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
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!
Stunning recipe! I love it, preparing and having as a light night meal. It is not expensive taking in account that in my home town (Praia, Cape Verde Islands), ingredients can be pricey sometimes. I had to replace the cheese for the local goat cheese, and it work very well. I did not use the garlic powder, baking powder (did not have at the time and I was curious to try this recipe) and salt (the butter I used already have salt).
I love all your recipes and I hope to try all of them.
Do you have to use baking powder and coconut flour? I only have almond and only baking soda. I want to make this for dinner and I saw I didn’t have any of those ingredients. Can it still be made? Thanks!
Yes, these are important ingredients for my recipe.
I make this every Friday for our family pizza night. I have made it so many times, it almost makes itself! Delicious and perfect every single time- thank you for such a staple in our home!
Sarah have you ever made it in a enclosed pan like a 12” cast iron pizza pan or only free form on a cookie sheet? Making tonight!
Thanks
Just wondering: my dil is allergic to coconut. What is the best substitute since many of your recipes call for it.. thanks, charlotte
Can I just say that I am so grateful for you and your recipes! I am a full time caregiver for my sister who is a diabetic and confined to a wheelchair due to Muscular Dystrophy. I came across your website after countless hours of searching for “diabetic” meals and I have tried at least 5 of your recipes and I must say, my sisters blood glucose levels have never been better! I appreciate you and your website for giving me such great ideas to make enjoyable and flavorful meals that are so easy! THANK YOU! THANK YOU! THANK YOU!
That’s so great to hear! I am glad you can help her out so much and are finding success with my recipes.
Best keto pizza crust I’ve ever tried! I melted butter and cheese in microwave oven in 15 sec increments. Then used my oven to bake the crust, then my air fryer for the last baking with toppings.
Can you heat butter and cheese in microwave then add ingredients or should it really be pan on stove (electric)
You can… you just need to do it carefully so it doesn’t overcook.
Oh my! This really hit the pizza spot! Thank you for all you do! For some reason I was intimidated by this procedure and afraid I’d mess it up. It was so easy I’ll use it often!
I can’t wait to try this recipe. I love how you inform all of us, on the tricks to fixing any Keto recipe. That is so helpful
I have tried several of the recipes. And loved everyone of them. I get a lot of complimates. When serving them. Thank you.
Glad it helps!
Hi Carolyn, first time last night I made your magic pizza dough recipe and both my husband and I loved it even though I think I made a mistake with the mozzarella ingredients.
Did you mean 6oz in total of the skim and full mozzarella, or to use just skim.
Thanks.
From Australia
I am not sure where you’re getting full fat? It only says 6 ounces part skim.
Thank you Carolyn, my mistake ,were I live in Australia I can only buy light mozzarella and I can’t seem to incorporate the butter like you do. Made pizza again the other day for lunch,best recipe says my Italian husband,????????
I must have done something wrong… I’ve been making fathead pizza for years and welcomed an upgrade. I found this to be dry and crumbly from the coconut flour. The regular fathead crust is thin and soft but holds together much better than this one.
Then you either added too much coconut flour or your brand isn’t very good. Did you happen to weigh it? Because you can see from my photos that the crust isn’t dry and crumbly at all. So something went wrong, for sure.
I haven’t tried this yet, but cinnamon rolls came to mind!
Hi Carolyn,
I can’t wait to try this recipe. I got here from your Spanakopita recipe.
Before Keto, I would sometimes make dough and refrigerate or freeze some of it for later use. Is that possible with this dough?
Thanks
David
Not really, it tends to lose elasticity as it cools. You could shape it into a pizza crust and freeze it that way, though. Then it’s already in the final shape before you freeze it.
Wow, this is such an easy recipe and so good! Will be making this again and I want to try out the sweet dough as well!
Our family loves this pizza crust recipe!
This dough has one fatal flaw. As a pizza crust, it flops. It literally bends over and spills out the contents of the pizza. I suggest you eat this pizza with a fork.
I don’t find that to be true. Are you sure you cooked it enough?
Brown the bottom of the PIZZA. We make sure there is “leoparding”(Do a Google on this). I use a laser temperature gauge and aim at 250 C. Wonderful results!
Can you make garlic knots with this recipe?
https://alldayidreamaboutfood.com/low-carb-garlic-parmesan-knots/
This is by far the BEST KETO website. I like your honest commentary and every recipe I’ve tried is really good. Thanks!!
Thank you so much!
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!!
Glad to hear it!
Carolyn is there any way more almond flour can be substituted for the coconut flour? Was hoping to make this for a potluck, but we have a friend who is very allergic to coconut.
I tried this crust for my lunch pizza today and was very pleased with it. I melted the cheese and butter in my microwave for 50 seconds total, in a wide soup plate, that enabled me to both mxi and knead in the bowl. I need to play around with baking times – probably needed the full 15 minutes. A fried recommended the fat head crust several years ago, and it was a helpful recipe to have, but yours is so very much better! It is a definite keeper – tasty and easy. Couldn’t ask for more.
I can’t wait to try this! Thanks! But I see you listed a sweet recipe. I’m guessing it’s for a desert? Do you have any recommendations? I’m so new to this, I wouldn’t want to try and ruin the dough. Thanks so much.
Please see the recipes I list in the post.