This easy Fathead Dough recipe makes the best keto pizza crust. It’s chewy and tender, just like the real thing. And it holds up to all of your favorite toppings!
Fathead dough is pretty remarkable stuff. And it’s an absolute game changer for anyone who loves pizza. It has all the elasticity and stretchiness of real pizza dough, but with a fraction of the carbs.
I never would have come up with using mozzarella cheese as a base for keto pizza crust on my own. And I am grateful to the Fathead creators, and Tom Naughton of the Fathead Movie for making it famous.
And it’s so versatile too! I’ve made everything from keto garlic knots to spinach artichoke calzones. You can even make it sweet for recipes like keto cinnamon rolls.
Of couse, one of the most oft-requested recipes for keto beginners is pizza. It’s really just the ultimate American comfort food. And fathead dough has filled the void like no other.
Why this recipe is the best
I have put my own unique spin on it, to make it a little sturdier for keto pizza crust. I use butter in place of cream cheese, a bit of coconut flour for added structure, and baking powder to help it rise and puff up nicely.
The resulting dough is buttery and rich, and even a little flaky. This stuff really is magic and can be used for so many different keto recipes, from savory to sweet.
But if you’re new to fathead dough, then pizza crust is a great place to start. It’s easy and you get a feel for how the process works. And it only takes about 20 minutes, start to finish.
Best of all, this recipe has only 3.3g net carbs per serving.
Reader Testimonials
“I have tried a lot of fat head dough, however this hands down is my favorite. I gave a slice to a friend of mine who cannot eat flour and yeast. She also thought it was amazing. Thanks so much!!” — Cheryl
“This is by far the most superior recipe for fathead dough that I’ve used yet! Using butter makes it so much better than using cream cheese, in my opinion. My pizza crust was flavorful and was not dry at all.” — Pam K
“WOWZERS with a capital W!! devoured by hubs and me – we are both very impressed! Shared widely. congrats on such a great adaptation – so light considering the ingredients and so easy to find in a regular supermarket. hooray!” — Alice
Ingredients you need
- Shredded mozzarella: Pre-shredded, part skim mozzarella works best for fathead dough. It usually has some added fillers but this actually helps the consistency of the dough. But it does not have to be full of extra starches. I usually purchase organic cheese that has vegetable cellulose as an anti-caking agent.
- Butter: Most fathead dough recipes use cream cheese, but butter makes it lighter and flakier. And more buttery!
- Blanched almond flour: You must use finely ground almond flour and NOT almond meal. Almond meal is more coarsely ground and often contains the brown skin of the almond. Those coarse particles don’t combine with the cheese and butter very well and don’t absorb enough of the oils leaving you with a dough that falls apart.
- Coconut flour: The addition of coconut flour adds more structure, making the dough sturdier and yet still flexible.
- Kitchen staples: Egg, baking powder, garlic powder and salt.
Step-by-step instructions
1. In a large saucepan, combine the cheese and butter over low heat. Stir until they are melted and can be mixed together.
2. Remove the pan from heat and add the almond flour, coconut flour, baking powder, garlic powder, and salt. Add the egg and stir everything together until a cohesive forms. Use a rubber spatula to really knead the dough together in the pan.
3. Turn the dough out onto a work surface dusted with almond flour and knead until uniform. This will only take a little kneading. If your dough is still very sticky, add a tablespoon or two more almond flour and work it in.
4. Roll the dough out between pieces of parchment paper to 12 inches (or use a silicone mat on the bottom). Transfer the parchment with the dough on it to a cookie sheet or pizza stone. Bake at 350ºF for 10 to 15 minutes, until starting to brown and firm up.
5. Remove and top with your favourite toppings and bake another 7 to 10 minutes, until the toppings are melted and bubbly.
Expert Tips and FAQs
Fathead dough is amazing, and it’s easy to make once you get the hang of it. Here are some added tips and tricks for getting it right.
Low heat: When melting the cheese and butter together, keep the pan over the lowest heat you can. If you have an electric stove, you may want to take the pan on and off the heat a few times to keep it from getting too hot.
Adding the egg: Add all of the dry ingredients before adding the egg, so that they protect it from the hot cheese. You don’t want the egg to cook before you have a chance to incorporate it into the dough.
