Breakfast
Dunkin' Inspired Stuffed Bagel Minis
Chewy golden mini bagel rounds with a warm cream-cheese center, finished plain or with a savory everything-seasoning crust.
Inspired by Dunkin'
Prep
40 min + 75 min rise
Cook
20 min
Serves
6 servings
Difficulty
Medium
Cooking Tools
Pantry match
Uses the current servings and temporary recipe changes.
Missing 11 ingredients
- • 8 ounces block cream cheese, cold
- • 1 1/4 cups warm water, 100°F to 110°F
- • 2 teaspoons instant yeast
- • 1 tablespoon packed brown sugar
- • 3 1/4 cups bread flour
- • 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
- • 1 teaspoon neutral oil, for the bowl
- • 10 cups water, for boiling
- • 1 tablespoon baking soda
- • 1 tablespoon barley malt syrup or brown sugar, for boiling
- • 1 large egg beaten with 1 teaspoon water
View ingredient-by-ingredient match
- 8 ounces block cream cheese, coldMissing
- 1 1/4 cups warm water, 100°F to 110°FMissing
- 2 teaspoons instant yeastMissing
- 1 tablespoon packed brown sugarMissing
- 3 1/4 cups bread flourMissing
- 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher saltMissing
- 1 teaspoon neutral oil, for the bowlMissing
- 10 cups water, for boilingMissing
- 1 tablespoon baking sodaMissing
- 1 tablespoon barley malt syrup or brown sugar, for boilingMissing
- 1 large egg beaten with 1 teaspoon waterMissing
Optional ingredients are not counted as required.
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Method
Recipe notes
Block cream cheese is less watery than tub-style spread and stays neatly inside. A firm dough, frozen filling, and carefully pinched seam prevent leaks; the short boil gives real bagel chew without making these small rounds overly dense.
Planning, storage, and serving
Storage and reheating
Because of the cream-cheese center, refrigerate cooled minis within 2 hours for up to 4 days. Reheat at 325°F until warm; freeze baked, cooled minis for up to 1 month and thaw overnight in the refrigerator.
Make-ahead tips
Freeze the cream-cheese portions several days ahead. Shape filled rounds, cover, and refrigerate overnight; let them sit at room temperature 20 minutes while the water and oven heat, then boil and bake.
What to serve with it
- - Fresh berries
- - Scrambled eggs
- - Hot coffee or iced matcha
Equipment needed
- - Stand mixer or sturdy mixing bowl
- - Large boiling pot and slotted spoon
- - Parchment-lined sheet pan
Difficulty explained
The dough is simple, but evenly enclosing the filling and boiling small rounds without opening their seams require moderate care.
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Nutrition facts
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Alternatives
Apply a reviewed substitution to this temporary working copy. The published recipe stays unchanged.
Browse reviewed options
Granulated sugar plus molasses
For each cup, mix 1 cup granulated sugar with 1 tablespoon molasses.
Mascarpone
Use the same amount of mascarpone in frostings and creamy fillings.
All-purpose flour
Use the same weight of all-purpose flour when bread flour is unavailable.
Type the ingredient you're missing — we'll find what you can use instead.
Pitfalls to Watch Out For
- Warm or soft filling smears into the seam and leaks, so freeze compact portions before shaping.
- A thin patch of dough over the filling can burst during boiling; keep the disk center slightly thicker and pinch the seam completely.
- Over-proofed rounds wrinkle or deflate in the water; give them only the stated short rest after shaping.
Nutrition Context
- Two minis make a convenient portion with carbohydrates from the bagel and fat and protein from cream cheese.
- Everything seasoning and cream cheese contribute sodium; fruit and eggs can round out breakfast without another salty bread item.
FAQ
Why did the cream cheese leak?
The filling may not have been frozen, the seam may have been thin, or the dough may have over-proofed. Freeze, seal, and keep the final rest short.
Can I use store-bought pizza dough?
It can work, but the result will be softer and less chewy because pizza dough is not formulated like bagel dough.
Do I have to boil them?
The brief boil creates the glossy, chewy bagel crust. Skipping it produces stuffed bread rolls rather than bagel minis.
Can I make all of them plain?
Yes. Use the egg wash without seasoning for a glossy plain crust.
How should I reheat them?
Warm in a 325°F oven for 8 to 12 minutes from the refrigerator; microwaving is faster but makes the crust softer.
What sides pair best with this dish?
Fresh berries, eggs, or a simple fruit salad make the minis feel like a complete breakfast rather than only a snack.