17 Ways To Take A Plain Bagel And Cream Cheese To The Next Level

If there were a food that we could eat every day and never tire of, it would be a bagel and cream cheese. While it is easy to make, seeing as there are so many different store-bought bagel brands to choose from, when you get one done well — we're talking crunchy exterior, elastic crumb, and more cream cheese than you know what to do with — it's absolutely blissful, and a reminder that sometimes the best things in life are the simplest. 

However a bagel and cream cheese doesn't have to be simple. There are endless ways to elevate this dynamic duo — and we're not talking about swapping our cream cheese for some other topping or spread. Rather, we're referring to ways to give the bagel and cream cheese combo itself a unique spin — either by preparing it differently, adding something unique, or reframing the breakfast classic entirely. While nothing will replace the simple bagel and cream cheese in our hearts (and stomachs), these creative plays will help you spice up your breakfast routine and fall in love with this timeless dish again and again. 

One of the worst things about a bagel (especially a lackluster one) is that once you start, you're committed to the whole thing. Bagel chips, on the other hand, are a much more snack-friendly alternative to a massive, carby bagel. It's an excellent way to use up stale bagels or a mixed bag of savory flavors. To make a batch at home, simply chop up your bagel into small slices (a serrated knife will help here, as you don't want to rip your bagel to bits), toss the pieces with oil, add your seasoning, and bake them until they're slightly golden-brown and crispy. Bagels are already baked, so you don't need to worry about the pieces being underdone; they should look crispy and have an audible snap when you bite into them. The seasonings you use can vary, but salt, pepper, garlic powder, and onion powder are all reliable options. 

When you're ready to serve, whip up your block of cream cheese in a stand mixer or opt for a pre-whipped tub. It's an excellent platter to serve at brunch, since your guests won't have to commit to a whole bagel.

Some bagel brands are better about seasoning their everything bagels than others. If you pull your bagel out of the bag and notice that all the poppy and sesame seeds have flown the coop, it may be time to bring in the reinforcements. Adding a sprinkle of everything bagel seasoning to the top of your bagel, rather than relying on just on the bagel's exterior, will ensure your bite is filled with just enough crunchiness and garlicky and oniony flavor. It's also an easy way to turn a plain, garlic, or sesame bagel into a more exciting everything bagel.

Everything bagel seasonings generally have the same components, regardless of the brand you're buying. However, if you're craving something even more fun, you may want to add pickle salt, fennel seeds, or red pepper flakes to your homemade mix. 

Two of the breakfast greats become one in this funky bagel rendition. All you need is a basic custard, composed of the same ingredients that you would use for standard French toast: eggs, vanilla, milk, and a little splash of maple syrup if you prefer things a little sweeter. You can also stick to just eggs and milk (as well as whatever seasonings suit your fancy) if you're after a savory rendition like one made with an onion or jalapeño bagel. Garlic, onion powder, and cracked black pepper would be excellent additions to a savory French toast custard.

Dip your bagel into the mixture so it can soak up the custard before transferring it to a hot skillet and cooking it evenly on both sides. Stale or older bagels tend to be best for this recipe, as they can soak up the custard better. If you're working with a sweet bagel, like a blueberry or a French toast flavor, try whipping up your cream cheese with a little bit of maple syrup to drive home that French toast essence even more. 

Pickled veggies are an excellent ingredient to have in your repertoire because they add a pop of acidic flavor along with some crunch. You don't need to be a master home canner or food preserver to try your hand at making your own pickled veggies. Many recipes require just a jar, salt, vinegar, sugar, and a veggie of your choice. One of our favorites to layer onto bagels is pickled red onions. While red onions are very sharp and biting, pickling gives them a more nuanced flavor, which can be easily altered and influenced by the inclusion of spices and seasonings. You can expedite the pickling process for these alliums by using a hot brine, which can leave you with a zesty bite for your bagels in a matter of minutes. 

Pickled cucumbers and jalapeños are two other pickles worth trying on your bagel. Slice them into small pieces and layer them on your cream cheese, or dice them finely and stir them into your schmear. 

Like it or not, St. Louis-style bagels are a thing. Instead of slicing these bagels horizontally, a series of cuts is made vertically, giving you a bagel that resembles a loaf of sliced bread. It's unconventional and something that bagel snobs may vehemently despise, but this method of slicing does have its merits. For one, it's made for people with an affinity for cream cheese because you can stuff a whole lot between the slices. 

