutting and enjoying.
Store in a zip top bag at room temperature for up to 3 days. Enjoy!