Low carb cinnamon twists are sweet little keto cinnamon pastries with a secret ingredient (and no, it’s not pork rinds!) And yes, they are still sugar free and grain-free. Happy breakfast!
The Secret Ingredient in Keto Cinnamon Twists
Oh, oh, this magic mozzarella dough. Honestly, this stuff is a total low carb game changer for me and I am having way too much fun messing around with it to create new keto recipes. It’s not perfect for everything but it sure works like a charm for any kind of pastry or pizza dough. Fathead cheese danish or low carb stromboli, anyone? And it still just startles me that it’s made with mozzarella cheese.
Like, seriously. Who sat down one day and said to themselves “I am going to make low carb dough out of cheese and see if it works”? Because while I am incredibly creative and innovative with my recipes, I am also quite certain I never would have thought of this. But that’s the nice part about the low carb recipe creation world. We can all learn from each other and build on each other’s work.
This dough isn’t exactly tricky to make, but there are some tricks to getting it right. And so, at the request of several readers, I have created a video that walks you through the steps. This is for a sweet version of the dough, but the same tips apply to the savoury version too, you simply leave out the sweetener.
Now that I’ve made several recipes with it, I have learned a few things. First of all, don’t roll your dough out on parchment paper. It’s much too springy and it pulls and wrinkles the paper so that you end up with creases in your dough. Turn it out onto a silicone mat or even right onto the counter, if you need to. Then you can top it with parchment and roll it out that way. Also, if your dough is a little too sticky to work with, dust it with almond flour and knead that in a bit until it firms up.
And one reader gave me another little trick that saves one step and one bowl, and that is to melt your butter right in with your mozzarella. Less mess and less to clean up afterward! That worked beautifully for me in these low carb cinnamon twists.
These little pastries make a wonderful breakfast treat. I’ve made them several times and my kids keep asking me to make them again. So if you’ve been itching to try the low carb mozzarella dough, just dive right in. I hope you find my video and all of my tips helpful. Enjoy!
How to Make Low Carb Cinnamon Twists (Video):
- 1/2 cup almond flour
- 1/4 cup coconut flour
- 1/4 cup powdered Swerve Sweetener
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1 1/2 cups shredded part skim mozzarella cheese
- 5 tbsp butter
- 1 large egg
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 tbsp butter melted
- 2 tsp granulated Swerve Sweetener
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 2 tbsp powdered Swerve Sweetener
- 1/4 tsp vanilla extract
- Water
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Preheat oven to 350F and line a large baking mat with parchment paper or a silicone liner.
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In a medium bowl, combine almond flour, coconut flour, sweetener, and baking powder. In a large saucepan, melt cheese and butter over low heat until it can be stirred together.
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Add egg and vanilla extract and stir to combine. Stir in almond flour mixture until dough comes together (keep heat on low). It will still have some large streaks of cheese. Turn out dough onto a silicone mat or directly onto a kitchen counter and knead until uniform (this only takes a little kneading).
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Cover with parchment paper and roll out to a 10x10 inch square. Brush with half of the melted butter.
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In a small bowl, whisk together the sweetener and cinnamon. Sprinkle about 2/3 of this mixture over the rolled out dough.
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Fold dough in half and cut into 10 strips with a sharp knife or a pizza cutter. Hold both ends of one strip and twist gently in opposite directions two or three times. Lay twists on prepared baking sheet and brush with remaining melted butter. Sprinkle with remaining cinnamon "sugar".
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Bake about 15 minutes, until golden brown and just firm to the touch. Remove and let cool.
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In a small bowl combine powdered sweetener, vanilla extract and just enough water to achieve a drizzling consistency. Drizzle over cooled twists.
Brenda says
Caroliyn you are the absolute best…. and I’m so thankful you did the video because I have not made this kind of dough because I wasn’t sure exactly how to do it. I’m going to make a pizza this afternoon with the recipe because now I’m not as concerned about it and I can promise you I’ll be making these tomorrow. I’m just absolutely so excited so once again thank you so much Brenda
Carolyn says
You’re welcome!
Shef says
Hey Carolyn.. I’m sure I’m doing something wrong… The mozzarella and butter just did not blend together.. The cheese remained stringy and I could not get a smooth dough… Pls helppp
Carolyn says
What kind of mozzarella are you using? That’s usually the issue with this dough…people try to use “healthier” full fat mozzarella or fresh mozzarella and it really needs to be the pre-grated store-bought kind.
The dough does remain a bit stringy as you are kneading it and the butter and cheese don’t perfectly meld until you add the dry ingredients.
Andrea says
I completely agree, all cheese is not created equal. I have found the shredded Mozzarella from Trader Joes works perfectly every time.
Leslie says
Isn’t preshredded cheese coated with cornstarch so it stayes appart.
Carolyn says
Yes, and that’s why it works well in this. Don’t worry, the starch is not enough to add any appreciable carbs.
Shari says
Mine came out flat as pancakes. Not sure what I did wrong.
Shelby says
I have found that the key to the dough is making sure you use PART SKIM mozzarella.
Carolyn says
Yes, that’s why the recipe specifies part skim.
kc says
I agree! Your video was so simple, but showed just how easy this recipe can be. =)
Teresita Nelson says
CAROLYN, you are my hero! I love your recipes. My dilemma at this point is that my daughter is thriving on Paleo and cannot tolerate dairy, grains or legumes. I am racking my brain trying to find substitutes for mozzarella, yogurt, sour cream, and soy. Substituting coconut oil for butter has been easy. Thank you for your dairy free recipes. Thank goodness, she can tolerate tree nuts.
