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Are you ready for some keto snack recipes?! Because I have a feeling that this low carb gluten-free keto soft pretzels recipe is about to become your new favorite.
Breads and baked goods are always the foods that I missed when going low carb. They are also the foods that are the most difficult to recreate in a low carb/keto way. But this gluten free soft pretzel recipe? You’ll forget you had anything to miss.
The great thing about fathead dough (which is what these low carb pretzels are made of) is that it has the chew of a flour-based dough. It’s also incredibly easy to mix together, which means keto soft pretzels are in your near, near future and that is a good thing.
How To Make Keto Soft Pretzels
Ready to learn how to make the best gluten-free pretzels ever? Hint: they happen to be low carb, too. 😉
Proof the yeast
Let’s get that yeast started. Now, I don’t want you to be afraid of yeast. (Full disclosure, I was until these!)
Stir together just a tiny bit of coconut sugar and warm water, then stir in the yeast and let it sit for 10 minutes to proof. Don’t be afraid of the sugar – it will not be in the final product. (More on that below!)
TIP: Be sure to not use boiling water. It should be warm, but doesn’t need to be HOT.
The yeast is ready when it’s frothy and at least doubled in volume:
Melt The Cheeses
This step might be a little strange if you haven’t worked with mozzarella dough before. You can check out my fathead pizza crust post for more on that.
Microwave or use a double boiler to heat mozzarella and cream cheese together, until you can stir them to be super smooth:
Mix The Flours
Meanwhile, grab your food processor and mix together blanched almond flour, xanthan gum, baking powder, and eggs.
TIP: The xanthan gum is optional, but highly recommended for chewy pretzels. If you omit it, they will be more like a regular bread texture.
Form The Fathead Dough
When the yeast is ready, add it to the food processor and pulse. Add the melted cheeses and mix again. Look at the beautiful, fluffy dough you end up with:
I have more tips on working with fathead dough below!
Chill The Dough
Now, the dough will be super sticky so you’ll need to chill it for 15 to 20 minutes to be easy to work with.
How To Form Gluten-Free Soft Pretzels
When the dough is cool to the touch (but not frigid cold), take it out and preheat your oven.
Cover your hands in oil as you work with the dough, which will prevent sticking. Form a ball, flatten it a bit, then cut into 6 pieces, like a pie:
Grab one pieces, roll into a long log, and then you can form your keto soft pretzels. Make a U shape with your log, then fold one end over:
And then the other end:
Place your low carb pretzels onto a parchment lined baking sheet, sprinkle with some coarse sea salt, and bake until they are golden:
They’ll rise and expand as they bake, so keep that in mind! I didn’t care that mine ran together a bit, as they are easy to tear apart afterward. But, you can use a larger pan if you prefer them not to touch at all after rising.
Why Is There Sugar In My Low Carb Pretzels Recipe?!
Yes. There is a tiny amount of sugar listed in this keto soft pretzel recipe.
BUT, the sugar is really only used for the yeast.
For the yeast to bloom, it needs to feed on sugar. So it essentially consumes the sugar in order to activate itself.
Tips & Tricks For Working With Fathead Dough
Handling Sticky Fathead Dough
This is the most common issue. It gets worse if the temperature in your home is warm, or if your hands are very warm/hot. These tips can help with this:
- Chill the dough. Popping the dough in the fridge for 30 minutes will make it less sticky.
- Cover your hands in oil. This is my favorite trick. Wash your hands first if they are already sticky, then add a little oil (I like neutral avocado oil) and you can work with the fathead dough much more easily.
- Make sure the dough is actually mixed well. The fathead dough is a lot more sticky before it’s completely uniform. If the cheese starts to solidify before the dough forms, you may need to reheat gently for a short time to soften it again. Don’t over heat to avoid cooking the egg. Once it’s warmer, knead and squeeze rapidly between your fingers to try to get it uniform. After that you can try tips 1 and 2 above before forming the bagels.
Using A Food Processor
When using a food processor, use either the dough blade or the S knife blade. When you add the cheese, push it down toward the blade to help the dough form.
I find that I now use my food processor more often when making fathead dough. However, when I do, using oiled hands or chilling the dough seems to be more important than when I did it by hand.
Dipping Sauce For Low Carb Pretzels
Soft pretzels are usually served with either cheese sauce or honey mustard, which has carbs and sugar from the honey.
