Published: · Modified: by Carolyn
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Chewy keto bagels do exist and they are delicious! This easy nut-free recipe takes only 5 ingredients and 40 minutes of your time. And with only 2.9g net carbs, they are perfect for a healthy keto breakfast.
I couldn’t be more thrilled with these keto bagels and I think you will be too. They have the perfect chewiness of the conventional kind, with a mere fraction of the carbs.
It took me quite a few attempts to get this recipe right, I will admit. I had to play around to get the perfect combination of cheese and keto flour. But once I did, I knew I had something pretty remarkable on my hands.
They remind me of traditional Montreal style bagels…smaller and denser than the New York kind, but full of flavor and delightfully chewy. They toast really well, and with a schmear of cream cheese, you can truly enjoy bagels again.
And just like my keto biscuits, they make great breakfast sandwiches too!
Why you need to try this recipe
This keto bagel recipe is a little different from others you may have seen. For one thing, it’s made with coconut flour rather than almond flour, which means it’s completely nut-free.
I have experimented quite a bit with fathead dough, which is typically made of cheese, almond flour, and eggs. Because almond flour has a high oil content, it causes a great deal of spreading during baking. This can mean that most keto bagels end up flat and shapeless.
I find that coconut flour provides much more structure and holds up better. It also makes the bagels chewier, like the real thing. And they don’t taste like coconut at all!
One reader says: “Chewy, rich, great texture, delicious! This dough was easier to work with than any other fat head dough I’ve tried.”
Ingredients you need
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- Coconut flour: I created this recipe using coconut flour because I really think it gives them the ideal texture. Do not substitute with almond flour as the bagels will flatten and spread too much. For best results, weigh the flour out by grams.
- Baking powder: Make sure your baking powder is not old or else your bagels will not rise and will be a bit flat.
- Xanthan gum: There really is no substitution for this as it gives the bagels structure. Remember, a bag of xanthan gum will last for several years. You can find it in the gluten-free aisle of most grocery stores, or you can purchase it online.
- Shredded mozzarella: Fathead dough is tricky, and some shredded mozzarella works better than others. I have had good luck with all sorts of brands like Whole Foods, Safeway, Trader Joe’s Organic, and Sargento. But for some reason, I have not had much success with Organic Valley.
- Eggs: Use large eggs for this keto bagel recipe. Extra large or jumbo eggs will make the dough too soft.
- Butter: Brush the top of the bagels with melted butter. It adds great flavor, browns the bagels and gives the toppings something to adhere to.
- Everything bagel toppings: Sesame seeds, poppy seeds, dried minced onion and coarse salt make these taste like classic bagels. You can also purchase everything bagel seasoning that is premixed.
Step by step directions
1. Whisk the dry ingredients: In a medium bowl, combine the coconut flour, baking powder and xanthan gum. Make sure to break up any clumps in the coconut flour.
2. Melt the cheese: In a large microwave safe bowl, melt the cheese on high in 30 second increments until well melted and almost liquid. The exact time this takes varies with the power of your microwave. For me, it takes about three 30-second zaps.
3. Add the flour mixture and eggs: Place the flour mixture over the melted cheese, then add the eggs. The flour will help protect the eggs from the heat of the cheese. Knead in the bowl using a rubber spatula.
4. Turn out the dough: Line a baking sheet with a silicone mat or parchment paper and continue to knead the dough until cohesive. Cut the dough in half and cut each half into 4 equal portions so that you have 8 equal pieces of dough.
5. Roll into logs: Roll each portion out on the mat to about 8 inches long. Then pinch the ends of the log together to form a circle.
6. Add the seasoning: In a shallow dish, stir together the sesame seeds, poppyseed, dried onion and salt. Brush the top of each bagel with melted butter and dip firmly into the everything seasoning. You can also just sprinkle the seasoning on top.
7. Bake until golden: Bake the bagels at 350ºF until they have risen and are golden brown.
Expert Tips and FAQ
Fathead dough is tricky, because so much depends on the right combination of shredded cheese and keto flour. So I have a few extra tips to help you get these keto bagels right. Be sure to watch the video in the recipe card for even more tips and tricks!
If you don’t have a microwave, you can melt the cheese in a pan over very low heat on the stovetop. Remove the pan from heat before adding anything else and stir very quickly once you add the egg. Don’t let the pan get too hot or it will curdle the egg.
If the bagels spread too much or turn out a bit flat, it usually means you didn’t have enough coconut flour to give them structure. I strongly recommend weighing the coconut flour for accuracy.
The brand of shredded cheese can also be an issue, so it can take a bit of experimentation. Look under the ingredients section for the brands that have worked best for me.
How long do keto bagels last?
Store bagels in a resealable container at room temperature for up to 5 days. They tend to get quite firm when refrigerated, although you can warm them up gently to make them softer again.
How many carbs are in a keto bagel?
This keto bagel recipe has 5.5g of carbs and 2.6g of fiber per serving. That comes to 2.9g net carbs per bagel.
What are keto bagels made of?
This keto dough is made with mozzarella cheese, eggs, coconut flour, xanthum gum and baking powder. It produces a chewy and delicious bagel that tastes similar to regular bagels. And they toast well, too!
More fathead dough recipes to try
Fathead dough is a game-changer for keto recipes, as it is so similar to real pizza dough. Here are a few other recipes you might enjoy:
- We use it to make keto pizza crust frequently. The kids love cheese and pepperoni, but my husband and I really like to make Jalapeno Popper Pizza.
- You can also use it to make fabulous keto cinnamon rolls! The dough is elastic enough to roll up nicely with a cinnamon filling.
- I modified the dough to make this fun Keto Everything Bagel Bread. It’s fun to serve at parties or just make some to snack on at home.
