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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Thank you so very much for this recipe. Yummy and easy to make, love them. Even my husband, who is not on keto ate one and was surprised how tasty it was:)
Wonderful!
Can anyone share what brand of cheese is working I’ve tried several and I can’t get it to liquefy much appreciated
I just use the organic brand from Whole Foods.
Mine did not liquify either — no microwave so I just melted over a double boiler. I used Whole Foods part skim shredded mozzarella. So the batter was not what I would call smooth, but I was able to “roll” into bagel shapes, sort of. Still came out golden and lovely.
I started my Keto journey at the beginning of this year… my endo recommended a low carb/Keto lifestyle to control my PCOS and loose weight since I am pre-diabetic. I can’t thank you enough for this recipe!! Being from NJ we love our breakfast bagels, I have tried several bagel recipes and this is by far THE BEST *** my kids beg me to make it and prefer this to any store bought bagel we can get here in FL its a win win, works with My diet and helps lower their carb intake as well!!! I love it ❤️ thanks again for the great recipe!
So glad you liked them!
So delicious! I used Trader Joe’s coconut flour, and they didn’t rise quite as much as yours. Taste is delicious though. (My baking powder is brand new so I know that’s not the culprit). Trader Joe’s “everything but the bagel” makes a great topping!
Amazing! I followed the recipe exactly and by weight, except that I put my part-skim mozzarella cheese over a pot of boiling water to melt, but it didn’t come close to getting “liquidy”–more like just “gluey.” I then tried to mix the dry ingredients and eggs in anyway, but it just wouldn’t incorporate. I solved this by putting the dough in the microwave for about two 30-second stints, and then with a good bit of kneading the dough came together just fine. I brushed with butter and added sesame seeds, minced onion, and cheddar cheese for cheddar bagels, and didn’t have a problem with the toppings falling off. I made 6 bagels and baked for about 20 minutes at 350, in my muffin top pan lined with parchment paper. I did not have a silicone baking mat, so they did get rather browned on the bottom, but it wasn’t a big deal. Other than that, they rose perfectly, and they turned out great! Perfect for a BALT, which is what I happened to be craving 🙂 I am looking forward to trying more recipes from this website!
So glad you liked them!
These are so good . I had issues with my dough forming(I couldn’t roll it) but that’s ok! I made them into patties instead . They look like globs of biscuits but they taste amazing . I saw everyone posting those pretty keto bagels on Facebook but they were all made out of almond flour . I cannot eat almond flour. It ruins everything. So when I stumbled upon your recipe using coconut flour (which I love) , I jumped right on it. These are worth making even if you don’t get your dough to form right. Just make them biscuits !
Try a different brand of cheese next time, that may make a difference
So I boo booed somewhere along the line for this recipe and ended up with something like a cheese pastry. My oven was used previously for meatloaf at 400 degrees so I cut the bake time down to 13 minutes. Also my mozzarella was still slightly frozen so it didn’t incorporate well with the dry ingredients. I forgot to use the egg wash with everything seasoning too. They were still slightly doughy in the middle and beautifully brown all around, perfect for a dollop of cream cheese, jam in the middle and icing. Found a new treat by mistake as everyone in the family loved them.
This is by far the best keto bagel I’ve made. The others were so oily and I needed more oil on my palms to form them. Easy, straight to the point and perfect! Thank you. I can’t wait to try your recipes
Thank you!
I made these today and I love them. I love not having an almond taste, which every other bagel I made has had. I don’t taste the coconut at all. I used the Wilton donut pan and made six bagels They turned out nice and golden brown. They have a cheesy taste, so they are great for sandwiches.
Question…how many times did you run the cheese through the 30 seconds in the microwave? I thought it was as melted as it would get (didn’t look shredded at all anymore), but it was very difficult to mix with the dry ingredients, therefor making it hard to roll out to the bagel shapes.
Mine takes about 3 30-second zaps, maybe 4. When you stir the cheese, it should be almost like a thick liquid. But the brand of cheese can make a difference. I’ve had good luck with most of them but the Organic Valley kind gives me a bit of trouble for some reason.
I made these recently and they looked great in the oven. Spread some what. When I took them out if the oven they deflated.
Ate them any way = my first sandwich in 14 months.
Not sure if I over baked them, had the same coconut flour and new baking powder. Trying again today and I will either have bagels or thin buns.
Thanks for all you wonderful recipes.
I just made these.. they are wonderful. I was afraid I messed them up.. but they turned out great.. I put them in my donut pan.. it makes 6.. so glad I found this recipe. Thank you very much.
My cheese never got liquidy and the dough was kinda lumpy. Nevertheless I kept going. They were difficult to form. They are very ugly looking and a bit flat. But I DONT CARE! They were delicious!!!!!!!!!! Chewy and very bread like. A dab of cream cheese and sooooooooo good. I’ll work on the look later ????????
Best bread-ish recipe out there. Can’t thank you enough for what you do!
Great recipe! Taste just like a real bagel, and probably the best keto bagel recipe I’ve tried so far. BUT, I didn’t get 8 bagels from this, and I found it really hard to get decent sizes because the dough was very dry like, but they taste awesome.
The dough being dry is an issue that suggests your coconut flour is more absorbent. Try using a little less next time.
This is my first try, and I found the dough to be too crumbly to roll. I ended up flattening the ball and picking a hole in it. Is that because I didn’t melt the cheese enough?
Could be the cheese, could be your almond flour, it’s really hard to say.
Do you have any hints on baking with this dough in High Altitudes? I live at over 5,000 ft and I have lots of problems getting things to bake right, they deflate, don’t rise or stay gooey. What to do?
That’s what I’ve heard and I am sorry. I wish I knew for sure but I am told by some GF baking friends that you use all the same tricks that you would for regular baking. I just looked this up on allrecipes:
For cakes using baking powder:
Don’t overbeat the eggs. Overbeating adds too much air to the cake.
Raise the baking temperature slightly; the faster cooking time will keep the recipe from rising too much. At elevations over 3,500 feet, the oven temperature for batters and doughs should be about 25 degrees F higher than the temperature used at sea level.
Decrease the amount of baking powder slightly; this also prevents the recipe from rising too much.