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Get It Now- My Keto Pizza Recipe Tastes Like Actual Crispy, Chewy Pizza
- Crust Ingredients
- Variations & Substitutions
- How To Make Keto Pizza
- My Tips For Working With Low Carb Pizza Dough
- Keto Pizza (With Crispy, Chewy Crust) Recipe card
- Make Ahead Options
- Sauce & Topping Ideas
- More Fathead Dough Recipes
- Recipe Reviews
My Keto Pizza Recipe Tastes Like Actual Crispy, Chewy Pizza
This keto pizza has been my most popular keto dinner here on Wholesome Yum since 2017 — and for good reason: it tastes almost identical to regular pizza! I try not to say that too often, but I’ll be making this crust forever and ever, whether I stay low carb or not. Here’s why I’m certain you’ll love this keto pizza crust recipe:
- My very best keto pizza crust — I have a long list of low carb pizza recipes on my website — including cauliflower pizza, pizza bowls, chicken crust pizza, and pizza casserole, among others — but this is my best one of them all. Hands down.
- Chewy, sturdy crust with crispy edges – This is so hard to achieve with low carb baked goods without the gluten, but my keto pizza dough (based on this movie) does it perfectly. Using melted cheese, of all things! You can even customize if you want it crunchy, chewy, or a little of both. I’m obsessed.
- Just 4 ingredients – No long lists. Just grab one of my go-to low carb flours — you can decide if you want to use almond flour or coconut flour! — and a few common grocery store staples.
- Easy to make – This crust is so simple once you get the hang of working with the dough. I’ve probably made it 100 times, so I’ll share all my best tips!
- Keto friendly and gluten-free – Naturally my keto pizza is low in carbs… the crust has 2 grams of net carbs per serving, to be exact. Of course the sauce and toppings will also add some, but it’s still really easy to fit into your macros for a keto diet. And it’s gluten-free, too.
- Great for meal prep – Make the dough ahead. Freeze the crust. Freeze a whole pizza with toppings. I’ve done it every which way. See my make ahead options below.
Over the years, I’ve made this keto pizza for my kids, my friends, my very-not-keto extended family, and even dedicated a whole section to it in my Easy Keto Cookbook. Everyone loves it. Make it with me and you’ll see what the hype is about!
Crust Ingredients
Here I explain the best ingredients for my keto pizza recipe, what each one does in the recipe, and substitution options. For measurements, see the recipe card.
- Low Carb Flour – You can make my keto pizza crust with almond flour or coconut flour. Reading over 1000 reviews, I’ve found some people prefer one and some prefer the other (almond is my preference, but only slightly). The only difference is the amount. And after spending over a decade on low carb baking, I developed my own Wholesome Yum Blanched Almond Flour and Wholesome Yum Coconut Flour, to ensure consistent results. They have the finest consistency and the right moisture level, which is super important for the best texture — not only in low carb pizza but also in other keto baking recipes.
- Eggs – These help the keto pizza dough stay together. The coconut flour version needs an extra one because this flour absorbs more moisture.
- Mozzarella Cheese – Shredded mozzarella is the key component of my fathead dough. It has a neutral flavor and mimics the gluten in white flour to create a chewy texture. For best results, use low-moisture, part-skim mozzarella. I buy pre-shredded for convenience, but you can shred it yourself if you like. Avoid using fresh mozzarella (the snow white kind that comes as a ball), which is too wet. Other semi-hard cheeses work okay, but the texture is typically not as good as mozzarella and your crust will taste more cheesy.
- Cream Cheese – Make your crust less dense. I use regular, but light cream cheese works fine.
Variations & Substitutions
- Dairy Free – Many readers have told me they had success using dairy-free shredded “cheese” and almond milk cream cheese. Keep in mind the carbs in these products are typically higher than real cheeses.
- Nut Free – Make my coconut flour version (coconuts are a fruit or drupal, not a nut). If you can’t have that either, you can use lupin flour in the same amount as the almond flour.
- Egg Free – Flax eggs work fine as an egg replacement, but the crust turns out less sturdy. One of my other egg substitutes might also work.
