Are Paleo bagels an oxymoron? Read on to learn…
For many, the morning would not be complete without a bagel. On top of being a regularly enjoyed breakfast (or anytime) bread, it’s a cultural staple for many around the world. It has a deep and somewhat turbulent history, from the evolution of a rounded roll into what we know today.
The firm crust and soft interior are what make bagels so unique and utterly delicious. In order to achieve the epitome of a bagel, the dough is boiled before being baked. This process was first adapted to adhere to the strict laws against Jews buying or baking bread. The result actually led to a roll with a protective exterior and caramelized hue. It’s not surprising that the tradition of enjoying bagels has become a ritual. From a quick buttered bagel from a bodega… to the classic deli-style topped with lox and cream cheese, some believe the bagel is an essential component to a good morning.
But what comes with these chewy treats is more than just a mouthful of conversation. While they’re praised for being low fat (although most bread is), they owe their dense yet fluffy composition to a hearty amount of refined flour. In fact, one single bagel is comparable to 4 slices of bread, clocking in around 40 grams of carbohydrates.
A Bagel A Day Keeps The Doctor Paid
Not only do these processed grains cause inflammation throughout your body, they can lead to weight gain faster than you can decide between poppyseed or cinnamon raisin! While they may feel rewarding as a filling meal, you’re likely to experience a blood sugar crash, followed by more hunger, after consuming one.
That’s because the fast-digesting carbohydrates are quickly broken down into sugar and released in your bloodstream, leading to a spike in blood sugar. To cope with the excess sugar in the blood, a large amount of insulin – also known as “the fat storage hormone” – is released.
Unfortunately, the insulin that’s not used gets transported to the liver as glucose, where it then becomes excess fat. Through this whole process, we build up resistances to these hormones, which leads not only to weight gain, but also an increased risk of hypertension, heart disease and diabetes.
Low Carb Paleo Bagels You’ll Love… That Love You Back!
For some, the idea of giving up the Sunday morning bagel tradition is worse than the repercussions associated with eating them.
So, to makeover this international favorite, we turned to our grain-free pantry for ideas on how to build the decadent roll… without the excessive carbs and inflammatory grain. What came out of the oven put a new spin on the better known “egg bagel,” and we couldn’t be more pleased with the results.
This recipe turns the standard carb-dense mixture into a protein powerhouse! Instead of the refined and bleached wheat flour… eggs and coconut flour combine forces and bake up to your new favorite roll. Each bagel will boost your breakfast with 9 grams of protein… with only 4 NET carbohydrates.
I think you’ll find that our Paleo bagels tastes and feel like the bread-rich bagels of yesteryear! You can add one to your plate comfortably knowing it’s full of healthy fats, prebiotics and protein to power your day. It’s a great option if you’re running out the door in a hurry, or paired with some fresh Paleo egg salad!
Finally, a breakfast loaf that we can enjoy without the crash. For those who have tried making their own bagels at home, fear not! This recipe doesn’t need the kneading. It skips the boiling and can be done faster than waiting in line for your baker’s dozen. No matter which way you slice it, in just 20 minutes, you’ve got a chewy-on-the-outside-fluffy-on-the-inside bagel ready for your favorite schmear.
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Low Carb Paleo Bagels
Ingredients
Tap an ingredient to check it off.
DRY INGREDIENTS
- 1 cup almond flour (90 g)
- 1 Tbsp. coconut flour, firmly packed (14 g)
- 1 Tbsp. ground golden flaxseed (10 g)
- ½ Tbsp. arrowroot powder (5 g)
- ½ tsp. baking soda
- ¼ tsp. sea salt
- Sesame seeds, poppy seeds, Maldon sea salt, dried onion flakes (for topping)
WET INGREDIENTS
- 2 pastured eggs
- 2 Tbsp. organic apple cider vinegar
- 1 Tbsp. raw honey, yacon syrup or maple syrup (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 35O F. Prepare a USA Pans Donut Pan by lightly greasing.
