Keto Bagels (Fathead Dough Recipe)

Keto bagels made with fathead dough deliver a chewy, bread-like ring for about 5 g of net carbs each, ready in roughly 30 minutes start to finish. Fathead dough — melted mozzarella, cream cheese, and almond flour — bakes up sturdy enough to slice, toast, and top like a real bagel, with no yeast or proofing time needed.

A regular wheat bagel runs 45 to 55 g of total carbs before you even add cream cheese, which is most of a whole day's keto budget in one bread ring.¹ This recipe swaps the flour and yeast for a cheese-based dough that bakes fast and holds a hole in the middle, so you still get the bagel shape and a chew you can toast.

What is fathead dough, and why does it work for bagels?

Fathead dough is melted mozzarella and cream cheese bound with almond flour and egg — a low-carb dough originally developed for pizza crust that also works for bagels, buns, and breadsticks because it's sturdy enough to hold a shape without gluten. The melted cheese acts like the gluten network in wheat dough, giving the ring structure while it bakes.

Because the base is cheese, not flour, the carbs come almost entirely from the almond flour, which is roughly half fiber-to-net by weight — that's the math behind the 5 g net carb result below.

What ingredients do you need for keto bagels?

• 2 cups (226 g) shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese
• 2 oz (56 g) full-fat cream cheese, cubed
• 1 3/4 cups (196 g) superfine blanched almond flour
• 1 large egg, plus 1 more beaten for egg wash
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
• 1 tablespoon everything bagel seasoning (or sesame/poppy seeds), for topping

Superfine, blanched almond flour matters here — coarse or almond meal holds more moisture and makes a gummier bagel. Almond flour and part-skim mozzarella are both staples on the keto food list, so they're worth keeping stocked if you bake fathead dough often.

How do you make keto bagels?

1. Preheat the oven to 400°F (205°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. Melt the mozzarella and cream cheese together in a microwave-safe bowl, in 30-second bursts, stirring between each, until fully melted and stretchy (about 90 seconds total).
3. Whisk the almond flour, baking powder, and salt in a separate bowl.
4. Add the melted cheese and 1 egg to the dry ingredients. Work quickly with a spatula or lightly oiled hands — the dough will be hot — until it forms a uniform, slightly sticky ball.
5. Divide the dough into 6 equal pieces and shape each into a ring (two methods below).
6. Brush each ring with the second beaten egg, then sprinkle with everything bagel seasoning.
7. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes, until deep golden brown and firm to the touch.
8. Cool on the pan for 5 minutes before slicing — the crumb firms up as it cools.

Shaping the ring (two methods)

Fathead dough is easiest to shape while it's still warm from melting; if it cools and turns sticky, oil your hands or rewarm it for 10 to 15 seconds.

• Rope-and-loop: roll a portion into an 8-inch rope, wrap it into a circle, and pinch the ends together to seal.
• Ball-and-hole: roll a portion into a ball, then push an oiled finger through the center and gently stretch the hole to about 1.5 inches — it will shrink slightly as it bakes.

What toppings work best on keto bagels?

Everything bagel seasoning is the default topping, but any coarse, low-carb seed blend brushes on and bakes onto the egg wash the same way. Sesame seeds, poppy seeds, coarse salt, or a dried-onion-and-garlic mix all work. For a sweeter version, skip the seasoning and swap a cinnamon-and-allulose sprinkle on top before baking instead.

Split and toasted, a plain bagel takes well to full-fat cream cheese, smoked salmon, or a fried egg — same toppings you'd reach for on a regular bagel, just without the carb spike after.

How many net carbs are in a keto bagel?

One keto bagel has about 5 g of net carbs — 8 g of total carbohydrate minus 3 g of fiber, most of it from the almond flour.² That's roughly a tenth of what a plain wheat bagel costs in total carbs.

Nutrient	Per bagel (1 of 6)
Calories	325 kcal
Fat	26 g
Protein	18 g
Total carbs	8 g
Fiber	3 g
Net carbs	5 g

Run your own daily totals with the net-carb calculator, or see how a bagel fits your targets in the guide to calculating your keto macros.

Superfine almond flour and everything bagel seasoning aren't always in a regular pantry — check the keto grocery shopping list or the printable keto shopping list before you shop. Want a sturdier fathead dough for sandwiches instead of a ring? Try the keto hamburger buns recipe, or browse more low-carb breads and doughs on the keto recipes by type hub.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can you freeze keto bagels?

Yes. Cool them fully, then freeze for up to 3 months. Slice before freezing so you can toast individual halves straight from frozen.

Why is my fathead dough too sticky to shape?

Fathead dough is easiest to shape while it's still warm and pliable from melting the cheese. If it cools and gets sticky, lightly oil your hands or microwave it for 10 to 15 seconds to loosen it back up.

Can you make keto bagels without almond flour?

Coconut flour is not a 1:1 swap — it absorbs far more liquid, so you'd need a fraction of the amount plus extra egg, and the texture turns denser. For this ratio, stick with superfine blanched almond flour.

How many net carbs are in a keto bagel compared to a regular bagel?

A keto fathead bagel has about 5 g net carbs, versus 45 to 55 g total carbs in a plain wheat bagel — roughly a tenth of the carb load in a similar-sized bread ring.

Do keto bagels taste like real bagels?

They're chewier and more egg-forward than a wheat bagel, with a cheesy backbone from the mozzarella and cream cheese. Toasted and topped with cream cheese or lox, most people find the difference minor.

What's the best way to reheat a keto bagel?

Toast it, either in a toaster or in the oven at 350°F for a few minutes. The microwave works in a pinch but tends to turn the crumb rubbery.

Works cited

1. Diet Review: Ketogenic Diet for Weight Loss — Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Nutrition Source — August 21, 2026 https://nutritionsource.hsph.harvard.edu/healthy-weight/diet-reviews/ketogenic-diet/
2. FoodData Central — U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service — August 21, 2026 https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/

Article history

1. August 23, 2026Updated
2. August 21, 2026First published