Tess
Carrie says
I have used a similar dough for pizza and pigs in a blanket – I love the sweet “twist”! ;0)
This type of dough is so good that when I made pizza for myself the other night (after having picked up a commercially made pizza for the family), my husband asked if he could have some of MINE!! And he’s a HUGE pizza snob! Slowly but surely, I’m bringing my family around to this way of eating!
Dana says
Just made these for the first time and I’m hooked. Very easy and sooooo good. Thank you!
Kim says
Love the video addition to all of your fabulous recipes!
Diana says
I did this EXACT same thing three days ago, only I rolled the dough after dusting with cinnamon and “sugar” and butter and cut it into cinnamon roll-shaped pieces and put them in a baking dish to bake. After it was baked, I drizzled the cinnamon rolls with a glaze of cream, Swerve, cream cheese & vanilla. I did not like the texture or the cooling effect of them when they first were made. When I made the cream cheese Danish with this dough a few weeks back, I had the same reaction and almost threw them away. But they were really good the next day. So I saved these cinnamon rolls and we had them the next two days and they were so much better! I’m going to try your “twist” method–I bet they will cook more evenly than my rolls did, all crowded in the same pan.
Erin says
Interesting… do you think the cooling effect diminishes over time?
Karen says
Besides the obvious YUM factor, I love that most of your recipes call for ingredients I always have on hand. LOVE that. So, yep – for tomorrow’s breakfast, I am making a batch of these bad boys. =))
Mal says
I just pulled these out of the oven! I added 1 oz of softened cream cheese and a little lemon juice to the glaze, otherwise the recipe was pretty great! Very tasty and the perfect little treat!
Mia says
I’ve been making the garlic knot version (with and without garlic) as a “drop biscuit/cookie” 1 batch makes 12-13 “cookie-biscuits” on a standard cookie sheet. (Well oiled and get them off quickly with a spatula or use a silcone baking sheet also well oiled-I used olive oil.)
I have to “pat them out” like cookies (much more like cookies than biscuits) and keep my fingers wet so they don’t stick.
I was lazy and did it differently. I did NOT melt the cheese but did the butter. I mixed it all up in the mixer to a cookie dough consistancy and patted it out.
I also used almond meal (coarser type than the flour) from ground almonds (with the skins).
My oven runs a touch hot. 15 min was crispy and 10 more bread like.
My question…how different is it when you do melt the cheese and roll it out? Thoughts?
Carolyn says
Melting the cheese makes your dough a “true dough” with a springy consistency similar to gluten dough. I’d highly recommend it but use a finer almond flour.
Mia says
Thank you! I see what you mean the way I was doing it (unmelted, coarser almond meal vs flour) was more cookie or biscuit. I’ll still love that. But a true dough would be lovely! Will try it that way next time!
Thanks!
Renee says
My dough wouldn’t roll over 🙁 I could barely fold it in half without it crumbling, so I def. couldn’t twist the dough. Any tips on that? I used the thm baking blend, to the amount you called for in this recipe, not sure if that would have made a difference…
Carolyn says
Yup, that would make a big difference. It is much drier than almond flour and coconut flour. I bought some more to play with so I will experiment with this dough and THM baking blend and get back to you.
Donna Hardin says
Great flavor…mine spread and went flat though…must be my measuring technique. Enjoying anyway! Tx
Renee Taylor says
Would love the results when you finish using with THM baking blend
Jen says
I would like to know the results too! I like that the blend contains more fiber-makes me feel like I can make them more often!
Thanks so much for all your hard work! Keto baking is not for sissy’s!
Julie says
Man, do I ever want these. The end.
Ashley @ Wishes and Dishes says
I would give anything for these right now! Love the video.
Holly Waterfall says
Oh my goodness, are you serious? I read mozzarella dough and had to do a double take. How did I not know this existed? I’m so interested to try it out because these cinnamon twists look to.die.for!
Christie says
Love the video! Cinnamon twists with cheese…what could be better!
Sheryl says
I have fresh (packed in water) mozzarella in my fridge…would that work? Thanks!
Carolyn says
I don’t think so, it won’t have the stringy quality of the cooked mozzarella.
AliceDreamchild says
I tried it with fresh mozzarella and it didn’t work … the dough turned out extremely sticky 🙁
Carolyn says
Yup, I don’t think it’s a good idea!
Liz says
Mozzarella dough? Seriously, you are amazing!
Carolyn says
I wish i could say that I invented it, but I did not. Still, I am having fun created recipes around it!
Alia says
Do u taste the cheese in it
And what can I use instead of coconut flour?
Carolyn says
You could try more almond flour but I am not sure if it will be absorbent enough for this recipe.
Amanda says
I had a recipe that used coconut flour and I was out so I used oat fiber. It’s very low carb because it’s the fiber from the oats. I used an equal measure of it. I couldn’t tell a difference in the recipe at all! I do feel obligated to say that it was only a tablespoon so there might be some differences in this recipe since it calls for a larger amount. But you could experiment with it and see what you think!
Alia says
Can u taste the cheese in it
And what can I use instead of coconut flour
Amanda says
Made a savory version of these last night to go with I Breathe I’m Hungry’s Chicken Nugget Meatballs. Made the dough without sweetener and threw in herbed garlic butter, cheddar, and fresh parmesan cheese, and then cut, twisted, and baked accordingly. Amaze-balls. Thank you!!!
Carrie says
OMG, perfect timing! I have been craving something cinnamon-y and was going to make your cinnamon buns this weekend, but I think I’m going to give these a try instead! They look amazing!