Don’t worry, I have you covered – just serve your keto soft pretzels with a sugar-free “honey” mustard dipping sauce. You can find the recipe in The Wholesome Yum Easy Keto Cookbook!
Are Pretzels Keto Friendly?
My pretzels are keto friendly! 🙂 Of course, most pretzels out there are not as they are made of refined white flour.
This healthy pretzel recipe is made with almond flour, eggs, and cheese. All low carb, keto-friendly ingredients.
How To Store Keto Soft Pretzels
Once you make them, these easy keto pretzels will keep in an airtight container for 3-4 days.
There are also some other options for making it ahead of time…
- Make the keto pretzel dough ahead. You can store the prepared dough in the fridge for up to a week, until you are ready to use it.
- Bake the pretzels ahead. You can refrigerate them for up to a week. And bake whenever you’re ready to eat them.
- Freeze keto soft pretzels or dough. See options for that below!
Can Keto Soft Pretzel Dough Be Frozen?
Yes, you can freeze keto soft pretzel dough! There are two options:
- Make the dough, form a ball, wrap tightly in plastic, and freeze it. When you want to use it, let it thaw completely and then roll out into the pretzel shape. You’ll just have to bake the pretzels.
- Pre-bake the keto soft pretzels . I prefer this option for convenience – no thawing needed! Bake the pretzels as directed, wrap them, and store in the freezer. When you are ready to eat them, simply bake for about 6-7 minutes at 400 degrees, until hot.
More Keto Low Carb Fathead Dough Recipes
If you like this keto pretzel recipe, you might also like these:
- Keto Low Carb Bagels – rated 4.91/5 stars!
- Fathead Pizza Crust – 4 ingredients
- Keto Fathead Crackers – made with coconut flour
- Fathead Keto Cinnamon Rolls – quick & easy
Tools To Make Gluten-Free Soft Pretzels:
Click the links below to see the items used to make this recipe.
- Food Processor – This one is the best and I’ve used it for years. It makes mixing up this almond flour soft pretzels dough incredibly fast and easy!
- Nonstick Baking Pan – These are the pan I use (and that you see all the time in pictures). They don’t stick and clean up incredibly well.
- White Porcelain Platter – Trust me, you’ll want to show off these gorgeous keto soft pretzels!
Low Carb Gluten-Free Keto Soft Pretzels Recipe:
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RECIPE CARD
Low Carb Gluten-Free Keto Soft Pretzels Recipe
Learn how to make keto pretzels with this EASY gluten-free soft pretzels recipe. These chewy low carb pretzels are made with fathead dough and yeast.
Recipe Video
Click or tap on the image below to play the video. It's the easiest way to learn how to make this recipe!
PrintIngredients
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- 1 packet Active dry yeast (2 1/4 tsp)
- 1/4 cup Water (lukewarm)
- 1/2 tsp Coconut sugar (this will be consumed by the yeast and is required!)
- 1 1/2 cups Blanched almond flour
- 1 tbsp Gluten-free baking powder
- 1/4 tsp Xanthan gum (optional, for more chewy pretzels)
- 2 large Eggs (beaten)
- 3 cups Mozzarella cheese (shredded)
- 2 oz Cream cheese (cubed)
Instructions
RECIPE TIPS + VIDEO in the post above, nutrition info + recipe notes below!
Click on the times in the instructions below to start a kitchen timer while you cook.
In a medium bowl, stir together the warm water and coconut sugar. Stir in the yeast and set aside for 10 minutes.
Meanwhile, place the almond flour, baking powder, xanthan gum (if using), and eggs into a food processor. When the yeast is done proofing and has increased in volume to 1/2 cup (118 mL), add it to the food processor and pulse until uniform.
In a 3rd medium bowl, combine the shredded mozzarella and cream cheese. Heat in the microwave, or in a double boiler on the stove, until melted. Stir until smooth and uniform.
Add the cheeses to the food processor, positioning the cheese over the blade. Process until a uniform dough forms, scraping the sides with a spatula if necessary.
Chill the dough in the fridge for 15-20 minutes, until it's not too sticky to work with.
