Savoury Cheese-Stuffed Doughnuts with Everything Bagel Seasoning

These Savoury Cheese Doughnuts are like a hybrid of a fried doughnut and cream cheese-stuffed everything bagel. Cheesy and soft with perfect oniony flavours, you’ll be hooked after one bite!

If there’s one thing we’re obsessed with in our house, it’s everything bagels.

From our Easy 1 Bite Everything Bagels to our Vegan Everything Bagel Herb and Garlic Pizza Bombs, we can’t get enough of the garlicky and oniony goodness combined with soft and chewy bread. So, why wouldn’t we want to capture everything addictively delicious about a cream cheese-slathered everything bagel and put it into a savoury donut?

That’s exactly what these Savoury Cheese Doughnuts with Everything Bagel Seasoning are all about. Like a bagel-doughnut hybrid stuffed with homemade vegan cheese and topped with everything bagel seasoning, these flavour bombs are a breakfast game-changer. You’ll love how easy they are to make, too!
Just like our Homemade Vegan Bagels, these doughnuts come together with simple ingredients and beginner-friendly techniques. The dough and cheese can be made ahead of time, too, saving you time and stress in the kitchen! Give them a try next time you want to make an epic breakfast for the family or when it’s your turn to host Sunday brunch.

Savoury doughnuts are filling, rich and creamy. They pair perfectly with a copycat iced brown sugar oat milk shaken espresso or dairy-free pumpkin cream cold brew!

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• An epic savoury breakfast or brunch – These doughnuts are fried until golden, stuffed with vegan garlic herb cheese, and topped with everything bagel seasoning and extra cheese. One try and you’ll never look at a classic everything bagel the same way again!
• Made with simple ingredients – This recipe calls for classic baking staples, like flour, yeast, butter, and sugar, while the easy vegan cheese is tofu-based and seasoned with everyday ingredients.
• Easy to make ahead of time – This may not be the quickest recipe, but the dough and vegan cheese can be made in advance when you’re short on time.

Key Ingredients and Substitutions

• Dairy-free milk – Use any kind of non-dairy milk you like or have on hand. 
• Bread flour – The high protein content of bread flour gives the doughnuts more structure and chew. Don’t worry if you don’t have any at home, though. All-purpose flour works just as well, although the savoury doughnuts may not rise quite as much.
• Yeast – I used dry active yeast, but instant yeast works well, too.
• Sugar – To sweeten the dough. For more of a bagel-like taste, feel free to reduce the sugar to 2 tablespoons instead (use 1 tablespoon for the yeast mixture and 1 tablespoon for the dough).
• Vegan butter – It makes the dough soft and flavourful. Salted and unsalted butter work well in the bread dough. 
• Vegan yogurt – This adds more moisture to the dough. Make sure the yogurt is plain and unsweetened.
• Oil – You need oil for frying the doughnuts, like canola oil, vegetable oil, or avocado oil.
• Tofu – A block of firm tofu is used as the base of the “cheese” in this stuffed donut recipe. Don’t replace the firm or extra firm tofu with a softer variety, like medium firm or soft tofu. They’re too watery and won’t be as stiff when piped into the doughnuts.
• Flavour boosters – The vegan tofu cheese is seasoned with garlic cloves, fresh parsley, and green onion.
• Everything bagel seasoning – Use a store-bought blend or make it yourself!

How to Make Vegan Cheese Doughnuts with Everything Bagel Seasoning

• Activate the yeast. Combine the milk, sugar, and yeast in a large bowl. Cover and place in a warm area until the mixture is foamy and smells like yeast.
• Make the dough. Whisk the bread flour and remaining sugar together in a large bowl until combined. Add the yogurt, vanilla, and bloomed yeast mixture and mix until a very shaggy dough forms. Mix in 1 tablespoon of butter at a time until incorporated, then knead the dough until it’s soft and pliable.
• Set it aside to rise. Transfer the dough to a separate greased bowl, cover it with plastic, and place it in a warm area to rest and double in size.
• Make the vegan garlic herb cheese. Process the tofu, salt, garlic, parsley, and half the green onion in a food processor until it’s almost completely smooth with some green onions still intact. Transfer the mixture to a piping bag and place it in the fridge.
• Shape the doughnuts. Transfer the risen dough to a lightly floured surface and cut it into 8 even dough balls. Roll each one in your hands until smooth, then place them on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Cover and set aside to rise and double in size again. 
• Deep fry the doughnuts. Heat the oil in a large saucepan until it’s between 350ºF and 365ºF. Slightly flatten the dough balls with your hands, place them in a slotted metal spoon one at a time, and fry until golden brown on both sides. Place them on a wire rack to drain and cool.
• Fill the doughnuts with cheese. Once they’re cool to the touch, fill the fried savoury doughnuts with half of the refrigerated cheese mixture.
• Decorate and serve. Pipe the remaining cheese on top of the doughnuts, then dunk each one into the everything bagel seasoning. Garnish with the remaining green onions and enjoy!

Recipe FAQs

Are these doughnuts or bagels?

They’re a bit of both… The dough is sweetened with sugar and fried, just like yeasted doughnuts, but the savoury stuffings, seasonings, and toppings give each bite the same flavours as an everything bagel stuffed with garlic herb cream cheese. If you’re a fan of savoury breakfasts, you’ll love this savoury bagel doughnut hybrid.

Can I make this recipe ahead of time?

Yes, the dough and vegan cheese can both be prepared 1 day ahead of cooking. Instead of waiting on the first rise, cover the dough and place it in the fridge overnight. The vegan cheese can also be made and stored in the fridge for up to 5 days.

The next day, set the dough on the counter for about 30 minutes so it can come down to room temperature. Afterward, shape, rise, fry, and stuff the doughnuts as directed.

How long can I store the doughnuts?

The doughnuts are best eaten within 1 day of being stuffed and topped with vegan cheese. If you do end up with leftovers, keep them in an airtight container in the fridge for 2 to 3 days. Freezing isn’t recommended.

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