QTee says
Carolyn-I just love your blog and I wanted to THANK you for your recipes and all your work in finding ways for us (diabetics) to still stay healthy and eat all the yummy treats!! I have a question about he mozzarella here. I have the mozzarella cheese from Costco that comes in 2 rolls. Can I just melt that instead of shredding it and melt it? I usually buy the already shredded ones but recently heard that they add flour to them which adds extra carbs so opted to buy the whole ones. Thanks so much—I will definitely try this one.
Carolyn says
If by rolls, you mean fresh mozzarella, then no, I don’t think you can. And the shredded mozz contains cornstarch but it’s so little as to not really add many carbs to this recipe. Probably 1 or 2 carbs for the entire recipe.
QTee says
Thank you!!
Tina says
These look so delicious! I think I may try to make them egg free! Thank you!!
Kathy says
Since this dough can be formed and kneaded, do you think it would work for soft pretzels (unsweetened)? It would need to be able to stand up to a bath or dunk of baking soda solution before baking. I would try but my oven is broken. Thanks.
Carolyn says
I don’t know about the boiling or baking soda solution before baking but you could make them similarly to this: https://alldayidreamaboutfood.com/2015/12/low-carb-garlic-parmesan-knots.html
Teri says
I just now discovered this recipe and am thinking of all the ways I can use this dough…my fiancé loves soft pretzels so I wanted to check in and ask if you’ve made them yet, and if so what tips you may have? Thank you!
Darlene says
I made these this morning and they taste great. Mine spread a bit so should I make the dough a little stiffer? I sifted the coconut flour first then measured. You have the BEST recipes!
Carolyn says
Yes sounds like you need a little more flour of some sort. Differences in brand can cause this, I think.
Angie says
These are so good! Mine didn’t stay quite as nice as yours. They spread out way too much. Any ideas?? Thanks!
Carolyn says
More flour needed (almond flour).
Kathy says
Noticed the garlic parmesan knots called for 2 tsp baking powder while this recipe used 1tsp (plus the Swerve). Curious to see what is the difference in the two doughs ie, what is the function of the baking powder. Thanks
Yomi says
Yes, I would be interested in why the difference in the amount of baking powder as well.
Brianne @ Cupcakes & Kale Chips says
You are such a genius!! These look amazing!
Robin R. says
Thank you! Great video too!
Susan Pelter says
Carolyn, I just made these – my first venture into mozzarella dough — and they are incredible! I also made quesito filling in a separate container (vanilla-flavored sweetened cream cheese), and we’re having these for breakfast spread with that! I’m truly stunned by the consistency of the pastry. Wow!
Alison says
Just made these. Oh my gawd! They’re fabulous! And Easy!! Thank you. This dough tastes just like a pastry dough. Yum!
Chris says
I just made these and I had problems with kneading as it really stuck to my fingers a lot. I did it exactly to recipe unless I measured something wrong but it was very sticky and I could not pull off the silicone mat and twist as it was falling apart and really sticking to the mat. What did I do WRONG? even though they don’t look as good as yours they do taste good and none will go to waste.
Thanks for all your hard work on recipes really appreciate!
Carolyn says
Two questions: what kind of mozzarella and what kind of almond flour?
Chris says
I used low moisture part-skim mozzarella and Bob’s Red Mill Almond Flour.
Carolyn says
Then it was your almond flour. I love Bob’s but that’s too coarse and doesn’t come together as well as Honeyville.
Maria says
Carolyn, would putting the Bob’s Almond Meal through a grinder work if one wanted to make these right away and too impatient for an order from Honeyville?
I hope you can tell that I’m itching to get to these 🙂
Thank you.
Carolyn says
It’s hard to know if you can get it fine enough. I can’t make any promises here BUT…apparently Bob’s is changing their grind to be more fine. I can’t wait!!!
Deborah says
Carolyn
I just love all your recipes.
I made this for the first time tonight.
I used regular store bought part skim mozzarella but it was a block not pre grated. Doesn’t he preheated usually have cornstarch on it?
Anyway I made two substitutions out of desperation.
I used THM baking blend (usually works great when I sub this in your relationship recipes)
And I used coconut oil because I was out of butter.
The cheese and oilfield would not blend until I heated the cheese almost to a simmer constantly whisking.
I tempered in the egg. But when I added the flour it never came together it just go crumbly.
Can you help? Do you think it was the substitutions?
Deborah
Carolyn says
Yes, it was the substitutions. The mozzarella may not have been an issue, but the oil and baking blend most certainly were.
Deborah says
Thanks. I’ll try again without subs. On the bright side, I baked it up flat and cut until strips and ur was crunchy and delicious anyway! ?
Carolyn says
Glad it still worked out!
Roberta says
Just made these. They flattened out really bad and they are SUPER greasy. I did everything right with all the right ingredients. Not sure where I went wrong. They look good and will probably taste good but they are very soft. I didn’t want to cook them any longer because they were getting too brown.
Just seems like there was way too much butter…..but I used what it called for. hmmm…..
Suggestions anyone?
Carolyn says
I am going to guess brand differences in either almond or coconut flour. What did you use?
CeliaT says
If you rework this for a THM version, any chance you could include measurement by weight??? My results are much more consistent (and easier) when I use weight. If not, if this is something I’ll use often, I’ll eventually convert it myself :-). Thanks for all you do!
Angelina says
This dough was way to sticky for me to work with once I rolled it out, even after dusting it with more almond flour……I had to put it in the freezer for about 10 minutes before it was solid enough for me to even take off the mat in strips. The end result was very tasty though and worth the effort.
Linda Head says
The video says baking soda,the recipe say baking powder.please let me know wich one thank you
Carolyn says
Baking powder. Sorry about the typo on the video!
