This holiday season, wake your family up to the aroma of freshly baked air fryer Christmas bagels! These festive bagels are made of vibrant red and green dough twisted together for a fun breakfast treat.
Sure, cookies and cakes are the traditional holiday snacks, but do something different this year! This twist on a classic breakfast staple brings the joy of Christmas and will be an instant centerpiece for your Christmas breakfast or brunch.
The air fryer creates bagels that are crispy on the outside and deliciously chewy on the inside. Yogurt adds to their chewiness and gives them a fun, tangy flavor.
In this article, I’ll guide you through the surprisingly simple process of making your very own air fryer Christmas bagels. Whether you’re a seasoned baker or a novice in the kitchen, our step-by-step instructions will ensure that your air fryer bagels turn out beautifully.
Looking for more Christmas breakfast ideas? Try Christmas breakfast casserole, eggnog French toast, gingerbread pancakes, or apple French toast casserole.
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🎄Ingredient Notes
For exact amounts needed see the recipe card below
- Self-rising flour: You can substitute all-purpose flour mixed with salt and baking powder if you don’t have self-rising flour.
- Plain Greek yogurt
- Red and green food coloring
🥣Making the Bagels
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the self-rising flour and yogurt. Mix it until a dough begins to form. Knead the dough until it comes together and becomes less sticky. If the dough is still sticky, add a little more flour.
- Separate your dough into two equal parts and get your food coloring ready. Dye one part of the dough red and the other green.
- Next, cut each colored dough ball into four pieces. Take one green part and one red part, roll them out into ropes, and then twist them together. It’s like making a candy cane, but it’s a bagel instead. Shape the twisted dough into a circle to make a bagel shape. Repeat the process with the remaining dough pieces.
- Place a parchment square paper at the bottom of your air fryer and add your bagels. Do not crowd the air fryer with all the bagels at once. They’ll expand as they cook, and we don’t want them to stick together. Air fry at 350°F for 8-10 minutes.
🎅Serving Ideas to Jazz Up Your Christmas Bagels
Here are a few serving ideas to consider:
- Classic Cream Cheese: You can’t go wrong with a generous smear of cream cheese. Since it is Christmas add some sprinkles on top!
- Avocado and Egg: Top your bagel with mashed avocado and a sunny-side-up egg for a heartier breakfast. Don’t forget a sprinkle of salt and pepper.
- Smoked Salmon: Another classic. Top your cream cheese-smeared bagel with thin slices of smoked salmon. Capers and red onion are optional but highly recommended!
- Sweet Variation: If you have a sweet tooth spread some almond butter and a drizzle of honey on your bagel.
- Bagel Sandwich: Transform your bagel into a sandwich by stuffing it with lettuce, tomato, cucumber, and protein. My kids love it when I add some crispy bacon.
🎁How to Store
Before you store the bagels, make sure they’re completely cool. Put warm bagels in a bag and you will end up with soggy bagels. Place the cooled bagels in a resealable plastic bag. Squeeze out as much air as possible before sealing.
You can store the bagels in an airtight container at room temperature for a day or two or in the freezer for up to three months. If you freeze them, thaw them at room temperature before enjoying them.
⭐Expert Tips
Be sure to check out the step by step instructions
- You can add different flavors to the dough. Maybe some vanilla to sweeten things up, or garlic salt for a savory option.
- Use an egg white mixed with a bit of water to create an egg wash to make the tops shiny. The egg wash will also help toppings like poppy seeds or everything bagel seasoning stick to the bagels.
- Remember, every air fryer is different, so keep an eye on your bagels to make sure they don’t brown too much.
- If you don’t have self-rising flour, mix two teaspoons baking powder and ¼ teaspoon of salt into the flour before adding it to the yogurt.
📝FAQ
In my experience, they’re best enjoyed fresh. But if you have leftovers, they should last up to two days in a sealed container at room temperature. If you want to extend their life, pop them in the freezer where they’ll last for up to three months.
Absolutely! That’s the beauty of homemade bagels: you can customize them to your heart’s content. While we’re partial to the classic Christmas colors of red and green, feel free to get creative.
Doughy bagels are a sign that they need more time in the air fryer. Everyone’s air fryer is slightly different, so adjust the cooking time.
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Air Fryer Christmas Bagels Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 ⅓ cup self-rising flour *see notes for substitution
- 1 cup plain Greek yogurt
- Red food coloring
- Green food coloring
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, combine self-rising flour and yogurt with a fork.1 ⅓ cup self-rising flour, 1 cup plain Greek yogurt
- Start to knead the dough until it comes together and becomes less sticky. You can add a little more flour to help with the stickiness.
- Form into a round and cut into two pieces.
- Dye one round with the red coloring and the other with the green.Red food coloring, Green food coloring
- Knead the color into the dough using more flour if needed to help with any stickiness.
- Cut each dough ball into four pieces.
- Take one green piece and one red piece and roll each into a rope on a floured surface. Then, twist the two ropes together.
- Take the twisted rope and pinch the ends together making a circle.
- Set aside and repeat with the others.
- Place a parchment square into the bottom of your air fryer.
- Place the bagels into your air fryer 2-4 at a time, and do not let them touch. Don’t overcrowd the air fryer basket.
- Air fry at 350 for 8-10 minutes, checking for doneness depending on your air fryer.
- Repeat with the other bagels.
Notes
- If you don’t have self-rising flour, mix two teaspoons baking powder and ¼ teaspoon salt into the flour before adding it to the yogurt.
- You can use an egg white mixed with a little water to create an egg wash to make the tops shiny. An egg wash will also help your favorite toppings stick, like sesame seeds or poppy seeds.
- These bagels only have two ingredients so are easy to work with. If the dough is too sticky, work in more flour, too dry you can add in a little more yogurt.
- Do not crowd the bagels in the air fryer. They will expand as they cook.
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Nutrition Information
Nutrition facts are estimates.
