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These easy homemade mini bagels are wonderfully light and fluffy bagels that your whole family will love. This bagel recipe requires no yeast, has 5 simple ingredients, and cooks in about 12 minutes right in the air fryer or the oven. Plus, it is gluten-free!
My kids love bagels of any kind and when they went crazy for these Air Fryer Bagels I knew I had to try mini bagels and they came out AMAZING!
I tested this mini bagels recipe with regular all-purpose flour as well as gluten-free 1:1 flour and both worked out great! The secret to getting these homemade bagels to taste like traditional bagels is to make homemade self-rising flour that allows them to become perfectly fluffy and not dense or doughy.
We used the same yogurt + flour method as we did with this naan bread and this protein pizza, which makes this recipe quick, easy, and healthier since they have more protein and no strange ingredients.
These bagel bites are perfect for a hassle-free breakfast any day of the week. They are also ideal for meal prep, allowing you to prepare them ahead and savor the goodness throughout the week.
You may also love these air fryer bagel chips that are also great for kids!
Why this mini bagel recipe works so well
- Simple ingredients – you only need 5 ingredients that you likely already have
- Quick and easy – they cook in about 10-12 minutes
- Great for kids – bite-sized mini bagels your kids will go crazy for!
- Healthy – packed with protein and gluten-free.
- Great for meal prep – they store so well!
Recommended Tools
- Mixing bowls
- Measuring cups
- Measuring spoons
- Air Fryer
*Get the complete list of recipe ingredients and instructions in the recipe card located at the bottom of this post.
Ingredients you will need
- Gluten-free 1:1 flour – Any gluten-free 1:1 flour will work or you can use regular flour if you don’t need to keep this recipe gluten-free. I used King Arthur’s.
- Plain Greek yogurt – any plain Greek yogurt will work in this mini bagel recipe. You can use nonfat if you prefer (That is what I used). Dairy-free plain Greek yogurt will also work.
- Baking powder – since there is no yeast in this recipe, the baking powder acts as the leavening agent to get the bagels nice and fluffy in the center.
- Kosher salt – to add some flavor.
- Everything bagel seasoning – to roll the bagel dough in. You can skip this ingredient if you are making these plain. You should be able to find this at most grocery stores.
Substituions and Variations
- To make this recipe dairy-free, use dairy-free plain Greek yogurt.
- If you like to make stuffed bagel minis then you can simply add a small scoop of cream cheese in the center of each bagel bite, seal it back up tightly, then cook them according to the recipe.
- Feel free to use any seasoning you like, if you are not a fan of everything bagel seasoning or don’t have any. Sesame seeds, shredded cheese, or simply a pinch of sea salt are also delicious variations of this recipe.
- Almond flour will not work in this recipe, gluten-free self-rising flour yields the best result.
How to make homemade mini bagels in the air fryer
- In a medium bowl, mix flour, baking powder, and salt. Fold in Greek yogurt using a fork, then knead the dough in the bowl until smooth (less than a minute).
- Roll out the dough ball on a floured surface and knead for another minute.
- Scoop about 1 ounce of dough at a time and roll into balls. Place them on a clean plate. This recipe makes 12-13 mini bagels.
- Spray or brush the bagel balls with olive oil cooking spray (or egg whites/water). Roll each one in everything bagel seasoning, if desired.
- Preheat the air fryer to 350F degrees. Spray the air fryer basket with cooking spray and place the bagels in a single layer about 1 inch apart.
- Cook the mini bagels for 10-12 minutes, shaking the basket halfway through for even browning.
- Allow them to cool for at least 5 minutes before serving, as they will continue to cook as they cool. Enjoy!
Tips for Success
- Use plain Greek yogurt. Regular yogurt will not work in this recipe.
- Roll the bagels into even golf ball-size balls (about 1 ounce each) to ensure even cooking.
- Don’t skip making the self-rising dough (flour + baking powder + salt) for a golden crust and fluffy center.
- Spray the mini bagels with olive oil cooking spray or brush them with egg white/water for the seasoning to stick.
- Check one mini bagel’s center after 10 minutes of cooking time and cook for 1-2 more minutes if the center is still doughy.
- Avoid overcrowding the air fryer by placing the bagels in a single layer about 1- inch apart since they will expand slightly as they cook.
- Prepare the bagel dough in advance and refrigerate wrapped tightly in plastic wrap until you are ready to make the bagel bites.
How to make these mini bagels in the oven
- Preheat the oven to 375F degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Prepare the gluten-free bagel dough according to the recipe instructions.
- Divide the dough into small portions and roll each portion into a ball shape, about 1 inch in diameter (which is about 1 ounce of the dough).
- Place the bagel balls on the prepared baking sheet, leaving some space between them.