Andrea says
These look delicious. My family is lactose intolerant so I will use Cabot Monterrey Jack instead of Mozzarella but I also make dinner for a family who is totally gluten and casein free so I am going to try to make some vegan cheese and use that in place of it. Once I do I will let you know how these or your garlic rolls turn out.
Bethany @ Athletic Avocado says
Holy yum! These cinnamon twists look incredible! I love the genius use of mozzarella in the dough!
Dena Swinson says
Made these this morning and they were DELICIOUS! Rave reviews by husband and 12yo son. Thank you for another fabulous recipe. My family has absolutely loved every recipe I’ve tried from your blog.
Carolyn says
Thanks so much!
Kelsey says
I tried making these and followed the directions exactly. However, I couldn’t turn over the dough (or twist it), so I made them into little rolls, which then completely flattened out into big pancakes in the oven. From the other comments it seems like I need to add more flour; but which one? More almond flour or coconut flour? I used honeyville almond flour and earth’s choice coconut flour, and hard mozzarella, which I grated.
Thanks!
Carolyn says
So part of the problem here would be the mozz that you grated yourself, since pre-shredded comes with a little starch in it to keep it from clumping. So yes, you do need more flour and I would do more almond…maybe a few tbsp?
Kelsey says
Thanks for the quick response!
I’ll give that a try and report back!
Tina says
Oh my goodness are these delicious! I kept the ingredients exactly as written, but I varied my technique a bit because I’m lazy. I melted the butter and cheese in the microwave, then added everything to that bowl and mixed it until well combined. It turned out great!! I patted it out on parchment the way I do my fathead pizza dough, and then was able to fold it easily by just folding the paper. I am packing these in my husband’s suitcase for his business trip. Cinnamon rolls are one of his favorite things, and he’s going to flip when he finds these treats in there. Thank you, thank you, thank you! Your recipes are life savers in this house!
Carolyn says
So glad you liked it!
AnnMarie says
Carolyn,
I’ve never worked with mozzarella dough before; it couldn’t have been simpler. These twists were delicious; a big hit with my pastry-loving husband. Thanks for this recipe!
Carolyn says
Yay, I am so glad!
Kathy says
Do you think it would work to use all coconut flour? Almond flour does not settle well with me….
Carolyn says
Possibly but I am not really sure how much to suggest.
Katie Vigil says
I make ‘fathead’ pizza all the time using the mozzarella dough crust which this is a version of. My bread sticks look nothing like yours as they flattened out and became more like pancakes. I will try adding more almond flour to see if that helps. Thanks for the recipe.
Melanie says
I’m not sure where to find swerve? I haven’t seen it yet. Any thing I can substitute it with. Thank you!
Carolyn says
You can use almost any sweetener here but Swerve is sold in many places so check their locator: http://www.swervesweetener.com/locations/
Loti says
Made these for breakfast this morning. Oh what a treat and they couldn’t have been easier. My husband loved them too and he doesn’t have to eat low carb. Definitely a hit in this household! I don’t know who figured out fathead dough, but I’m calling them a genius and I love this variation of it. Thank you!
Carolyn says
I know, total genius on this dough and there are so many possibilities!
Betty says
What if I don’t have powdered sweetener? Is that like confectionary sugar? Can I make it without?
Carolyn says
Yes, you can make it without and then just sweeten with the cinnamon filling.
Carol says
Please clarify. The ingredients read 5 tablespoons of butter. Is it the case that 2.5 tablespoons are used in the batter and 2.5 tablespoons are reserved to brush on the dough? Thank you.
Carolyn says
No. The instructions say 5 tbsp of butter. Then they say “2 tbsp of butter, melted”. Consider these 2 separate ingredients. The first 5 go in with the cheese, the second two are for brushing.
Carol says
Ok. Thanks! I made these this morning and they spread a bit in the oven. Next time a may add a pinch of salt. They were good and I can imagine a number of variations.
Rachel Biehl says
Hi there, is the flavor of the coconut flour noticeable at all? It’s not been my favorite in other recipes due to that. Thank you!
Carolyn says
It’s not noticeable at all. It’s just for structure.
Rachel Biehl says
Okay, looking forward to giving it a try, thank you! ?
Carolyn says
I just made this recipe except I made them into cinnamon rolls.
When the dough is finished and turned, pat the dough into a rectangle..(thick)
Then I painted on the melted butter and sprinkled the whole top with cinnamon and sweetener mixture.
Then I rolled the dough like you would cinnamon rolls (log). Then I sliced the dough at about 1/2 inch intervals. Place the rolls onto the parchment lined pan. It made 12…very good.
Kathryn Dunn says
I was skeptical! I made them this morning and they are AWESOME. I will make again and I have already made some other flavors (in my head), and thought about which savory I want first. Mine did flatten out a bit too much, I may try chilling the dough a bit before baking. I have to do that with most baked goodies. (I live in the south)
Thanks for the blog…you post some great things.
Natasha says
These are very good! Fooled both of my kiddos with them. Got an immediate thumbs up from ds and a “We are having those every day from now on!” from the dd. Definitely a bit more rich or savory flavor than I expected from the dough – but hey – CHEESE! But with the icing, they are very good! I did make a cream cheese drizzle – T each butter and cream cheese, 2T Swerve, vanilla and a bit of water to thin. This won’t be the last time I make them. 🙂
Carolyn says
Glad the kids liked them too!
Timi says
hahaha…when I saw the picture and the beginning in the video I thought I could use the garlic ‘bread’ recipe everybody loves here…then I realised it is your recipe too 😀 so definitely going to give this a go 🙂
Bethany says
These were so good. The texture with the mozzarella gives a chew that you normally miss out on in low carb goodies. Amazing. My butter and cheese never came together like some others so I added the dry ingredients then the egg (the butter was simmering and I thought the egg would cook) I didn’t turn the dough out and knead with my hands but just used a spatula in the pan till it looked combined properly. I used baking paper and had to sprinkle more almond meal while pressing out so it wouldn’t be so sticky. (WHich probably made the dough more rough looking) They didn’t twist super easy but it did not matter the end result is soooo good. Not as pretty as yours but soooo good. But there is no way to eat just one of these. Thank you!
