The Best Low Carb Bagels
HOLY CRAP GUYS.
HOLY CRAP.
These Low Carb Bagels are amazing. Like I cannot contain my excitement.
I have been attempting low carb bread and bagel recipes for AGES AND AGES.
I feel like I’ve finally cracked the code.
These low carb bagels not only LOOK like real bagels, they also toast up perfectly like real ones!!
I’m actually almost in tears (okay not really) but I’ve missed bagels so much being on a keto diet and these are such a nice replacement. They also aren’t hard to make! Sure anything yeast risen takes a bit of extra effort but these are worth it. Plus the flavour possibilities are endless…
Just a quick note, these bagels are NOT gluten-free but they are low-carb. You can totally eat these on a keto diet if you do not have a gluten allergy. Just as with anything, make sure they fit your daily carb count. (These are 5g of NET carbs each). If you’d like to read more about their main ingredient “Vital Wheat Gluten” then see my article here.
Anyways, without further ado, if you are a bagel lover like me but can’t justify eating that many carbs daily… these beautiful babies are for you.
The Best Low Carb Bagels
Serves: 6 (these are medium size bagels, if you want the more typical large bagels I would divide the dough into 4 pieces instead)
Ingredients:
- 6 tbsp (48g) almond flour
- 9 tbsp vital wheat gluten (also sometimes called “gluten flour”, it’s the protein removed from flour)
- 5 tbsp whole wheat flour (THIS IS NOT GOING TO DE-RAIL YOU I PROMISE, a lot of keto-friendly products you buy from the store, including “cut-da-carb” wraps use small amounts of whole wheat flour, if you do not have a gluten allergy, you can use this)
- 1 tsp quick rise yeast (do not use traditional yeast)
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1 tbsp sweetener of choice (I used a monk fruit/erythritol blend
- 1/4 tsp sugar (this is eaten by the yeast and necessary for dough to rise. It will not affect final macros)
- 1 tbsp + 1 tsp olive oil
- 1/2 cup warm water (warm to the touch but not burning hot)
- Any other extra spices/flavourings you want to add
- Poppy seeds or sesame seeds (optional)
Directions:
1. Combine all dry ingredients including the yeast in a bowl.
2. Add the olive oil and warm water.
3. Use a spoon to stir everything until it starts to become a ball.
4. Use your hands to knead the dough for 2-4 minutes or until it becomes quite elastic when stretched.
5. Form the dough into a loose ball (doesn’t have to be perfect) and place in a lightly greased bowl, covered and let it rise somewhere warm for 10min. (I just run the microwave for a minute and then place the bowl inside afterwards).
6. Remove the dough from the bowl and break it into 6 pieces. Knead each piece a few times into a ball shape and then roll it in your hands like you are making a worm using playdough (lol best analogy I could think of).
7. Stretch the dough “worm” into a circular shape and twist and pinch the two ends together to create your bagel and place on a cookie sheet. (I stretched the middle opening of the bagel a bit more after this just to even out the shape a bit). Repeat this with all the pieces of dough.
8. Cover the cookie sheet well with Saran Wrap and place it in a warm place again to rise, this time for 40min. (I just heated up the oven prior for about 5min, then turned it off and placed the cookie sheet inside).
9. At around the 30min mark, pre-heat your oven to 475*F and put a large pot of water on to boil. (I added a touch of sweetener and salt to my water for a bit of flavour). Also get a plate ready with any toppings on it you want to add and another cookie sheet lined with parchment paper.
10. One at a time, using a slotted spoon or spatula, gently pick up the bagels and place them in the boiling water. Cook for about 30s, then flip, cook for another 30s, then remove and place on the parchment lined cookie sheet. Do this for all the bagels. (I cooked about 2-3 in my pot at a time).
11. Sprinkle on the toppings you’d like and place the tray in the pre-heated oven for 12-15min before removing. Bagels should be lightly browned on top and bottom.
12. GET TO TOASTIN’! These are great sliced and toasted with butter, low-sugar jam, cream cheese or peanut butter… They are also great baked with a bit of melted cheese on top or served as a sandwich (my favourite combo is roast beef, butter, cream cheese and a bit of mustard…SO DELICIOUS). Enjoy The Best Low Carb Bagels!
*Store these in the freezer in an air-tight container and remove as needed for a quick breakfast, snack and/or lunch!
Nutrition Facts per bagel (1/6 of recipe): 7g Fat | 5g NET carbs | 13.5g Protein | 2g fibre
Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links.
