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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Hi, Do you know what the effect of adding jar jalapeño slices (minced) to the dough will be? Wondering if the extra moisture will be a bad thing ????
I honestly can’t say but I think it should be good. I wouldn’t do a whole jar, though.
For us poor metric users, what is 12 oz of cheese? Is that measured by weight or volume?
Delicious ????made these for the first time and they did not disappoint!
Hi Carolyn,
I have tried a lot of your keto-friendly recipes, and I have to say, they are all delicious! I can’t wait to try this Bagel recipe! I love bagels, and I’m so excited to try it out!
Love all your videos, so full of good information!
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.
They would not hold together as they contain no gluten.
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!
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.
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.
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?
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.
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!
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.
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!
Glad you enjoyed them!
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!
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.
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…
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.
So glad to hear it!
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 ????.
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.
I don’t have a microwave, can this be done on a stove top? If so, please advise best steps!
thanks so much!
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.
Would making the bagels in a donut tray stop them from spreading. Is there some reason not to do this?
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.