Teri says
So I am making these for the first time, they are in the oven right now. This was so easy! The dough came together like a dream. This might truly be a life-changer. There are sooo many possibilities for this… I have a dozen savoury ideas in my head right now. I’ve been trying to figure out how to make a low carb pop tart (my weakness), do you think this could be done with a few tweaks to get the right consistency? I’m thinking sugar-free Strawberry spread in the filling and a sweet glaze. Any suggestions?
miranda says
Hi, what does the mozzarella do and can I replace it with some other cheese? I can’t get shredded mozzarella here, will it work if I slice the mozzarella myself? I really want to try this recipe, it sounds great!
Carolyn says
No, it will not work without pre-shredded part skim mozzarella. It is the glue in this dough.
Marie says
we only have almond meal/ground almonds where i am, am i able to use that in this recipe? or will i need to make it finer somehow?
i’m dying to make these, but don’t want to risk “wasting” any almond if it doesn’t turn out, as it’s *very* expensive here 🙁
Carolyn says
You will need to make it finer. It won’t hold together with more coarsely ground almonds.
Lee says
I buy whole raw almonds by the kilo and use a coffee grinder. Much cheaper and a little finer than bought almond meal. I’m in Australia, and never seen almond flour for sale.
Mary says
I Am allergic to eggs… Is there an alternative for substitution?
Carolyn says
No, I am sorry. Not for this kind of recipe, the egg is critical.
Polina spirt says
Thank you Carolyn the entire house smell cinnamon and the twist are Wonderfull ???
I did use the block of mozarela part skim and before hand I place in the freezer for 10 min so I can graited it works a bit better I was not shure about presheded bc of the starch in the ing . Thank you I love it.
plasterer bristol says
These are my absloute favorite of all time. Would love to be able to make them myself.. Thanks for sharing this recipe.
Simon
Rachel Wiles says
I need to start by saying I LOVE all of your recipes. I tried making it this weekend and they came out very crumbly. I used the Honeyville almond flour and the shredded mozzarella. I couldn’t even fold them in half without them falling apart. I was so bummed? Any ideas on what I did or can do differently?
Carolyn says
Hmmmm. What brand of cheese? What brand of coconut flour?
Rachel Wiles says
Kroger cheese and bobs red milk coconut flour.
Carolyn says
Okay, I use Bob’s too for coconut flour. Never used Kroger cheese but I’ve used several different kinds and never had an issue. Here’s my bit of advice. Start off with less of the flours (like a tbsp less each), then if the dough is really sticky when you turn it out to knead it, add in another tbsp or two of almond and a bit more coconut. It should knead and feel exactly like pizza dough…stretchy, not sticky. That’s when you know you have it right. Don’t let it sit long before working it into the twists because as it dries out, it becomes harder to form.
Cindy Dickinson says
Just made this..finally! We loved it. Thanks you!
Ashley says
I want to try this, but I know nothing about this swerve sweetener, I just have stevia, xylitol, and I mostly sweeten our food with natural sweeteners like honey, medjool dates or maple syrup. Can you give me rough guess at how much stevia/sugar blend I might use instead of swerve?
Carolyn says
Swerve measures cup for cup with sugar so just base it on how sweet you’d like it if it were made with sugar.
Jessica L says
This is a fantastic recipe – thank you! I underestimated how delicious they would turn out, and I’ll admit that I grabbed a second one almost instantly. They really hit the spot and my spouse is beyond pleased that we can have cinnamon rolls again!
Carolyn says
Wonderful!
Lina says
I had the ‘flattened out into pancakes’ happen. They looked beautiful going into the oven but then came out like blobs. I used Kraft shredded mozzarella and followed the instructions. Any suggestions?
Carolyn says
You may have needed a little more almond flour. I find that different cheeses have slightly different consistencies. What sweetener did you use?
Lina Horner says
I used straight erythritol with monk fruit from bulk barn. It is the bulk version of Swerve.
Carolyn says
It’s not the bulk version of Swerve, there is a major difference. Swerve contains oligosaccharides, which are as sweet tasting pre-biotic fiber. Thus, it adds more bulk and fiber to the recipe, helping it hold together. Monk fruit is a non-bulk sweetener, meaning it adds nothing but sweet taste to the dough. It could very easily be the issue here.
Andrea says
These are amazing! Even my ‘unhealthy friends who were afraid to try them! I added a smidgen of cinnamon to the frosting to cut the sweetness a bit
I tweaked the ingredients a bit and made a savory version. Garlic bread like – Those were a hit as well.
claire says
I’m just about to make these….but thought I would read all of the comments first so I don’t make mistakes 🙂
Please can you tell me if the “dough” can be frozen raw or cooked?
Very exciting and thank you!!
Carolyn says
I have frozen it raw a number of times. I will tell you that it loses some of its elasticity. It works still, but it is best made fresh.
Claire says
Thank you very much!!! They all turned out brilliantly. Thanks very much for a fab recipe
Jessica F. Walker says
I am seriously excited about this recipe. I’m so glad I found it!
Carolyn says
I am glad you did too! 😉
moka says
wonderful. thanks
Paulette says
I just made these. Delicious! Thanks for writing such clear directions. They were very easy to make. It is so nice to be able to indulge without all the carbs.
