Soft and simply irresistible: these Keto pretzels take snacking to the next level. They are made with the famous Fathead dough - their secret ingredient is mozzarella!
"Absolutely delicious! I added some Parmesan cheese on top before baking and they came out incredible. 100/10 recommend." (Mary)
Pretzels are a highlight in any German bakery. All throughout my childhood, I would ask my mum to buy me one whenever we went shopping for bread in my hometown Hamburg.
I love pretzels as much today as I did back then - even though I left Germany over 20 years ago. But of course, these days I stay away from regular pretzels. Instead, I make these low carb pretzels.
They taste just as delicious as the original and keep my blood sugar levels stable at the same time. I recently served them when my mum was visiting. She was impressed with how similar the texture of these pretzels is to the German original!
For more fathead dough recipes, try my keto cinnamon rolls and low carb pizza.
Jump to:
Why I Love This Recipe
Fun. The ingredients for this soft keto pretzel recipe are unusual. Who would have thought you could make a dough with mozzarella cheese? Friends, this is what eating low carb is all about: Being open-minded and ready to try alternatives that allow you to enjoy your favourite foods without regrets.
Satisfying. My pretzels have a soft and chewy texture and are topped with sea salt flakes. They are gluten-free, finger-licking good, and also pretty filling!
Easy. The recipe takes only 35 minutes from start to finish. If you made pretzel sticks with it, a batch ready in just 25 minutes.
Keto! One pretzel is only 2.3g net carbs.
Ingredients
You only need a handful of ingredients:
- Shredded Mozzarella - I use the pre-shredded mozzarella from the supermarket. This contains a small amount of starch. If this is an issue, grate it from a mozzarella block instead. The white, soft mozzarella for salads does not work. It is too watery.
- Cream Cheese - Must be full fat.
- Egg - Large and room temperature. Helps make the dough fluffy.
- Almond Flour - Both extra-fine almond flour and ground almonds work. Use an additional 2 tablespoons if your almond flour is not extra-fine.
- Baking powder - Check that it is fresh to ensure a good rise.
- Coarse sea salt - For sprinkling over the pretzels.
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
UPDATE: In February 2025, I increased the amount of almond flour in the recipe card from 80g to 100g (1 cup). The reason is that some readers told me their pretzels flattened in the oven. Some almond flour brands are coarser than others and this could make the dough less stable. I tested the recipe with the updated amount and was very happy with the taste and texture.
Friends, I always listen to you!!!
Instructions
Let me show you how easy it is to make keto pretzels. Here are the basic steps, illustrated with photos. For a detailed method and nutrition info, scroll down to the recipe card at the bottom of the post.
You don't need a blender for this recipe. Simply mix the dough with a fork!
STEP 1: Melt the shredded mozzarella cheese and the cream cheese in a non-stick saucepan on the stovetop over low heat. Stir regularly. Or, melt it in the microwave.
STEP 2: Take the pot off the stove and stir the egg into the warm mozzarella until fully combined.
STEP 3: Add the almond flour and continue mixing until a smooth dough forms.
STEP 4: Knead the pretzel dough with your hands if necessary and form a ball.
STEP 5: Pinch off a piece of dough and stretch/roll it in your hands until it is about 20 centimetres long.
STEP 6: Form a pretzel shape and put it on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Continue until all dough has been used up. Sprinkle the pretzels with sea salt. Then, bake them in the preheated oven until golden.
Katrin's Expert Tips
I have made many recipes with mozzarella dough over the years. Here is what you need to know:
#1 The dough can be sticky. Oiling your hands makes it easy to work with. I used light olive oil, but any neutral-tasting oil works.
#2 The dough needs to be warm when you handle it. The mozzarella should not be bubbling - you need to be able to touch it with your hands without burning yourself.
#3 As the dough cools, it firms up. Warming it back up makes it soft again and easier to handle. I put it in the microwave for 10 seconds. Or, gently heat it on the stovetop.
Variations
Here are some ideas on how you can jazz up the recipe and add different flavours:
- Spicy: Add chopped jalapenos directly into the dough.
- Cheesy: Sprinkle the tops of the pretzels with grated parmesan cheese before baking.
- Yeast pretzels: You can add a sprinkle of instant active yeast to the dough. This will add yeast flavor. However, the yeast is not necessary for the texture of the pretzels.
- Cinnamon "sugar": Omit the salt and roll the pretzels in a mix of cinnamon and granulated sweetener.
Recipe FAQs
To make the recipe nut free, replace the almond flour with a blend of sunflower seed flour and sesame seed flour.
Yes, it does. Use 5 tablespoons or 35 grams of coconut flour.
Yes. Line the air fryer basket with parchment paper and preheat it to 160C / 320F. Then, air fry for 15 minutes or until the pretzels are golden brown.