- Craving calzone? Fathead dough is perfect for that. I filled my Keto Calzone with a creamy mixture of spinach, artichokes, and cheese.
Related recipes
Keto Bagel Recipe
Chewy keto bagels are here and they are delicious! This easy nut-free recipe takes only 5 ingredients and 40 minutes of your time. And with only 2.9g net carbs, they are perfect for a healthy keto breakfast.
4.86 from 184 votes
Course: Breakfast
Cuisine: Bread
Keyword: keto bagels, keto bagels recipe
Prep Time: 20 minutes minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes minutes
Total Time: 40 minutes minutes
Servings: 8 servings
Calories: 190kcal
Ingredients
- ½ cup coconut flour (60g)
- 2 teaspoon baking powder
- ¾ teaspoon xanthan gum
- 12 oz pre-shredded mozzarella
- 2 large eggs
Optional Topping for Everything Bagels
- 1 teaspoon sesame seeds
- 1 teaspoon poppyseed
- 1 teaspoon dried minced onion
- ½ teaspoon coarse salt
- 1 tablespoon butter melted
US Customary – Metric
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 350ºF and line a large baking sheet with a silicone liner. Lightly dust with coconut flour.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the coconut flour, baking powder, and xanthan gum. Set aside.
In a large microwave safe bowl, melt the cheese on high in 30 second increments until well melted and almost liquid. Stir in the flour mixture and the eggs and knead in the bowl using a rubber spatula.
Turn out onto the prepared baking sheet and continue to knead together until cohesive. Cut the dough in half and cut each half into 4 equal portions so that you have 8 equal pieces of dough.
Roll each portion out into a log about 8 inches long. Pinch the ends of the log together.
In a shallow dish, stir together the sesame seeds, poppyseed, dried onion, and salt. Brush the top of each bagel with melted butter and dip firmly into the everything seasoning. Set back on the silicone mat.
Bake 15 to 20 minutes, until the bagels have risen and are golden brown.
Video
Notes
Storage information
Because fathead dough tends to lose elasticity as it cools, it’s best to store the bagels at room temperature. Place them in a covered container for up to 5 days.
If you do refrigerate or freeze them, warm them gently in the oven or microwave to make them softer again.
Nutrition Facts
Keto Bagel Recipe
Amount Per Serving (1 bagel)
Calories 190Calories from Fat 111
% Daily Value*
Fat 12.3g19%
Carbohydrates 5.5g2%
Fiber 2.6g10%
Protein 12.1g24%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Secrets to Keto Baking
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.
Reader Interactions
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lkmemphis says
Fresh out of the oven and they look and smell wonderful! Taste good, too, and the texture is nice. I need to keep the rolls fatter so the bagel will be rounder, if a bit smaller in diameter. Yum!Reply
MS says
really hard to get the dough to roll out (8 pieces) as it was tearing all over. I believe there is no such thing as a good Keto bagel.Reply
Charity says
These bagels are so so good! They are delicious and extremely easy to make.
Reply
S.Tam says
My first try using fat dough. The bagels didn’t rise anywhere as much as what is shown in the photo. The taste and texture are fine though. Just wondering what I can do to get it to rise more like what’s shown in the photo.Reply
Carolyn says
You may need more flour to help them hold their shape a bit more. And maybe check your baking powder expiration date?
Reply
S.Tam says
Brand new can and weighed my flour too. Does the moisture content of the mozzarella vary requiring more coconut flour then indicated?
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Michele says
These bagels are amazing! They were very easy to makeReply
Denise Gingerich says
Delicious Chewy Keto Bagels!!
Super easy to follow recipe, try them, you won’t be disappointed!!
You can skip the seasoning rub & just spread with softened Butter & raw local Honey!
Yuuuum!Reply
Lynne Spence says
Oh my goodness, these are delicious!!! I watched the video and I’m so glad I did. I realized that a lot of my problem with making fathead dough is that I have not been melting the cheese enough. I experimented with making a ball and forming a hole in the middle, rather than rolling out the log and forming it into a circle. It turned out very well, so I think I’ll do that when I make them again. I also made half with no Everything Bagel seasoning, because I thought my husband would not like the tiny seeds. Apparently they are not a problem when the product tastes so darn good!I am pretty sensitive to flavors, so I felt fairly confident that I’d be able to taste the coconut from the flour, but I could not, even in the plain ones!
Thank you so much, Carolyn! You’ve knocked another one out of the park!
Reply
Carolyn says
Delighted to hear that!
Reply
Jaime says
I’ve made this recipe a few times now, most recently a couple days ago. Let me tell you, these bagels didn’t last long—they were gobbled up in one sitting! I agree that the texture is similar to Montreal style bagels. The flavor was great, they were nice and chewy, and were easy to make. Some of the dough I made into “braids” instead of the traditional bagel shape. Mine didn’t rise quite as big as the picture, but that could be because of the baking powder I was using. This is easy to incorporate into other “breads” as well, such as garlic knots or breadsticks!Reply
debra krupp says
Easy to make and delicious. Toasted and spread with cream.Reply
Patty says
We LOVE these bagels. Surprisingly, they are actually bagel like. Only problem we have had is overeating 🙂Reply
Carol says
I made these today, and they are totally yummy! Unfortunately, I could only make 4 convention sized bagels out of it, not 8. But othjerwise, a win!Reply
DM says
I made these yesterday and the flavor is spot on. I recommend you cool them first before eating as the texure was initially soggy but after cooling I was able to cut them with ease. I didn’t have pre-shredded cheese so I had to add a bit more coconut flour. Either way, will try these again with the recommended shredded cheese. So easy to make. No coconut aftertaste. Thanks for another great reciepe!!Reply
4.86 from 184 votes (13 ratings without comment)
