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 low moisture part skim
- 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.
- 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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Unfortunately, the dough became entangled BIG TIME around the center post of the food processor. As a result, I had to mix/knead everything together by hand. There was plenty of oil in the cheeses, so no “oiling of the hands” was necessary.
I had a Keto bagel recipe from another blogger and followed her instructions. In the future, I will be using your ingredient list and proportions but following her instructions.
Did you use the dough blade attachment? It’s different from the chopping blade – maybe that was the issue?
I just made them! So good!!! I noticed some people were saying they are allergic to nuts, you might try coconut flour? Not sure how it would taste as coconut flour is a little sweet… might be a good sub?
So glad you liked them! We haven’t tried the recipe with coconut flour – most likely the amount would need to be adjusted because it doesn’t work the same as superfine almond flour in recipes.
I adore the sound of this recipe but I’m allergic to nuts (amongst many many other things) so I usually make my own seed flour to substitute for almond flour! Do you think this may work because it is really hard to get the seed flour fine enough without the oils coming out?
Craving anything bread but struggling to find recipes that aren’t really seedy (excuse the pun) ?
Sorry, but without testing it we can’t say if seed flour will work.
Hi….Can you tell Me how many grams of protein is in each bagel??? Would you know??
The nutrition info is listed at the bottom of the recipe card at the end of the post, including the protein.
Made them tonight! Yum!! I just scooped them out with my cookie scoop. It made 11 slider bun size. No mess rolling out ?
That’s a great idea! Thanks for sharing your tip.
I can’t figure out where the 7 carbs come from. Loved these with cream cheese and lox??
Almond flour has carbs – glad you enjoyed the bagels!
I let the dough set for about 10 minutes before I formed the bagel’s easier to handle the dough! Not as sticky! Awesome recipe !!!!!!
Thanks for letting us know!
I tried the recipe for the first time. Mine ended up expanding out and we’re very flat. Any thoughts?
Did you make any ingredient substitutions or did you leave out the baking powder? Also, they need to be baked in the middle of the oven for the best results.
Just made them! Jalapeño cheddar. Poppy. Blueberry.
So good but mine did flatten a bit even though I cooked 1 batch at at time! They reminded me of croissant taste and texture. Can’t wait to need more for my tuna or chicken salad sammies! Ty!!
That’s great! So glad you enjoyed them.
So easy to do and so so good!
I’m so glad you liked them!
Just found your site. WONDERFUL.JUST WONDERFUL subcribered TODAY AwesomeNess.Thanks for a great site. Not Keto but still good healthy recipess Be Blessed .Thanks
Carla
Thanks so much for subscribing!
This is exactly what I needed. Stuff like this keeps me in ketosis on those days where my body starts asking for carbs. These are amazing. And super easy. I didn’t have aluminum free baking powder, so I went regular. It seems ok. Butter and avocado, slightly toasted! ?
So glad to hear this satisfied your craving!
Fantastic recipe-fairly easy to make and delicious!
A bagel with cream cheese and cucumber is one of my go-to things to eat for breakfast or lunch. Ive really missed eating it because of Keto.
I am so happy to find this recipe.
Wondering if these can be toasted?
Glad you enjoyed them! We don’t usually toast them, but it should work.
Hi! How long do the bagels last? I would like to know before I make them. Thanks!
Keto bagels will keep well for a few days at room temperature.
Wow! These are delicious and so easy to make. I will be making these often.
I’m so glad you enjoyed!
Very impressed with this recipe. It’s a keeper!
I’m so glad you enjoyed!
Awesome recipe!! Thanks! They turned out so good! I also like that the standard recipe makes 8 bagels instead of 6 like most other recipes.
I’m so glad they worked out for you!
Wow… they look delicious!! Have you tried freezing it?
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.
What’s the best way to get to your site to search for recipes?
There is a search bar located at the top right corner (where you see the magnifying glass) which will let you search my site for recipes.
I have made this recipe twice. So, the first time I put half of them on a silicone doughnut tray, and half of them on a baking sheet. The ones on the baking sheet did not hold their shape, they tasted great, but not exactly picture perfect.