- Sprinkle the everything bagel seasoning generously over the mini bagels, or roll them in the seasoning pressing it gently to adhere.
- Bake the mini bagels in the preheated oven for about 12-15 minutes, or until the bagels are golden brown and cooked through.
- Once they are done, remove them from the oven and let them cool slightly before serving.
Serving these air fryer mini bagels
These bagels definitely have enough flavor to enjoy them plain but my kids really loved them with some butter or cream cheese. They would also be so good dipped in some tomato sauce for a fun afternoon snack!
How to store homemade mini bagels
These air fryer bagel bites are best enjoyed on the day they are made but can last up to 2 days at room temperature or 3 days in the refrigerator when stored in an airtight container. For freezing, allow them to cool completely, wrap them tightly in plastic wrap, and place them in a freezer-friendly container. They can be kept in the freezer for up to 1 month. To thaw, place them in the fridge overnight and reheat wrapped in a paper towel in the microwave until warmed through.
More air fryer recipes
- Easy Air Fryer Carrots
- Air Fryer Chicken Fajitas
- Air Fryer Sweet Potatoes
- 10-Minute Air Fryer Chicken Sausage and Veggies
- Air Fryer Egg Rolls
Did you try these Air Fryer Mini Bagels? If you did, then please leave a rating and comment below. I would love to hear how yours turned out!
Print
Easy Air Fryer Mini Bagels
- Total Time: 15 minutes
- Yield: 13 mini bagels 1x
- Diet: Gluten Free
Description
These easy homemade mini bagels are wonderfully light and fluffy bagels that your whole family will love! This is a no-yeast bagel recipe that has only 5 ingredients and cooks in about 12 minutes perfectly in the air fryer or the oven. Plus, this recipe is also gluten-free!
Ingredients
- 1 cup gluten-free 1:1 flour – like King Aruthur’s
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 cup plain Greek yogurt
- 2 tablespoons Everything bagel seasoning
- Olive oil spray, egg white, or water – for coating the bagels so the seasoning sticks to them
Instructions
- In a medium-sized bowl combine the flour with the baking powder and salt to make the gluten-free self-rising flour. Then add in the yogurt and mix well ( I like to use a fork) until a thick, slightly wet, chunky dough forms. Add a sprinkle of flour to your hands and the dough and mix and knead it in the bowl until a smooth, dough ball forms. This takes about 1 minute or less.
- Turn the bagel dough out onto a well-floured surface and knead it with your hands for another minute. Then use a rounded tablespoon or spoon to scoop about 1 heaping tablespoon ( about 1 ounce) of the dough into your hands and roll it into a ball and place it onto a clean plate. Continue until you have rolled all of the dough. This recipe makes 12-13 mini bagels.
- Preheat the air fryer to 350 degrees F.
- While the air fryer is preheating, spray or lightly brush the bagel balls with olive oil spray (you can also use egg white or water), then add everything bagel seasoning to a shallow bowl and roll each dough ball in the seasoning. You can also just sprinkle a little bit of seasoning onto each bagel if you prefer to use less.
- Spray the air fryer basket with olive oil spray (non-aerosol), then place the bagels into the air fryer basket in a single layer, with none of them touching. You want them to be about 1 inch apart since they will expand a bit as they cook. You may need to do this in batches depending on the size of your air fryer.
- Cook the mini bagels for 10-12 minutes. After 10 minutes, check one of them by pulling it apart (be careful they will be hot!). If the inside is still doughy then cook them for 1-2 more minutes. Then remove them from the air fryer, place them back onto a plate, and let them cool for 5 minutes.
- Serve with butter or cream cheese and enjoy!
Notes
- Make sure to use my method for making the self-rising flour or the bagels will come out too dense.
- You can use regular flour or gluten-free 1:1 flour in this recipe.
- Make sure to roll the dough into even size balls that are no larger than a golf ball or the bagels will take too long to cook and become darker on the outside and doughy on the inside.
- You can store these mini bagels, after they have cooled, in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days or in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. If they seem dry, then wrap them in a paper towel and microwave for about 8 seconds on high.
The kids love these! Great recipe, easy to make.
Hi Jillian, I am so glad you all liked them. My kids love them too!
So good! I used blended cottage cheese because I didn’t have yogurt and they’re amazing. Mine were gummy when still warm but once they cooled completely they lost the gummy and were so soft on the inside. I’m gonna be making these all the time!
Hi Emily, I am so glad you liked them! I make them nonstop for my kids.
I used gluten free flour and plant based yogurt, and the taste was excellent but the inside was a little doughy, even after the extra 2 minutes. Do you think I’m over/under kneading or should I adjust the size or cooking time? Wondering if you have any advice!
Hi Theresa, I would adjust the size and make them a bit smaller. That should work great!