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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I made these today and they’re fantastic! Mine raised but then fell but they still tasted wonderful!!! In your instructions you say to melt the cheese in the microwave in 30 second intervals until it’s almost liquid. By the time I said “enough” the cheese was so hot I was afraid the eggs would cook when I added them, but it never got to the “almost liquid” stage. It reminded me of years ago when we’d pull taffy at a friend’s house. And it was just about as hot!!! I wonder what I’m doing wrong?
It’s probably the brand of cheese. What kind did you use? Regardless, it seems to have worked well!
My weekday morning breakfasts at work just got so much happier! I just made these and they are so good! The possibilties are endless! Super easy to make and super tasty with a great texture! Thanks again for another fantastic recipe!
Man, I’m bummed! These looked so promising and it looked like everything was going great, but by the time the tops browned and I went to take them out, they had lost their rise and fallen flat. They look like a bialy now. Don’t know what went wrong…my baking powder was not expired and I did everything as the recipe said, except I did half it to only make 4. Is the mozzarella supposed to be hot when added to the other ingredients? And should the egg be beaten before added? Those were the only two things I was unsure of. Otherwise, I don’t know why they lost their rise
Sorry, I really can’t tell what went wrong. The cheese is pretty hot, yes. The eggs get beaten as you work them in, although you can beat them beforehand if you like.
Hi Carolyn
I made these bagels this morning and I felt the dough was a bit dry and very hard to roll into shape….I live in Quebec and being winter I’m wondering if the air being drier is an issue? I made the pizza fathead dough with success the other day but that recipe called for butter melted with the cheese. Would this work for the bagels?
I also made the multi purpose bread recipe this morning and left it in the oven for 75 min but it fell a bit when it started to cool. I used the full 3/4c of water but was still able to shape the dough and lift it into the pan. I didn’t weigh the flours for either recipe, just scooped out of the bag the required amt. I did weigh the cheese though.
So looking forward to tasting them! I love your recipes and you are my go to now!! Thank you so much…and my family thanks you as well????
Sounds like maybe it had too much coconut flour. I guess dry air could affect that… maybe a bit less next time. Don’t use the other dough, they flatten too much.
Man, I’m bummed! These looked so promising and it looked like everything was going great, but by the time the tops browned and I went to take them out, they had lost their rise and fallen flat. They look like a bialy now. Don’t know what went wrong…my baking powder was not expired and I did everything as the recipe said. Is the mozzarella supposed to be hot when added to the other ingredients? And should the egg be beaten before added? Those were the only two things I was unsure of. Otherwise, I don’t know why they lost their rise
Not sure what went wrong either. The mozzarella is supposed to be hot when everything gets added.
After having a transplant and having my triglycerides get out of range my doctor advised me to go on some type of lower carb diet. Once I came across your site and tried several of your recipes not only did my triglycerides drop but so did the weight. I have a team of transplant doctors, a kidney doctor, and a crohns doctor and they were all thrilled with the results I have achieved with your recipes. The one thing I missed the most was the Bagels. I tried your recipe the day I seen it in my inbox and was so surprised. From the first bite I was hooked. Can’t wait to go back to the grocery to get the ingredients to make more. The first batch didn’t last long. These are just as good as anything that I have ever purchased off the shelf. Thanks so much for sharing this recipe and all of the others that taste just as amazing.
Oh Debbie, I am so glad you like them AND I am so glad you’ve gotten your health under control. What a great diet this is!
It is an amazing diet. I haven’t felt this good in years. Thank you so much for perfecting these recipes for all of us.
Hi! I am looking for to make this recipe today and have the ingredients but the xanthan gum. Is it ansolutelt necessary or is there anything I can replace it with? Thank you for all of your wonderful recipes!!
Just made these and turned out very well.Look fantastic! Used 22%Costco Shredded mozza. Weighed everything. Dough dried up a bit once cut i to 1/8 and difficult to roll as kinda fell apart so put each piece in microwace for 7-10 sec to warm and soften ip. In the end I gave up on bagel shapes and made hotdog type buns. Dtill good. Live the topping. Very bready! I think might work well in a cinnamon bun application!
I am new to keto baking and am still craving all things bread. I’ve made a few different variations of the fathead dough for different purposes, and even though I can taste a hint of coconut in this recipe (I’m very sensitive to it), this is my favorite recipe for any bread-like thing so far.
That said, on my first attempt at this recipe, the dough did spread, not rise. I used Bob’s Red Mill coconut flour and pre-shredded mozzarella from Costco, but the cheese doesn’t specifically say “part-skim” so I’m wondering if that’s the culprit. I know my baking powder is quality and recent. I’d love to try making these again, and will make sure it’s part-skim mozzerella next time. Do you think that’s the issue?