Neita says
Just made these!! Delish!!! Thank you! So often I try new recipes that just don’t come close to what I expect, but yours are consistently spot on! These are definitely a keeper!! Thanks again!
Julie Berry says
Don’t know if anyone asked this, but could I switch Out sweeteners in this recipe? I have truvia or stevia…….no swerve. I don’t even know the differences. But would like something close to the cinnamon and sugar Tate. Thanks.
Carolyn says
You can certainly do that. Truvia is sweeter than Swerve so use less. Also, powder it if you can first. Coffee grinders work well.
Gerri says
I’d love to know the weight of 1.5 cups of mozzarella, please. Depending how 1.5 cups is packed, it can vary a lot. Wondering if that could be why some people are having trouble working the dough? I’ve the same issues & don’t want to give up.. I use Honeyville & the same other ingredients. The only variable is the cheese. It’s packaged, low moisture, pre-shredded, has starch added. I’d appreciate it so I can make your fabulous recipes.
Thanks & happy holidays!
Carolyn says
6 ounces. I’ve added that info in to subsequent posts.
Lisa says
Grams per cup is also listed on the preshredded packages for serving sizes. Love using grams on my food scale!
Anna says
Hi – thanks for your great site, I was hoping you would be able to clarify one ingredient in the cinnamon twist recipe please. The recipe states baking powder and the video states baking soda. Would kindly appreciate clarification of which you use. Regards Anna (Merry Christmas)
Carolyn says
Baking powder. That must be an error in the video.
Anna says
Thanks Carolyn 🙂
Holly Thompson says
Made these for Christmas breakfast with eggs and sausage. Yummy! Thank you!
Anne O says
The best cinnamon rolls eva! Made into 11 cinnamon rolls, baked in my silpat muffin pan. Sooooo good! Used Trader Joe’s shredded lite mozerella cheese and dough was so easy to work with- had no issues. Thank you Carolyn.
Carolyn says
Glad you liked them!
Rebecca says
Carolyn,
You have now made me post comments twice! These are just fantastic. The recipe was perfect, I followed it exactly and they turned out identical to yours which is a huge compliment because I am know to say “presentation doesn’t matter”. I make delicious food but it’s normally pretty ugly. These are not just tasty but also very appealing to the eye. Thank you so much for sharing!
Carolyn says
My phrase is “well at least it tastes good!”. I sometimes make ugly food too…
Jennifer Thoma says
My daughter is seven and was just diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes six weeks ago. I’m confused about how to dose for net carbs. Our doctor said only use the total carb count, but I don’t see that anywhere. Any ideas??
Carolyn says
I’m sorry but I always subtract erythritol carbs, simply because, as a diabetic, Swerve and erythritol does not affect my blood sugar at all. And this may hold true for your daughter as well but you need to TEST that. If you count erythritol carbs in this, you would need to add 10.9g of carbs to the total (so about 15g TOTAL CARBS). But if your daughter’s blood glucose isn’t affected by erythritol, then you will be overdosing. So it’s something you need to play with a bit for now, testing her after she eats so you can see if it affects her. It doesn’t affect most people.
Anne O says
Post #2
Made these again but subbed the cinnamon for 1/3 cup Lilly choc chips–Ahhhmazing. Tastes like a choc croissant from Paris. Carolyn you be the greatest!
Kept the balance of the recipe the same and used spouts lite shredded cheese…….dough performed perfectly.
Tovy says
Hi , I would love to try this recepy but we only have full fat mozzarella cheese should I use less butter ?
Thanks
Thank you for time and effort you put in
Carolyn says
What I think you should do is be prepared to work in more almond flour in the kneading stage until the recipe resembles real pizza dough.
Darlene says
All went well until I tried to twist them. They cracked and fell apart. What did I do wrong?
Carolyn says
I really can’t say. Did you use all the same ingredients as I indicated?
Darlene says
Yes, I did.
Rhiannon Taylor says
Firstly, I have to say a HUGE thank you!! You have made following a low carb diet soo much easier!! I can still have my treats and know I’m not “cheating”.
I’m from Australia and struggling to find Almond flour… plenty of almond meal… how will this effect this recipe??
Warmest regards
Carolyn says
It may not turn out well with almond meal because it’s so much less finely ground. Might be worth investing in a coffee grinder and seeing if you can grind it more finely yourself. It should be the blanched kind, not the one with the skins.
Rachel says
Delicious and easy to make. Refrigerated and reheated well.
Charlene says
I don’t want to buy two different Swerves. Can I put the granulated in a “bullet” and make it a powder to use?
Carolyn says
You can certainly try. I don’t think you will get it quite powdery enough but it should be okay.
Lee says
Just wanted to say that despite quite a few differences in ingredients, mine turned out well. I used stevia drops, full fat mozz, home-ground almonds with the skins on, and forgot the baking powder. Makes me think it is the dough consistency that matters most. I added a little extra coconut flour while kneading, until it ‘felt right’. Thanks!
Lisa Citrola says
Just ade these and they came out amazing…thank you. One question, do they need to be refrigerated or can I keep them on the counter. Thanks again?
Carolyn says
They should be fine on the counter for 2 days. Refrigerate after that.
Linda says
Thank you so much for all your recipes! These turned out absolutely delicious. I can’t wait until my next check so I can pre-order your cook book. You are my food hero <3
Carolyn says
Thank you, Linda!
Megan says
So I just made these. I don’t think I put enough cinnamon in the center and I may not have rolled them out thin enough, like they were too thick, but they turned out well. The 2nd day they were still yummy but I didn’t know how to fix the lack of cinnamon flavor. Finally figured it out and thought I’d share: Heavy whipping cream with Torani sugar-free cinnamon brown sugar. Whip that up and dip the twist in! Solves any problems anyone could have. LOL. Thank you for this recipe!
