About the Recipe
I’m thrilled to share my latest recipe with you—Montreal Cheese Bagels! Before you imagine a classic bagel topped with a slice of cheese, let me stop you there. Montreal Cheese Bagels are entirely different and uniquely wonderful. These horseshoe-shaped pastries are filled with a creamy, sweet mixture of ricotta, cream cheese, and cottage cheese.
My first encounter with these delicious treats was back in high school, thanks to one of my best friends. With her Jewish heritage, she introduced me to many culinary delights, including cheese bagels. She would often have a stash hidden in the freezer, and we’d savor them together as after-school snacks. At the time, I had no idea where to buy them, making those moments even more special—they were a treat I only enjoyed at her house.
It wasn’t until adulthood that I stumbled upon a bakery selling these pastries. Naturally, I introduced them to my kids, who quickly fell in love with them too. But life took us out to the countryside, about an hour from Montreal, where cheese bagels are nowhere to be found. Determined not to give them up, I decided to make them myself.
Perfecting this recipe was a labor of love. I experimented endlessly with different pastry crusts to strike the ideal balance of flakiness and sweetness. After much trial and error, I finally nailed it! The crust is buttery and flaky, providing the perfect contrast to the creamy, sweet cheese filling.
Montreal Cheese Bagels are a delightful alternative to traditional bagels, enjoyed as a breakfast pastry or a snack anytime. They’re sure to win over your taste buds with their unique flavor and texture. Give them a try—I promise they’re worth the effort!
Flaky Perfection: The buttery, flaky dough melts in your mouth and perfectly complements the creamy filling.
Sweet and Tangy Balance: The filling offers a delightful combination of rich creaminess and subtle sweetness, with a hint of tang from the cheeses.
Versatile Treat: Enjoy these pastries for breakfast, as a snack, or even as a dessert. They fit any time of day!
Make-Ahead Friendly: Perfect for busy days or entertaining, you can prepare these in advance and bake them fresh when needed.
A Taste of Tradition: Inspired by Montreal's culinary heritage, these pastries bring a nostalgic and unique flavor to your kitchen.
Customizable: You can tweak the recipe by adding different flavorings like cinnamon, nutmeg, or even chocolate chips to the filling.
Kid-Approved: These are a hit with kids and adults alike, making them perfect for family gatherings or special occasions.
What You'll Love
1. Can I use store-bought dough instead of making it from scratch? Yes, if you’re short on time, you can use pre-made puff pastry or pie crust dough. However, the homemade dough adds a unique flaky and buttery texture that’s hard to beat.
2. Can I substitute the cheeses in the filling? Absolutely! If you don’t have one of the listed cheeses, you can experiment with mascarpone or farmer’s cheese as substitutes. Just keep the total cheese amount the same.
3. How do I prevent the dough from becoming too sticky? Make sure the butter and water are chilled, and work quickly to prevent the butter from melting. If the dough feels too sticky, sprinkle a little flour as you roll it out.
4. Can I make these pastries ahead of time? Yes, you can assemble the pastries, freeze them on a baking sheet, and store them in an airtight container. Bake straight from frozen, adding a few extra minutes to the baking time.
5. Can I skip the lemon rind in the filling? Of course! The lemon rind adds a subtle brightness to the filling, but it’s optional and can be omitted if preferred.
6. How long do these pastries stay fresh? They’re best enjoyed the day they’re baked, but you can store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat in the oven to refresh the texture.
Frequently asked Questions
Ingredients
Dough:
3 1/2 cups Flour
1 1/2 cup Butter (chilled)
1 1/2 teaspoon Salt
1 - 1 1/2 cups Cold Water
Filling:
1/2 cup Cream Cheese
1/2 cup Cottage Cheese
1 cup Ricotta Cheese
4-5 tablespoons Granulated Sugar
1 Egg
5 tablespoons All-Purpose Flour
1/2 teaspoon Salt
1/2 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
*Rind from one lemon (optional)
Egg Wash:
1 egg
1 tablespoon Water
1/4 teaspoon Granulated Sugar
Pinch of Salt
Preparation
First thing is first, lets make the dough. The dough needs some chill time, so unless you have made some ahead of time it is best to start here. This is the part of the recipe that was trickiest to figure out. My first trials weren't flaky enough and too chewy. But, after many different combinations I finally got the dough to be just right.
To make the dough sift the flour and salt into a large mixing bowl. Next, add in the butter. I usually cube the butter into small pieces before mixing it in as it is easier to incorporate. Then using your hands incorporate the butter into the flour and salt mixture. Gently pinch and mix the butter until you reach a coarse, dry sand consistency.
Next, start to incorporate the water 1/4 cup at a time. Still using your hands to knead and mix. Keep adding water until all the flour is well incorporated with the butter and you are able to form a nice solid ball of dough.
Wrap the dough in some plastic cling film and place it in the fridge to cool for a minimum of 1 hour. This dough can also be made ahead of time and frozen. Just thaw it in the fridge overnight the day before you want to use it. (It is also a great dough for pie crust, like my Swiss Tart (Wahe) recipe).
When the dough has been chilled, you can prepare the filling mixture. First, using a colander, rinse the cottage cheese so that you are only left with the cheese curds. Then, in a medium mixing bowl use a fork to mix together the three cheeses. Using the back of the fork, push down the cottage cheese curds so that barely any lumps remain.
Still using your fork, mix in the sugar, flour, salt, egg and vanilla extract. Mix thoroughly until you have a creamy light yellow mixture. I prefer mine to be as smooth as possible, so I really try and mush down any larger cheese lumps. But do not worry if there are a few remaining. They soften up during the baking process. You can also add in some lemon rind that this point if you want a light lemony flavor but this is optional. I add it in when I want to change it up a bit.
Next, using a rolling pin, roll the dough out on a well floured work surface. I usually split the dough in half so that I work in smaller batches.
Roll the dough out into a rectangular like shape approximately 30cm x 30cm (12 " x 12") and roughly 2-3mm thick. Cut the dough into strips that are 3" wide.
Next, spread some filling along the middle length of the strips. Using your finger or a pastry brush, wet the outer edges of the rectangular strip with a little bit of water. This will help seal your dough to make sure the filling does not spill out during the baking process. Next, fold the top end of the rectangle over to the bottom creating an encasing for the filling. Pinch the edges together making sure to really push the dough firmly together. I then like to roll the pinched edge upwards to create a secondary seal.
Once you have created a nice seal (including the two ends) form your cheese bagels into horseshoe shaped 'U's.
Place the shaped bagels onto a lined baking sheet.
Preheat your oven to 375F.
Using a pastry brush brush each bagel with a thin layer of egg wash. This will give them their wonderful golden glow. If you want to add an extra sweet touch, you can also sprinkle them with some pearl sugar at this stage. I prefer mine less sweet, so I usually do not put any.
Bake the bagels for 25-30 minutes or until crisp and golden brown.
Remove from the oven and let cool before serving.
These bagels are traditionally served with sour cream or jam (or both) but are just as delicious plain. Great for breakfast or as an afternoon snack and perfect to pair with coffee or tea.
Hope you enjoy these Montreal goodies as much as I do!