Thanks for a great recipe. I’m new to your blog but just bought your latest book and looking forward to trying many more recipes!
Could be the issue but also…did you weigh the coconut flour? It can make a difference.
I did not weigh the coconut flour, even though I weighed the mozzarella. I should have! I was careful not to pack it in, but next time I will weigh. Thank you!
Ack, I went back through the cupboard and discovered the baking powder I used expired in 10/17!! I had two open containers and didn’t realize one was past expiration. I am going to assume this is the culprit! We still enjoyed these, though! Thank you!
Oh that’s very likely to be it. Good to know!
Does it have to be mozarella? Can it be a three cheese blend? I’m new-ish at this.
It needs to be Mozzarella.
These are AMAZING!!! I may eat all 8 for breakfast!! Thank you!!
So glad you like them!
Lovely recipe thank you so much. I applaud your decision to remain original – so many blogs now days repeat other peoples’ recipes and are too lazy to do the work. Keep up the amazing work. Warm African regards, Wendy (South Africa) xx
Thanks so much, Wendy!
I have tried so many LC bagel recipes, even ones you boil. None I attempted twice. I had reservations because these seemed too simple to be awesome. So glad I made them! Best bagels I’ve had since going GF 4 years ago! No coconut taste either. The texture was impressive! I can’t wait to make a cinnamon raisin version! Thank you, thank you!
That makes me so happy to hear, Kristy!
I was curious to see whether there was a coconut taste to them because of the flour….. I will try these.
I’d love to know if you ended up with a coconut taste? I’m really hesitant to use coconut flour in savory recipes because the taste does tend to come through and it throws me off.
I made these yesterday. I Love the coconut flour so much. Thank you
Glad to hear it!
Ok my review AFTER I made these super early this morning as my cats got me up at 4am wanting outside. LOL Baked them in Wilton metal donut pan, put donut pan on top of baking sheet so they do not get too brown. Bagels baked perfect and are wonderfully delish!
Thank You Carolyn for a great recipe with coconut flour, I am burned out on almond flour so this is a nice change. Bagels are small but hit the mark for my bread craving & low carb. Yaaaay!! I ate one for breakfast & one for lunch.
Thanks for the baking sheet tip! I’m going to try that trick using my regular and mini bagel pans. 🙂
I’m new to Keto WOE and recently learned the pre-shredded mozzarella contains potato starch which is a no-no. Can’t I just shred my own for this recipe? If so, same weight/amount? BTW, Carolyn your desserts are fabulous. I couldn’t do this WOE without your recipes. You have a gift which I’m so thankful you’re sharing!
No, you can’t because that starch is actually critical to the outcome of the recipe. These are keto because they are so low carb in spite of the tiny bit of added starch in the pre-shredded cheese. I do keto and I sincerely believe that in this particular case, you shouldn’t be concerned. Normally I say added starches are an issue but it doesn’t amount to enough per bagel for any real concern, in my opinion.
Hi Carolyn,
Would this recipe work with pre-shredded 4 cheese pizza – whole milk mozzarella, provolone, parmesan and romano?
Thanks,
Sally
I am sorry, I have no idea. I used the ingredients listed only.
I truly don’t know what’s trending with other keto bloggers because your site is the only one I trust. I have never had a single recipe of yours turn out anything less than fantastic, with most better than the full-carb version. My 10 year-old baker in chief swears by your recipes, blog and cookbook alike, and I love that she is learning a better way to cook from the beginning. I do have one huge request though. Please, please come up with a successful chicken and dumpling recipe. It is a staple comfort food in our house, and it kills me to make it for my kids and not be able to do a keto version. Thank you for all your efforts. You are appreciated more than you will ever know.
Thanks, Sandy. I will definitely mull that one over!
Carolyn if anyone can come up with a good Keto chicken & dumpling recipe it is you. Chicken & dumplings are a staple Fall/Winter food here in the South. I love them but they are def not Keto friendly.
I also plead for a chicken and dumpling recipe! The Cracker Barrel meal is my son’s favorite, and I wish I could make it low carb! It would make life so much easier for me. 🙂
Oh love your originality! You are one of a kind! Love all your recipes! Cant wait to make these!
This recipe is fantastic!! I usually don’t make bread type recipes because I’m never happy with the results, I find most bread substitutes disappointing in taste and texture. These are WONDERFUL! They truly give me a bagel experience and I love them toasted. THANK YOU yet again for your creativity and for sharing.
So glad to hear it, Joan!
I thought you had a book agent?
I have a publisher. 🙂 No agent. I had a literary agent a while ago but she was awful so we parted ways.