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (204 degrees C). Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
Using oiled hands, form a ball with the dough. Cut it into 6 sections, like a pie. Roll each section into a long, skinny log, about 18 inches (46 cm) long. Twist into a pretzel by taking one end of the pretzel and looping it around and down across the bottom, then repeat with the other end, crossing over the first one. Place onto the baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining dough sections.
Sprinkle coarse sea salt over the pretzels and press down lightly.
Bake for 10-12 minutes, until golden.
Readers Also Made These Keto Low Carb Recipes
Recipe Notes
Serving size: 1 pretzel
Video Showing How To Make Keto Soft Pretzels:
Don't miss the VIDEO above - it's the easiest way to learn how to make Keto Soft Pretzels!
Want more help and tips on working with the fathead dough used in this recipe? Check my tips in my fathead pizza post or see the complete fathead dough guide in The Wholesome Yum Easy Keto Cookbook!)
Nutrition Information Per Serving
Where does nutrition info come from? Nutrition facts are provided as a courtesy, sourced from the USDA Food Database. You can find individual ingredient carb counts we use in the Low Carb & Keto Food List. Carb count excludes sugar alcohols. Net carb count excludes both fiber and sugar alcohols, because these do not affect blood sugar in most people. We try to be accurate, but feel free to make your own calculations.
More Low Carb & Keto Support
If you want to know more about how to start a low carb diet, want to substitute sweeteners, need a food list, or need support, check these guides:
Low Carb & Keto Diet Plan
Starter Guide 
Sweetener Conversion Calculator 
Keto Low Carb Macro Calculator 
Low Carb Keto Food List + Printable PDF
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59 Comments
Sheila
I just made these pretzels. I followed the directions to a tee. They did NOT keep the shape, nor did they turn any shade of brown. Where did I go wrong?
Wholesome Yum M
Hi Sheila, What kind of mozzarella did you use? Fresh or low moisture? Did you get a cohesive dough similar to what you see in the post images?
Kathy F
I can’t wait to try this recipe. I really miss soft and chewy pretzels. Thank you for this recipe.
Jennifer
I made these for the Super Bowl and they were awesome. I put the dough in plastic wrap and left in the fridge for about 40 mins. The dough doubled in size and was super easy to work with. Mine were not flat, but not puffy like a carb pretzel would be either, somewhere in the middle. I did brush an egg wash on before backing to get a darker crisp color to them and also put some sea salt on them. Everyone loved them.
Deborah
I’m still having trouble getting bagels & pretzels to “plump up”. Bagels were flat as a pancake? Pretzels better probably due to the yeast. Possibly not mixed enough? Tasted good but want fluffier!!! Any suggestions for making Keto popovers again not fluffy.
Tried heavy cream then half n half. Maybe almond milk or coconut milk??? Keep trying to perfect without much success Any suggestions I would appreciate thanks. Fun book need a Keto Cooking Channel!!
Cheers! Deborah
Wholesome Yum M
Hi Deborah, It is possible that your dough is not mixed enough. That would leave you with flatter, denser pretzels and bagels. Also, you may want to verify that your baking powder is still within the expiration date. Best of luck!
Debbie
I made these last night and they were good, but as people mentioned before flat. I am going to experiment and try putting them in a donut mold like a keto bagel and see how that works. It wont be the right shape but who cares. Will let people know how it works. Maybe in a few days.
Sheila Nilson
I made these tonight as the bf and I have been craving pretzels. I followed instructions to the letter. They were very simple to make. Mine were rolled perfectly and were big after baking they were pretty flat and pretty much just tasted like fathead dough. They were good I guess I just thought they would taste more like a pretzel. Thanks for the recipe!
Wholesome Yum M
Hi Sheila, These pretzels are made with fathead dough. The yeast gives a familiar flavor and texture to traditional soft pretzels, but they will never be exactly like the original.
Rachel
Do these need a baking soda bath like traditional pretzels ?
Wholesome Yum M
Hi Rachel, These do not need a baking soda bath! Bake and cool these pretzels and they are ready to be enjoyed.
Amanda
Does fathead dough work with non-dairy plant or nut based cheeses? I know it’s slightly higher in carbs, but I can’t do dairy.
Maya | Wholesome Yum
Hi Amanda, Yes, it does. The taste and texture is slightly different but still works.
Elizabeth
Want to give this a try, love BREAD but it doesn’t love me. I make my flour from chickpeas wondering if I could use that in place of almond flour?