Melissa says
can u sub the coconut flour for something?
Carolyn says
Possibly more almond flour. Maybe another 1/2 cup? Not sure it will work, though.
Casty says
Can I substitute cream cheese for the butter?
Carolyn says
Nope. Won’t work in this recipe.
Sharon says
Can I substitute cream cheese for the mozzarella?
Carolyn says
No, I am afraid that wouldn’t work.
Danielle Ayers says
I tried to upload this recipe into my fitness pal and it is saying that the carbs are 13 per serving. How did you calculate the carb total? Thanks
Carolyn says
I use MacGourmet, which is software I purchased and which pulls from the USDA database, making it far more reliable than MFP. Chances are that MFP is either swapping in a substitute ingredient for the sweetener or you are not subtracting the erythritol grams.
Carolyn says
I made these today and they taste GREAT! but the dough was too crumbly and I wasn’t able to twist them. The video link no longer seems to work. Could you reupload? I think if I can see how you did it I may be able to fix my technique. Thank you!
Carolyn says
It could be your cheese or it could be your almond flour. Watch this video, it shows me making it live. https://www.facebook.com/AllDayIDreamAboutFood/videos/1552509871443063/
Emily says
Hi, I’ve went crazy with this amazing “dough” I’m really wanting to make a low carb pop tart, would this dough work?
Carolyn says
I can’t see why not!
Emily says
We did and they were delish. More like a toaster strudel!
Carolyn says
yum!
Brandi says
What did you put in the middle? This is a great idea!
heather pennel says
I made these this morning to take to lunch at my inlaws, such a hit!! And my kids loved them too. I love how this really tastes like a pastry dough,tender and flaky. Thanks again for your amazing recipes, this one is going to be a regular at my house.
Crystal says
HI,
Recipe sounds amazing!
Could i use stevia sachets (granulated) for sweetener?
Carolyn says
Sure!
Casey says
I was so looking forward to this but then I saw as I entered in the carbs in my fitness pal that the total carbs came to 12.2gm for one serving! I used Everything that was in the recipe just different brands. I’m still going to enjoy them!
Carolyn says
It’s because My Fitness Pal is not subtracting the erythritol carbs, which don’t impact blood sugar.
Lisa says
I create a food for the Swerve & subtract out the sugar alcohols from the total Carbohydrates.
Nancy O says
I scrolled and scrolled and could not find one comment about the confusing instructions on the butter. The recipe says to melt the butter with the cheese….then later it says to spread the dough with half the butter. So does that mean to melt half the butter with the cheese? This could be why so many people had flat dough? Help!
Carolyn says
Two separate times where are you are using butter, which is why it’s actually listed twice in the ingredients list. One…when you make the dough. Two, you use a tbsp of melted butter on the already made dough. I don’t think it’s confusing as most people haven’t had an issue with that part of it.
Joanne says
I’m new to these keto recipes so the texture was a bit dense and chewy for my preference (I’m still dreaming of fluffy Cinnabons!). I’m sure I’ll get used to it since the flavour was great and I’ll make them again soon! Anything to make them fluffier? Thanks for sharing these great recipes with us who hate to miss the good stuff! Xoxo
Carolyn says
I’ve been working at it but really don’t have a good solution to the lack of fluffiness…without gluten, it’s hard to do!
Lea says
I am going to try adding a tablespoon of egg white powder just as the dough get flattened out. This stuff is amazing! I’ve started using it in all my keto bread recipes and I actually can bake a full loaf of keto soul bread that resembles actual bread, it doesn’t toast up very well but it’s awesome! So any time I need anything to rise like fluffy waffles or pancakes I add a little of what I call magic white powder aka fairy dust lol…it’s really called Muskoka mornings No Yolking egg white powder it’s awesome and I think will make these extra special! Imagine no more separating any eggs any recipes that call to fold in egg whites I don’t have to do I just add the whole eggs and then a couple or three tablespoons of this stuff and you won’t believe the difference. They made my waffle iron lift the waffle lid right up as the waffles began to swell, I have never seen that ever even with regular waffles I’ve never ever had them with that kind of lift and they don’t taste eggy at all. Btw I have no affiliation with that company at all.
Joanne Frank says
mine did not turn out . all that work for nothing . what a waste
Carolyn says
Why don’t you tell me what happened? Often I can identify the issue. It always helps to know brands of almond and coconut flour, and sweetener.
Martha says
I am a first-timer when it comes to working with dough. Mine smelled delicious, bur were completely flat. I used a brand of coconut flour called let’s do organic from the Edward and Sons Trading Company. The brand of almond flour that I used was Bob’s Red Mill. After I added the flour mixture to the melted cheese and butter, they blended quite nicely into a doughy mixture. I did not kneaded the dough, but merely rolled it out. It wasn’t sticky, just wet/greasy.
I didn’t use Swerve, but Pyure sweetener, less of it, though. Maybe I should track down Swerve…
Carolyn says
They do end up rather flat so I am not sure you did anything wrong but the coconut flour could be part of the issue.
Martha says
Which brand of coconut flour has been most successful in your recipes?
Carolyn says
I always use Bob’s Red Mill.
Nyla says
Lovely flaky dough recipe. I used the dough to make a keto version of my families Hungarian Christmas cookies (“Kiflik”). The dough is cut into scalloped squares and rolled up with a ground pecan and walnut mixture. Thank you!!
Robin says
These turned out to be wonderful! The dough wasn’t as hard to work with as I had anticipated. (I’m impatient when it comes to dough.) I’m considering experimenting with leaving out the sweeteners to make a basic version for doing savory breakfast braids and other items that call for a bread product. Thank you so much!
claire says
I can’t get the video to work, would have liked to see it before trying.
