Easy Parmesan Asiago Cheese Bagels will dazzle your tastebuds. The sharp, crunchy cheese paired with the classic chewy crust and soft inside, this bagel is sure to leave anyone speechless.
Parmesan Asiago Cheese Bagels- My favorite at first taste!!
The first time I had a parmesan asiago cheese bagel was while I was living on the East Coast. There was a little bagel shop right off of a walking path that was next to my friends house.
We would go walking on that path quite often, we would walk, talk, complain and find solitude in being mom’s of little littles while our husbands were in grad school together. (Thank heavens for amazing friends, right? I wish we lived closer now!) I can’t even count how many times we’ve texted while our husband’s were taking big exams together, us being more nervous than our husbands most of the time.
Every once in a while when we were walking on the path, we would make it far enough that we would stop off and visit this little bagel shop. Their parmesan asiago bagels were to die for! Now that I live 3,000 miles away, I make them myself!
Using the Instant Pot to make Asiago Cheese Bagels QUICKLY!
I like to use my Instant Pot to speed up the rising process and to boil the bagels (to get that chewiness!) BUT you could definitely make these without the Instant Pot.. it just won’t be quite as quick.
The Instant Pot’s yogurt button keeps the Instant Pot at the perfect temperature for proofing (or rising) bread dough. I do this with my dinner rolls, cinnamon rolls, pizza dough, French bread.. you name it! It cuts down the rise time by half, usually!
The bagel dough will rise in the warm Instant Pot for 30 minutes, as apposed to 1-2 hours on the countertop.
How to roll and shape the perfect Bagel
Once the dough has risen and taken a little rest, it is time to shape the bagels! This is definitely the most intimidating part. Don’t be intimidated, though! It really isn’t as hard as you think!
This recipe makes 6 regular sized bagels or 8 mini bagels. I usually opt for the mini bagels. Perfect for little hands!
First, flatten the dough and then gather the edges together to create a ball. Pinch the dough to create a tight ball. (See video below!) Then, use your thumb and stab it through the center of the ball. Work the dough around your thumb until the hole in the middle is about 1 1/2 inches wide. (Again, see the video below! It will show you how this is done!)
How to get the perfect Chewy Bagel Crust
Once the bagels are shaped, BOIL the dough! The longer you boil, the chewier it will be.
I like to, once again, use my Instant Pot for this! While I am shaping the dough I get the water boiling in the Instant Pot on the saute setting. It is so nice to be able to do everything quickly in one pot!
The bagels will grow a bit in size while boiling. I usually fit about 3 bagels in the Instant Pot at one time.
After all of the bagels have been boiled, it is time for an egg wash! The egg wash helps with the color of the finished bagel and (most importantly) helps the cheese stay on the bagel.
I used a mix of asiago and parmesan that I found by the parmesan cheese in the refrigerator section at my grocery store. The brand is Kraft. Then the bagels bake in the oven until they are golden to perfection! 
Bake the bagels on parchment paper or a silicone liner. Bake at 425° for 25-30 minutes.
How should I store my Homemade Bagels?
The best way to store your homemade bagels is in the FREEZER. Seriously! Because these bagels are homemade, they don’t have the extra preservatives like the store-bought bagels do. This means their shelf life isn’t like the store-bought bagels, either.
If you are not planning on eating the bagels in one day, I would suggest slicing the bagel in half as soon as it has cooled, transfer to a zip top bag and freeze immediately.
When you want to eat the bagel, just pull from the freezer and pop it into the toaster. Good as new!
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More Bread Recipes
Easy Parmesan Asiago Cheese Bagel
Ingredients
- 1/2 tsp dry active yeast
- 1 1/2 tbsp sugar divided
- 1 cup water divided
- 3 1/4 cup flour
- 5 tsp baking powder
- 2 1/4 tsp salt
- 1 egg white
- 1/4 cup Parmesan and Asiago cheese mix shredded
Instructions
- Add the yeast, 1/2 Tbsp sugar, and 1/2 cup of warm water to the bottom of the bowl of a stand mixer. Let it proof and get bubbly for 5 minutes.
- After the yeast has proofed, add the remaining sugar, flour, baking powder and salt. Start mixing on low and gradually add in the water. The dough will be thick and shouldn't stick to the bowl at all. If you live in an extremely dry or humid climate, you may need to either add a little water or a little flour to get the right consistency.