Kneading the dough: Really work the ingredients together, both in the pan and out of the pan. If you do it right after you incorporate the dry ingredients and the egg, the dough will come together much better. I use a rubber spatula to knead it against the sides of the pan.
Making adjustments: If it comes out of the pan very sticky to the touch, you simply need to sprinkle it with a little more almond flour and knead that in, adding more until it’s not longer sticking to your hands.
Nut-free variation: If you are allergic to almonds, use my keto bagel recipe for your pizza crust. A half recipe is enough for one 10 to 12 inch pizza and it is made entirely coconut flour.
Frequently Asked Questions
This fathead dough crust is completely gluten-free. It takes mozzarella, butter, almond flour, coconut flour, baking powder, garlic powder, salt, and an egg.
This keto pizza crust recipe has 6g of carbs and 2.7g of fiber per serving. That comes to 3.3g net carbs per slice.
This fathead dough is a delicious alternative for keto pizza, calzones, and even pastries. It is rich and buttery, with a mild flavor. You can add Italian herbs or spices for added flavor.
Fathead dough loses elasticity as it cools. Thus, I recommend shaping it into a pizza crust, and then freezing it. Wrap it up tightly to avoid freezer burn, and let it thaw completely before baking.
More recipes that use fathead dough
- Keto Spanakopita
- Keto Cinnamon Twists
- Chocolate Walnut Swirls
- Keto Turkey Pot Pie
- Air Fryer Pretzel Bites
Keto Pizza Crust Recipe
Ingredients
- 6 ounces (170.1 g) pre-shredded part skim mozzarella
- 5 tbsp butter
- 1/2 cup (56 g) blanched almond flour
- 1/4 cup (30 g) coconut flour
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp (0.5 tsp) garlic powder
- 1/4 tsp (0.25 tsp) salt
- 1 large egg
Instructions
Dough
- Sprinkle a clean counter or a large silicone baking mat with almond flour.
- In a large saucepan, melt the cheese and butter together over low heat until they are melted and can be stirred together.
- Remove the pan from over the heat and add the almond flour, coconut flour, baking powder, garlic powder, and salt. Add the egg and stir everything together until a cohesive dough forms. Use a rubber spatula to really knead the dough together in the pan. It may still contain some streaks of cheese.
- Turn the dough out onto the prepared work surface and knead until uniform. This will only take a little kneading. If your dough is still very sticky, add a tablespoon or two more almond flour and work it in.
Pizza Crust
- Preheat the oven to 350ºF and place an oven rack in the middle position.
- Roll the dough out between pieces of parchment paper to a 12 inch circle. Remove the top piece of parchment and roll up the edge a little to create a crust.
- Transfer the bottom parchment with the dough on it to a cookie sheet or pizza stone. Bake 10 to 15 minutes until starting to brown and firm up.
- Remove the crust from the oven and top with your favourite toppings. Bake again until the toppings are melted and bubbly.
Notes
Sweet Fathead Dough Variation
Leave out the garlic powder and add ¼ cup powdered sweetener and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract along with the almond flour. Storage Information: Store leftover pizza in a covered container for up to 5 days. The shaped crust can also be frozen, tightly wrapped, for up to 2 months.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 havent made this yet but I was wondering how organic soy flour would work. Im new to low carb and I dont really know how these different flours work while baking.
Sorry, I don’t use soy flour but it’s definitely not a 1:1 replacement.
Hi Carolyn, I have read that this can be made more simply by mixing all the ingredients in a food processor, then melting the mixture carefully in the microwave, but I haven’t been able to find any confirmation of this. Do you know if this actually works? Or should I just try in and see how it turns out?
I have not done it myself. I think neither is more simple. With the food processor, you are dirtying a piece of equipment that requires washing several parts. Personally, I would think my method of melting in a pot and adding all the ingredients into that is the “simplest”.