Chakalit Harris says
The video isn’t working! All you get is an error message! It says: Media error, sources not supported. https://vid5.photobucket.com/albums/y177/carketch/Cinnamon%20Twists_zpsxzlxt2og.mp4?_=1
Christine Johnson says
Perfect every time. Couldn’t be any easier. love
Michelle says
I butchered your recipe but it still came out tasty! I didn’t have the coconut flour, so I upped the almond flour to a cup. The flavor was still there but my twists flattened out like pancakes while baking! Lol…. I’m assuming that’s due to the absence of the coconut flour. Anyway, just wanted to thank you for sharing your recipes! I’d never survive this LC journey without them!
Carolyn says
Well, you needed to add about 3/4 cup more almond flour…the rule of thumb is 3x the amount of coconut flour.
Lisa says
Do you think frigerating the dough after making the twist & before baking may help with the dough not flattening out?
Carolyn says
Possibly!
Lori says
A breakfast treat my 13 year old son requests regularly! These smell so good when cooking. Fast and easy to make. This is one of the first low carb recipes I tried, so you do not need a lot of skill to make this. Do not worry if they do not look as pretty before you bake them. They look nice after you cook them!
Debbie says
Followed everything except I used only almond flour as I can always taste the coconut. I don’t like the coconut. Looked perfect but flattened out and ? Melted in the oven.
Carolyn says
It flattened because you didn’t use the coconut flour. Sorry but it helps!
Heather says
Why wouldn’t you add some baking powder to your dough? It would help the twist rise a little and not look like they have been run over by a truck ?
Carolyn says
There already is baking powder in the dough…
Rita Triebwasser says
Can this dough be frozen with success Carolyn? I’m in love with so many of your recipes and am now looking to buy your book as my little granddaughter is a Type 1 Diabetic. Thank you for everything you do to help others.
Carolyn says
I have frozen and thawed it but it does lose a little of its elasticity.
Linda says
I followed the recipe to the letter but what a mess! The dough is so crumbly i coudln’t pick it up or twist it. It’s in the oven now, but I can’t imagine it will come together. What did I do wrong? Should I have chilled the dough for a bit before rolling?
Carolyn says
No chilling necessary. When this happens, it usually comes down to your ingredients. What brand of almond flour did you use? What kind of cheese?
Linda says
I used Kirkland California superfine almond flour, Tropical Green organic coconut flour, and Kraft natural part skim shredded mozzarella.
Carolyn says
The almond flour and mozzarella sound okay but I’ve never heard of that coconut flour. Coconut flour can vary a lot brand to brand in terms of absorbency so it may have been the issue, and perhaps less coconut flour next time would allow these to hold together and not be too crumbly.
lissa says
I am lectin free so can I use buffalo mozzarella cheese?
Carolyn says
very doubtful that will work.
Katie says
I’m using these to prep for breakfast for the week. Anyone else do this? How did they hold up/ taste after being in the fridge 1-5 days?
Carolyn says
Best just gently warmed in the oven or microwave.
April says
Mozzarella dough?? I’ve never heard of it, but it’s brilliant. Looking forward to trying this yummy snack!
Ashley F says
I am blown away with this one! Never would of thought to use mozzarella! Genius!
Kara says
What a clever idea to use mozzarella cheese! These look so yummy!
Toni says
My kids really loved this! Such a nice treat for them!
Becky Hardin says
OH yum! These are a huge hit here at my house. Everyone loves them.
Lea says
I haven’t tried to make this yet. I was hoping to watch the video first so I didn’t end up with some weird version on a scrambled egg with loads of cheese! Lol! Knowing me it’s possible. Anyway just wanted to let u know when I tried to watch the video on my iPhone it gave a media error. So I’m hoping there is a version of it on YouTube otherwise I’ll read all the comments and hope for the best. Pretty sure I have the right kind of cheese so that should help a lot. Thanks again for all your recipes, we are definitely kindred spirits by the name of your site.
Carolyn says
I’ve never done a video for this recipe.
Kevin says
There is a link for a video, and a description as well as multiple comments about the video. So pretty sure at one time there was a video. I tried to make this today and they didn’t turn out at all. Just a pile of goo really.
They wouldn’t twist, they were ripping in half. So just cut into strips and they are all melting together while cooking. They are still in the oven so hopefully they will taste ok still.
I have other fat head pizza dough that maybe some day i will try. I was hoping for the video as well to see what I must have messed up.
Carolyn says
There is a video for the magic mozzarella dough, but I have never done a video for this particular recipe. You can see that video here: https://alldayidreamaboutfood.com/low-carb-magic-mozzarella-dough/
This recipe works well for the cinnamon twists but you MUST use the specified ingredients exactly.
Mary says
I just made these and they tasted very good although mine got flat unlike the picture. I guess i should twist them a bit tighter next time. I couldnt wait so i had mine warm with the drizzle. Very easy recipe. Thank you
Carolyn says
I don’t think it’s a matter of twisting them, it depends more on your cheese and almond flour.
Virginia Neill says
With my tendonitis, stirring heavy doughs is hard, but I HAD to make this! I filled my Kitchen Aid stand mixer’s metal bowl with boiling water to heat it up, dropped in the dough hook, and let it stand while I melted the mozzarella and butter. I emptied and dried the bowl and hook and attached them. Then I transferred the melted ingredients to my very warm stand mixer bowl and used my stand mixer to make the dough. Worked like a charm! Perfect, smooth dough. My friends ate the whole batch with me, so had to make a second batch right away!