The second time I proofed 1 Tbsp of yeast with 1 tsp of inulin on 1Tbsp of luke warm water for about 5 minutes (untily bubbly). I did everything the same like the recipe calls for, at the end I added the proofed yeast.
Arranged all of them on silicone doughnut trays (I divided into 10 instead of 8 because the size of the pan), let it rest for 1 hour and then baked for 20 mins at 350F.
They came all looking like picture perfect little bagels. I will do this over and over again!
thank you for sharing your experience!
These are by far the best tasting Keto bagels that I have ever made. The dough is a bit difficult to work with but the tips used are very helpful and make it a bit easier to work with. Thank you for sharing this wonderful tasting bagel recipe.
I’m so glad you liked them!
Literally EVERYTHING your recipe requires is GENIUS. I don’t bake, but since keto I started to cuz I miss certain things and this was just frikken AMAZING. It’s not dense or dry, it’s just perfect. I cut your recipe in half because if I made 8 I will eat all of them in one day. So I made 4 small ones, cut in half and added fried egg, half a bacon strip and small amount of cream cheese with a side of 1/2 avocado. SO GOOOOD! And the best part, this is the easiest thing I’ve ever baked! Super simple yet delicious!
I’m so glad you enjoyed them so much!
Is there a way to make pumpkin bagels?
I don’t have a pumpkin version at this time
Add a 1/4 pumpkin some pumpkin pie seasoning a little swerve sweetener and make it 2 cups almond flour.
Thanks for your suggestion!
Absolutely delicious! Starting out on my keto journey and I miss bread. I used the bagel seasoning and WOW!
Thank you so much for posting this recipe ?
I’m so glad you liked them!
OMbagelyGoodness!!!
Thank you for this recipe!! These are perfection! Note: I added in some everything seasoning to the dough before cooking + a twist of sea salt, + everything seasoning on top of the egg wash, and cooked for 16min…..these turned out the best breast keto thing I’ve made yet!! ?
I’m so happy to hear how much you liked them!
Best bagel recipe!! I melted the cheeses over the stove (I feel it melts it more evenly). I mixed and made sure the eggs were fully mixed in. (A mistake I made the first time) They puffed up so big a beautiful! The egg wash gave it a great golden brown sheen. I added everything bagel seasoning on top and cheese. Made a nice egg & bacon bagel sandwich! Thanks for the recipe!!
I’m so glad they worked out well for you!
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.
So glad the recipe worked well for you!
These worked out fantastic . FWIW I don’t have a microwave or a double boiler lol I put in a metal pot on low in the stove and it worked fine .
My almond flour was not super fine and yet you can’t tell .
I also used an old garage sale food processor with the S blade and it absolutely did the job nicely !
Huge hit for hubby and I had to keep my kids away ! The 15 yr old loved them 🙂 I wish I could post a picture they look awesome too !
I’m so glad you enjoyed!
Can these be made into pretzel bagels?
I think so
When I made these mine had a very bitter taste to the finished product. Had all fresh ingredients. What could I have done wrong?
it may be the baking powder. Make sure you are using aluminum free baking powder.
I just made this. So simple and so delicious.
I’m so glad you liked them!
I tried this recipe but it didn’t turn out as it should. After I put it in the food processor the dough was really sticky I couldn’t make the shape. I tried adding more almond flour but nothing… can you give me any tips?
Thank you
Let the dough cool a little and coat your hands with oil.
These were so good!! I don’t really like the flavor of almond flour but these were actually good. I followed the recipe exactly except I used half everything bagel seasoning and the other half garlic cheddar
I’m so happy you liked them!
This is an amazing keto recipe. I have been on keto for 6 months now and was dying without bagels. Started making this recipe a month ago and it is awesome. I use the dough blade on my stand mixer and so far I add either shredded cheddar cheese or everything seasoning. Use these for sandwiches or burgers too. Always delicious!
So happy you liked them!
I made them following all your instructions and suggestions. They came out delicious! Thank you so much!
