Chewy Keto Bagels

These Easy Keto Bagels make the perfect low-carb breakfast! Made with absolutely NO yeast, and only 6 simple ingredients, our keto bagel recipe will be a new one you and your family will LOVE!

Bagels have been one of my absolute favorite foods since I was a kid. We used to stop and get them every Saturday morning, my go-to was always an everything bagel toasted with plain cream cheese. Man, I’m craving a bagel right now!

Today though I’m really happy to share our newest recipe: Keto Bagels!!! Yup, that’s right now you can actually have those bagels you love while on keto and stay guilt-free. 

If you are looking for another great low-carb breakfast recipe you could also try our Keto Biscuits. Smother them in some jam and butter…yummy!!!

Are Bagels OK on a Keto Diet?

Regular bagels found at bagel shops or even grocery stores are unfortunately not keto-friendly. They are FULL of carbs and sugar and cannot be eaten on a keto or low carb diet.

How Many Carbs are in Bagels?

How many carbs do classic bagels have? Just 1 regular bagel can have as many as 55 carbs!!! Crazy right? 

Compare that with one of our Keto Bagels which are only 5.6 NET Carbs each.

That’s quite a big difference right?? That makes it possible to eat one of your favorite foods once again.

Texture & Taste

Ok let’s be real, are these low carb bagels going to taste exactly like a bagel that you will find in New Jersey or New York? No….they are not. Mostly because we aren’t using yeast and white flour. 

But that doesn’t mean these aren’t still delicious bagels. The texture of fathead dough isn’t identical to a dough made with gluten but they still have a light and fluffy texture to them. The baking powder is what really helps give it the right texture you need. 

As far as taste goes, you might think that it tastes like cheese because of the mozzarella, but let me tell you, you can’t taste it at all!

What is Fathead Dough?

Fathead dough is a keto and low carb dough made with shredded mozzarella cheese, cream cheese, egg, and some type of low carb flour such as almond or coconut flour.

It’s not just super easy to make, it actually can taste just like real dough. I know you may not believe me but when made properly it can be just what you need. We go into it more in detail in our keto fathead dough recipe.

How to Use Keto Bagels?

You would use these tasty keto bagels the same way you would use any regular bagel. I’m always going to put some nice whipped cream cheese on mine, but how do you like yours?

Some other ways to enjoy them are: 

• Breakfast Sandwich – Bacon, egg and cheese or sausage, egg and cheese.
• Nova – Cream cheese, lox, and capers (my husband’s favorite) 
• Butter – Can’t go wrong with a nice toasted keto bagel and butter. 
• Mini Pizzas – Tomato sauce and your favorite toppings. 
• Traditional BLT – Slap some bacon, lettuce, and tomato on them and you have a meal.
• Tuna Melt – Also a great low-carb alternative to a classic recipe.

What Ingredients are in Low Carb Bagels

• Shredded Mozzarella Cheese – Shredded low-moisture mozzarella. Go ahead and use pre-shredded mozzarella cheese, it actually works better. 
• Cream Cheese – 2 ounces of cream cheese. Don’t worry about it being room temperature, because you are going to microwave it. 
• Almond Flour – Blanched superfine almond flour, do NOT use almond meal. 
• Eggs – Helps bind the dough together.
• Baking Powder – This is what will help the keto bagels to rise the way they should. Always be sure to use fresh baking powder. 
• Salt – ⅛ teaspoon of salt is all you really need. 
• Everything Bagel Seasoning –  MY FAVORITE BAGEL SEASONING! Try our homemade everything bagel seasoning recipe.

Flour Options

Ok, so when it comes to flour options for keto bagels I really do prefer using almond flour. I have personally found that it works the best, especially when combined with baking powder it gives your keto bagels a light fluffy texture. 

Always use superfine almond flour when baking. You do not want to use almond meal, it’s too gritty. 

My FAVORITE and go-to almond flour is Costco’s Kirkland Blanched Almond Flour. It not only tastes great, but the price is the best. For a 3lb bag it’s right around $13.00, give or take a little bit. 

If you have a nut allergy, then you can replace the almond flour with coconut flour instead. Try using ½ cup coconut flour in replacement for the almond flour. It’s not going to be a 1:1 ratio when replacing the two ingredients.

Do I Need to Add Mozzarella Cheese?

Yes, you need the mozzarella cheese in order to make the fathead dough. The mozzarella mixed with cream cheese, egg, and almond flour is what will give you the best keto bagels.

Different Variations

Bagels are one of those things that come in so many different ways. Some of my favorite toppings are: 

• Everything Bagel Seasoning 
• Sesame Seeds
• Poppy Seeds 
• Dried Onion Flakes 
• Dried Minced Garlic 
• Herbs (rosemary is one of my favs) 
• Sea Salt Flakes 
• Shredded Cheddar or Asiago Cheese 
• Chocolate Chips – Lily’s is the best sugar-free brand

What Goes on an Everything Bagel?

Well, an everything bagel is all about the “everything bagel seasoning” you put on it. 

What exactly is everything bagel seasoning? It’s a combination of: poppy seeds, sesame seeds (both white and black), dried onion flakes, dried garlic flakes, and flaked sea salt.

What I do is I make a big batch of homemade everything bagel seasoning and keep it in a container in my spice cabinet. Check out our recipe, it’s so easy to make.