No. The recipe only works with mozzarella.
Serving Suggestion
We eat keto pretzels all on their own, without toppings or dips - just like you do in Germany.
If you'd like to serve it with a cheese sauce, make my keto béchamel! Or, make a simple sugar-free honey mustard sauce by mixing 2 parts keto mayonnaise with 1 part mustard and 1 part sugar-free syrup.
Storage And Meal Prep
You can mix the dough up to 2 days ahead. Store it in the refrigerator as a dough ball or as pretzel shapes. Then, let it come to room temperature before baking.
Refrigerator: Store any leftover pretzels in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 week.
Freezer: It is possible to freeze low-carb pretzels for up to 3 months. I defrost mine overnight.
Reheating: Reheat individual pretzels in the microwave for 10 seconds. Reheat multiple pretzels in the oven or in the air fryer for 3-5 minutes at 180C or 350F.
More Fathead Dough Recipes
Here are more recipes that use mozzarella dough. It is so versatile! Take your pick:
- Keto Bagels30 Minutes
- Keto Garlic Bread30 Minutes
- Chocolate Chaffle14 Minutes
- Keto Croissant Recipe30 Minutes
Tried this recipe? Give it a star rating below!
★ STAY IN TOUCH on FACEBOOK, PINTEREST and INSTAGRAM for more great food and join my NEWSLETTER for the latest updates and a FREE EBOOK.★
Recipe
Soft And Chewy Keto Pretzels
Video
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups pre-shredded mozzarella 170g
- 2 tablespoon full fat cream cheese 28g
- 1 egg large, room temperature
- 1 cup almond flour 100g
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- pinch of coarse sea salt
Instructions
- Heat the oven to 180 degrees Celsius / 356 Fahrenheit (electric) or 160C / 320F fan-assisted. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Melt the mozzarella and the cream cheese. I did this in a pan over very low heat, stirring constantly once the melting process starts. Or, heat in the microwave for 1 minute, then add 10 sesond bursts until fully melted.
- If you do this on the stove, turn off the heat once the cheese is fully melted. Add the egg to the warm dough and stir until combined.
- Add the almond flour and baking powder and stir until combined, kneading with your hands until a uniform dough. You will end up with a big mozzarella ball that looks just like dough.
- Pinch off a piece of dough (around 30g) and stretch/roll it in your hands until it is about 20 cm long. If the dough is sticky, oil your hands lightly.
- Form it into a pretzel shape and place it on the lined baking sheet. My dough made 10 pretzels.
- Sprinkle with sea salt and bake for 17 minutes or until nicely browned. Rotate the baking sheet halfway through in case the pretzels at the back of the oven brown more quickly.
Robin
Yeah, Pretzels at last for us low-carb folks! Thank you so much for the recipe. Will be making these soon, and often! Also, as a German-American I am very pleased you have posted a list of delicious German recipes!!
Laura
I made these but I only came out with five pretzels. I found that I had to really need in the almond flour to fully incorporate it into the cheese. Pretty simple low carb recipe. they're in the oven now so I can't tell you how they taste, but they look great!!
Katrin Nürnberger
Thank you for sharing! Please come back and rate the recipe once you have tried the pretzels!
Lennie Reyes
I tried to do this recipe but the dough was very sticky. I wasn't able to shape it really nice. I hope you can tell me what I did wrong. Anyhow, after baking it, my family really loved it the taste and texture despite the funny shapes .
Katrin Nürnberger
Let the dough cool more next time, that way it will be easier to shape.
Andrea
Hi Katrin, and I just tried the Pretzel - I love this dough but only used it for pizza so far. Sadly the pretzel don't look especially pretty , within the first 5 mins in the pre-heated oven they seem to flatten and the lovely shape is partially gone. Any idea why? Dough was sticky but worked with the oil as described.
Katrin Nürnberger
What a shame! It could be that your mozzarella is softer or the almond flour is coarser. You could try 2 things - either chill the pretzels in the fridge before baking. Or, use a little more flur for a sturdier dough.
Andrea
I will definitely try them again, they taste really good and provide us with a bit of a real Pretzel feeling. Thanks for the tips!
Leila
Hello, I am allergic against cow milk products. Do you have any ideas to substitute the firm Mozzarella cheese? Maybe manouri cheese made out of sheep/ goat milk could work. Or less soft Mozzarella di buffalo and some (hemp) protein powder?
Thanks a lot for your fantastic recipes
Leila
Katrin Nürnberger
I have not tested any dairy free alternative yet. All dairy-free cheeses that I have melted become much more liquid than mozzarella so I am not sure whether you'd be able to form a shapable dough with them. Sorry that I can't help. I feel that this may be a totally different recipe.