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
- ½ cup coconut flour (60g)
- 2 teaspoon baking powder
- ¾ teaspoon xanthan gum
- 12 oz pre-shredded mozzarella
- 2 large eggs
Optional Topping for Everything Bagels
- 1 teaspoon sesame seeds
- 1 teaspoon poppyseed
- 1 teaspoon dried minced onion
- ½ teaspoon coarse salt
- 1 tablespoon 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.
Carol says
Hi. Question: Ever attempt the quick boil before baking that bakers do with wheat based bagels? I do not know what reacts to that step; the starch, the gluten? Or maybe it would work here? Just curious.
Carolyn says
They would not hold together as they contain no gluten.
Simone says
Any idea how to fix the stickyness of the dough? I can’t even knees mind bc it’s al stuck in my hands! Help!
Carolyn says
More coconut flour! Something went wrong because the dough shouldn’t be sticky at all… so dust your hands and your surface, and the dough, with coconut flour and knead it in until no longer sticky.
Simone says
Ok noted. I’ll try that next time. I weighed the flour as well. Maybe it’s the cheese? I used Walmart shredded, maybe it’s not good quality. I’ll try again in a few days.
Simone says
Ok so I made them anyway. They fell as soon as I took them out of the oven. Is that the baking powder? But he time I was able to cut them open they were like crackers! What am I doing wrong?
Susan says
I just came across this recipe while looking at alternate crusts for your Jalapeño Popper pizza. I’ve made keto bagels once, from another recipe, which used almond flour and cream cheese. They came out very good, but, BUT I really like the simplicity of your recipe, and will definitely try it the next time I want bagels. In my old age, simpler is better. I’m really glad you shared this recipe even when there are a lot of others out there.
Wendy says
Woohoo! I was seriously doubting my abilities with bagel and bread recipes. I finally decided to check my oven temperature to see if it was preheating properly, and to the right temperature. To my relief AND dismay, it was not! Now that I have that figured out, I believe I have cracked the code on your coconut flour bagels in my house. I cannot wait to cut one of these open and enjoy it with something on top, or maybe just plain and warm and chewy! They look and smell AMAZING!
Carolyn says
Oh no! Mine can be tricky too, but I have a way of fooling it into heating up properly by turning on my broiler for a few minutes first.
Christine Piwowarczyk says
Just made these! They are truly amazing and so easy to put together! I actually baked them in the air fryer @ 350 for about 7 minutes!! Thank you Carolyn! I am so appreciative of all the hard work you put into your recipes!
Carolyn says
Glad you enjoyed them!
Pam says
Chewy, rich, great texture, delicious! This dough was easier to work with than any other fat head dough I’ve tried. So easy! I had yummy bagels in less than 30 min total. I will make these again. I did not use pre shredded cheese, but still worked fine. Thanks for your work on this recipe!
Susan Pszenitzki says
Ok, I am hooked now. Even my Keto resistant hubby likes them. I will be making this recipe often. I have been making fathead dough often but have never used xanthan gum before and it really makes a different in the chewy goodness of these bagels. My bagels did not spread at all and that surprised me because other baked goods I have made with a fathead dough base always do. You are a genius.
dale slive says
just made these.. and… oh my goodness.. so delish… put butter on it just out of the oven and had one with cream cheese and lox this morning… so so good… can’t thank you enuf for creating all these healthy low carb recipes… i have switched out so many of my old recipes for yours…
ChirsK says
Tried this yesterday very tasty.???????????? I actually used whole milk low moisture mozzarella cheese grated it myself. My sister thinks this is the best low carb bagel recipe by far.
Carolyn says
So glad to hear it!
Lynn says
I want to make keto cranberry cinnamon rolls.
It calls for using keto bagels dough.
Could I leave off the everything toppings and cheese to make these.
Thank you ????.
Carolyn says
Hi Lynn, I think the recipe you are looking at, the cinnamon rolls, is my recipe. And this is the dough you are supposed to use (minus the everything bagel topping). But you do need the cheese, as it is a very critical part of fathead dough.
Debi says
I don’t have a microwave, can this be done on a stove top? If so, please advise best steps!
thanks so much!
Carolyn says
Yes, just melt the cheese over very low heat in a pan. Then remove the pan from heat before adding anything else, and make sure to stir QUICKLY once you add the egg. Don’t let the pan get too hot or it will curdle your egg.
Marjorie Heard says
Would making the bagels in a donut tray stop them from spreading. Is there some reason not to do this?
Carolyn says
Well, the metal surrounding the sides will brown them more. And they shouldn’t spread when done properly but it’s always a gamble with fathead dough.
J says
Can you omit the xantham gum?
Carolyn says
No… it helps give the bagels structure.
Faith says
Quick Question…
Can I omit the everything bagel seasoning and add blueberries?
Carolyn says
I am not really sure, I’ve never tried. It will be a delicious experiment, though!
Melissa says
These are amazing! My crew love them so much. I have to make them 2-3x per week! Partly because they wanted them bigger and I divide the recipe into 6 vs 8 (and increase the baking time).
I’d like to try them with the organic Trader Joe’s mozzarella mentioned in the video, but the bags from Costco are working just fine until my next TJ’s run.
Sunjoy says
I loved the flavor of these, but mine flattened out as well (someone else commented this too). Any suggestions on what we can do differently, or where we went wrong Carolyn? Love love love your recipes!
Carolyn says
It’s usually a result of too little flour. Did you weigh it?
Kim says
Could these be made dairy free with dairy free cheese, or would they be too oily?
Carolyn says
I really don’t think DF cheese allows for the elasticity that these need.
Judith Major says
You are the best on the internet! Are you considering using Lupin flour in any shape and form in your baking? The best brand is the “lotus” Australian brand, not cheap—many thanks.
Ryan says
These were delicious!
But, mine flatted out while cooling, any thoughts as to why this may have happened?
Thanks
Marla says
Could I mix the Everything seasonings into the dough so it is throughout the bagel, instead of just as a topping?
Carolyn says
Sure!
J says
Oh.My.Heavens!!! These are amazing ! You just gave me a shot in the arm to keep going with my lifestyle change with this recipe! I can see SO many uses for this dough. Thank you, thank you for taking the time to develop and share this ~ truly! Blessings ~
Jessica says
I have whole milk mozzarella on hand. Will that work just as well?
Carolyn says
Sadly, it’s going to make it much too oily.