- Spray the pot of your Instant Pot with non stick spray. Turn on the Instant Pot to the NORMAL Yogurt setting. Place the dough inside and cover with a glass lid. Let it rise for 30 minutes. Once the 30 minutes is up, punch down the dough and remove it from the Instant Pot, then let it rest on the counter for 10 minutes.
- Preheat oven to 425°. Add about 5 inches of water to your Instant Pot liner and set the Instant Pot to saute HIGH. Cover with a lid and bring the water to a boil.
- Once the dough has been resting for 10 minutes, divide the dough into the number of bagels you want. You'll be able to make 6 regular sized bagels or 8 smaller bagels. After you've divided the dough, roll each portion into a tight ball.
- Once all of the dough has been rolled into a ball, use your thumb and stab it through the center of the ball. Work the dough around your thumb until the hole in the middle is about 1 1/2 inches wide.
- Drop the shaped dough into the boiling water and boil for 2-3 minutes on each side. Use the end of a wooden spoon to flip them. I can usually fit 3 or 4 bagels into the Instant Pot at once so I boil in two batches.
- After the bagels have been boiled, place them onto a greased or silicone-lined cookie sheet. Brush the egg white onto the bagel and then sprinkle with the parmesan and asiago cheese mix.
- Bake at 425° for 25-30 minutes or until golden brown. Cool completely and then go nuts over these delicious little guys!
Notes
Easy Parmesan Asiago Cheese Bagel (Printable Recipe Below)
Easy Parmesan Asiago Cheese Bagels will dazzle your tastebuds. The sharp, crunchy cheese paired with the classic chewy crust and soft inside, this bagel is sure to leave anyone speechless.
Ingredients
1/2 tsp active dry yeast
1 1/2 Tbsp sugar divided
1 cup water divided
3 1/4 cup flour
5 tsp baking powder
2 1/4 tsp salt
1 egg white
1/4 cup parmesan and asiago cheese mix shredded
Instructions
-
Add the yeast, 1/2 Tbsp sugar, and 1/2 cup of warm water to the bottom of the bowl of a stand mixer. Let it proof and get bubbly for 5 minutes.
-
After the yeast has proofed, add the remaining sugar, flour, baking powder and salt. Start mixing on low and gradually add in the water. The dough will be thick and shouldn’t stick to the bowl at all. If you live in an extremely dry or humid climate, you may need to either add a little water or a little flour to get the right consistency.
-
Spray the pot of your Instant Pot with non stick spray. Turn on the Instant Pot to the NORMAL Yogurt setting. Place the dough inside and cover with a glass lid. Let it rise for 30 minutes. Once the 30 minutes is up, punch down the dough and remove it from the Instant Pot, then let it rest on the counter for 10 minutes.
-
Preheat oven to 425°. Add about 5 inches of water to your Instant Pot liner and set the Instant Pot to saute HIGH. Cover with a lid and bring the water to a boil.
-
Once the dough has been resting for 10 minutes, divide the dough into the number of bagels you want. You’ll be able to make 6 regular sized bagels or 8 smaller bagels. After you’ve divided the dough, roll each portion into a tight ball.
-
Once all of the dough has been rolled into a ball, use your thumb and stab it through the center of the ball. Work the dough around your thumb until the hole in the middle is about 1 1/2 inches wide.
-
Drop the shaped dough into the boiling water and boil for 2-3 minutes on each side. Use the end of a wooden spoon to flip them. I can usually fit 3 or 4 bagels into the Instant Pot at once so I boil in two batches.
-
After the bagels have been boiled, place them onto a greased or silicone-lined cookie sheet. Brush the egg white onto the bagel and then sprinkle with the parmesan and asiago cheese mix.
- Bake at 425° for 25-30 minutes or until golden brown.
To proof dough in the Instant Pot you’ll need an Instant Pot with a yogurt button. If you don’t have the yogurt button (or an Instant Pot!), there is still hope for a quick rise! (You’re welcome! )
Turn your oven on to warm for about 5 minutes, TURN THE OVEN OFF and then place the dough in a greased bowl inside the warm oven instead of in the Instant Pot. If you have further questions on this, comment below. I am happy to help!