The Best Low Carb Bagels
Ingredients
- 6 tbsp almond flour 48g
- 9 tbsp vital wheat gluten 90g, also sometimes called "gluten flour", it's the protein removed from flour
- 5 tbsp whole wheat flour ~38g, THIS IS NOT GOING TO DE-RAIL YOU I PROMISE, a lot of keto-friendly products you buy from the store, including "cut-da-carb" wraps use small amounts of whole wheat flour, if you do not have a gluten allergy, you can use this
- 1 tsp quick rise yeast if using traditional yeast, make sure you proof it first, then mix it in!
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1 tbsp sweetener of choice (I used a monk fruit/erythritol blend
- 1/4 tsp sugar this is eaten by the yeast and necessary for dough to rise. It will not affect final macros
- 1 tbsp + 1 tsp olive oil
- 1/2 cup warm water warm to the touch but not burning hot
- any other extra spices/flavourings you want to add
- poppy seeds or sesame seeds optional
Instructions
- Combine all dry ingredients including the yeast in a bowl.
- Add the olive oil and warm water.
- Use a spoon to stir everything until it starts to become a ball.
- Use your hands to knead the dough for 2-4 minutes or until it becomes quite elastic when stretched.
- Form the dough into a loose ball (doesn't have to be perfect) and place in a lightly greased bowl, covered and let it rise somewhere warm for 10min. (I just run the microwave for a minute and then place the bowl inside afterwards).
- Remove the dough from the bowl and break it into 6 pieces. Knead each piece a few times into a ball shape and then roll it in your hands like you are making a worm using playdough (lol best analogy I could think of).
- Stretch the dough "worm" into a circular shape and twist and pinch the two ends together to create your bagel and place on a cookie sheet. (I stretched the middle opening of the bagel a bit more after this just to even out the shape a bit). Repeat this with all the pieces of dough.
- Cover the cookie sheet well with Saran Wrap and place it in a warm place again to rise, this time for 40min. (I just heated up the oven prior for about 5min, then turned it off and placed the cookie sheet inside).
- At around the 30min mark, pre-heat your oven to 475*F and put a large pot of water on to boil. (I added a touch of sweetener and salt to my water for a bit of flavour). Also get a plate ready with any toppings on it you want to add and another cookie sheet lined with parchment paper.
- One at a time, using a slotted spoon or spatula, gently pick up the bagels and place them in the boiling water. Cook for about 30s, then flip, cook for another 30s, then remove and place on the parchment lined cookie sheet. Do this for all the bagels. (I cooked about 2-3 in my pot at a time).
- Sprinkle on the toppings you'd like and place the tray in the pre-heated oven for 12-15min before removing. Bagels should be lightly browned on top and bottom.
- GET TO TOASTIN'! These are great sliced and toasted with butter, low-sugar jam, cream cheese or peanut butter... They are also great baked with a bit of melted cheese on top or served as a sandwich (my favourite combo is roast beef, butter, cream cheese and a bit of mustard...SO DELICIOUS).
This didn’t work for me. They fell apart in the water when I tried to turn them over. They just soaked up the water and fell apart. So sad. I wonder why. I believe I did everything the recipe said. I went ahead and baked the two I didn’t put in the water, and they turned out good but not thick like a bagel. Maybe I’ll try it again.
I can’t wait to try these!!! Thank you for all the great photos to go along with the post – it is always so helpful to have the visual aide when making something new!! Hugs to you for another great post!!
I know it’s mentioned not to use “regular” yeast and I’m not sure if the one I have falls in that category. I only have active dry yeast- if I proof it first with the sugar and then continue with the recipe, will that work? I just don’t want to buy another yeast when I don’t use it often. Thank you!
No worries! Yes for sure! You can proof it and use it as you mentioned! Not everyone knows to do that so I didn’t include that tip but definitely ! Don’t spend your money on more yeast 🙂
Can you use white flour or does it have to be wheat?
You can use white! Just account for the slightly higher number of total carbs in white flour!
Sammysamgurl, this is just the recipe I’ve been searching for. but before getting into it, I just want to check if the amount of the various flours as stated is enough to actually make 6 bagels, or is there something omitted.?
Just doesn’t seem like much dry ingredient to make a large dough..
Hey! Thanks so much! There’s nothing omitted, the bagels are smaller than average bagels but very filling! I mention in the serving size that if you want them the size of regular bagels you will have to divide the dough into 4 pieces instead! Hope that helps answer your question!
Can you bake these instead of boil??
Can you bake these instead of boiling??
Yes! Boiling before baking just gives them a more bagel-like texture but you can skip the boiling step if you’d like.
For the vital wheat gluten I have (Anthony’s), 9 TBSP would be about 68 grams. Should I go by the 90 grams you have listed or by what my VWG measures out to?