These simple Weight Watchers gluten free bagels are made with just 5 simple ingredients and have only 3 SmartPoints each. Even if you’re not on (or even interested in) WW, you’re going to love how easy this dough is—and how it tastes!
These bagels have become Internet famous because they’re diet friendly, for sure. But the real reasons you’ll fall in love with them are the ease and the taste!
The perfect tang of Greek-style plain yogurt takes the place of an aged yeast bread dough and makes them super tender inside. They may not be classic New York-style dense and chewy bagels, but they’re in a class by themselves!
These Weight Watchers-style gluten free bagels are based upon the “2-ingredient Weight Watchers bagels” and pizza recipes that apparently took over Instagram at some point. Since I’m not active on Instagram at all (and mostly enjoy the photos of puppies and kittens and the occasional lifestyle bloggers whose life I simply cannot relate to but am fascinated by), I didn’t hear about these right away.
When they’re referred to as 2-ingredient bagels, it’s based on the ingredients’ being self-rising flour + fat-free Greek-style yogurt. If you’re in the U.K. (hello! 👋🏻), you most likely do have a self-rising gluten free flour blend in your arsenal, like Dove’s brand. If you do have that, try using it in place of the flour blend, baking powder, and salt below.
What’s with the Weight Watchers Recipes?
Each of these miniature bagels has about 2 1/2 SmartPoints (without the toppings), which I figure you have to round up to 3 SmartPoints but you can have 2 of them for 5. It’s like they’re on a two-fer sale! I care about things like that now a bit, and I thought you might, too. Here’s why…
When I first wrote my cookbook, Gluten Free Classic Snacks, I was intrigued by copycatting some Weight Watchers-style foods like their brownies. They were so good, but they weren’t available as gluten free, so I made them gluten free.
I have 3 children and although I’ve always been disgustingly naturally thin, I was never really quite the same after the third child—12 years ago. I’ve always hated it, but sort of chalked it up to early middle age and went on my way.
I also have 2 daughters, who are both rather naturally thin themselves, but I wasn’t raised with a healthy attitude toward food or weight or anything else really for that matter. I was terrified of my girls inheriting my somewhat distorted way of thinking, so I never complain about my body or my weight in front of them.
When a dear friend mentioned that she was on Weight Watchers for similar reasons to me (early middle aged, struggling to feel as good in her body as she always had), I thought I’d give it a try for a month. I literally haven’t mentioned a word of it my daughters, though. They never read the blog (too boring, I’m sure), so I figure I’m good.
Anyway, it turns out that I really really like it. I feel like I had half-heartedly tried every other “diet” (Paleo! keto! low carb!) over the last 12 years and nothing made a dent. Weight Watchers is not perfect, but I like the loose rules. They do most of the thinking for me. I like that. And it worked. I like that too!
Watch this short how-to make Weight Watchers GF Bagels video (1-minute)
Just push play ▶ on the photo below and watch the short how-to video. Then make your own! If you can’t see the video, make sure you have any ad blocker turned off, and try a different browser.
Ingredients and substitutions
There are so few ingredients in this recipe that substitutions mostly come down to the flour blend used and the yogurt. The egg white and egg wash are really optional. Here are my tips:
Gluten free flour blend: I have only tried this recipe using Better Batter (the same as my mock Better Batter) and my Better Than Cup4Cup all purpose gluten free flour recipes. I’m planning to try variations on this dough made with Paleo flours, but I’m not there quite yet! I will be sure to keep you posted.
As always, I recommend you only use one of my recommended all purpose gluten free flour blends, either commercially available or homemade according to my DIY recipes. If you use a gritty rice flour blend or an unbalanced blend, the recipe just won’t likely turn out. All gluten free flour blends are not created equal.
Yogurt (dairy-free): I am happy to report that I have made this recipe successfully with dairy-free plain coconut milk yogurt. So Delicious makes a really great one and I find it at my local natural foods store.
Since the dairy-free variety was not a Greek-style yogurt, I found that I had to use 1 1/4 cups (175 g) of the all purpose gluten free flour blend, and did not add the egg white. The bagels browned a bit less (a function of the dairy-free yogurt, I believe), and the dough was a bit harder to handle (a function of the extra moisture). But the taste and overall texture were great. In addition, since the dairy-free plain yogurt was not fat-free, you’d have to recalculate the SmartPoints value.
If you can only use a plain yogurt of any kind that isn’t Greek-style, you can either add 1/4 cup (35 g) more all purpose gluten free flour or strain the yogurt until it’s thick enough to be Greek-style. Then, measure out 1 cup (245 grams) of the thicker yogurt and 1 cup (140 grams) of the flour blend.
