Keto Pizza
Published June 20, 2019 β’ Updated February 7, 2026
The Original Fathead Crust Pizza
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Fat Head crust is the go-to recipe for keto pizza. This cheesy crust has a chewy, bread-like texture with a crispy bottom. Top it however you want and have pizza night any night of the week.
Unless you are brand new here, you have probably heard of Fathead Pizza. It’s been a staple alternative to traditional high carbohydrate pizza for years. With this pizza crust recipe, you get that thick, hand-tossed crispy crust with a soft, chewy interior or roll it out flatter for a thinner crust.
What is fathead dough?
Fathead dough, when used as the base for pizza, creates a crust that looks like real pizza crust and has a similar texture and flavor as well. It’s low in carbs and high in fat which makes it the perfect solution to pizza cravings. Top with a low-carb marinara and your favorite toppings and you can easily enjoy pizza night any night.
One of the reasons fathead pizza crust tastes so good is because it’s mostly made up of cheese! The mozzarella along with the almond flour create a dense, crispy pizza crust packed full of flavor. Some crust recipes add cream cheese, but it’s not a necessary ingredient in this pizza dough. That’s why this pizza crust recipe doesn’t use it. The cream cheese in classic fathead dough recipes doesn’t add any purpose except adding calories and carbs! Yes, cream cheese as carbs so why add it in if it’s just not necessary?
Time to ditch the cauliflower crust.
Before fathead pizza, most of us were making pizza crust out of cauliflower. Cauliflower pizza crust is a pain to make. You have to get most of the moisture out of the cauliflower in order to create the ideal texture. On top of that, cauliflower pizza crust doesn’t taste that great. Most cauliflower crusts still have that off-putting cauliflower flavor.
A TRIED & TRUE RECIPE
“Hey, just to say that I’m still making this dough on regular basis! It’s by far the best keto dough ever! thank you”
β₯ from YouTube subscriber @compitieux
“Wow! This is so perfect, I just made pizza for lunch. Very easy, I used a cookie tray drizzle some olive oil and press the dough until I get the thickness I want. I give this recipe A+++. Thank you!”
β₯ from YouTube subscriber @kss865
“I have perfected your fat head dough for mini pizzas. I cut the dough in 8 circles and press in tortilla press to make circles. I freeze them immediately and take one out at a time. I cook it in the air fryer at 400 for 5 minutes on each side. I then add sauce, toppings and cheese of choice. Perfect individual pizza for one. Thank you for the recipe!”
β₯ from YouTube subscriber @janismcgovern5067
How to make keto pizza
- Make fathead dough. Combine melted mozzarella cheese with almond flour, egg, baking powder, xanthan gum and salt using a food processor, electric mixer or your hands.
- Roll out pizza dough into a giant circle. For a crispy crust, pre-bake your fathead crust for a few minutes.
- Top your dough with pizza sauce, cheese and your favorite pizza toppings.
- Bake at 400 degrees for 12-18 minutes or until crust is golden brown and cheese is melted.
Key ingredients for fathead pizza crust
- Mozzarella cheese – The cheese is a necessary ingredient in fathead dough. The melted mozzarella works similar to gluten in wheat flour to provide a flexible protein matrix to trap air bubbles as the dough bakes in the oven. Other cheese, especially hard cheeses, don’t work as well because they aren’t as stretchy as mozzarella cheese is when melted. Mozzarella cheese has a neutral flavor so you can’t really tell the pizza crust is made out of cheese!
- Almond flour – The foundation to this crust. It gives the cheese structure similar to flour. Sunflower seed flour can be used if allergic to nuts. Lupin flour is a delicious alternative but you will need to cut the amount in half (3/4 cup) as it doesn’t measure cup for cup with almond flour.
- Egg – Will help hold the crust together.
- Baking powder – The leavening agent to help the pizza dough rise.
- Xanthan gum – Another ingredient that will work as a glue to hold the crust together so it keeps it shape. This can be omitted if sensitive to xanthan gum.
Explore 680+ keto recipe videos with step-by-step instructions, tips, and tricks to make keto easy.
Ingredients
3Β½ cups (10 oz) shredded mozzarella cheese -
1Β½ cups almond flour
-
1 teaspoon baking powder
-
1 teaspoon xanthan gum
-
Β½ teaspoon salt
-
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning, optional
-
Β½ teaspoon garlic powder, optional
-
1 egg
Step by Step Instructions
Step by Step Instructions
Melt the cheese
Place mozzarella in a microwave-safe glass bowl. Microwave for about two minutes. Stir to combine and make sure all of the cheese is melted. Microwave for additional time if the cheese hasn’t fully melted. Remove from microwave and let the mixture cool.
- 3Β½ cups (10 oz) shredded mozzarella cheese
Mix dry ingredients
In a large separate bowl, mix together the almond flour, baking powder, xanthan gum, salt and seasonings, if using. Set aside.
- 1Β½ cups almond flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon xanthan gum
- Β½ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning, optional
- Β½ teaspoon garlic powder, optional
Mix dough
To a food processor, add melted mozzarella cheese, egg and dry ingredients.
- melted cheese
- 1 egg
- dry ingredients
Knead pizza dough
Once combined, form a big dough ball. Knead the dough a couple of times on a lightly almond floured surface to ensure the dough is uniform in appearance and all ingredients are fully combined.
Layer between parchment
Place the ball in between two pieces of parchment paper. You can also just use a silpat mat if you have one of those, but having that top layer of parchment paper keeps the dough from sticking to you and your rolling pin. Plus it allows you to roll out a nice thin pizza crust.
