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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The best keto bagel recipe I’ve tried so far. They are softer and chewier than most others and not and tough/dense! Great recipe!
Thank you!
These turned out absolutely PERFECT! I’ve been looking for a recipe like this for so long and this is a keeper! Thank you so much!
Hi there,
Is there a substitute for xanthan gum? I couldn’t find this in my area. Was wondering what is the best next substitute to use in this recipe.
Love your recipes.
Rebecca
Really, there isn’t. But it’s usually in the gluten-free aisle of most grocery stores. Or it can be purchased online.
Great recipe and gets me paste the fast food breakfast sandwich craving.
I love these, they are my go to when I want bread.
Glad to hear it!
I purchased a USA pan donut/bagel pan. Will that work for this recipe?
I have never made mine in a pan, just free-form, so I can’t really advise.
Hello, great recipe! Although I did it with European products, it turned out exactly as in the video. The dough was great to work with and the taste… so addictive! The only problem I had was that the bagels puffed very nice in the oven, however they became flat after I took them out of it. I followed the advice not to hurry and put them put right away, left them in half open oven for 5 more minutes. Will apreciate any advice how to avoid this! Thank you again for the great recipes you share with us!
I think that’s going to come down to what cheese you used, and with you being in Europe, I can’t know what affect that would have. So I recommend adding a bit more coconut flour to help them keep their shape. Work in at least 1 or 2 more tablespoons.
Thank you! Next time I will do this, I feel like the dough could take 1-2 spoons of flour more. Wish you a great day!
This is my favorite keto bread recipie ever! I’ve made it a dozen times at least. Thank you, thank you!!
I’ve made several recipes of keto bagels before, and all were ok…..but these were outstanding!!! Not sure if it’s the cat hum gum, the extra egg, or what….. soooo good!!
So glad to hear that.
Hi, I love how my bagels came out & I’m doing a few more batches but I have one problem that I can’t seem to change. The hot cheese mixed with the flour mix still cooks my 2 eggs. Do you leave your eggs out long or do you let the cheese cool for a minute. I have poured my flour mix in first and then the eggs. Should I mix the egg and flour first? The heat is always cooking the eggs. I wish there was a solution.
Put down the flour mixture onto the cheese first, then add the eggs and get kneading it together very quickly. You may need to take your cheese out a bit sooner? I’ve never had this issue when making fathead dough.
I have one of those donut pans, do you think they would come out good if I used it instead of the mat?
I haven’t tried, sorry!
That’s what I personally use! Come out amazing every time!
I use a silicon mat and it works great. I like to roll them in a ball or “puck” and poke a hole in the middle.
Any mat, cookie sheet or parchment paper will work. The hole in the middle is to make sure it bakes all the way through. That’s why so many recipes call for either a bundt pan (hole in the middle) or donut shapes – the dough is too dense to cook all the way thru without that middle part taken out of play.
Great recipe! Very easy to make with your clear and thought out explanations. I made them plain then toast the toppings (everything seasoning and onion) on a cookie sheet. Then I toast the bagel spread on cream cheese and dip the cream cheese part of the bagel in the toasted toppings to get more on! Lol Thank you! I’ll be checking out your other recipes.
So glad you like them!
May I use another cheese that I have on hand like shredded cojack?
I am not sure how well the dough will come together but it’s worth a try!
I love how versatile this recipe is! I made some jalapeño cheddar ones today and now I’m looking up some sweet ideas too!
Omg!! I would love to know how you did that!!! I love jalapeno cheddar bagels!!
very delicious. My friend just started keto and didn’t want to eat it until I told her it was keto. I found rolling it out made my hands very sticky so possibly will put a light spray of cooking oil on my hands before rolling them out. They are nice and chewy and very similar to store bought bagels. I like a larger bagel for sandwiches so will make them larger and only get 4 from this recipe.
These came out perfect. Best fathead bagel recipe ever. Super easy. I weighed the coconut flour and cheese. Maybe that helped with them coming out perfect? Thanks for the recipe!
Hi! No matter how fast I mix the ingredients my eggs keep scrambling. I was using eggs we just picked up from a local farm. Do you think that makes a difference? Thanks!
No, I really don’t think that’s the issue. Are you putting your flour on top of the cheese first to protect the egg? Is your bowl REALLY hot when it comes out of the microwave?
Everything about them was perfect except they didn’t really rise – wondering if I need to replace my baking powder and try again
did they spread or did they just not rise at all? If the first, it sounds like not enough flour…