HELLO! I’m Nicole! I make gluten-free food enjoyable & affordable. If they can make it with gluten, we can make it without. That’s a promise!
Comments are closed.
Mine are in the oven now and smell great! I added the baking powder with the salt, but that step seems to be missing from the directions (or I need new glasses ☺). Can’t wait to try one! They were super quick and easy to pull together without waking the household. Thank you Nicole! Looking forward to my Sunday morning coffee and a BAGEL!!
Oh my gosh, Jean, I’m afraid I didn’t include when to add the baking powder in the directions! You are of course right, that it goes in with the salt. I’ve edited the recipe now. As many times as I review my work, something like that always seems to sneak through every now and again. Thank you for catching it. And I’ll think of you this Sunday morning, enjoying your alone time with coffee and a bagel—and maybe the newspaper? ;)
Looked at the recipe and was initially skeptical. Will this really work? But went to work. Pleasantly surprised at how easily it went together. Being lazy and not wanting to make a mess, instead of kneading on a floured board, I used a muffin-size scoop and scooped them onto a sheet of wax paper. Must have been a good size as I got exactly 6. Then using latex gloves and a little flour, I kneaded each blob in my hands, formed it, made the hole and put it onto the parchment paper lined pan. Into the oven. I didn’t use an egg wash or toppings..just naked. They rose nicely, looking a little bumpily but ever so cute and came out great. I did find that with just a little margarine, they had a great texture but the tanginess of the yogurt came through in flavor. Do think adding a tablespoon of sugar would counteract this and still work?
The tanginess of the yogurt is what makes these bagels have depth of flavor, Shirlea, so I’m afraid I haven’t given any thought to what might camouflage that! Maybe you’d like to try my Paleo bagels instead? Just use the search function.
Only problem is that they’re so good it’s hard to eat just one. Thank you!!
I know, Julie! They’re low in points, but they aren’t zero so they do require some moderation. :)
Hi Nicole,
Thank you for your wonderful recipes!
Love the blog. If I use Lactose Free Yoghurt, would I need to change the amount I use and flour or can it be like for like?
Hi, Betty,
If you’re using Greek-style lactose free yogurt, nothing else changes. If you’re using regular lactose-free yogurt, please follow the instructions for making the bagels dairy free under the “ingredients and substitutions” heading!
I am in love! And they aren’t even out of the oven yet! I mixed in 1/4 tsp cinnamon sugar with each one and added another 1/2 tsp on top for my little gf guy who loves cinnamon sugar. Looking forward to surprising him in the morning with this treat! Thank you for another great recipe! 😍
That sounds awesome, Leslie! I’ll have to try that. I’m planning to try a variation on this recipe for pizza crust soon, and I’ll be sure to let everyone know once I’ve nailed it!
Made these lovely creations this evening here in the USA. I used Bob’s Red Mill 1:1 flour mix which has xanthan gum already mixed in. The flavor was absolutely delicious, and I added a sprinkle of sesame seeds that were tucked away in my pantry. My only problem was the moisture…. perhaps I added a tad too much greek yogurt along with the egg white. A little practice with ratios, and I can see this recipe becoming a regular “go-to” for quick breakfasts!
Hi, Molly, I’m so glad you liked the recipe! I generally really don’t care for Bob’s Red Mill all purpose flour blends at all, as they tend to be gritty and don’t tend to mix very well. But if you can find a way to use it successfully, then don’t let me stop you! 🙂
I made these with full fat Greek yoghurt and they were tasty and very easy but came out doughy. I’ll definitely be making these again (a lot) but do you have any suggestions to avoid the under baked inside but mostly perfect exterior?
Hi, Claire, I wonder if the richness from the fat made them more moist and in need of a longer baking time. Whenever baked goods come out baked on the outside but unbaked inside, it’s usually due to a too-hot oven. Try using a freestanding oven thermometer as most ovens are improperly calibrated—and run hot. My own oven runs hot by at least 25°F.
Thanks for including some Weight Watchers friendly recipes on the blog!
My pleasure, Julie! More to come. :)
Is it possible to substitute the egg? I’d make this for a family member but she’s allergic to eggs.
Hi, Emily, Please see the ingredients and substitutions section for information. Your answer is there!
Can you substitute plain yogurt for plain Greek yogurt?
If you’d like to use non-Greek yogurt, Tina, I really recommend that you strain the yogurt until it’s thicker. The bagels are much easier to handle and you’re less likely to add too much flour to shape them.
