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
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the originator of the fathead dough is actually Cooky of Cook’s Creations, called it the Holy Grail of Keto, check her website for details, it’s still there
I am in total shock right now. This recipe is magnificent! The butter is PERFECTION and makes the crust so delicious. I have just shared with recipe with 7 friends and purchased your book from Amazon. I’ve described this to my friends as life-changing. Thank you so much, and I look so forward to trying your other recipes!
So delighted you feel that way! Thanks for buying my book.
Loved this recipe! The addition of the butter made for perfect taste and crunch. I cooked recommended time then flipped, carefully, and browned top before adding toppings. Crispy, and extremely filling. My new pizza craving killer, lol.
Game Changer!!!!!!!!!! Best ever, even if the shape was funny looking! Hubs says once a week for this one! Thanks Carolyn!!
Absolutely agree. I described it as life-changing. LOL
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!
Thanks, Alice!
How much shredded cheese in a cup measurement does this recipe use? I have a huge bag which is 32 oz that I’m scooping out of ????
The standard for a cup of shredded cheese is 4 ounces.
I started making the fat head dough with the cream cheese
for pizza tonight (which me and my family love) when I remembered that I wanted to try this version. I had already melted the cream cheese and mozzarella and didn’t want to throw out what I had so I just added a couple extra tablespoons of butter to what I already had and followed the recipe from there. It turned out GREAT. It was easy to work with, and I love that the dough wasn’t as “gooey”
Sounds like an excellent save! 🙂
REALLY LOVE YOUR RECIPES!, WAS THINKING OF PUTTING SPINACH ON MY PIZZA FOR MY DAD, HOW MUCH DO YOU THINK I SHOULD PUT ON?, THINKING OF DOING A WHITE PIZZA WITH RANCH, MOZZARELLA & SPINACH, HOW LONG DO YOU THINK I SHOULD BAKE IT FOR? AND WHAT TEMP. SHOULD I USE?.
Yum! I would pre-bake the crust for 10 minutes, and then top and bake (350F or so) for another 10 to 12, until things look right to you.
I’m doing something wrong!! Help lol everytime I make it the dough seems a bit crumbly. It works fine for a pizza but when I tried to make the garlic knots, the dough is just to crumbly to make the 7 inch rope to make into a knot. Please help. I am using a shredded cheese that contained a cellulose powder.
Gisele
So I think it’s probably not your cheese but your coconut flour. Try cutting back by a tablespoon or two and only adding more if it’s too soft.
AMAZING!!!!! The whole family ordered out for pizza and I was a little sad. I came across your recipe and thought “what the heck”, I will give it a shot. OMG, I am so very glad that I did!! The only tweak I tried (since I was doing pizza crust) was doubled the garlic powder and added 1/2 teaspoon of onion powder. I did not miss regular pizza AT ALL. I am finally managing my diabetes without feeling like I am missing out. THANK YOU <3
Thanks, Shannon!
I just made this recipe for the first time for myself and son (low carb and gf) and can I say the search for THE BEST PIZZA CRUST HAS ENDED! Forget fathead dough, this crust is so much better. It is buttery ( not that I want my pizza to be buttery) and flakey without being gross. It is not soggy, you can hold it with one hand to eat and it holds up. I am so excited!!! I love pizza again!
I am delighted you think so!
I use full fat mozzarella that I grate myself, and just use 4 T. butter – works great! I love the buttery taste of this pizza crust!
It was very good!!!
I’m sorry guys but this is the worst pizza crust. It never firms up and tastes like almond flour. Sadly it took a while to make and the pizza is so bad I am throwing it in the trash. Moving on to a different recipe tomorrow.
Sounds to me like you didn’t bake it before adding your toppings. Which would be a huge issue.
This was amazing! My whole family loved it!
Love this low carb pizza dough!
This recipe was super easy and really delicious! Thank you!
I can’t wait to try this! Thank you so much!
This stuff really is magic!
Made this pizza dough yesterday. I didn’t have coconut flour so used all almond flour. Had to use a lot more so it wasn’t so sticky and could have used even more as in double. Anyhow I precooked the dough and it was a golden brown and puffed up in certain areas. I didn’t put my toppings and cook it till later in the day. Anyhow the outer crust remained firm but the rest wouldn’t hold well.. Ended up having to eat it with a fork. Today being in the fridge all night it’s holding it’s shape so probably better off cold. I will make sure to have coconut flour on hand for next time. I’m sure leaving that out was the problem.
Yes, not having coconut flour was certainly the issue. It’s so much drier and more absorbent than almond flour that when you sub almond for it, you need to AT LEAST triple it. So you would have needed at least 3/4 cup to 1 cup additional almond flour.