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Nikita says
I don’t have a stand mixer, would a hand mixer or a food processor with a dough blade work at all? Also could I use the regular IP lid for proofing the dough on the yogurt setting? Thanks!
karlibitner says
You could knead the dough by hand, it may just take a little bit of muscle. ? I’m not sure about a food processor with a dough blade. I don’t have any experience with those. As for the regular lid on the IP, yes you can use that! Just set it to venting and take the seal out so the bread doesn’t take on the flavor of the last dinner you made. ?
Tracy Nilson says
Can I use almond flour?
Karli Bitner says
Hi Tracy- I haven’t tested this so I can’t say how the final result would be. If you give it a try, let me know how they turn out!
Tammy Chang says
I don’t have a glass lid. Will it be ok just using the regular lid. What is the reason behind using the glass one? Is it just so you can see it? Thanks for this recipe! I’m very excited to try it this weekend!
Karli Bitner says
Hi Tammy- you can use your regular lid, I would just take the seal out for a few reasons. First, it doesn’t need to come to pressure and second, if your seal is smelly from your last meal, we don’t want those transferring to your bagels!! You can also check your regular pot and pan lids, you may already have a glass one that fits!!
SDav says
Wow! This is my first time making bagels, but they were amazing! Easily as good as Panera and much better than Einstein’s bagels. The only tweak I made was that I added some asiago inside of the dough which allows for some gooey cheese inside the bagel. Great recipe, thank you!
karlibitner says
This makes me SO happy!! Bagels are a lot more intimidating than they need to be. I’m going to have to put some cheese inside the dough next time- that sounds amazing! Thanks for taking the time to comment! ?
Linde says
I was thinking the same thing! How much asiago did you add into the dough, please!
Kathy says
Karli – I just found your website and as a New Yorker, I’m very excited to try making these bagels. I’m not a baker, don’t have a lot of time at the weekends which is when I try to prepare meals for the busy week going forward…but I will try these in the coming weeks. When I researched IPs I chose to buy a more expensive one – the Fagor Lux Multipot. It was highly rated through Good Housekeeping. I’m sad that I did because almost all recipes are geared specifically to the Instant Pot brand. Mine does have the yogurt setting, so this should be just fine. Thanks for the comments regarding the regular lid for proofing!
karlibitner says
Hi Kathy! There certainly are a lot of brands of electric pressure cookers, I’m glad yours has the yogurt button!! Hope you love these bagels!
Sue says
I have instant pot but mine doesn’t have a yogurt button, is there another setting I could use?
karlibitner says
To proof dough in the Instant Pot you’ll need an Instant Pot with a yogurt button. If you don’t have the yogurt button, there is still hope for a quick rise!
Turn your oven on to warm (about 200°) for about 5 minutes, TURN THE OVEN OFF and then place the dough in a greased bowl inside the warm oven instead of in the Instant Pot then proceed with the remaining instructions.
Nancy R. says
Can I use whole wheat flour instead of all purpose?
Karli Bitner says
Hi Nancy, I haven’t ever made this recipe using whole wheat flour, whole wheat flour tends to be a bit more tough and you won’t need quite as much whole wheat flour as you would regular all purpose flour.
Helen Mathes-St.Pierre says
Thank you for posting this recipe ! I tried it but skipped the cheese and egg wash. I added raisins and cinnamon to the batter. I have never made bagels before so I wasn’t too sure how dense the batter should be. They turned out pretty good but if I make them again I will add more sugar and water.
Thank you again.
karlibitner says
Love the addition of raisins and cinnamon!! Happy to hear it was a success!
Melissa says
I don’t have a yogurt button😳 is there another setting I can use?
karlibitner says
To proof dough in the Instant Pot you’ll need an Instant Pot with a yogurt button. If you don’t have the yogurt button, there is still hope for a quick rise!
Turn your oven on to warm (about 200°) for about 5 minutes, TURN THE OVEN OFF and then place the dough in a greased bowl inside the warm oven instead of in the Instant Pot then proceed with the remaining instructions.
Emily says
I have an instant pot but it doesn’t have a yogurt setting. Hmm an I still proof it in the instant pot?
karlibitner says
To proof dough in the Instant Pot you’ll need an Instant Pot with a yogurt button. If you don’t have the yogurt button, there is still hope for a quick rise!
