These savory cheesy bagels are keto, low carb, gluten free and wheat flour free. They are just 5 ingredients and easy to make. Step by step photos included!
After I shared my post for 2 Ingredient Bagels on the blog, the question I kept getting over and over again was whether the bagels could be made with almond flour. Unfortunately, substituting almond flour for regular all purpose flour or self rising flour just won’t work for the 2 ingredient dough recipe.
However, it did make me want to research a possible almond flour bagel recipe alternative for those who are not able to consume wheat flour.
So today, I’m excited to share with you these low carb keto bagels! The dough is made with a cheese mixture, eggs, almond flour and baking powder. The end result is something that looks remarkably similar to regular bagels. Because they are made with almond flour, they don’t have that distinctive chew of regular bagels. But they also don’t just taste like bread baked into bagel shapes. They have a firm crust and a slightly chewy interior.
Also unlike the 2 Ingredient Bagels, these have no tangy flavor. Instead, they are decidedly savory with a delicious cheese flavor throughout.
Cheese dough
I’ve made pizza crust and breadsticks with just cheese and eggs (recipe here). When mixed together and baked, the eggs give the cheese enough structure to form a chewy thin bread. This bagel uses a similar cheese mixture as its base.
The cheese used is a combination of mozzarella and cream cheese. You can melt on the stove or in the microwave, until it becomes creamy and uniform. The end result looks like dough (but made out of cheese!).
Almond flour
The almond flour + baking powder give the bagels a lighter, fluffier texture. Otherwise just cheese and eggs will be quite flat.
I like using superfine almond flour when baking. Regular almond flour is more gritty, but with superfine almond flour you can barely detect the almonds at all. For this recipe, I used Bob’s Redmill Superfine Almond Flour.
Making the dough
I tried mixing the dough by hand, mixer and food processor. I thought the best way was using a food processor using the dough blade attachment. The dough is quite sticky so I don’t recommend trying to mix it by hand. The mixer with dough hook attachment works but you have to help it along as it doesn’t reach all the ingredients and the batter get stuck on the sides of the bowl.
However, the food processor blended all the ingredients and turned it into a smooth and uniform dough.
Once the dough is ready, it will still be quite sticky. It gets less sticky as it cools, but I found the best way to work with the dough is to wrap your pastry board with plastic wrap until it’s taut (so that it won’t shift as you’re rolling out the dough) and then lightly coat your hands with oil. This way the dough won’t stick to the board or your hands.
Once the dough is rolled out into logs, you shape into circles and pinch the ends closed. Carefully transport the dough to a silicone baking mat (or parchment paper) lined baking sheet.
Then you add egg wash which will give the surface of the bagels color as they bake. If you wish to add toppings, you sprinkle them on top after the egg wash. I did sesame seeds and everything bagel seasoning (I used the one from Trader Joe’s).
The bagels come out a beautiful golden brown. You can spread cream cheese on them, toast them, or eat them as is.
Additional Recipe Tips
- Bake the sheets of bagels one at a time, in the middle of the oven. Avoid baking both trays at once and avoid having other things cooking in the oven at the same time as it causes uneven heat distribution. (I rushed one of my batches of bagels because I needed to leave the house soon, so I stuck them on the bottom rack and they ended up being flat and wrinkly rather than puffy and golden.)
If you love this recipe be sure to check out my keto cinnamon rolls, too! Or browse my all of my favorite keto breakfast recipes for more ideas.
Post now updated with video! You can also view all my recipe videos on my youtube channel.
Low Carb Keto Bagels
Ingredients
- 3 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
- 2 oz cream cheese
- 3 large eggs divided (one egg is reserved for egg wash)
- 1 ¾ cups superfine almond flour
- 1 tbsp baking powder aluminum free
Topping Ideas
- sesame seeds shredded cheese or everything bagel seasoning (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.
- In a small bowl, whisk together almond flour and baking powder. Set aside.
- Add mozzarella and cream cheese to a large microwave-safe bowl. Melt in the microwave at full power in 30 second intervals. After each 30 seconds, stir cheese until cheese is completely melted and uniform (see photo above). This should take around 2 ½ minutes total. Do not try to microwave the full time at once because some of the cheese will overcook. You can also melt the cheese over the stove in a double boiler.
- Add cheese, 2 eggs (remember one of the eggs listed is for the egg wash finish at the end only), and almond flour mixture into a food processor with dough blade attachment. Pulse on high speed until the dough is uniform. The dough will be quite sticky, which is normal.
- Wrap your pastry board with plastic wrap until the plastic wrap is taut. You should have the plastic wrap running across the bottom of the board so that the weight of the board will help keep the plastic wrap in place. Lightly coat your hands with oil and divide dough into 8 equal parts. Roll each dough into ropes about 1 inch thick. The plastic wrap should keep your dough from sticking to the board. Form the rope into a circle and pinch the ends shut. Carefully place circle onto lined baking sheet. Repeat with remaining dough. Place 4 bagels on each baking sheet. (The bagels should be placed about 2 inches apart. You can fit up to 6 on one regular half-sheet baking sheet. For the photos above, I made more than one batch which is why I put 6 bagels on each sheet.)
- Add the final egg to a bowl and whisk. Generously brush surface of bagels with egg wash. If you wish to add bagel toppings, add them at this time.
- Bake bagels for about 14-15 minutes in the middle rack of your oven, or until bagels are golden brown. When you touch the surface of the bagels, they should not collapse. I recommend baking the bagels one sheet at a time rather than trying to bake both sheets at once because it leads to uneven heat distribution and your bagels may not puff up properly. Allow bagels to cool on baking sheets before removing.
Video
Notes
- Adapted from Gimme Delicious
- I have included several step by step photos and notes above in the post, so please read through before making this recipe.
- Because this recipe uses a lot of baking powder, make sure to use an aluminum free one.
- These bagels freeze well so you can make a large batch and reheat when needed. I do not recommend trying to freeze or refrigerate the dough. The dough needs to be used right away before the cheese solidifies.Â
- I recommend using superfine almond flour and not regular almond flour. I used Bob's Red Mill brand which I bought on Amazon here.*
- *Some of the links contained in this post are affiliate links. Much like referral codes, this means I earn a small commission if you purchase a product I referred (at no extra charge to you).
Nutrition
The nutrition information provided are only estimates based on an online nutritional calculator. I am not a certified nutritionist. Please consult a professional nutritionist or doctor for accurate information and any dietary restrictions and concerns you may have.
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Thanks for this recipe! The bagels turned out great. Before baking I actually took some dough and flattened it into a pizza crust and baked for 10 min. Afterward I topped it with a little red sauce and some cheese and threw it into a wood fired pizza oven. Delicious.Â
So glad the recipe worked well for you!