These keto croissants are buttery and fluffy - perfect for a relaxed breakfast, brunch or afternoon treat. They are really easy to make and only 3 net carbs per portion.
Want a croissant to enjoy alongside your morning coffee or afternoon tea? Well, this recipe hits the spot.
I am sitting here with a perfectly formed low carb croissant, which I have sliced and spread with butter and sugar free strawberry jam. And as I am sipping my almond milk matcha latte and typing these words, I can't help but think that eating keto is very satisfying indeed.
Let me be very honest here - this keto croissant recipe does not quite taste like traditional French croissants. It is not possible to re-create that flaky pastry texture of classic butter croissants without using wheat or at least wheat gluten.
That said, I am super-happy with how this recipe turned out. I used fathead dough, which is a genius low carb dough that's made with shredded mozzarella.
Fathead dough has a fantastic soft and fluffy texture, and by adding a little yeast and butter there's a lot of croissant flavor going on.
On top of that, my keto crescent rolls look the part and are delightfully easy and quick to make. There's no folding the dough and slowly working in the butter. We're combining the ingredients in one bowl and they are ready for the oven in just 10 minutes.
My teenagers both asked for seconds, by the way. That's always the ultimate seal of approval.
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🌟 Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Fluffy texture
- Yeasty, buttery flavor
- Naturally gluten-free
- Sugar free, low carb and keto-friendly
- 3.1 net carbs per croissant
- Only 10 minutes prep, no blender needed
Ingredients
Here are the ingredients you'll need:
- Shredded mozzarella cheese - The part skimmed mozzarella is best. I bought pre-grated mozzarella in the supermarket. Or, buy a block and shred it at home.
- Almond flour - My go-to is ground almonds, which is the same as regular almond flour in the US. For super-fine almond flour, reduce the amount by 1 tablespoon.
- Coconut flour - Just a little to improve the flavor.
- Egg - must be large and room temperature. Whisk it before using.
- Cream cheese - Full fat cream cheese helps to make the dough soft.
- Baking powder - Check that it is fresh.
- Sugar substitute - I used powdered Bocha Sweet. Allulose is also a good option.
- Active dry yeast - This is optional, but I added it for that authentic croissant flavor.
Instructions
This section contains step-by-step instructions and photos that show how to make this recipe. See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities
Step 1: Melt the mozzarella and cream cheese in a microwave for around 1 minute. Or, heat in a non-stick saucepan over a low heat. The cheese should be melted, but not bubbling.
Step 2: In a separate bowl, combine the dry ingredients: almond flour, coconut flour, baking powder, powdered sweetener, pinch of salt and dry active yeast, if using.
Step 3: Add the dry to the wet ingredients and add the egg. Start to combine the mixture using a fork, then use your hands to make a ball of smooth dough.
Step 4: Roll out the dough into a rectangle between two sheets of parchment paper using a rolling pin. It should be about ¼ inch or 5 mm thick. Lift the top parchment.
Step 5: Cut into 3 rectangles with a knife or pizza cutter, then cut into 6 long triangles.
Re-roll each triangle so it's even and around 19 centimetres long. Then, roll up into a crescent shape. Place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Option to brush with melted butter.
Step 6: Bake in the oven until golden brown and puffed. Once the croissants are golden, place aluminium paper over them for the remainder of the oven time. This prevents them from burning.
Expert Tips
Keep dough warm. If the dough cools, it can become difficult to work with. Warm it in the microwave for 10 seconds or until it softens.
Oil hands. Fathead dough is sticky. Working with it can be easier if you lightly oil your hands.
Seal to secure. Pinch the tip of the triangle to seal the dough. This prevents the croissant from unrolling during baking.
Fillings
While plain croissants are delicious, sometimes it's fun to go that extra mile and add a filling:
Almond croissant: My keto marzipan makes a great almond paste. Add it onto the wide part of the dough triangle and roll up. Top with flaked almonds before baking and dust with powdered sweetener before serving.