You can also turn the slices into individual pieces of toast and mix up your toppings. If you can't decide between a scallion cream cheese and a cinnamon-infused one, you can easily get the best of both worlds with this method. Think of each piece as a customizable open-faced toast, leaving you with endless opportunities to customize to your liking. 

The texture of a bagel and cream cheese is divine. The rich toothsomeness from the cream cheese, combined with the perfect pull of a crispy bagel base, is pleasing to the senses. Some cream cheese or bagel add-ins, like stringy scallions, can unfortunately get in the way of this. That doesn't mean you have to skip over flavorful inclusions entirely. 

If you want the flavor of a particular ingredient, but not the texture, consider turning it into an infused oil. That way, you can add a drizzle of the oil to your bagel before enjoying and relish the delectable, high-quality mouthfeel of the extra virgin olive oil and the classic bagel experience all in the same bite. Garlic, thyme, rosemary, basil, and even bacon olive oil are all great options for your sandwich. 

Toasting is overrated — especially when you have access to a grill. While yes, a good bagel doesn't need to be toasted, putting your rounds on the grill before adding your cream cheese and enjoying them will add a little dimension, char, and fresh-from-the-grill flavor. You'll want to add a coating of oil to your bagels before putting them on the grill, and always cook them over indirect heat (away from the flame) so they don't get too crispy. 

You can cook your bagels on a conventional grill, Blackstone, or a grill pan on the stovetop. This method works best for plain bagels, as the sugar on a French toast bagel or seeds on a sesame or everything bagel might burn too fast and cause the bagel to taste sooty. 

Browned butter is an excellent ingredient to whip up in your kitchen, and we love how simple it is to make. It can elevate everything from chocolate chip cookies and banana bread to, you guessed it, bagels. Its nutty flavor and hazelnut aroma are the perfect pairing for a fatty, rich cream cheese. Whipping a block of cream cheese with browned butter and your favorite seasonings will make it taste even more luxurious and highlight some of the bagel's flavor notes, too. 

You don't need to add a ton of browned butter to your cream cheese to alter its flavor. You'll just want to make sure your browned butter is cooled before you stream it into the stand mixer, as you don't want to make the cream cheese too soft and hard to spread on your bagel.

It may never have crossed your mind to broil your bagels, but this method has merit. The heat from your oven will give them the perfect toasty flavor and crispy exterior that you crave. While you can drizzle some oil on the bagels and pop them in, you can also cover the top with cream cheese and any other toppings of your choosing before broiling the entire open-faced sandwich. Cream cheese won't melt as nicely as a slice of cheddar or American cheese, but it will give you a unique way to enjoy your bagel. If you like the cinematic, melty cheese effect (and don't mind the flavor), add a slice of cheese to the top of each half before broiling. 

Some people have even taken to broiling bagels as an unexpected use of pizza ovens. While this method may crisp up your bagel, the heat may be a little too much for it, so you're better off keeping a watchful eye on it and broiling it instead. 

A bagel and cream cheese, while delectable, can come across as pretty one-note at times. The carbs, combined with the rich cheese, can register as being very heavy on the palate. Luckily, you won't have to abandon your cream cheese for a fresher topping. Try adding thinly sliced tomato and basil to your sandwich instead. This Caprese take on a classic breakfast adds a layer of freshness to your meal, and you can always dress it up even more by adding a drizzle of olive oil, balsamic, and/or sliced fresh mozzarella. 

Plain cream cheese is a great place to start, but it's far from the only option you have. A scallion-infused one would also be an excellent option, as the sharp, allium flavors would complement the bright and juicy tomato and herbs well. 

Your spice rack is a great source of inspiration for ways to elevate your classic bagel and cream cheese. Depending on what you're craving, you can take either the sweet or savory route. Sweet spices, including cinnamon, cloves, and chai spices, can give your blueberry, chocolate chip, or French toast bagel an extra sweet edge, while spices like garlic powder, thyme, and onion powder will take things in a more savory direction — perfect for an everything or a sesame bagel. 