Roll out crust
Roll out dough to desired thickness. Remove top parchment layer and place on top of a baking sheet.
Watcha gonna add?
Add toppings.
Nutrition disclaimer
The nutrition information provided is an estimate and is for informational purposes only. I am a Doctor of Pharmacy (Pharm.D.); however, this content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always consult your physician or other qualified health provider before making any lifestyle changes or beginning a new nutrition program.
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Get My Macros (Free) →Frequently Asked Questions
Can I buy keto pizza?
Yes! Blaze Pizza has a cauliflower crust option that's about 6 grams of net carbs per slice. Papa Murphy's also has a crustless pizza that works.
Should I use a pizza stone to make keto pizza?
A pizza stone helps get the crust extra crispy and cooks the middle more evenly. It's not required though - a baking sheet works just fine.
Is it keto to pull the toppings and cheese off of pizza and eat it?
Yes, as long as the sauce isn't loaded with sugar. A lot of pizza places add sugar to their marinara, so just check the nutrition info first.
Who invented fathead pizza dough?
The name comes from Tom Naughton's documentary 'Fat Head.' But the original recipe was actually created by a blogger called Cooky's Creations who called it 'Holy Grail Pizza Crust.' Tom and his fans started calling it Fat Head dough and the name stuck.
Can I make substitutions for the almond flour in the crust?
Yes! Sunflower seed flour works as a 1:1 swap if you have a nut allergy. You can also use lupin flour but cut the amount in half (3/4 cup). Coconut flour is trickier because it absorbs a lot more liquid and the texture won't be the same.
How should I store leftover keto pizza?
Let it cool completely, then store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. You can also freeze slices - just separate them with parchment paper and store in a freezer bag for up to 2 months.
What are the nutritional values of the keto pizza crust?
The nutrition facts are listed on the recipe card. One slice of the crust (without toppings) is about 241 calories, 19.8g fat, 12.8g protein and 3.5g net carbs.
I've made this several times and its PERFECTION!! I share this recipe link with all my keto friends. Thank you so much for sharing it! It comes together so quickly and it is really on point. So happy!!! <3
I made this yesterday and followed the guidelines that were provided and sprayed parchment paper with oil. I added Italian seasoning to the dough and forgot to put holes in the dough before putting the topping on it but the pizza turned out perfect. The Pizza was fantastic. I sauced the dough, added cheese's, a pound of cooked Italian seasoned ground beef, onions, green and black olives, mushroom's and topped with more cheese. It was awesome.
I have used the same recipe on the dough with other ingredients making sweet rolls, cup cakes, cookies and dough to wrapped hotdogs in. Its very versatile.
What if you do not have a microwave?
You can melt the cheese on a non-stick skillet over the stove top
We use your recipe all the time. Itβs the best! Would you happen to know what the βMyFitnessPalβ βpersonal pizza keto focusβ portion is?
That is probably a recipe of mine that someone added. It's probably this dough recipe but I'm not sure what toppings there are.
The recipe calls for something called "1 teaspoon xanthan gum", but that item is not included in the video which only has 4 ingredients. What is xanthan gum and it it optional?
Thanks
I changed the recipe a little bit after that video was made. I felt like the xanthan gum helps to hold the crust together better.
I tried this last night, it was great! When I used to make pizza I would put cornmeal on the parchment before putting the crust down, I used Parmesan cheese instead, worked great. I also brushed the top of the pizza with garlic butter before topping.
This pizza dough was amazing! Pizza is my most favorite food to eat. I was able to top my pizza with several ingredients. I used additional spices, such as; Italian seasoning, garlic powder, and onion powder. I hope that you will continue to shower us with additional recipes. I canβt wait !!! Thank you
Can I make the dough a couple hours ahead of time and put in the fridge before rolling out? This is our first week on keto, so want to make sure I do things correctly :)
Yes you can! You can store it in the fridge for up to 5 days and you can freeze it too!
In your notes you say "The combination of mozzarella and cream cheese along with the almond flour yield a dense, crispy pizza crust packed full of flavor.". However, cream cheese is not listed in the ingredients nor in the instructions. Is it supposed to be part of this recipe?
Ah... it does not include cream cheese. I don't know why I said that :). I have updated and removed.
Ok I actually made this today instead of the mummy dogs. But! I am going to cut strips out of the dough I rolled out and refrigerated then put some hot dogs inside with cheddar ;)
Iβll let you how it turns out. So far everything I make of your creations has been absolutely stellar. Best stuff Iβve found on the internet so far for keto heads!
That sounds delicious! I haven't tried adding cheddar but I will next time I make them.
Do you think I could pre-bake the crusts and freeze or refrigerate? Then pull out as needed, top and bake? I am trying to think of meal prep as I am trying to get my whole family on board with healthier eating. I need quick week night meals for my super picky 10 year old who only eats pizza and chicken nuggets.
Yes, you could do that. Or you can roll it out unbaked, flash freeze and stack them together. Then freeze again. That's what I do.
Do you have the total carb count per serving?
I will be adding total carbs for each recipe. For now, 1/8 of this pizza is 5.8 grams total carbs.
Amazing! I've tried different doughs and this is the best.
My crust got stuck to the paper. Should I spray the paper with cooking spray next time?
Yes, try spraying the parchment paper next time.
sorry about the inconvenience Christian. hope you got your crust unstuck after 3 years. have a good Christmas.
maybe you could try putting flour on to your surface.
lots of love
jackyboo harrison (your pookie bear)
LOVE this dough. So quick to throw together and it actually holds up with toppings. Making it weekly now.
Thank you! I'm glad you liked the keto pizza crust!
Agree! We loved how easy it is to make. Also, itβs delicious!