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.
Sarah says
I had never baked bagels before but certainly will be making them again! These instructions were easy, and the outcome was delicious. Thank you!
Lorie Bernhardt says
This is an awesome recipe! I made a double batch. Half I used the Everything Bagel on it and the other half I left plain. Both were delicious and chewy! I felt like I was having “Real” bagels. These are “Real” tasty and everyone loved them! They are delicious with cream cheese. The plain ones I used butter and sugar-free jam. Yummy!
Lynda Savage says
Hi Caroline,
Your recipe calls for 60 grams of coconut flour but your video says 56 grams. Which one is right? Also, can this recipe be doubled?
Carolyn says
4g difference is a very small difference (only about 1 tsp). But if in doubt, go with 60g.
MJ says
Thanks for developing another great recipe! you are true, coconut flour gives these bagels the consistency and taste of regular bagels. thanks for all the tips and helpful hints.
Kim Cerrato says
Great recipe! And I love that I could make a variety in one bath! I made both sesame and everything bagel this time. Yum!
Jackie Campbell says
Looking forward to making these! I’ve been missing bagels in my life!
Bernadette Terry says
Game changer and so simple. We’ve really missed bagels. Thank you for giving them back to us.
Karri Lee Stoerp says
I absolutely love these bagels!! I have even made them and added some chives to make them resemble the Lenders onion bagels from days gone by! I think these might have them beat!!
Katherine says
thank you for another exceptional recipe. I added some spinach and feta to mine rolled them up and sliced them before cooking. Wow next level!!!
Johanna W. says
I’ve made these bagels quite a few times with different variations (everything seasoning or something else on top, using a donut pan to make them thicker or on a sheetpan, etc.) and they always come out delicious! Chewy and great for toppings or as a sammich. Our favorite way to eat them is sliced open with all the fixins: smoked salmon, capers, cucumber, cream cheese, onion for those than can tolerate it, fresh dill, tomatoes, sky’s the limit! They’re deceptively filling, though, so beware too many toppings! Definitely a keeper!
Sandra Dombiak-Woelfel says
love this bagels. tried many and this are my favorite
Andrea Hanson says
These are Really good and surprisingly easy. You’re right about the coconut flour giving it more body. The recipes I’ve tries with almond flour have either been crumbly or greasy. These have a solidness to them, enough to spread cream cheese on without destroying them, and a nice neutral flavor for whatever you put on em. Two thumbs up! : D
Nicole S says
just made these. They smelled so good I ate one warm out of the oven topped with cream cheese. yum!
Casey says
Bagels with cream cheese were one of my favorite quick breakfasts pre-keto, so I missed them. These fathead bagels helped to satisfy that craving! They were a little tough to roll into the logs and were kind of small, but they were quite tasty especially with some cream cheese!
Lia says
I made these three times and the dough seemed fine but the bagels turned out too thin, more like pretzels . I tried again and I made fewer from the same amount of dough and they were fine but they don’t taste great, so I’m giving up on keto bagels. I guess we can’t expect them to be the same thing as the real ones.
Venus Childress says
I don’t understand, if you didn’t like them so much that you don’t ever want to make them again, why did you give them 4 stars?
L says
bagels were chewy, inside and a little crispy on outside. I put chia seeds in recipe also. So good
Jacqueline says
These came out delicious!
Monika says
Love this recipe! Easy and fast to do! I use this dough recipe to make my pizza and crackers as well.
Thank you
Jacqueline says
I use to miss having bagels, but not since I found this recipe! This make the closest to regular bagels that I have tried. Thank you!
June says
Just made this bagel recipe and it was great! I used Bufalo Mozzarella Cheese from Whole Foods Market. I had to hand grate it. It worked just fine. I noticed a couple of comments posted regarding if grating your own cheese would work. It did for me. Thank you for your great recipe!