Incorporating your seasonings into your cream cheese couldn't be easier. For the best distribution, we'd recommend whipping your cream cheese in a stand mixer with your seasoning of choice. Just remember not to go overboard with the amount, as you still want to taste the flavor of the bagel underneath. 

The fact of the matter is that you're not always going to have access to a spice cabinet or a treasure trove of ingredients to take your cream cheese to the next level. However, if you have two of the most common seasonings — salt and pepper — you can upgrade your bagel. Even sweet foods taste better with a dash of salt, so you can try this hack on almost any type of bagel, sweet or savory. The pepper is more in the savory camp, but that doesn't mean it can't be used for something like a chai-spiced cream cheese, where that piquant brightness is embraced. 

Add a sprinkle of salt, pepper, or both to the top of your cream cheese before enjoying your bagel. Freshly cracked black pepper will give you an excellent aromatic experience, though you can also experiment with more unique types of peppercorns, like white, pink, or Sichuan. 

If you're making a sweet, cinnamon-infused cream cheese, you'll find that brown sugar is pretty common. Honey is another sweetener that gives this more conventional option a run for its money. While honey is certainly sweet, it offers your bagel more flavor nuances, including floral and herbaceous notes, that regular brown sugar just doesn't bring to the table. 

It's an especially tasty pairing for chopped walnuts, as the nutty flavor will play off the sweet, bright, and almost-acidic notes in the honey. Try this pairing on a French toast, sesame, maple sugar, or plain bagel. You can drizzle the honey and sprinkle the nuts on, or incorporate them by using a stand mixer for better distribution. 

Many of our favorite ways to elevate a plain bagel and cream cheese involve a flavorful add-in, like spices, pickled veggies, or a spread like pesto. If you're after a more neutrally flavored topping for your bagel and cream cheese, turn to cucumbers. These watery vegetables will offer your bagel a subtle crunch and make for the perfect mouthfeel when eaten with a bite of dense cream cheese. 

What we love about this suggestion is that it can work for any type of bagel, as the cucumber's flavor is innocuous enough to slip under the radar and not alter the flavor of the bite at all. It would be great for an Asiago-jalapeño, as the cooling cucumber would quell the pepper's spice, or a crunchy everything bagel. 

A bagel and cream cheese is, no doubt, a humble common man's breakfast, but there are endless ways to give it an upgraded and sophisticated edge. Prosciutto and figs (either in jam or whole form) will offer a savory bagel a charcuterie touch. The prosciutto is fatty and salty, which is what the rich cream cheese craves, while the figs will provide just the perfect amount of sweetness and tartness to balance out the flavors. 

A plain bagel is a great vector for this sandwich, as it will let the meat and fruit shine. However, a sesame bagel would be even more compelling thanks to its nuttiness — though it's not so flavorful that it detracts from the high-end toppings.

Of all the things that a bagel and cream cheese are, fresh is not one of them. The rich cheese and the carby bagel can bog your taste buds down, especially after about five bites in, when you realize it was a little too heavy. Including fresh herbs in your cream cheese is an easy way to lighten the bite and make use of light, summery flavors. 

Scallions and chives are great options that, while oniony, are still neutral enough to pair with a range of savory bagel flavors. One sleeper hit that we like to include in our homemade whipped cream cheese is thyme. Its woodsy, yet still soft profile is an excellent foil to the rich schmear and thick bagel. Rosemary and sea salt are also an excellent combination that will add dimension to even the plainest of plain bagels. 

Okay, maybe we're a little biased here because we put pesto on absolutely everything, from pizza to baked potatoes. Although its primary flavor is earthy and herby thanks to the basil, the addition of umami-rich Parmesan, olive oil, and lemon takes it up a notch. We've tried whipping it into cream cheese a time or two and can attest to how well it lightens up a classically heavy schmear. 

The exact amount of pesto you'll want to use depends on two things: How much you like pesto and what you want the consistency of your cream cheese to be. Start by adding just a few teaspoons of pesto to your cream cheese as it's being whipped, tasting it, and adding more as you see fit. If you're short on time, you can also drizzle a store-bought pesto right on the bagel. It would be an excellent base for a Caprese-inspired bagel and cream cheese with sliced heirloom tomatoes, or one topped with thinly sliced radishes, cucumbers, and fresh sprouts.