Apple Streusel Bagel Bites: An Easy Fall Breakfast Treat

These Apple Streusel Bagel Bites taste like a mini apple crumble you can hold in one hand. Plain mini bagels get a buttery cinnamon streusel crown, bake until golden, then get a scoop of apple pie cream cheese right in the center.

They take about 25 minutes start to finish and use pantry staples plus one shortcut: a can of fried apples. Make them for a fall breakfast, an after-school snack, or a brunch tray that disappears fast.

Why You’ll Love These

All the apple pie flavor, none of the pie crust. The bagel does the work of the crust.
Kid-friendly and hands-on. Little helpers can crumble the streusel and paint on the butter.
A sweet-and-creamy combo. Crunchy streusel on top, cool apple cream cheese in the middle.
Easy to scale. Double the batch for a party or a weekend brunch spread.

Ingredients

Makes 8 bagel bites.

For the bagels

12 plain mini bagels
2 tablespoons butter, melted

For the streusel topping

1/2 stick (4 tablespoons) cold butter, cubed
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Pinch of salt (optional)

For the apple cream cheese center

1 tub (8 oz) whipped cream cheese
1 can fried apples, drained and chopped small (or 1 cup homemade, below)
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Homemade Apple Pie Filling (Optional)

Skip the can and make your own in about 15 minutes. This makes about 1 1/2 cups, enough for the cream cheese plus extra to spoon on top.

Ingredients

3 medium apples (Granny Smith or Honeycrisp), peeled, cored and diced small
2 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Pinch of nutmeg
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon cornstarch mixed with 2 tablespoons water

Instructions

Melt the butter in a skillet over medium heat.
Add the apples, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg and lemon juice. Stir to coat.
Cook for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring often. Until the apples are soft, but still hold their shape.
Stir in the cornstarch mixture and cook 1 to 2 minutes more. Until the sauce is thick and glossy.
Let the filling cool completely before mixing it into the cream cheese. Warm apples will melt it.

Use about 1 cup in the cream cheese mixture. The filling keeps in the fridge for up to 4 days, so you can make it ahead.

How to Make Apple Streusel Bagel Bites

Preheat and prep. Heat the oven to 375°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Make the streusel. In a bowl, add the cold butter, flour, brown sugar, cinnamon and salt. Use a fork to mash and mix until it forms pea-sized crumbles.
Butter the tops of the bagels. Lay the bagels up on the baking sheet. Brush the melted butter over the tops.
Top with streusel. Press a heaping spoonful of streusel onto each bagel so it sticks to the butter.
Bake. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, until the streusel is golden brown and the bagel edges are toasted.
Mix the filling. While they bake, stir the whipped cream cheese, chopped fried apples and cinnamon together until combined.
Cool, then fill. Let the bagels cool for about 5 minutes. Spoon or pipe the apple cream cheese into the center of each bagel and serve.

Tips for the Best Bagel Bites

Keep the butter cold for the streusel. Soft butter turns into a paste instead of crumbles.
Drain the apples well. Extra syrup makes the cream cheese runny. Save the leftover apples to spoon on top.
Wait to add the filling. Cream cheese melts on hot bagels, so give them a few minutes to cool first.
Pipe it for a prettier finish. Spoon the filling into a zip-top bag, snip the corner, and pipe it into the centers.
Add a drizzle. A little caramel sauce or a dusting of powdered sugar makes them brunch-ready.

Storage

These bagel bites definitely taste the best the day they’re made. But you can store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days. The streusel softens a bit in the fridge, so eat them cold or warm them up briefly in your air fryer or oven.

Make Ahead

Mix the streusel and the apple cream cheese up to 2 days ahead and keep both in the fridge. When you’re ready, just butter, top, bake and fill.

More Cozy Fall Breakfasts

If these Apple Streusel Bagel Bites have you in the mood for more fall mornings, we have plenty to keep you going. Our Pumpkin Spice Protein Mini Muffins, 3 Ways start with just three ingredients and are perfect for grab-and-go school mornings. For a little more indulgence, try our Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffins, which basically come out of the oven already “frosted.” And if you’re feeding a crowd this season, our French Toast Casserole can be prepped the night before and turns leftover bread crusts into a family favorite. Pin this recipe so you have it ready for your next fall brunch!

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