Chewy keto bagels do exist and they are delicious! This easy nut-free recipe takes only 5 ingredients and 40 minutes of your time. And with only 2.9g net carbs, they are perfect for a healthy keto breakfast.
I couldn’t be more thrilled with these keto bagels and I think you will be too. They have the perfect chewiness of the conventional kind, with a mere fraction of the carbs.
It took me quite a few attempts to get this recipe right, I will admit. I had to play around to get the perfect combination of cheese and keto flour. But once I did, I knew I had something pretty remarkable on my hands.
They remind me of traditional Montreal style bagels…smaller and denser than the New York kind, but full of flavor and delightfully chewy. They toast really well, and with a schmear of cream cheese, you can truly enjoy bagels again.
And just like my keto biscuits, they make great breakfast sandwiches too!
Why you need to try this recipe
This keto bagel recipe is a little different from others you may have seen. For one thing, it’s made with coconut flour rather than almond flour, which means it’s completely nut-free.
I have experimented quite a bit with fathead dough, which is typically made of cheese, almond flour, and eggs. Because almond flour has a high oil content, it causes a great deal of spreading during baking. This can mean that most keto bagels end up flat and shapeless.
I find that coconut flour provides much more structure and holds up better. It also makes the bagels chewier, like the real thing. And they don’t taste like coconut at all!
One reader says: “Chewy, rich, great texture, delicious! This dough was easier to work with than any other fat head dough I’ve tried.”
Ingredients you need
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- Coconut flour: I created this recipe using coconut flour because I really think it gives them the ideal texture. Do not substitute with almond flour as the bagels will flatten and spread too much. For best results, weigh the flour out by grams.
- Baking powder: Make sure your baking powder is not old or else your bagels will not rise and will be a bit flat.
- Xanthan gum: There really is no substitution for this as it gives the bagels structure. Remember, a bag of xanthan gum will last for several years. You can find it in the gluten-free aisle of most grocery stores, or you can purchase it online.
- Shredded mozzarella: Fathead dough is tricky, and some shredded mozzarella works better than others. I have had good luck with all sorts of brands like Whole Foods, Safeway, Trader Joe’s Organic, and Sargento. But for some reason, I have not had much success with Organic Valley.
- Eggs: Use large eggs for this keto bagel recipe. Extra large or jumbo eggs will make the dough too soft.
- Butter: Brush the top of the bagels with melted butter. It adds great flavor, browns the bagels and gives the toppings something to adhere to.
- Everything bagel toppings: Sesame seeds, poppy seeds, dried minced onion and coarse salt make these taste like classic bagels. You can also purchase everything bagel seasoning that is premixed.
Step by step directions
1. Whisk the dry ingredients: In a medium bowl, combine the coconut flour, baking powder and xanthan gum. Make sure to break up any clumps in the coconut flour.
2. Melt the cheese: In a large microwave safe bowl, melt the cheese on high in 30 second increments until well melted and almost liquid. The exact time this takes varies with the power of your microwave. For me, it takes about three 30-second zaps.
3. Add the flour mixture and eggs: Place the flour mixture over the melted cheese, then add the eggs. The flour will help protect the eggs from the heat of the cheese. Knead in the bowl using a rubber spatula.
4. Turn out the dough: Line a baking sheet with a silicone mat or parchment paper and continue to knead the dough until cohesive. Cut the dough in half and cut each half into 4 equal portions so that you have 8 equal pieces of dough.
5. Roll into logs: Roll each portion out on the mat to about 8 inches long. Then pinch the ends of the log together to form a circle.
6. Add the seasoning: In a shallow dish, stir together the sesame seeds, poppyseed, dried onion and salt. Brush the top of each bagel with melted butter and dip firmly into the everything seasoning. You can also just sprinkle the seasoning on top.
7. Bake until golden: Bake the bagels at 350ºF until they have risen and are golden brown.
Expert Tips and FAQ
Fathead dough is tricky, because so much depends on the right combination of shredded cheese and keto flour. So I have a few extra tips to help you get these keto bagels right. Be sure to watch the video in the recipe card for even more tips and tricks!
If you don’t have a microwave, you can melt the cheese in a pan over very low heat on the stovetop. Remove the pan from heat before adding anything else and stir very quickly once you add the egg. Don’t let the pan get too hot or it will curdle the egg.