Turn your oven on to warm (about 200°) for about 5 minutes, TURN THE OVEN OFF and then place the dough in a greased bowl inside the warm oven instead of in the Instant Pot then proceed with the remaining instructions.
Terri says
Delicious. I’m a former NY resident and these are almost as good as home.
karlibitner says
Best review ever! Thanks, Terri!
Suzanne Lakevicius says
My first bagel attempt. They came out good, but salty. I could have mis-measured. Will definitely try again!!!
Renaa says
Hi Karli, I’ve tried these twice & both times, the middle was a really good texture, but the outside of them were very hard & almost rubbery. We couldn’t even bite into them… Any advice???
karlibitner says
HI Renaa- The only thing I can think of is that your oven may be off temperature a little bit or that you are boiling for too long. Maybe try to boil for a little less time and double check that your oven isn’t running hot or cold. If it is too cold, it could dry the outside of the bagel. Hopefully this helps!
Renaa says
Thank you, I’ll try to keep these tips in mind when I try my next batch!! I’m determined to keep trying til I get them right! 🙂
Chris McCourry says
What type of flour?
Bread
Self rising
All Purpose
I always heard to put baking soda in boiling water first, have you done that?
I am anxious to try…
karlibitner says
Hi Chris- Just use all purpose flour. Typically bagels call for bread flour, I don’t like having to keep bread flour on hand, so I create my own bread flour in this recipe by adding the baking powder to the recipe. As for putting baking soda in the boiling water, that is for soft pretzels. That will give you the coloring as well as the tangy flavor of the crust classic to a soft pretzel. For the bagels, I just use plain water. I hope you Loe the recipe!
Jgbrier says
I was not sure how long to knead the dough in my electric mixer. The dough was very wet.
And post boil the surface was not smooth. The bagels are now cooking!
Sara says
What kind of flour all purpose? Or self rising?
karlibitner says
All purpose flour. 🙂
Kelly says
Thanks so much for sharing this recipe! I’ve made these 3 times and they have turned out great every time. Any suggestions for adding dried blueberries would be greatly appreciated.
karlibitner says
The dried blueberries sound delicious!! I would just knead the blueberries into the dough right before shaping the bagels. 🙂
Kelly says
I added 3 oz of the dried blueberries into the flour before adding it to the yeast. I also added about 2 tbsp more of water as the dough was a little dry. The bagels are fantastic. Thanks again for sharing!
Juliane says
Have you ever tried to make it gluten free?
Thanks
Karli Bitner says
Hi Juliane- I haven’t ever tried making these Gluten Free. If you give it a try, let me know how it goes!
Teresa says
Quick tip, add about a tablespoon of baking soda to the water before you boil. It helps gelantize the starch and really aids in the color giving you a great exterior and a nice fluffy interior.
Karli Bitner says
Great tip, Thanks Teresa!
Tine Bier says
Hello from germany 😉
That sounds soooo good. I have to try it tomorrow.
Thx for sharing your recipe!
Karli Bitner says
Hi there Tine! I hope you enjoyed the recipe!! Thanks for commenting!
Montana says
i want to try this but i only have instant yeast! what should i do?
Karli Bitner says
Hi Montana- your instant yeast should work just fine as a substitute. 🙂
Beth says
I have shredded Asiago but only grated Parmesan. Ok to use the grated parm?
Karli Bitner says
Sure! You can use that or omit the parmesan all together and just use the asiago. Either way will be great!
Chess says
When you put the water in to boil – 5 inches is over the max for my pot. I will have to try it with less.
When you start the saute, to boil the water, and you put the lid on, do you put the vent switch on VENT or SEAL??
Dan Bitner says
This when you are doing this you won’t be putting the lid on the instant pot at all for this step.
Carly says
You call this an insta-pot recipe and you barely used it. You can easily proof dough without an insta-pot and can boil water on the stove top. I get insta-pots are all the rage but this just seems like a stretch in order to jump on the band wagon.
Karli Bitner says
Sorry you feel that this one is a stretch! I, and a lot of other people, find this hack of proofing the dough in half the time very useful. Hope you have a good, one, Carly. 🙂
Kelly Hildbold says
Hi Karli!
Thanks sooo much for this recipe and Instant pot hack. I cook for people who for numerous reasons don’t consume processed food. These bagels take much less time than other recipes I’ve tried which lets me to prepare many yummy meals for them.