I’m so glad you liked them!
These r great! will make again and again
I’m so glad you enjoyed!
Amazing just made these for the first time. They were so good. My husband, mom in law and 13 yr old son loved them. I will admit I was skeptical but you made a believer out of me. I added garlic salt and parmesan cheese. Flavor was so garlicky. I did use my mixer with the dough attachment . I had to stop often to push to the middle but it was ok still better than using my hand.
I’m so glad your family enjoyed!
These came out amazing!! Thank you for recipe! I did 1/2 with everything seasoning and the other 1/2 cheddar with jalepenos. Could eat these everyday! So glad to enjoy a bagel again!
I’m so glad you enjoyed!
What a treat! Just made these for the 1st time and they’re great! More dense than a regular bagel, but so nice to have “bread” while on keto. These will definitely make the journey easier. I don’t have a food processor, so I used my Ninja and it worked great! This is a very easy and sticky recipe. Don’t forget to spray your hands with Pam!
I’m glad the recipe worked out for you!
THANK YOU!!! I made these last night—AMAZING!! I have been playing with the Fathead dough for a while now, but was always slightly disappointed, until now. Bagels came out exactly like the ones pictured! Paired with some house flavored cream cheese…AHHHHH! Breakfast Nirvana!
Thank you for a simple recipe and all of the steps, tips, and tricks clearly laid out…the video really helped also! We are going to try this exact dough for Pizza this weekend! Can’t wait!
I’m so glad you found the video and steps helpful. So happy it worked out for you!
I have made these several times and love them. I added different flavoring so that everyone’s favorite bagel was represented . Can these be made bigger? If so how long should I cook them for and are there any other changes I should make? I make them for my insulin resistant daughter but they are much smaller than the bagels her friends have.
Yes I imagine you can make them bigger. I don’t know what the baking time would be.
I just made these bagels, and had to stop myself from eating more than just one. I am on Keto since November, 2 months ago. I did 2 rounds of speed keto, and now taking a short break and just eating keto.
My husband is borderline diabetic, and I am working on him to stop eating grains and carbs. I don’t feel the need for any keto breads or crackers and such, but my husband finds it very difficult to live without breads.
He loves these bagels.
I’m glad you enjoy the bagels!
I just made these and they are so good. I can making. these every weekend.
I’m really happy you like the recipe!
Amazing! So much better than eggy cloud bread!
I’m happy you like the bagels!
do you think adding some xanthum gum will give it the bagel “chew”?
I have only used xanthan gum as a thickening agent. I do not know if it would work to give the bagels some chew because there is very little flour in this dough–it’s mainly cheese.
I made a dairy free version with coconut cream and coconut Pizza shred ? it turned out amazing!! Did the same with the bread sticks! They were so perfect… love this recipe thank u so much!!
So happy to hear you were able to make a dairy free version!
Hey Michelle, do you think you could share your recipe?
Have you or anyone tried using coconut flour? I want to make them but trying to avoid having to go to the store for almond flour.
Just took these out of the oven 15 minutes ago. They are delicious. My oven tends to be really hot and they got very brown. I will shorten the time on my next batch so they look like yours. I also used a donut tray. Perfection!
Using a donut tray is a great idea for keeping the shape, but I think the donut tray will cause them to brown faster since the bagels are baking inside the cavities. I’m glad they still tasted delicious!
I tried to make these and the bagels just spread out in the oven. They were not in the shape of bagels. Do you know why this happened?
Perhaps not enough almond flour or too much cheese.
I made these and they turned out good however did not like the taste. It tasted too cheesy for my liking.
I’ve made these several times….pretty much every weekend for the last month, they are SO good! I was having trouble getting them as fluffy as yours in the photo but this last batch was spot on! I wisked up the egg wash for the tops in advance and actually put 1/2 in the batter (because I never use the whole egg for the wash) and they are BEAUTIFUL! Thank you for sharing this recipe! It will be a staple for years to come!
I’m glad the bagels turned out well for you!
Love these there so good.