- Seasonings – I like my keto pizza crust plain, but you can add garlic powder and/or Italian seasoning. I don’t add extra salt, since the cheeses are already salty, but you can add a pinch if you prefer.
- Baking Powder – Add 1-2 teaspoons for a more airy crust.
- Xanthan Gum – For a chewier texture, add 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon of xanthan gum to the dough, before mixing in the cheeses.
- Protein Packed – My protein pizza recipe is based on this one, but with a lot more protein in the crust.
How To Make Keto Pizza
I have step-by-step photos here to help you visualize the recipe. For full instructions, including amounts and temperatures, see the recipe card.
- Mix the low carb flour and eggs. In a large bowl or in a food processor, mix the egg(s) and either almond flour or coconut flour.
- Melt the cheeses. In a medium bowl, combine the shredded mozzarella and cubed cream cheese. Microwave, stirring halfway through, until melty. (If you prefer not to use the microwave, melt the cheeses in a double boiler on the stove instead.)
- Combine the fathead dough. Add the melted cheeses to the flour mixture. Process in the food processor or knead with your hands (depending on the method you are using), until a uniform dough forms, with no streaks. Form the dough into a ball.
- Roll out the crust. Spread the dough onto the lined pan or pizza peel to 1/4″ or 1/3″ thickness, using your hands or a rolling pin on top of a piece of parchment paper. (I recommend a rolling pin, as it’s easier.) Use a toothpick or fork to poke holes throughout the crust to prevent bubbling.
- Bake the keto pizza crust. If you’re using a pizza stone like I do (highly recommend!), slide the parchment paper from a pizza peel to the stone in the preheated oven. If using a pizza pan, just place it inside. Bake, then poke more holes to pop any bubbles and bake again until slightly golden.
- Add sauce and your favorite toppings. Return your keto pizza to the oven, either directly on the pizza stone or directly on the oven rack (no parchment paper), until hot. If you want the cheese more browned, place it under the broiler briefly, but be careful not to burn the crust.
After baking, I just slide the parchment paper onto a cutting board to slice it. Enjoy!
My Tips For Working With Low Carb Pizza Dough
My keto pizza recipe is easy once you get familiar with fathead dough, but it takes practice. I have an entire section with more details in my Easy Keto Cookbook and also in my keto bagels post, but here are the key things you need to know:
- A food processor is not required, but it helps. It’s fine to mix the dough by hand and I did at first, but these days I always use a food processor. I have this one — it’s powerful, reliable, and can even fit a double batch. It makes the crust more airy and easier to mix. Use either a dough blade or S knife blade, and scrape down the sides as needed. Also, if it doesn’t want to mix together, positioning the cheese near the blade can help.
- Make sure there are no streaks of cheese, or the texture will be off. If you are kneading with your hands, I find it helps to squeeze the dough between your fingers repeatedly.
- Reheat the dough slightly if it doesn’t incorporate. If the cheese hardens before it fully mixes into the flour mixture, you can microwave for 10-15 seconds to soften it.
- Chill dough if it’s sticky. This can be a problem especially if your kitchen is warm or humid. When this happens, I chill it in the fridge for 20-30 minutes to make it more manageable.
- Use oiled hands to reduce sticking. If you’re spreading the keto pizza crust by hand and the dough is still too sticky to work with after chilling, another trick I use is coating my hands lightly with oil. Works like a charm!
- Roll the dough between sheets of parchment paper. It’s usually too sticky to roll without it, and I generally don’t recommend adding extra flour. My surprisingly affordable marble rolling pin also helps because it doesn’t warm up the dough.
- A pizza stone will get you the best texture. Although a regular pan works, I recommend a stone for all my keto pizza recipes, because it improves the texture of the crust. You’ll also need a pizza peel to slide the pizza on and off the stone, since it needs to preheat with the oven.
- Make the crust thicker to make it chewy or thinner for crispy. I like mine crispy (plus it’s less carbs and calories), so I make it thin. It will take longer to bake if it’s thicker.
- Watch the oven time. The baking time will vary depending on how thinly you roll (or spread) it out. It goes from perfect to burned fairly fast, so check on it.
