Recipe: Everything Bagels (Keto/Low-Carb/Sugar-free)
What a relief this welcomed treat was. I was going nuts for carbs at one point.
I looooves carbs. Probably just as much as Oprah. Like if Jerry Maguire were a depiction of my life story, I'd say and gesture, "you complete me" to the direction of a chocolate croissant. Teary eyes and all.
Thank you, Lord, for the internet! There were so many different versions of how I could make my own keto bread. That time when I was really watching my carb intake, I was able to get down to I think 138 lbs. But then.... every time I'd go to the grocery and smell the freshly baked goods, my willpower would be tested. I'd actually take the longer way round, past the other aisles, and straight to the meats, dairy, and veggies. The good thing about groceries (if you're on low-carb or keto), is that the veggies are right in front. BUT SO ARE THE CARBS. You have to go past the bread to get to the meats and then the dairy and eggs in the very back chiller section. So my route then would just be dash towards the very end first, work my way to the front of the grocery and get my veggies last. This way, I don't squish my veggies and I won't have time to think about, "the carb that got away".
Yes, I love flaky pastry. But sadly, there weren't any recipes for low-carb versions of this. So I kept on searching until I found recipes for keto biscuits (yes, I made these too) and keto bagels. What a joy! of course, you will have to accept the fact that it will not feel, taste, and have that 100% experience of having a regular flour-based bagel. I just essentially wanted some toasted carbs to spread some luscious butter on!
When I made these, I ate the first batch like I just went swimming in the beach. You know that feeling when you've exhausted all energy-giving carbs from your body and just want to lose yourself in a bowl of pasta? Yes - that feeling. I finished 2 bagels in one sitting, and breathed through the other 4 pieces in 2 days. So needless to say, I made another batch the following weekend.
Unfortunately, I don't have process photos for this. But I'm sure it's hella easy to follow. These are thinner than your usual bagel but these made me happy. So that's what mattered most in my time of carb-need.
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Everything Bagels (Keto/Low-Carb/Sugar-free)
This recipe makes 6 bagels. I didn't have any donut pans and I really didn't want to buy another baking pan to take up space in my kitchen. So I just manually rolled and sealed these together.
You'll need a microwave-safe bowl, a couple of smaller bowls, a spatula, a baking sheet, a baking mat, and a pastry brush.
Ingredients
2 1/2 cups mozzarella cheese, grated (No low fat versions please! best to use freshly grated mozzarella cheese, it's fine if you use the pre-shredded kind but there is a difference to the texture because most pre-shredded cheeses are coated in wax to keep them separated from each other.)
4 tbsp cream cheese, full-fat, regular (No low fat again! Keep that for another time in your life!)
1 1/2 cups almond flour (If you only have ground almond, that's okay. Extra fine ground almonds are better.)
1 1/2 tbsp baking powder
2 eggs, large, beaten
2 tbsp butter, melted - OR - egg wash
Everything Bagel seasoning
Procedure
1. Preheat your oven to 400℉. Line your baking sheet with the baking mat.
2. In a small bowl, combine the almond flour and baking powder together and set aside. In another bowl, beat the eggs silly.
3. In the microwave-safe bowl, combine the mozzarella and cream cheeses. Microwave for 1 minute until it's all melted. You can add 10-15 seconds, just make sure it doesn't burn. Stir together with your spatula.
4. Add the almond flour and eggs and continue stirring. This will be a bit sticky at first then it will start to form. If you need to get your hands in there, go for it. I did. I squish and kneaded for about 3 minutes until all ingredients formed a dough.
5. Divide the "dough" to 6 equal portions. Take one portion and roll into a log of about 5-6 inches long. Let the ends meet and seal together to make a ring. Repeat until all 6 rings are done.
6. Brush the tops of the bagels with melted butter or egg wash. Sprinkle some Everything Bagel seasoning - if it's easier, put the seasoning on a bowl and dip the butter-brushed tops.
7. Bake for 16-18 minutes in the middle rack of the oven.
8. Take them out, let your patience test you because you're waiting for at least minutes to cool, and... ENJOY!!! What a feeling of triumph! You made bread that isn't bread!
Storage
These are best eaten fresh but if you need to store them, slice them in half first, seal in a ziplock bag, stash in the chiller. I wouldn't recommend these to be frozen because it's cheese-based, so it will end-up gummy.
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*Your toppings are completely up to you. You can stick to plain bagels or top them with cheddar, sesame seeds, rosemary and garlic, and a whole lot more. I don't think these would go well with sweeter versions of bagels because these are really savoury.
**For the keto aficionado, each bagel is about 5 net carbs. Just in case you count. I don't.
***Unfortunately, I don't think replacing the almond flour is a good idea. Some recipes that are low-carb or keto will often suggest coconut flour to replace this. You could - technically. But it just doesn't taste as good. I'd stick to almond flour with this recipe. Of course, I wouldn't use this recipe with a grain flour (all-purpose flour) because that would be high-carb AND high-fat. I'd stick to a more traditional bagel recipe if you wanted to go with a flour-based bagel.
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