- In a small bowl, sift together the dry ingredients.
- In another small bowl, combine the wet ingredients, whisking well.
- Add dry ingredients to wet and mix using a silicone spatula to form a thick batter.
- Use a ladle to scoop batter by ¼ cupful and into greased circles. Sprinkle with toppings of choice.
- Transfer to oven and bake 18-20 minutes or until golden and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Let cool on a wire rack. Serve freshly baked or lightly toasted with toppings of choice.
- Store cooled bagels in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
Nutrition Facts
Per serving · Recipe makes 4- Fat15 g73%
- Protein9 g19%
- Carbs8 g8%
- Calories
- 194
- Total Fat
- 15 g
- Saturated Fat
- 2 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 8 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 4 g
- Cholesterol
- 106 mg
- Sodium
- 343 mg
- Total Carbohydrates
- 8 g
- Dietary Fiber
- 4 g
- Sugar
- 0 g
- Net Carbs
- 4 g
- Protein
- 9 g
Why You Should Quit Bread — Even the "Healthy" Kind
Did you know that traditional grain-based breads & desserts contain a compound that is the #1 greatest danger in your diet?
Studies show that this compound (and I am not talking about "gluten") is toxic to your heart and blood vessels, weakens your immune defenses, and disrupts your nerves and brain function.
And if that's not enough… this hidden compound also makes it nearly IMPOSSIBLE to burn fat and lose weight!
The great news is that you can still have your breads and desserts… AND be well too!
Discover the Secret to the World's Healthiest BreadThis post may contain affiliate links. Click here to read my affiliate policy.
About the author
Kelley Herring
Kelley Herring, founder of Healing Gourmet, is a natural nutrition enthusiast with a background in biochemistry. Her passion is educating on how foods promote health and protect against disease and creating simple and delicious recipes for vibrant health and enjoyment.
hi Kerry, could I replace the butter with a dairy free option such as coconut oil? Thanks in advance
Hi Linda… when you are substituting fats in a recipe, you generally want to choose a substitution that is the same type of fat (saturated and monounsaturated, for example). So, you would not substitute a saturated fat (butter) for a monounsaturated fat (avocado oil) in, say, a salad dressing recipe. That obviously wouldn’t work. Nor would you make that substitution in a baking recipe. But you COULD substitute a fat that is solid at room temperature (or mostly saturated) for another fat that has the same properties.
So that is the long answer… the short answer is that yes, you could substitute butter, coconut oil, palm shortening, lard and tallow for one another in most recipes that call for one of these ingredients.
I hope this helps!
Jon Herring
These look delicious!!! How would I go about making these if I don’t own a donut pan?
Thank you!
Hi Rachel,
Thanks for stopping by!
You could try a makeshift donut pan by placing a very small circular metal cookie cutter in the center of a muffin tin. I have also seen it done with tinfoil.
Hope this helps!
Kelley
Am I correct in saying there are 1128 calories per bagel?
Hi Melanie,
Oh gosh no! That is nutrition for the entire batch.
Enjoy!
Kelley
When I put all the nutritional information into my fitness pal the calories come to over 400 yet your site says 194…which is correct?
Hi Suzanne,
Our system uses the USDA database. These bagels are not 400 calories each. They are 194.4. Maybe you have the wrong serving size?
Be Well,
Kelley
I have a question about cook times. At the top it says 30 minutes but in the body of the recipe it says 15. Thanks.
Am I figuring correctly that if I make Six per batch, that the carbs per bagel is 2.5 grams? Thank you.
Hi! What did you top the bagel with in your photo…looikng for a paleo cream cheese alternative! =)
OK I uploaded the recipe into my fitness pal and that is what it said! , but I already made them and they really to die for! I love them and very filling and just wanted to make them part of my everyday diet so I will correct my fitness pal to the correct calorie content just delish! ..Thanks again!