Wholesome Yum M
Hi Elizabeth, Chickpeas are not low carb, so unfortunately I don’t know if this would work in the recipe or not.
Lori Cheezem
My pretzels did not maintain the shape, but completely flattened out. Is there a way to keep this from happening?
Thank you!
Wholesome Yum M
Hi Lori, It sounds like the yeast didn’t activate in your pretzels. Let the yeast proof in the warm water (110 – 115 degrees) and coconut sugar solution for 10 minutes. If the yeast bubbles and doubles in size, then you have good yeast and can move ahead with the recipe. If the yeast does nothing, then it is probably old and won’t work.
Tanya
I would love to make some Christmas recipes can I substitute almond flour for regular flour. Also does almond flour work the same in thickening as regular flour for white sauce. Love your recipes and they have really helped me stay keto. My two brothers are cooks as well as myself and one is a chef. I want to share your recipes with them.
Beth Johnson
Oh my goodness! This recipe is amazing! I love you ❤️
Cheryl
I made these and they were good though they turned out flatter and more spread out. Got me thinking …. I made the dough again. This time I cut into 36 pieces, rolled into balls and flattened using my tortilla press. I ended up adding a bit more almond flour before I cut the dough into pieces so it wasn’t quite so sticky. Then rolled each ball in almond flour before I flattened between 2 pieces of parchment paper in the tortilla press. Baked for 8 or 9 minutes. Very tasty. Use for tacos, scooping guacamole, spinach dip, top with meat and cheese. Yummmm
Jennifer
Made these last night. Some were pretzel shaped and others were rolls. They were a little flatter than I expected, but tasted great! It’s hard to imagine getting any closer to a white bread taste and texture with keto bread. I will definitely use this recipe over and over.
I was able to make it in my bread machine. It worked great to keep the cheese soft enough to mix because it preheats as part of its cycle. To make it work, I used the dough cycle, put the yeast, sugar, and water in first. Then added the almond flour mix (done in separate bowl), finally added cheese mixture as soon as machine started kneading (kept the mixture hot in microwave until bread maker was ready). Took the finished dough out when the knead part of the cycle was over and it was pretty easy to work with at that point so did not need the fridge.
Jan
I’ve always loved the almond flavor pretzels at the mall. Wondering if anyone has adapted this recipe to imitate that. Can I just add a tsp of almond flavoring and maybe some sliced almonds to the top before baking? Do you think that would work? Has anyone tried that?
Wholesome Yum L
Hi Jan! That sounds delicious. I haven’t tried that but I think it would work. Let me know if you try it and how it turns out.
Jaynee
They didn’t hold their shape, so the last 2 I put in the freezer for 10 minutes before baking. I’m looking forward to seeing if that helps. Hubby & daughter, both on keto, proclaim the taste a winner. I am in my fasting period now, so may try tomorrow, if there are any left.
May
I’m allergic to almonds, but really want to try this! How do you recommend the flour be substituted for those with nut allergies?
Wholesome Yum A
Hi May, the next best substitution would probably be sunflower seed flour, but I haven’t tested that.
Sharon
This is THE BOMB! By far the best recipe I’ve tried for keto bread. I like to make buns with this recipe. I’ve used it for burgers, sandwiches, rolls…so yummy, the texture is the closest to bread, and it keeps well in the fridge and freezer. Not eggy like most keto breads.
Leslie
First time j made this I think my baking powder was bad as they didn’t rise much and turned flat. Still delicious. Second time I made these i let the mixed ingredients sit in my fridge for almost 3 hours (wasn’t planned but happened anyways as I got busy doing other stuff) I decided to make these into 12 buns. AMAZING! Chicken salad sandwich here I come. I’m so happy. So I’m assuming that the original recipe made 6 pretzels and now I made 12 buns. 2 buns = 6 net carbs.
Manila Mama
Maya, I don’t have a food processor. Can I use a blender? Or should I just skip this recipe?
Maya | Wholesome Yum
Hi Manila, I’m not sure that a blender would handle this. You might want to try fathead bagels instead, which you can make by hand.
Shayelyn
I can’t wait to try this! Before keto, my daughter and I would get pretzels at the mall and we always got them with cream cheese so I’ll be set!
Jules Shepard
One of our FAVORITE treats…love soft pretzels!
