These amazingly doughy and fragrant keto bagels are ready in just 30 minutes and will blow your mind!
Once you bite into the warm dough, it's difficult to believe these bagels are made with almond flour.
These bagels are AMAZING. Made with Fathead Dough (a keto dough based on almond flour, cream cheese, and eggs), they are soft and doughy and taste so good.
How wonderful that even on a low-carb diet, I don't have to give up my beloved weekend morning ritual of a fresh bagel, a thick layer of cream cheese, and a potent cup of coffee!
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Ingredients
You'll only need six ingredients to make these keto bagels. Here's an overview of what you'll need. The exact measurements are included in the recipe card below.
- Shredded mozzarella: I use bagged pre-shredded part-skim mozzarella.
- Cream cheese: Use full-fat cream cheese, not reduced-fat.
- Almond flour: Blanched, finely ground almond flour works best. I don't recommend using a coarse almond meal in this recipe.
- Baking powder: It's important to make sure it's fresh.
- Egg: One large egg is all you need.
- Sesame seeds: Optional, but they make the bagels look amazing!
Variations
- Season the bagels - similar to what I do when making keto pretzels. I like to add a bit of garlic powder and onion powder, for example - ¼ teaspoon of each. I mix them into the almond flour before adding it to the mixture.
- Vary your toppings. Instead of sesame seeds, you can use poppy seeds, coarse salt, or bagel seasoning (my husband's favorite topping).
- You can make a sweet version by adding ½ teaspoon of ground cinnamon and a granulated sweetener to equal ¼ cup sugar. Mix them into the almond flour before adding it to the mixture. Personally, although I like the sweet version, I prefer the savory one.
Instructions
The detailed instructions for making this recipe are listed in the recipe card below. Here are the basic steps:
You start by microwaving shredded mozzarella and cream cheese until melted. Then, stir the mixture.
Add almond flour, baking powder, and an egg. Quickly mix everything together to form a dough.
Briefly knead the dough, then divide it into six equal parts.
Roll each part into a log, then shape it into a bagel.
Dip the bagels in sesame seeds and arrange them on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
Bake the bagels until puffed, golden, and fragrant, for about 15 minutes in a preheated 350°F oven.
Expert Tips
- You'll want to work quickly, kneading the dough before it cools and ensuring it's completely uniform. However, if the dough has cooled and hardened and is impossible to knead, do not despair! Simply microwave it for a few seconds (start with 10 seconds) until it's pliable again.
- While I try to make the bagels uniform in size by weighing them, it's okay if they come out in different sizes. See the photo below - my dad made these bagels. They are different sizes; he baked them all together, and they all came out perfect! He also bakes them for slightly longer than I do (18-20 minutes), so if you want your bagels well-browned, you can do the same.
Recipe FAQs
Fathead dough is a low-carb dough. Its main ingredients are shredded mozzarella, cream cheese, eggs, and almond flour. When baked, it becomes puffy, chewy, and fragrant. It's remarkably similar to real dough. The photo below shows you how airy this dough is when baked.
Not exactly. They are incredibly good, but they are different than regular bagels. Without gluten and yeast, it's obviously not the same. But they do scratch that itch and give you the experience of enjoying bagels.
No. Coconut flour is highly absorbent. It requires significant amounts of liquids and extra eggs. If you try substituting it for the almond flour in this recipe, your bagels will be very dry.
Serving Suggestions
I like to serve these bagels in a pretty basket or a napkin-lined bowl, as shown in the photo below:
Naturally, like all bagels, keto bagels practically beg for a thick layer of cream cheese (or cream cheese dip) and perhaps some lox on top! In the photos below, you can see me slicing one of them and spreading it with cream cheese.
They are also very good with butter, sugar-free jam, peanut butter, keto hazelnut spread, and walnut butter.
Sometimes, I use them to make a keto breakfast sandwich or serve them with shakshuka.
My dad makes these bagels regularly. He reports that they're excellent with feta cheese. Here are Dad's bagels:
Storing Leftovers
Keto bagels are best enjoyed warm and fresh. If you have any leftovers, freeze them as soon as they are cool. Thaw them gently in the microwave.
It's best to freeze them because they don't keep well in the fridge. They tend to deflate when stored and lose their fluffiness.
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Recipe Card
Amazing Keto Bagels
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups mozzarella - shredded, part-skim; 6 ounces
- 1 ounce cream cheese - cubed
- 1 ½ cups almond flour - blanched, finely ground; 6 ounces
- 1 tablespoon baking powder - gluten-free if needed
- 1 large egg - lightly beaten
- ¼ cup sesame seeds - or any other topping
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Place the mozzarella in a medium microwave-safe bowl. Top it with the cream cheese cubes. Microwave for 30 seconds. Stir, then microwave for 30 more seconds.
- Stir again and add the almond flour and baking powder. Stir to incorporate as best as you can. The dough won't come together yet at this point.
- Add the egg, mixing it in with a rubber spatula and then with your hands. Work quickly, kneading the dough before it cools and ensuring it's completely uniform.
- Divide the dough into 6 equal parts. I use my kitchen scales to ensure the bagels are all the same size.
- Knead each part briefly, then roll it into a 7-inch log, starting in the middle and rolling outwards. Press the ends together to shape into a bagel.
- Dip the tops of the bagels in the sesame seeds and arrange the bagels on the prepared baking sheet.
- Bake the bagels until golden brown and fragrant, 15-17 minutes.
- Serve immediately. These bagels are excellent with cream cheese!
Video
Notes
- You'll want to work quickly, kneading the dough before it cools and ensuring it's uniform. However, if the dough has cooled and is impossible to knead, simply microwave it for a few seconds (start with 10 seconds) until it's pliable again.
- While I try to make the bagels uniform in size by weighing them, it's okay if they come out in slightly different sizes.
- If you want your bagels well-browned, you can bake them for up to 20 minutes.
- These bagels are best enjoyed warm and fresh. If you have any leftovers, freeze them as soon as they are cool. Thaw them gently in the microwave. It's best to freeze them because they don't keep well in the fridge. They tend to deflate and lose their fluffiness.
Nutrition per Serving
Disclaimers
Cup measurements refer to the standard American cup, which is 240 milliliters. Most of my recipes are low-carb (or keto) and gluten-free, but some are not. Please verify that a recipe fits your needs before using it. Recommended and linked products are not guaranteed to be gluten-free. Nutrition info is approximate, and the carb count excludes non-nutritive sweeteners. Nutrition info may contain errors, so please verify it independently. Recipes may contain errors, so please use your common sense when following them. Please read these Terms of Use carefully before using any of my recipes.
Vered DeLeeuw, LL.M., CNC, has been following a low-carb real-food diet and blogging about it since 2011. She's a Certified Nutrition Coach (NASM-CNC), has taken courses at the Harvard School of Public Health, and has earned a Nutrition and Healthy Living Certificate from Cornell University. Her work has appeared in several major media outlets, including Healthline, HuffPost, Today, Women's Health, Shape, and Country Living. 
Valerie McMillen
I loved these! So easy to make and very good, I wonder about doubling it to make them larger?
Vered DeLeeuw
Hi Valerie,
I'm so glad you liked these bagels! Doubling them sould work. They'll need a little more time in the oven, but I would still start checking on them after 15 minutes.
HK
Loved the bagels! This recipe is a keeper. Thank you so much.
Vered DeLeeuw
You're very welcome! Glad you liked them!