Just a thought – maybe you used whole almonds and not almond flour? The weights for 1 cup almonds vs. 1 cup almond flour differ greatly.
Try the Kite Hill almond milk cream cheese! I love the chive one and I get mine at Whole Foods.
Can I use coconut flour instead of almond flour
Have you tried using an egg substitute such as chia “egg?” Unfortunately, I have a flax and egg allergy among others. Thanks!
Hi! My batter was VERY thick, really more dough like. It was very difficult to get into the pan smoothly and didn’t rise. Where did I go wrong?
These look delicous! If I don’t have flax is it ok to eliminate it from recipe?
No, the flax is what makes this recipe work!
Can you freeze these and your other bread recipes
So I just tried this and my batter came out more like a dough (think cookie) than anything of batter (even thick) consistency. Are the liquid and dry ingredient proportions right in the recipe? Trying to figure out what I did wrong…
Hi Melissa,
Hmmm, no, it should not be like cookie dough. Did you weigh your ingredients? A little bit too much coconut flour could be the culprit, as could be using small eggs instead of standard large.
I just made these this morning and although i have to use aluminum foil as a makeshift doughnut pan, these babies are to die for! I sprinkled a little garlic powder on top with the poppy seeds and onion flakes and these could be my new favorite thing! Thank you for sharing!
Hi Kelley,
Many thanks for the delicious healthy recipes. Wondering what the purpose of the flax is: thickening, taste, texture and/or healthy ingredient addition? I’m very allergic to it, and thus need to figure out a substitute. The easy way out is chia, however I’m sensitive to it as well. Psyllium perhaps will be the solution…?
Blessings,
Jenny
Hi Jenny!
Thanks so much for your kind words. I’m happy you enjoy the site.
The flax provides a chewy texture, and that can certainly be achieved with psyllium husk powder. I would try a small amount – maybe a teaspoon or so – since it sucks up water much more readily than flax.
Hope this helps!
Be Well,
Kelley
This recipe sound delicious. I just bought some paleo flour and wondered how to make these with this flour?
Hi Melissa,
They are delicious! I have no idea what ingredients or ratios are in your “paleo flour” so I can’t answer that question. But it you try it with the ingredients listed, they will be delicious 😉
Kelley
Hi – I have some leftover sand from building a sandbox for the kids. I was wondering if I could use some of that to make this recipe… or do I actually need to follow the instructions and use the ingredients you specify?
????
Hi, I use flax “egg” substitute, will this work in thisrecioe??
I made these tonight following the recipe closely, except I didn’t have arrowroot powder, so I used tapioca starch in its place. I topped two of them with “Everything But the Bagel” seasoning from Trader Joe’s, and two with kosher salt (yum!). The flavor of these were amazing and such a treat when you are on a low carb diet! However, the texture was nothing like a bagel, it was more like a muffin/quick bread texture…IS that how it’s supposed to come out, or could the tapioca starch have made the difference?
I also realized the eggs were jumbo, that probably could cause the cakey texture…?
Very likely as you made them contain a higher proportion of egg.
Would this recipe work for a bread loaf instead of bagels?
Haven’t baked bagel recipe yet – just found it. Could I substitute monk fruit for the honey? If so, how much? Thank you, these look delicious. If I’m successful in baking Keto, I’m your next biggest fan!
Hi Eileen,
I hope you love these bagels – they are one of my favorites and super easy! Of course you can use monk fruit or just leave it out entirely.
Hi! Would using only almond flour work for this recipe? I’m allergic to coconut. :/.
Hello Sonia, for the coconut flour, I would substitute quinoa flour, flax meal or arrowroot starch. If you add flax meal, you may need to add a little more water, try a teaspoon at a time, until the dough is the right consistency. Happy baking bagels and enjoy the eating!
Is that nutrition info counting the “optional” honeybor other sweetener?