If the bagels spread too much or turn out a bit flat, it usually means you didn’t have enough coconut flour to give them structure. I strongly recommend weighing the coconut flour for accuracy.
The brand of shredded cheese can also be an issue, so it can take a bit of experimentation. Look under the ingredients section for the brands that have worked best for me.
Store bagels in a resealable container at room temperature for up to 5 days. They tend to get quite firm when refrigerated, although you can warm them up gently to make them softer again.
This keto bagel recipe has 5.5g of carbs and 2.6g of fiber per serving. That comes to 2.9g net carbs per bagel.
This keto dough is made with mozzarella cheese, eggs, coconut flour, xanthum gum and baking powder. It produces a chewy and delicious bagel that tastes similar to regular bagels. And they toast well, too!
More fathead dough recipes to try
Fathead dough is a game-changer for keto recipes, as it is so similar to real pizza dough. Here are a few other recipes you might enjoy:
- We use it to make keto pizza crust frequently. The kids love cheese and pepperoni, but my husband and I really like to make Jalapeno Popper Pizza.
- You can also use it to make fabulous keto cinnamon rolls! The dough is elastic enough to roll up nicely with a cinnamon filling.
- I modified the dough to make this fun Keto Everything Bagel Bread. It’s fun to serve at parties or just make some to snack on at home.
- Craving calzone? Fathead dough is perfect for that. I filled my Keto Calzone with a creamy mixture of spinach, artichokes, and cheese.
Related recipes
Keto Bagel Recipe
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup (60 g) coconut flour (60g)
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 3/4 tsp (0.75 tsp) xanthan gum
- 12 oz (340.2 g) pre-shredded mozzarella
- 2 large eggs
Optional Topping for Everything Bagels
- 1 tsp sesame seeds
- 1 tsp poppyseed
- 1 tsp dried minced onion
- 1/2 tsp (0.5 tsp) coarse salt
- 1 tbsp butter, melted
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350ºF and line a large baking sheet with a silicone liner. Lightly dust with coconut flour.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the coconut flour, baking powder, and xanthan gum. Set aside.
- In a large microwave safe bowl, melt the cheese on high in 30 second increments until well melted and almost liquid. Stir in the flour mixture and the eggs and knead in the bowl using a rubber spatula.
- Turn out onto the prepared baking sheet and continue to knead together until cohesive. Cut the dough in half and cut each half into 4 equal portions so that you have 8 equal pieces of dough.
- Roll each portion out into a log about 8 inches long. Pinch the ends of the log together.
- In a shallow dish, stir together the sesame seeds, poppyseed, dried onion, and salt. Brush the top of each bagel with melted butter and dip firmly into the everything seasoning. Set back on the silicone mat.
- Bake 15 to 20 minutes, until the bagels have risen and are golden brown.
Video
Notes
Storage information
Because fathead dough tends to lose elasticity as it cools, it’s best to store the bagels at room temperature. Place them in a covered container for up to 5 days. If you do refrigerate or freeze them, warm them gently in the oven or microwave to make them softer again.Nutrition
Nutritional Disclaimer
Please note that I am not a medical or nutritional professional. I am simply recounting and sharing my own experiences on this blog. Nothing I express here should be taken as medical advice and you should consult with your doctor before starting any diet or exercise program. I provide nutritional information for my recipes simply as a courtesy to my readers. It is calculated using MacGourmet software and I remove erythritol from the final carb count and net carb count, as it does not affect my own blood glucose levels. I do my best to be as accurate as possible but you should independently calculate nutritional information on your own before relying on them. I expressly disclaim any and all liability of any kind with respect to any act or omission wholly or in part in reliance on anything contained in this website.
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Ok….Being Jewish I crave bagels. But after finding out I’m gluten intolerant it’s been a sad couple of years lol. I tried this recipe today and I’m blown away! These almost pass as a NY Bagel. Next batch I’ll add some diastatic Malt Powder to give a kick but I can’t thank you enough for this recipe.
Now THAT is a compliment. Thank you. Malt powder sounds like a great idea.
What does the malt powder do?
The texture of these was great but I couldn’t get over the coconut flavor the coconut flour gave them. Maybe I should make a sweet bagel and not an everything bagel?
Maybe you need to try a different coconut flour?
