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
This post may contain Amazon or other affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
- 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.
Free Bonus: Secrets to Keto Baking!
Sign up for your favorite recipes delivered straight to your inbox plus get our FREE bonus: Secrets to Keto Baking!
I can’t find reduced fat grated mozzarella (UK) in my supermarket. Will full fat just not work at all?
It will work, actually. It just may make them a bit more dense.
Kudos to sticking to your guns, I love your recipes, have two of your books and use them all of the time. I am going to give these bagels a try and just know they will work out fine. You describe well and I have yet to have a recipe fail. My all time favorites are the cream cheese pancake in a deep pan, and the bacon maple muffins, even have some neighbors asking for those “keto delights” sometimes. The pancake in the pan I have now made twice with Lakanto monkfruit/Erythritol sweetener and a little of Dr. Oetker Lemon flavoring, it actually tastes like poundcake. I much appreciate your posts and actually don’t pay much attention to these new pages popping up.
Thanks so much, Astrid. I try to be original but sometimes I find I have something great on my hands and even if it’s the same idea as other people, I have a good version with my own unique spin.
These are perfect! I have so much coconut flour to use up, so I’ve been searching for recipes to use with it. I love the servings slider, I was able to make a smaller batch of 4 to start, which is good for me as I will overindulge.
They are so filling, I ate two, and probably should have stopped at one, but the taste and texture was so amazing and I haven’t had anything so close to a bagel consistency. I don’t think I will go back to almond flour now.
So glad to hear it!
Is 12 oz of Mozzarella by weight or volume?
12 ounces is a measure by weight, always.
I have made low carb bagels in the past with almond flour and found them a bit too rich. I made these yesterday and was nervous about the coconut flour as I am not a huge fan but they are fantastic. You really can’t tell they are made with coconut flour. I am in Australia so just used a block of normal mozzarella and grated it and it worked great. Thank you so much for this recipe Carolyn, you certainly did make a good one.
LOVE these! Have made them 3 or 4 times. Last two times with half mozzarella and half cheddar. Thank you for this recipe!!!!
So glad you like them!
These were delicious! I’ve used the dough before to wrap around hot dogs & bake at 350 for 20 min w everything bagel seasoning on them & that’s yummy too! Thanks for the great recipe!
Walmart in USA has been carrying a lot of different things in their grocery section, so if Walmart in Canada has a grocery section, check closely. Might be in a diet section (keto) or bakiing. Much easier to order online of course, and check Walmart in passing.
May I please ask? Are these full size bagels or mini bagels??? Thank You…
Full size. But not the huge ones you might get in a grocery store. More like true NY bagels.
Thank you for the recipe. I made these this morning and they were awesome!
Just made these and they came out perfect! Thank you for creating a recipe to satisfy bagel cravings!
So glad to hear it!
Like some others, I used the donut mold for these bagels, and they browned beautifully. I keep them in the fridge, on day five now, and they hold up well for lunch sandwiches, and surprisingly filling. I blended the dry + eggs together first and kneaded by hand into the mozzarella, and it made making the dough easier.
I have not had a failure with any of your recipes. Keep up the good work.
Thank you!
Unbelievable! Who would have thought: cheese, coconut and baking powder (plus eggs!) would give this lovely rise, golden color and bagel quality. Bravo to the chef! My first keto recipe from this blog. And I didn’t even bother with the xanthan gum. Such creativity! Thank you for this recipe!
Curious to know if I could sub some almond flour for the coconut and how much? Too much coconut hurts my tummy and starts up my diverticulitis.
So what you probably want is to make bagels with my Magic Mozzarella Dough instead of this one. That one is mostly almond flour with only 1/4 cup coconut flour.
Can you make this with almond flour?
Not this recipe sorry.