The nutty monkey bagel is an effortless breakfast that takes less time than your morning coffee. Nutella, nuts, and bananas never tasted so good!
The best things in life are simple, and this nutty monkey bagel is proof! It consists of a plain split bagel, a sweet chocolatey spread, sliced banana, and nuts for crunch. The bagel is easy to prepare but tastes like something you would get at your favorite local café. Whether you’re having a lazy day and want a quick breakfast that requires minimal effort or are short on time but hate to skip a meal (breakfast is the most important meal of the day, after all), a nutty monkey bagel is perfect.
Why You’ll Love This Nutty Monkey Bagel
- Quick and easy – No cooking is required. You mix, spread, slice, and eat. It doesn’t get much easier than that.
- Sweet – Sometimes, it’s nice to start the morning with a sweet breakfast, and this one is great because although you get that, there are nutrients in every bite: protein, healthy fat, potassium, and more.
- Customizable – Toast the bagel, finish it with honey, add nuts and seeds, or use another nut butter; the options are endless. Don’t you love a breakfast item you can edit to your liking?
- Portable – Take a nutty monkey bagel with you on the go. Walk and eat, or pack it up in a lunch box. They travel well and taste good at any temperature.
Nutty Monkey Bagel Ingredients Notes
- Bagels: Plain bagels are used for this recipe because they serve as blank slates, which work best considering the toppings used.
- Chocolate Hazelnut Spread: Nutella is one of the most popular, but choose any brand you like. Whatever you select, the chocolatey, creamy, milky spread with fragrant, nutty notes makes each bagel super delicious.
- Almond Butter: Who knew almond butter and chocolate hazelnut spread were so dynamic? The nutty richness enhances the nuttiness of the Nutella.
- Banana: A few slices to each bagel halve add a distinctive fruity flavor.
- Peanuts: Peanuts complete the nutty trio that makes up these nutty monkey bagels and bring added texture to each bite.
How to Make a Nutty Monkey Bagel
Nutty monkey bagels couldn’t be easier. To make them:
- Halve: Halve each bagel. Cut the plain bagels in half with a serrated knife if they aren’t pre-split.
- Mix and spread: Combine the chocolate hazelnut spread with the almond butter in a small bowl until smooth with a uniform color, then spread onto each bagel half in an even layer. Warm the bowl before mixing to make the Nutella and almond butter easier to stir. A little residual heat makes all the difference.
- Top: Top each nutty monkey bagel with sliced banana and nuts. For extra sweetness, add a drizzle of honey.
Variations and Substitutions
- Toast the bagel – If you prefer a little less chew, toast the bagel beforehand.
- Switch up the nut butter – Peanut and cashew butter will work equally well. Even sunflower seed butter will work.
- Use banana chips instead – You’ll get that delicious banana taste with some added crispness.
- Top with any nuts or seeds you like – Almonds, cashews, and pecans would work so well here. As for seed substitutes, try chia for a more subtle texture, hemp, or sunflower seeds.
- Drizzle with maple syrup – A drizzle in place of honey works equally well.
What to Serve with a Nutty Monkey Bagel
There are a lot of options to choose from. A side of fresh fruit would be nice, as would a small serving of plain Greek yogurt to contrast the sweet bagel. Nutty monkey bagels are filling, so you may just want a beverage. Orange juice or a glass of milk goes with most breakfast foods, and this is no exception. You also can’t go wrong with coffee or tea.
Make Ahead
Nutty monkey bagels can be made in advance. However, since preparation is so easy, there’s no reason to make them far ahead of time. Instead, prepare no more than a few hours in advance, so you have a filling snack or pack and take a bagel to work to combat that mid-morning slump.
Storage and Freezer Tips
Store a nutty monkey bagel in an airtight container with a lid instead of a sandwich bag or pouch to prevent wasting any of the delicious spread on top. It’s also a good idea to lightly brush the banana slices with lemon juice before storing them to prevent browning. Although browning does not impact the taste of bananas, brown banana slices aren’t appealing to the eye. Once packed and ready, leave the bagels at room temperature or refrigerate them. Freezing is neither suggested nor necessary since it takes minutes to put these together.
- 2 plain bagels, halved
- 1 banana, sliced
- Honey (optional)
- 1 tbs. raw peanuts (optional)
- In a small bowl, add the almond butter and Nutella and use a spoon to combine.
- Using a knife, spread the mixture onto both sides of the bagel.
- Then, add some banana slices, a drizzle of honey and sprinkle on some peanuts!
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