Suzanne F Bouchard
Love the concept but oh did I ever fall in the execution! My dough was much softer and lighter than yours appears to be in the vidéo. It had risen quite a bit in the fridge while chilling. No way could i roll, shape, and lift the pretzels to the baking sheet, but had to sort of mold and form them by hand in the pan. When done, they looked rather like pancakes. The texture was very delicate, breadlike, definitely not chewy. Flavor was cheesier than I expected but it definitely satisfied a craving. I will try again, but would love your input into what you think I did wrong. Oh yes, forgot to mention I used a hand mixer rather than a food processor since I don’t own one (what can I say? I’m old.)
Wholesome Yum
Hi Suzanne, it’s tough to say what happened here, but your yeast may have been overmixed or your baking powder wasn’t fresh. I do hope you give them another try!
JB
This was just my same experience. My yeast had doubled and was ready, and I had fresh baking powder. I refrigerated the dough for 20 minutes (actually longer). But still, the dough was so sticky it was almost impossible to form into a ball. I had to make a different shape, which was fine, but they didn’t come out chewy but almost fluffy. I did use the xantham gum too.Not sure what happened, but they weren’t that great to me.
Carrie
I’ve tried this recipe and it’s really crumbly it doesn’t wanna roll out where I can make pretzels could you tell me possibly what their reason is why it’s like that thanks
Wholesome Yum L
Hi Carrie, be sure to check out the tips for working with fathead dough in the post.
Sarah
I really wanted these but I have no sugar in my house and was without transportation to the store for the day, so I used a teaspoon of surikin syrup and those little yeasties grew nice and plump.
Dona Wallerius
Can any form of sugar be used? Can I use a more keto approved sweetener like Monkfruit?
Maya | Wholesome Yum
Hi Dona, I don’t normally use sugar in my recipes, but recipes with yeast require it. It has to be real sugar (though it can be coconut sugar, white sugar, etc). Keto sweeteners will not work, because yeast cannot feed off of those (including monk fruit). The sugar is consumed by the yeast, so is not in the final product that you would be eating. I tested my blood sugar to confirm it doesn’t spike after eating these.
Sandi
This looks like a great recipe for game day. I missed those big pretzels!
Lee
I would like to know can you substitute cream cheese for sour cream in the recipe?
Wholesome Yum
Hi Lee, I don’t think that would work, but let me know if you try it.
Rose
I followed your instructions exactly and the pretzels didn’t rise but spread, more like a bun, but they were still very good. I thought I might be able to use them for pretzel dogs. Any ideas why this happened?
Wholesome Yum
Hi Rose, it could be that the yeast got over-mixed or you may have used baking powder that was too old. Glad to hear you still made it work!
Linda Toma
Can you use regular sugar instead of coconut sugar?
Wholesome Yum
That should work, Linda!
Gina
I did something wrong, wasn’t able to make into pretzels but still good!
Kat
Can’t wait to try this. Will this work for a pizza crust? I would love to find one that is more chewy than regular Fathead dough.
Wholesome Yum
Hi Kat, what a great idea! That should work if you keep the portions small. You may have to adjust the baking time and temperature if you try a full-size pizza, though. Let me know if you try it!
Kristen Alexander
Could I use a stand mixer instead of a food processor? And could I use regular sugar or granulated Swerve instead of coconut sugar? I am almost completely sugar-free, and would hate to buy coconut sugar for such a small amount, only to never use it again. I love your recipes, and the bagels turned out great, so I have high hopes for these pretzels. Thank you!
Wholesome Yum
Hi Kristen, you should be able to use regular sugar here. As for a hand mixer, I haven’t tried it — let me know if you do!
Lisa
My nephew is a diabetic (Type I) and his snacks need to be less than 15 carbs — I’m making this recipe for him — and I know he’s gonna LOVE IT.
Sara Welch
I love how surprisingly simple these were to make; perfect for busy nights! Delicious too!
Jen
Hello low-carb game changer! This is such a cool recipe – thank you!
Jennifer Farley
Chewy and low carb = perfection!
Kate
I love this recipe! Just tried it today and it’s amazing – thanks for sharing!
Heidy L. McCallum
I made these for my best friend who just had to go gluten free and she loved them. Great instructions and perfect flavor.
Caitlyn Erhardt
These are awesome! Love that they are healthy as well!