Bread Paper Squishy Template: Cute Cream Cheese Bagel

Finished cream cheese bagel paper squishy with a cute face next to the free printable template.

fresh from the paper bakery

Easy
20–30 minutes
No glue
about 3.9 × 3.7 in (9.9 × 9.3 cm)

This golden, sesame-and-poppy-seed cream cheese bagel has a thick, wavy swirl of filling and a sweet, rosy-cheeked face peeking right out of the center hole. If you are looking for a cute bread paper squishy template, this free printable PDF comes in 3 versions (full color, a coloring page, and a blank outline) formatted for both US Letter and A4 paper. Once stuffed, your finished bagel measures about 3.9 × 3.7 in (9.9 × 9.3 cm) and pairs wonderfully with an avocado toast squishy for a full breakfast set.

Jump to the free PDF ↓

What you need

Printer and plain printer paper (80–100 gsm / 20–24 lb)
Wide clear packing tape for laminating the bagel
Regular clear tape for sealing the curved edges
Scissors
Stuffing: plastic grocery bags, cotton balls, or fiberfill
Optional: warm brown, tan, and pink markers or colored pencils (for the coloring version)

How to make it, step by step

1Print the template

Print your chosen sheet at 100% scale on plain printer paper, making sure to turn off the “fit to page” setting. Check the scale line in the top corner: it should measure exactly 2 inches (50 mm on A4). If you picked the coloring page, color the golden crust, the seeds, and the rosy cheeks now, then let any marker ink dry completely.
2Tape the pieces

Place strips of wide clear packing tape over the two round bagel pieces only, rather than taping the entire page. Smooth each strip down from the middle toward the outside edges without pulling—stretched tape will wrinkle later. This glossy coat makes your paper bagel durable, shiny, and extra squishy.
3Cut out both pieces

Cut out the front and the back bagel halves by following the solid black outer line. Take your time around the slight side curves where the cream cheese filling bulges out, and be sure to leave the narrow white border intact all the way around.
4Add a tape border to the back

Turn the back piece printed side down and lay it onto strips of clear tape with the sticky side facing up. Cut the tape so it extends about 1 cm (½ inch) past the paper edge, then snip into this sticky border every 2 cm (1 inch) right up to the paper. These little flaps will hold your round bagel together smoothly.
5Join front and back

Lay the front bagel piece right on top of the back piece, keeping the white unprinted sides together and lining up the cream cheese layer on both sides. Fold each tape flap over the front edge one by one and press firmly. Leave a 4 cm (1½ in) gap open at the bottom, just as shown by the pink line in the picture.
6Stuff it

Tear plastic bags, cotton, or fiberfill into small bits and push them inside through the open gap. Work the first pieces into the far curves of the bagel arch and out into the cream cheese sides, then fill the center where the cute face sits. Stop once it feels soft and puffy so the seams do not pop.
7Close the gap

Fold the last tape flaps neatly over the bottom edge and tape the gap shut with an extra strip of clear tape. Run your finger all the way along the round edges of the bagel to press the tape down well.
8Squish!

Your freshly baked paper bagel is done! Give the chubby middle a good squeeze and watch it puff right back up. If you want a slow-rising squishy, gently prick one tiny pinhole in the back of the bagel.

Free printable cream cheese bagel paper squishy template showing front and back pieces in color.

Free Cream Cheese Bagel Squishy Template

Color
Coloring page
Blank, design your own
Step-by-step guide

Download US Letter Download A4

One free PDF: the template in three versions (pages 1–3) and the step-by-step guide (pages 4–5). Print the template at 100% on plain printer paper.

Tips for the perfect squish

Bagel feels too firm?. If the round pillow feels hard instead of squishy, it has too much stuffing inside. Gently open the bottom gap, pull some out, and tape the edge shut again.
Smooth around the cream cheese. Wide packing tape can wrinkle over the broad round bagel face if pulled tight. Use shorter strips and lay them down smoothly without pulling.
Fix a popped side seam. If an edge splits open where the cream cheese bulges out, put a new short strip of clear tape right across the edge, overlapping the old ones.
Keep the sesame seeds crisp. When coloring the seeded crust and cute face with markers, let the ink dry fully before taping so the dark seeds do not smear. Printer ink is fine to tape right away.

Questions

Can I make a bread paper squishy with glue instead of tape?

Not for the edges. Glue does not stick to tape-covered paper, so the seams would open when squeezed. The snipped tape border folded over the round edge holds the two bagel halves best.

What kind of paper works best for a paper bread squishy?

Plain printer paper (80–100 gsm / 20–24 lb) gives the best squish. Cardstock makes the bagel stiff and it will not squish as nicely.

What can I use to stuff my bagel squishy?

Plastic grocery bags give a fun, crinkly feel, while cotton balls or fiberfill make the bagel soft and plush. You can also use small pieces of memory foam for a slow-rising squishy.

Can I print this bread paper squishy template larger?

Yes! Print the page at a larger scale, for example 120%, for a bigger bagel. Just print the front and the back together on the same sheet so they match.

Can I make this bagel craft with a classroom or group?

Yes! Print 1 sheet per person, cut tape strips in advance, and plan about 30 minutes so kids can color the coloring page while you help with taping. You can even pair it with a fried egg squishy for a fun breakfast craft table.