Made pizza tonight,and it was a flop. The dough worked beautifully: elastic and felt just right. It looked amazing, too, when it was browning. However, I could not even transfer the slices to the plates: they completely disintegrated into a soggy mess! The taste was very good, albeit too salty, so I definitely will skip the salt next time. Used Wellbees almond blanched flour,Kerrygold butter and pre-shredded mozzarella (Kroger brand), so not sure why it did not hold the shape. I wonder if adding whey protein would stiffen it up? Read all the comments– looks like I am the only one with this outcome, so must be the “user error”…
Hmmm, I wonder what happened! How loaded did you make those pizza slices? I wonder if that’s the issue at all.
Update. I tried this recipe for the second time, with significant improvements. First, i added no salt , it was still on the salty side from all the cheese and toppings (portabella+shallot+soft sheep cheese+ prosciutto). Secondly, I allowed the crust to fully cook before putting the topings — to a beautiful golden brown all over. Third, I let the pizza rest on the stone out of oven about 15 min before consumption. I think it allowed all fats/liquids to reabsorb/redistribute . The end result was very good: pizza slices were manageable . Thank you.
Nice! So glad to hear it!
This is the best keto pizza crust I’ve made yet. After a thin layer of sugar free pizza sauce, I added a layer of caramelized onions, shredded mozzarella, pepperoni and a sprinkling of shredded parm. My pizza yielded eight good-sized slices. Two were plenty for dinner with a small side salad. Will definitely help me get over the every now and then pizza craving.
Sounds fantastic!
I used Trader Joe’s Almond Meal (not blanched) and made Focaccia (topping: olive oil, crushed garlic, rosemary, parmesan cheese, black pepper) and baked at 400 deg. F 15 min. It came out beautiful. I wouldn’t try it for cinnamon rolls though. Blanched almond flour has been ordered. I LOVE this “bread.”
Thanks for the feedback, Mary. Yes, almond meal is not ideal here but I am glad it worked out well enough!
This is my go-to recipe for several dough uses. Thank you, Carolyn!
My go-to recipe. Thanks, Carolyn!
HI Carolyn! Reading your wonderful cookbook now! We want to try making the cinnamon rolls using the sweet mozzarella dough recipe. WE couldn’t find how thick to roll out the dough. Any help would be appreciated. Looking forward to trying out so many of your recipes 🙂
It tells you to roll it out to a 12 inch square.
I just made this crust for pizza & loved it. Can leftover pieces that I didn’t put any toppings on be frozen for another time?
You bet!
Delicious! I haven’t tried a recipe of yours that wsnt terrific! Thank you!
Hi Carolyn,
Can I make personal size crusts, par-bake them and then freeze?
I’m trying to stalk the freezer with Keto friendly options for my mom to use when I’m at work.
By the way your Butter Pecan cookies are Amazing!
So far I’ve used the dough to make an almond variation and I’m going to try a chocolate chip and walnut variation next.
I’m really loving your cookbook!
Thanks
Mia
Yes, you totally can do the mini crusts. I’ve done this myself for my kids.
Just confirming with you about your answer to this question, I can par bake them and freeze them?
I positively love this dough recipe. I use it repeatedly and always link it via my blog. It’s topped my Fish Pie, I used it for my Brie en croute, cinnamon rolls with coffee cream cheese icing and most recently, Beef Wellington. Cheers!!!
Ketofilipino_mytirona
Thanks!
Turned out beautifully. It covered a large pizza pan. I’m confused to size .The nutrients says they are for 1/16th. Do you know macros per slice? How many slices in this crust? Thank you, granee
No, that actually says 1/6th of recipe. It states it serves 6. I’ve re-written to try to make it more clear.
Hi Carolyn, I love your recipes and I have your book. Love it. One thing, I have to be dairy free. I can use the dairy free mozzarella, but what can I sub for the butter? I have a coconut oil (butter flavored)……can I use that?
Thanks
Hi Patricia…I am honestly not sure this recipe will work as a DF recipe. The DF mozzarella tends not to melt very well. I am less worried about the coconut oil than that issue.
I tied to make this for the cinnamon rolls but the dough completely fell apart. 🙁 I know its hard to get the hang of it but what did I do wrong. I did not sure bagged cheese I grated my own. I want to cry
Well, since the recipe does say to use pre-grated cheese, that is the problem right there.
Yay! Can’t wait to try this – how long does the dough keep in the fridge after you make it?
It can last for several days but it does lose elasticity.