- Don’t let it get too dark before topping. The crust should be just slightly golden when you bake it the first time. If it’s already golden, the edges will burn after you add the toppings and bake again. I like my keto pizza crispy, so the pictures above show how golden mine got, but if you like it more chewy, you’ll want it even lighter in the initial baking step.
Keto Pizza (With Crispy, Chewy Crust)
Everyone is obsessed with this easy keto pizza recipe! My crispy, chewy crust has 2 low carb flour options and tastes like regular pizza.
Ingredients
[ See substitutions ]Tap underlined ingredients to see the ones I use.
Almond Flour Version:
Coconut Flour Version:
Instructions
[ See step photos See my tips ]Tap on the times in the instructions to start a kitchen timer.
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Prep: Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F (218 degrees C). Line a baking sheet or pizza pan with parchment paper. For best results, preheat a pizza stone in the oven and line a pizza peel with parchment paper for preparing the keto pizza crust.
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Mix the flour and eggs: In a large bowl or in a food processor, mix the egg(s) and either almond flour or coconut flour, depending on which version you are making. (A food processor will make a fluffier crust and is easier, but it's fine to do this by hand if needed.)
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Melt the cheeses: In a medium bowl, combine the shredded mozzarella and cubed cream cheese. Microwave for 90 seconds, stirring halfway through. Stir again at the end until well incorporated. (If you prefer not to use the microwave, melt the cheeses in a double boiler on the stove instead.)
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Combine: Add the melted cheeses to the flour mixture. Process in the food processor or knead with your hands (depending on the method you are using), until a uniform dough forms, with no streaks. If the cheese hardens before it fully mixes into the flour mixture, you can microwave for 10-15 seconds to soften it. If it's sticky, see my tips in the post above.
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Form the crust: Spread the dough onto the lined baking pan or pizza peel to 1/4" or 1/3" thickness, using your hands or a rolling pin over a piece of parchment paper (the rolling pin works better if you have one). Use a toothpick or fork to poke lots of holes throughout the crust to prevent bubbling.
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Bake: Bake for 6 minutes. (If using a pizza stone, slide the parchment paper from the pizza peel to the stone.) Poke more holes in any places where you see bubbles forming. Bake for 3-7 more minutes, until lightly golden. (Don't let the crust get too dark at this step, or the edges will burn by the time you cook the pizza with toppings.)
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To make keto pizza: After pre-baking the crust, top with your favorite sauce and toppings. Return the pizza to the oven, either directly on the pizza stone or directly on the oven rack (no parchment paper), for about 10 minutes, until hot. If you like, place under the broiler for 1-2 minutes to brown the cheese.
Did You Like It?
Leave a rating to help other readers (this also helps me continue to provide free recipes on my site), or get the recipe sent to your inbox.
Maya’s Recipe Notes
Serving size: 1 slice, or 1/8 of entire pizza
- Tips: Check out my recipe tips above to help you work with this dough (especially if it’s sticky!) and get the perfect texture in your keto pizza.
- Meal prep: See my make ahead options here for different ways you can prep this crust ahead. There are several ways!
- Note on nutrition info: These numbers are for the coconut flour version — almond is pretty similar, but a bit higher in calories. You can customize the recipe in my Wholesome Yum App to see the macros for the almond flour pizza.
- Note on serving size: You’ll be surprised at how filling this low carb pizza is! A slice with a low carb salad or 2 slices on their own usually fill me up.
📖 Want more recipes like this? Find this one and many more in my Easy Keto Cookbook here.
I provide nutrition facts as a courtesy. Have questions about calculations or why you got a different result? Please see my nutrition policy.
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Keto Pizza
Make Ahead Options
One of the things I love about this low carb pizza recipe is its versatility to make ahead or store. Here are all the different ways I do it:
- Leftovers: Keep them in the fridge for up to 3-5 days.
- Make the dough ahead: Form it into a ball, cover tightly in plastic wrap, and keep in the fridge for up to a week. Roll out and bake when the time is right.