Chocolate croissant: Use sugar free nutella. Brands like Choczero and Lakanto make keto nutella as well. Press the sides of the croissant dough together so it does not leak out during baking.
Recipe FAQs
Not quite, but they taste great! Traditional croissants are made with wheat flour and this one contains mozzarella cheese and almond flour. There is a hint of nuttiness from the almonds, but no cheesy flavor. The texture is soft and fluffy and the taste is buttery and yeasty.
No. Dairy-free cheese does not melt as well as mozzarella and the croissants would not have the same texture.
You can omit the almond flour and use ⅓ cup or 40g coconut flour in total.
Yes. Use 75g or ¾ cup super-fine almond flour or 90g ground almonds.
Serving Suggestion
Serve warm on its own or spread with butter. We love to top them with homemade sugar free blueberry jam, sugar free orange marmalade or this sugar free lemon curd.
Of course, you could also fill the croissants with savoury toppings such as Emmental and cooked ham! Or, serve alongside a portion of keto scrambled eggs.
Storage
Refrigerator: Store in and airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Freezer: Keto croissants freeze well for up to 3 months.
Reheating: When fathead dough is cold, it becomes quite firm. Warm the croissants gently in the microwave or reheat them in the oven or air fryer for a few minutes before serving. This makes them soft and fluffy again.
More Baked Treats
Here are more Fathead recipes to try:
- Keto Bagels30 Minutes
- Low Carb Pizza18 Minutes
- Keto Pretzels35 Minutes
- Keto Cinnamon Rolls (Sugar Free, Low carb)30 Minutes
Tried this recipe? Give it a star rating below!
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Recipe
Keto Croissants
from Sugar Free LondonerNote: The servings slider only changes the first amount in each line and not any subsequent amounts. Please make your own calculations where necessary.
Ingredients
- 1.5 cup mozzarella, shredded 170g / 6oz
- 2 tablespoon cream cheese full fat, 30g
- 1 egg large, whisked, room temperature
- ½ cup almond flour ground almonds, 50g, use 1 tablespoon less for super-fine almond flour
- 2 tablespoon coconut flour level, 16g
- 2 tablespoon powdered sweetener I used Bocha Sweet
- 1.5 tsp baking powder
- ½ teaspoon dried active yeast optional, for flavour
- 1 tablespoon butter melted, for brushing the tops (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 180C / 350F electric or 160C / 320F fan assisted. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Melt the mozzarella and cream cheese in a microwave for around 1 minute. Or, heat in a non-stick saucepan over a low heat. The cheese should be melted, but not bubbling.
- In a separate bowl, combine the dry ingredients: almond flour, coconut flour, baking powder, powdered sweetener and dry active yeast, if using.
- Add the dry to the wet ingredients and add the egg. Start to combine using a fork, then use your hands to make a ball of smooth dough.
- Roll out the dough into a rectangle between two sheets of parchment paper, about ¼ inch or 5 mm thick. Fold over the edges of the parchment to create a straight line. Lift the top parchment.
- Cut into 3 rectangles, then cut into 6 long triangles.
- Re-roll each triangle so it is evenly shaped and around 19 centimetres long. Again, I like to fold the edges of the parchment paper to shape the dough. Then, roll up into a crescent shape. Place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Option to brush with melted butter.
- Bake in the oven for 20 minutes or until golden and puffed. Once the croissants are golden brown (after 13-14 minutes), loosely place aluminium paper over them for the remainder of the oven time. This prevents them from over-browning.
Toni
If I want a more savory croissant, should I omit the powdered sweetener?
Katrin Nürnberger
Yes, you can absolutely do that!
Jenn
I don't have mozzarella so wondering if I can use cheddar?
Katrin Nürnberger
No, when cheddar melts it is more liquid than mozzarella. It also tastes a lot more like cheese than mozzarella because it is saltier.