Save Delight in these savory bites combining creamy cottage and cream cheese rolled in everything bagel seasoning. Mixed with fresh chives and red onion, they create a flavorful, protein-rich snack that requires no cooking and minimal prep time. Perfect chilled, they offer a quick, tasty option for snacking or serving as an appetizer. Optional toppings like sesame and poppy seeds add extra texture and depth.
Last summer my friend Sarah brought these to a pool party and I literally could not stop eating them. She laughed and said they were just cottage cheese dressed up, but something about that everything bagel crunch made them feel way more indulgent than they had any right to be. I went home that night and made three batches just to see if I could recreate the magic. Now they're my go-to when I want something savory but don't want to turn on the oven.
I made these for my book club last month and watched the plate disappear in under five minutes. One of my friends who claims to hate cottage cheese took a bite purely out of politeness, then immediately asked for the recipe. There's something about that creamy interior hitting the crunchy everything seasoning that just works on a primal level.
Ingredients
- 1 cup cottage cheese: Small curd gives you the best texture here, but honestly whatever you have in your fridge will work just fine
- 2 oz cream cheese: Let this sit out for a bit so it softens up, making everything blend so much smoother
- 2 tbsp fresh chives: The bright onion flavor cuts through the richness and makes these taste garden-fresh
- 1 tbsp red onion: Dice this pretty small unless you want bigger bursts of sharp onion in every bite
- 3 tbsp everything bagel seasoning: This is the whole point of the recipe so don't be shy with it
Instructions
- Mix your cheese base:
- Dump the cottage cheese and softened cream cheese into a bowl and mash them together until they're mostly combined, but don't stress about getting it perfectly smooth
- Add the fresh stuff:
- Fold in your chives and diced red onion until everything's evenly distributed throughout the cheese mixture
- Form the bites:
- Wet your hands slightly to prevent sticking, then scoop and roll the mixture into 16 small balls, aiming for roughly tablespoon-sized portions
- Coat them:
- Pour your everything bagel seasoning onto a plate and roll each ball around until they're completely covered in that crunchy topping
- Chill and serve:
- Let them hang out in the fridge for at least 15 minutes so they firm up a bit, then arrange them on whatever serving platter makes you feel fancy
Save My daughter now requests these for her school snacks instead of those cheese sticks from the grocery store. Watching her get excited about cottage cheese feels like a parenting win I never saw coming.
Make Ahead Magic
You can totally make these the night before and store them in an airtight container in the fridge. The seasoning actually softens slightly and melds into the cheese, which some people might prefer.
Serving Ideas
I've started putting these out alongside sliced cucumbers and bell pepper strips. The fresh crunch from the vegetables balances the creamy cheese perfectly and makes the whole spread feel lighter.
Flavor Variations
Sometimes I'll add a pinch of garlic powder to the cheese mixture if I'm feeling extra savory. You can also roll half the batch in just sesame seeds for visual variety on the platter.
- Try swapping in Greek yogurt for the cream cheese if you want something lighter
- A tiny dash of everything bagel seasoning inside the cheese mixture adds extra flavor depth
- These freeze surprisingly well if you want to batch make them for future snacking emergencies
Save These little bites have become my secret weapon for whenever I need to bring something to a gathering but don't want to spend hours in the kitchen.