These keto bagels are SOOOO delicious! I made them as the directions stated and, though they didn’t rise very much, they did rise some and aren’t sad-looking flat discs. I had Trader Joe Everything bagel topping that I’ve been wanting to try. So try I did, and the results are excellent.
This was my first attempt with Fathead Daryl dough, and I know I’ll be using it a lot from now but on. My diabetic hubby uses every excuse to fill his mouth with breads of all kinds—as long as they aren’t keto. (We’ve had some pretty awful recipes in the past.) I know he’s going to love these bagels as much as I do.
These taste amazing but they turn out super flat and thin for me. I can’t figure out why. I measured carefully and I used fresh baking powder. Any tips?
Probably the brand of cheese you are using. Try adding a bit more coconut flour next time.
These are quite tasty. I will weigh the coconut flour next time. I baked these on a very hot, humid day and they may not be the texture intended. Tasty and there will be a next time!!
Hi Carolyn,
I wanted to do one last comment to thank you for trying to help me. There wasn’t a reply option after your last comment.
I’ve been scratching my head about this mystery. My guess is that it’s my arthritis causing it! You have two thickening agents working quickly. My hands don’t mix as quickly as they need to in this recipe. It thickens up before I can mix it. So I have streaks of cheese.
What attracted me to this recipe is my success with your recipes. Plus, I don’t like the almond flavor in my bagels. But not every recipe works well with every baker.
I thought about this as I tried another coconut flour recipe. That recipe had more eggs. Just coconut flour, although a bit more. No xanathan gum, which works fast. I had more time to work with the dough. I made great tortillas with the dough.
You said you can’t tell what’s going on unless you are standing right beside me. Gosh, you are so welcome to do that–although I might be really nervous. You are a rock star to me! If you are ever coming to the Reagan Library… We live nearby. 🙂
Thanks for your feedback, Judy. I am sorry about the arthritis… maybe you can rope someone into helping you with this? Get them to do the quick kneading?
I love this recipe so much. I do these bagels practically every week. Today I used this recipe as a pizza base. Delicious!
Thank you SOOO MUCH for creating a unique keto friendly bagel recipe! I’ve tried the fathead dough versions a couple of times and while the bagels always look great, they are soo heavy and sit so hard in my stomach from the massive amount of cheese. I truly appreciate a bagel with lower calories and less cheese. It helps that I LOVE coconut flour! Thank you again so much! I actually found your recipe after googling “don’t like fathead bagels” just to see if I was the only person on planet earth who wanted a different low carb bagel option.
I can’t wait to check out some of your other recipes!
Hi Carolyn,
I was so excited to see this recipe in my very new cookbook! I made this right after the skillet pie.
I’d like your help in doing some problem-solving. I’ve made Fathead dough many times before. My favorite fathead dough has almond flour and NO cream cheese. But I don’t like the almond flavor.
I definitely used Bob’s Red Mill coconut flour when making your recipe. However, the dough was very dry. It had streaks of egg in it. I couldn’t make a smooth dough or shape it well. I used my silicone donut pan because i was nervous and I didn’t want to waste all that cheese. It didn’t rise. I tried making the recipe TWICE!
So here’s where I think the problem is—THE CHEESE! Your Whole Foods cheese has 1 carb, from cellulose. My friend shopped for us at Costco and brought us Kirkland cheese. That cheese has 2 carbs per serving from POTATO STARCH. The dough was dry and didn’t rise.
Since I have a boatload of this cheese, and since others seem to have issues, how about a bit of problem solving? You have a generous baker heart. If the dough is dry, should people:
1. Add some fat? Oil or butter? Maybe a tsp at a time?
2. Adding some water?
I’d suggest holding back a tablespoon or two of coconut flour for the next time, but that won’t help this batch.
What do you think? THANK YOU!!!
Hi Carolyn, I tried to recipe again:
-with Kraft cheese
-with 4 grams less (almost 2 TBSP) coconut flour. The dough worked nicely, just like other fathead dough.
I made 7 bagels. They didn’t rise much, though. I don’t know how long my strands were. I might use my bagel pan next time.
Thanks for something to go with my lox in the morning!
Hi Judy… if your coconut flour is measuring only 2g per tablespoon, then something is seriously wrong. Because 2 tbsp of coconut flour should weigh in at about 14-15g, so about 7g per tbsp.