Would plain yogurt (non Greek) work for this?
Hi, Tina, if you’d like to use non-Greek yogurt, I really recommend that you strain the yogurt until it’s thicker. The bagels are much easier to handle and you’re less likely to add too much flour to shape them.
Thank you for all the hard work you put in to all the recipes . Praise God I can eat gluten and gluten free. My question is; can I make the bagels with Wholemeal flour? Thanks for your answer Nicole.
Hi, Marianna,
You definitely can, but I’m afraid I’m definitely not the one to teach you how. Follow the link at the bottom of the recipe for the one it was adapted from.
Hi Nicole, thanks for your receipts, when I have time I read them und some I try. Praise God I can eat everything gluten and gluten free. My question is for the bagels can I make them with normal flour? Thanks Nicloe have a great week.
This looks so good! Could it be made with whole milk Greek yogurt successfully? That’s what I have in the fridge right now. Obviously wouldn’t be WW-friendly, but that’s ok with me. Thanks.
Instead of the salt, I use a salt free seasoning. Comes out great
Crossing my fingers for a successful Paleo version :)
Great recipe! Is it possible to substitute unsweetened coconut yogurt for the Greek yogurt? Thanks
Please see the ingredients and substitutions section, Cynthia. You can, you just need to make some adjustments, though!
I have recently started baking my own bread because I am tired of paying so much for gf bread. I can’t wait to try your WW bagel recipe. Yesterday I baked 3 small loaves (not mini) of white sandwich bread in my air fryer, including the proofing. Now on to these bagels! Will make my first batch in the oven, then will try them in the air fryer. I hate using the oven in the hot summer.
They do great in the Air Fryer, Darlynn! I think you’ll love them.
Nicole, I cannot tell you how much I love the fact that you are making GF Weight Watcher friendly baked goods! I definitely do not have your talent and experience for adaptations, so I really appreciate your doing it for us. Thank you, thank you, thank you.
I’m thrilled to hear that, Nancy! I actually really enjoy making them. It’s a nice challenge, and I find that the lower points foods are in relatively short supply. I’d rather eat fewer point foods and eat more frequently. :)
How many WW Points is your Mock Better Batter flour blend?
Hi, Diane,
I’ve measured it at 15 SmartPoints per 140 gram cup. I hope that helps!
Thank you for the Weight Watchers recipes!
You are my hero! :-)
My pleasure, Stacey! They’re fun. So glad you like them.
My bagels didn’t seem to rise as much as yours, Nicole. I checked the expiration date on my baking powder, and it’s fine. Any suggestions?
Hi, Karen, my guess is that you either overmeasured your flour (or used a higher starch blend?), or used too much flour in shaping. Hope that helps!
Thank you for coming up with these great recipes. I just made these in the morning for my breakfast and they were easy, quick and tasted great! I like that they are soft and not at all dry. Perfect with coffee.
That’s so awesome, Beth! Thank you so much for letting us know. I love how easy they are, so even when the batch runs out, you can whip up some more. :)
These look amazing! Thanks for the shout out to us in the U.K. I’m going to try these this weekend with the flour blend (or maybe actually just with one of Nicole’s blends as it’s usually so much better!)
Kay (in sunny Edinburgh!)
I should edit the post to reflect this, but Suzey, one of the moderators in the GFOAS Facebook group, explained to me that she generally isn’t pleased with Dove’s flour blends! She uses one of my blends instead. It sounds like you’ve had a similar experience. I’m disappointed that their product isn’t better, but I’m glad you and she (and others from the U.K.) can make use of my DIY blends!
Hello. Thanks for the recipe. Do we need to leave them to rise before baking?
Nope, Marina! They’re not yeasted, and instead use baking powder for rise. Just mix, shape and pop them in the oven. :)
What cookbook is the weight watcher bagels in
Hi, Janet, The recipe is right here on the blog. It’s not in any of my cookbooks.
Would sour cream be a comparable substitute for the greek yogurt?
I don’t think so, Michelle. Sour cream, even if you drain it until it’s thicker, just won’t ever have the consistency of plain Greek yogurt.
Do you have a substitution for xanthan gum by any chance?
Hi, Tina, other than guar gum in an equal amount, I’m afraid not! I know that some use psyllium husk as a substitute for xanthan gum, but I really dislike the taste, aftertaste, and texture that it gives baked goods. I’ve tried many recipes using it, and it always turns me off in a very big way. I’m afraid I don’t know of anything else. So sorry!