HOMEMADE EVERYTHING BAGEL SEASONING RECIPE: 

• 2 Tbsp Poppy Seeds
• 4 Tbsp Sesame Seeds, regular and black or just one if that’s all you can find  
• 2 Tbsp  Dried Onion Flakes
• 2 Tbsp Dried Garlic Flakes
• 2 Tbsp Flaked Sea Salt

Click here for the full Everything Bagel Seasoning recipe.

How to Make Keto Bagels

STEP 1: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

STEP 2: In a microwave-safe bowl add the mozzarella cheese and cream cheese. Microwave for 30-second intervals until melted, stirring along the way.

STEP 3: Now add the almond flour, baking powder, salt, and egg.

STEP 4: Knead the dough together, it’s just easier to use your hands rather than a spoon. Be sure all the ingredients are well combined.

STEP 5: Line a baking tray with parchment paper or a silicone mat. Divide the dough into 6 equal-sized portions.

STEP 6: Take one piece at a time, and roll it into a log shape. Then form into circles, leaving a hole in the middle.

STEP 7: Put the everything bagel seasoning on a small plate or in a bowl.

STEP 8: Dip each bagel on both sides into the seasoning and place it back on the baking tray.

STEP 9: Bake at 350 degrees for 15-18 minutes.

STEP 10: If the bagels are not browning up enough, broil for 2-3 minutes.

STEP 11: Serve with your favorite cream cheese, butter, or as a breakfast sandwich.

FAQs & Best Tips

Here are some of our favorite tips when making keto bagels:

• Always use fresh baking powder. The bagels will not rise properly if the baking powder is not fresh.
• Use packaged pre-shredded mozzarella. Do not use fresh mozzarella, it’s too watery and you will not get the right consistency. 
• If the dough is sticking to your fingers, wet them with water then start forming the bagels. 
• Don’t forget to form your bagels with a big enough hole in the middle. As it cooks the bagel expands and you may lose the hole.
• Broil for 2-3 minutes at the end of baking the keto bagels if they are not browning up enough. 
• Favorite Toppings: Everything Bagel Seasoning, Sesame Seeds, Poppy Seeds, Chopped Dried Onion, Chopped Dried Garlic, Sea Salt Flakes.

How Many Bagels Does this Recipe Make?

This recipe made exactly 6 keto bagels. We felt like the size and amount were perfect.

If you want smaller bagels, you could get away with 8 per batch. I still really preferred the size of making 6 bagels with the dough.

The Dough is Too Sticky

It’s normal for the keto bagel dough to be sticky. To fix this, wet your hands with water, then work the dough. It will make it easier to work with.

Does the Dough Need to Rise?

So there are some conflicting opinions on this question. There is NO yeast in this keto bagel recipe so you don’t really need to let it rise the way you would with traditional bagels.

However, a lot of people do say that when you bake with almond flour it’s good to let the dough or batter rest for about 10-15 minutes so the almond flour can hydrate.

I’ve let the dough hydrate for 15 minutes, and I’ve made them without waiting. I didn’t notice a big difference.

The Inside is Not Cooked Enough

Personally, I haven’t found this to be a problem all the times we have made our keto bagel recipe, and the center always cooked perfectly.

If you have found this problem arises, it could be because the bagels are too thick or your oven temperature runs too hot leaving you with an undercooked bagel on the inside. 

Try covering the bagels with foil as they cook so they don’t burn on the outside but continue to cook on the inside.

How to Brown Them Up?

If you are making these low carb bagels and find they are lacking the right golden brown color you get with traditional bagels then I have 2 tips for you: 

1. During the last couple of minutes of cooking, broil on high for about 2-3 minutes. Works like a charm for me every time. 
2. Whip up an egg wash, and lightly brush your bagels with it, then top with whatever toppings you are using.

Can You Toast Them?

Sure thing! You can put them in the toaster, toaster oven, oven, air fryer, or even griddle them on the stove.

How to Store Keto Bagels?

To Store: Place the keto bagels in a Ziploc bag and store them in the fridge for up to 5 days. I recommend keeping them in the fridge over the counter. This keeps them fresher for longer.

Can You Freeze Low Carb Bagels?

Yes, you definitely can freeze these low carb bagels. 

• To Freeze: Place the keto bagels in a Ziploc bag and store in the freezer for 2-3 months. 
• To Thaw: Leave the bagels on the counter to thaw, or place in the microwave for 30 seconds to defrost. 

Tools to Use

• Microwave-safe Bowl 
• Baking Tray 
• Parchment Paper or Silicone Mat

Other Diets This Recipe is Good For

• Keto: This is a great keto breakfast option, perfect for those eating low carb! 
• Gluten-Free: Not many gluten-free bagel options out there, but our low carb bagel recipe is 100% gluten-free and made with almond flour instead of wheat flour. 
• Vegetarian: This is a great vegetarian option. Unfortunately, we don’t have a vegan option for you seeing that these have both eggs and mozzarella cheese.

Can You Buy Low Carb Bagels?

While it can be a challenge to find low carb bagels in stores, it can happen. My two favorite options are: 

• PBH Foods
• Unbun

Something to keep in mind when buying keto bread is that if you are looking for bread that is “clean” a lot of them aren’t. They have fillers and not high-quality ingredients. Now when you look at the ingredients for both Unbun and PBH Foods have bagels with pretty clean ingredients.

Other Low Carb Bread Recipes

If you are looking for other delicious low carb bread recipes then try some of these:

• Keto Cloud Bread 
• Keto Biscuits 
• Keto Dinner Rolls 
• Keto Bread 
• Keto Cornbread

All of them are low carb and will have your friends and family raving!

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