So happy to hear that!
Sounds delicious! Can the dough be frozen and cooked when required? And how long will it keep?
No, if the dough is frozen, the cheese will also solidify. It’s best to bake the bagels and then freeze them.
I like cinnamon raisin bagels, do you suppose these could be adapted to that?
I don’t think so because these bagels use cheese as the dough base.
I added cinnamon and raisins and they worked great!
sounds delicious!
This recipe is awesome!!!! Will be using it for many years to come! Thanks for sharing.
I’m so glad you like the recipe!
I have made these 4 times and they turned out great. My question is if you double the batch can you freeze them one they are cooked.
yes!
I use food prep gloves and knead the dough by hand works great!
Great idea!
Can you 1/2 the recipe
yes
Do you have to put the left overs in the fridge?
yes you will need to refrigerate.
Made them today was easy and taste really good .
So glad you enjoyed!
Can I use sharp cheddar ??
the dough base needs to be mozzarella.
I would love to see a video of you making these! Look yummy
it’s definitely on my to-do list!
My hubby and I just made these bagels! They are absolutely delicious! They came out gorgeous! I wish I could add a picture but I don’t know how to do it 🙁
Hi! I’m so happy to hear they turned out well. I love seeing pictures! You can send them to me via email, facebook direct message or Instagram direct message.
Looks great. The recipe says eggs “divided” Does that mean that the 2 eggs added are just the yolks and not the full egg with the white
Sorry if this is a dumb question
divided just means that the eggs are used in different steps in the recipe, so that you won’t accidentally add the full amount the first step you see the ingredient. In this case, 2 eggs are used in the batter and one is used for egg wash. You do not need to separate egg yolks from whites
I’m excited to try these this weekend. Question on the cheese measurement. Do you have any idea how much to use in grams vs. cups? I prefer to weigh most of my ingredients whenever possible and particularly cheese. Thank you!
Sorry I do not have gram measurements for this recipe
Just pulled these babies out of my oven. They are so amazing and really delicious! So happy I won’t have to miss one of my favorite things in life. I sprinkled on sesame seeds and Jane’s Krazy Mixed-up Salt. Yum! Will definitely make these again.
I’m so glad they turned out well for you!
Just made these for the first time and I am so happy! I love bagels and now I can make some I can have. I do have a dumb question though, can I toast these in the toaster or will they just melt? Thank you for sharing your recipe!
yes they can be toasted
Just made them and mixed them by hand. You have to really knead it. It was a bit sticky, but didnt take too long. Once you start making them into balls and rolling them out, they are not sticky anymore. They turned out perfect!!! I used a donut tin.
So glad these turned out well for you!
I made these tonight and they turned out amazing. One question though. The inside seems to be moist and almost uncooked. Is that normal or did I do something wrong?
They should be quite moist since it’s made mainly of cheese. If you are worried they are uncooked, you can try baking them a little longer.
Awesome Keto recipe!
So glad you enjoyed!
Is there any way to do this with coconut flour? I have a nut allergy so can’t use the nut flours
I’m sure it can be done, but I would have to test out before providing a recipe. I was avoiding coconut flour for this recipe.
Does it have to be superfine almond flour?
I highly recommend it. Regular almond flour or almond meal is very gritty
I am IN LOVE with this recipe! Thanks so much! They turned out wonderfully!
I’m so happy to hear that!
My food processor only has the silver blade. Will that work.
I have not tried, but I think the metal blade will be too hard.
I used the metal blade and it worked just fine.
thanks for sharing!
Not sure if this is silly but how do you store them?
fridge or freezer both work
I have made these several times and love them! Do you have the nutrition info?
recipe has been updated with approximate nutrition information
Where do you find it? Nutrition number
nutrition is provided at the end of the recipe, labeled under “Nutrition”
Can I still make this without a food processor? If so how?
you can make mix the dough by hand or with the dough attachment in a stand mixer. It just takes longer and more effort
One question: how many bagels does this beautiful recipe make?
the recipe makes 8. It is stated in the very top of the recipe box.