Hello, Carolyn,
You are correct. I measured the coconut flour again, with the finely tuned coin scale that I use for yeast. And, instead of leveling off, I shook the Tablespoon like you would when you measure. 14.6 grams. I see that the coconut flour sticks and more was removed when leveling off. I was so frustrated last time with the results, that I measured too fast/inaccurately.
I do bake by weight. So I am baking by your measurements–56 grams coconut flour. I sprinkle the xanathan gum all around the dry ingredients, and then whisk it all in, along with all the dry ingredients. I melt the cheese (last time it was Kraft, with 1 carb/oz. When I mix the melted cheese with the dry ingredients, it doesn’t really mix well. I end up with dry dough to knead. The cheese is in streaks. Last time, I even tried putting the dough back in the microwave a bit to melt the cheese more. It didn’t help.
Maybe it’s what the cheese should look like when melted? I melt it like I would for almond flour fathead dough.
I’ve had 2 FAILS.; I don’t want to leave a bad review. This last batch didn’t rise. Flat bagels with lox and cream cheese isn’t fun.
I’m confused because I adore your recipes and never have a problem with them. I was even on your Swerve Zoom call, as I’m a real fan of yours.
Should I add cream cheese next time, like some other people have? I have tried to make your recipe to avoid that. I don’t know what’s wrong. I’d love your help.
BTW, I just had a steroid shot and got the munchies (it causes appetitie). Your brownie for one really did the trick! Used Toaster oven. Surprised I could wait that long….
Hi Judy. I don’t know what to tell you here but this recipe works as is, as you can see from my video, and from the photos. The problem with fathead dough is that it’s very finicky – and as I point out in the video, the brand of cheese can affect things too. I like the Whole Foods 365 brand most, and also the Trader Joe’s organic
Since I am not right there with you, showing you how to do it or using MY exact ingredients, it seems like you’re going to have to play with things a bit. maybe the cream cheese will help, I really can’t be sure!
Wish I had more to guide you with…
AWESOME, Stuck here in lockdown Land from COVID-19 ???? I’m trying all the recipes I’ve been wanting to try. I only had a 8 ounce bag Skim low-fat mozzarella cheese so I incorporated 2 ounces of cream cheese had a knead the dough a little more and added 1 tablespoon more of coconut flour increased bake time a bit . They came out so awesome they were divine, waiting on two of your cookbooks to be delivered from Amazon I’m so excited ????keep doing what you’re doing your recipes rock and your websites is fantastic
Tried to insert a photo guess an emoji will have to do ????????????????????
Allergic to xanthan gum (respiratory throat swelling) and after searching online ground white chia seeds should work well 1:1 substitute… What do you think of that? I gather the xanthan gum is as a thickener?
It’s worth a try…
Have you ever tried mix uh ng a tsp or so od diastagic malt in the butter you brush on top to get a mire authentic bagel flavor?
Hi Carolyn,
Thanks for a great recipe! I made these today for the first time and just polished off the first bagel…my, my, my, my, my! What a great treat! I have been wanting a bagel so bad for so long!
I did have the problem that another poster reported – my eggs seemed to begin to cook which made the dough not so cohesive and a little chunky. Do you allow the cheese to cool a bit before adding the flour and eggs? I added the dry ingredients first in hopes that they would cool the cheese down some, but apparently they didn’t cool it enough.
I put it all in right away and begin mixing right away. Maybe it comes down to the bowl and whether it heats up in the microwave? What material is your bowl? Mine is glass and even with all the heat, it stays cool to the touch…
Thank you so much for this recipe. I have been craving a “bread -like” keto bread. Dough made with almond flour is heavy and seems to bother my stomach. This dough is delicious! I plan to use it for my pizza crust too! Thanks again for sharing. I love all your recipes!
I have never managed to bake a decent keto bread, it’s a disaster every single time. This is the only recipe that never fails me 🙂 I do it as bagels and even as small rolls, perfect every time. I’m curious to know if anyone has ever tried making a loaf out of this recipe, I’m very tempted to try.
I did try it as a loaf one time… total disaster. 🙁 It was dense and chewy, and it wouldn’t rise as tall as real bread should.
Ok, temptation gone. Thanks for the tip, and for your recipes 🙂
Can someone tell me if these have a coconut taste to them? Coconut flour is one ingredient I tend to avoid because I really don’t care for the coconut taste.
I don’t find that they do.
I have used your recipes for years, thank you. Nice to put a face to the recipes!