- Bake the crust ahead: Pre-bake the crust, wrap it and refrigerate (up to a week this way as well). Just add toppings and bake for 10-15 minutes when you’re ready.
- Freeze the crust: This is what I do most often — and make a double or triple batch in my food processor when I do! You can freeze the ball of dough and thaw before rolling, but I usually freeze the pre-baked crust. (You can add toppings and bake from frozen.)
- Freeze the whole whole pizza: You can even freeze the entire keto pizza with sauce and toppings. Cool completely before topping and place it in the freezer immediately, so that the crust doesn’t get soggy. When you’re ready, bake for 15-20 minutes at 350 degrees F. Don’t thaw first!
Sauce & Topping Ideas
Most toppings will work on keto pizza! Here are the main ones I have on rotation:
- Sauces – Store-bought sauces often have added sugar, so be careful! This brand is popular in my keto community. You can also make my homemade marinara sauce (my second favorite), sugar-free pizza sauce, Alfredo sauce (my actual favorite), sugar-free BBQ sauce (I love it for BBQ chicken pizza!) or even pesto sauce (for a flatbread vibe).
- Meats – Pepperoni (my go-to shown here), sausage, Canadian bacon, ground beef, or even shredded chicken are all great keto meats to use. Since the keto pizza only cooks with toppings for a short time, make sure your meats are pre-cooked.
- Veggies – Try sauteed mushrooms, bell peppers, onions, olives, spinach, or sliced tomatoes (or even sun-dried tomatoes). Check my list of keto vegetables list for more ideas.
- Cheese – I almost always use shredded mozzarella, but other keto cheeses may work well depending on your sauce.
I have more combinations for you in my cauliflower pizza crust post. Avoid toppings that are higher in sugar, such as pineapple.
More Fathead Dough Recipes
I use this fathead dough for so many baked goods beyond pizza! Sometimes I make slight changes, but the base stays the same. Try it in some of my other keto recipes:
1,545 Comments
Bernadette
0I made this using finely ground flax seed as that is what I had on hand. Perhaps should have only used 1 egg though as texture not quite right. But, i just added more flax to get right consistency. I did add a dash of Italian seasoning and garlic. This crust is fabulous. Easy to do and very tasty. I love pizza Fridays so this is a win win for me while trying to follow low carb lifestyle.
Jenny
0This recipe is pretty good, I find it quite dry tho, is this normal or did I do something wrong?!
Wholesome Yum M
0Hi Jenny, This recipe shouldn’t be dry, but the results can vary a bit depending on the brand of coconut flour you used in the recipe. This is the brand I prefer and recommend using.
Cassie
0Hello! Just a question, for the mozzarella is it low moisture part skim or whole moisture?
Wholesome Yum M
0Hi Cassie, Either! I prefer to use low moisture whole milk mozzarella, but part skim will work just as well!
Kristina Vela
0Made crust and then i melted butter, itilian seasoning, basil, parm cheese, and oregano, then I spread it over the rolled crust. i then baked it, added my toppings and !!
Stacy Lattanzio
0Ok this recipe is the best!! Did one with olive oil and garlic powder sprinkles on the crust on second bake! Delicious!! I’d love to post a picture! I made two and they turned out great!!
Stacy Lattanzio
0Have you ever added italian seasoning or garlic powder to this dough? I want to make it tonight so just wondering if anyone has tried that.
Wholesome Yum M
0Hi Stacy, Yes, that sounds great!
Chelsea
0Incredible. Loved it!! And you’re so right about only needing 2 pieces (granted I only cut it into 4 😉
Sharon Hunter
0First of all I don’t know where this recipe was all my life!
I made Maya’s recipe and followed her tips that are in her cookbook used a dough hook
with my mixer. I was thrilled how this turned out. I miss pizza like everyone, and if you are following a weight loss plain this one is grand. You will eat less and be satisfied. Next I have to fine my pizza stone.
It will be AWESOME
Rachel
0I am not much on leaving comments when there are plenty of reviews, but I must let you know how happy this made me. I have missed pizza. The Cauliflower thins you can get from Whole Foods are very expensive and a far drive. They are out a lot and they have the cauliflower taste. This crust is much better and so easy. My only desire is to try to figure out how to get the center to get as crispy as the edges. Because of the parchment paper, it doesn’t brown as well but it is still the closest thing to regular pizza dough. I saw where one reviewer said she used a cast iron skillet. I will try that as it does get really hot and stay hot. I have a cast iron griddle that I can try. THANK YOU!! You are right about it being filling too. I ate half of the pizza. It was the only thing I had all day and am still full at midnight. You are the best. I’m doing the blueberry cheesecake for Thanksgiving.
Georgina
0I’d give this a shy 4/5 I loved the taste of the dough (not eggy!) and the toppings on it worked great buuuuut…I didnt think the texture was at all like pizza crust. Mine was much more crumblier, not so crumbly that it came apart, but definitely not with the elasticity of regular pizza dough. It really just tasted to me like a crumbly story of pie dough with tomatoe sauce and cheese on it. Not bad, but not exactly pizza. Still it was worth it, at the very least for the dough recipe, to use it for other stuff as well, so thank you!
Wholesome Yum M
0Hi Georgina, It sounds like the cheese was not fully incorporated with the almond flour. If you are making fathead dough by hand, be sure that the cheese and almond flour are thoroughly combined and the dough has the same consistency and texture throughout. It should definitely not be crumbly, but more like an elastic dough.
Adrian
0Does the crust feel like bread or is it like floppy cheese?
Wholesome Yum M
0Hi Adrian, It’s like a flatbread style of bread. It will rise, but it does not become pillowy like traditional pizza dough can.
Marla
0This recipe was super easy. It’s a great replacement for pizza dough. I cooked it in a cast iron pan and it was perfect. Thank you Maya for all of your good recipes!
Rosemary Rotolo Cancino
0Love this recipe! Soo good. Definitely recommend it
Roxanne
0The best recipe we have tried so far. I think it’s a keeper! Thanks!
McKayla
0! I have made every version of this recipe, and it has never EVER disappointed me! I am not even doing keto anymore, and I still make it, just because it is so good! I even use this dough to make garlic sticks, so many possibilities for this dough, and I love it so much!
Carole Glaspie
0So very easy, and I made a double batch to go in my 16″ pizza pan. Delish!!
Deborah Meabon
0I made this pizza for the first time recently, and it is the best-tasting keto pizza we have had since we started keto in January. We have tried many recipes and pre-made pizzas, and they each were disappointing in either taste or texture, or both. I had come across this fathead recipe before, but honestly couldn’t imagine it performing any better than others – I was wrong! This crust held its shape well, without being too firm. It was simple to make and will definitely be a regular for us.
bren037
0I love love love this recipe! I wanted garlic bread but knowing it was off the table I decided to make some fathead dough instead. I took it a step further and made a small disc of fathead dough, placed 3 of my low carb meatballs on top, used a tiny bit of spaghetti sauce over the top of the meatballs and then another bit of mozzarella cheese. I call it my version of an open faced meatball “garlic bread” slider! It turned out amazing! Thank you so much Maya for the great recipe!
ACKM
0Im not sure how you did it. I followed exactly the same ingredient, but the dough turned out very very very wet. I used up to 300g of coconut flour and its still wet. Ended up threw the dough away.
Wholesome Yum M
0Hi ACKM, Coconut flour is usually very absorbent. The longer you let it sit, the thicker it will get. If you added coconut flour and it didn’t create a dough right away, let it sit for 5-10 minutes for the coconut flour to absorb the moisture. You used quite a lot more flour than called for, so I think starting over would be in your best interest. If you would rather try making fathead dough with almond flour, you can use this recipe here for the almond flour version: Low Carb Bagels.
Angie
0We can’t use almond or coconut flour. If using a 1 to 1 gluten free flour, how much would be needed? Thanks!
Wholesome Yum M
0Hi Angie, I am sorry, I don’t know how much gluten-free flour you would need. The properties of gluten-free flour are very different from almond or coconut flour, so you would get a different result. If you decide to experiment with this recipe and GF flour, please let us know how it turns out.