The Fathead pizza crust makes this low carb pepperoni pizza taste just like the real thing. This easy mozzarella dough takes minutes to make and bake!
One food I regularly miss on my low carb keto diet is pizza. But thanks to recent innovations in low carb pizza crusts, pizza is now an option. Low carb pepperoni pizza is my current favorite, but I am one who likes lots of gourmet flavors on my pizza so a nice Low Carb Sausage Kale Ricotta Pizza makes me equally as happy.
I have enjoyed using this variation on the original Fathead Pizza dough. We've had low carb pizza almost every week for Friday pizza night/ movie night with the kids. The most popular low carb pizza I’ve made by far is this all-American-classic, low carb pepperoni pizza. My family loves it.
This low carb pepperoni pizza tastes so much like the real deal that it will take care of all of those pesky pizza cravings. Of course it’s not going to have the exact texture as a real pizza, but it comes as close to the real thing as we low carbers have at the moment. It’s thin and crisp and holds up well to toppings – thanks to the fathead pizza crust.
If you haven’t tried this recipe for low carb pizza crust, let me warn you. This is for serious cheese lovers only. It’s made almost entirely of cheese. It should be called cheese-head pizza. So, I would make it as a once-a-week-stuff-your-face low carb pizza fix.
This low carb pizza crust recipe has a fair amount of sodium as well, for those concerned about sodium intake. But if you don’t eat the whole pizza by yourself, you should be okay. Serve this great low carb Pepperoni Pizza with a nice big salad and you will be happy-happy!
*I use store bought marinara sauce for my pizza, but I have also used drained crushed tomatoes. Tomato sauce is pretty carby so look for one that is less in carbs like Rao's brand.
*This recipe makes one large thin sheet pizza, two 10 inch extra thin round pizzas or one 12-13 inch thin round pizza (shown).
Try this Fathead Low Carb Pizza (Pepperoni Pizza With Fathead Pizza Crust) at 5 net carbs per serving!
[This recipe and post may contain affiliate links.]
The Fathead pizza crust makes this low carb pepperoni pizza taste just like the real thing. This easy mozzarella dough takes minutes to make and bake! 5 net carbs per 1/6 of the recipe.
- 1½ cups mozzarella cheese
- 2 oz full fat cream cheese
- 1 large egg, beaten
- 1 cups almond flour
- 2 tablespoons unflavored whey protein powder or oat fiber 500
- 1 1/2 cup mozzarella cheese (5 oz /150 g)
- 1/2 cup store bought marinara sauce (I like Rao's) (4 oz/113 g)
- 20 slices pepperoni slices (or as much as you'd like) (1.5 oz/43 g)
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees and position one rack to the bottom position and the other to the upper third.
- Low Carb Pizza Crust: Place the 5 ounces of grated mozzarella cheese into a medium-sized microwave-safe bowl. Cut the cream cheese into about 6-8 pieces and place in the bowl with the mozzarella. Microwave the cheeses for 1½ -2 minutes depending on the strength of your microwave. Stir the cheeses together. Add the egg to the cheese and stir with a fork until combined. It will take a minute to coax the two to blend. Add the almond flour and protein powder and blend completely. Sometimes I use my hand at the end and knead the dough until it is more elastic than sticky.
- Method: Hands - Place a piece of parchment paper on a sheet pan and with water moistened or oiled hands, pat the dough evenly into place. I prefer to oil my hands. the dough will cover most of the sheet pan. Dock (poke holes all over) with a fork.
- Rolling Pin: Alternately, roll the dough out between two sheets of parchment paper. This is my preferred way. Remove the top piece of parchment and transfer the dough and parchment to the baking sheet. Dock (poke holes all over) with a fork.
- Bake: Bake on the bottom rack for 8-10 minutes until golden brown. Remove from the oven and rub the crust with a piece of garlic. Spread the tomato sauce onto the pizza and top evenly with cheese. Add the pepperoni. Bake on the upper rack until the cheese has melted.
- Cut into 6 pieces and serve.
Makes 2 - thin 10 inch pizzas, 1 - thicker 12 inch pizza, or 1 thin sheet pan pizza (13 x 16 1/2).
*** Pictures is a 12 1/2 inch pizza.
Low Carb Pizza Supreme with Fathead Pizza Crust
Low Carb Sausage and Kale Fathead Pizza
Fathead Pizza Crust Ham and Cheese Pockets
Made this tonight! OMG!! Where has this been my entire low carbing life!! Love love love it!
I’m so glad you liked recipe. Who doesn’t like pepperoni pizza? Have a great weekend. -Kim
What is the serving size ??? Whole pizza ? One slice ? Let me know please
Hi Collin. The serving size is 1/6th of the recipe. How many slices will depend on how you cut the pizza. -Kim
So is this 321 calories per slice?
Yes, aldyn, per 1/6th of the recipe as written. It is low in carbs but not low in calories. I like serving it with a green salad. -Kim
Amazing! I have to be gluten free I recently started low carb due to my jeans getting a bit snug. As well as trying to avoid becoming a type 2 diabetic. I did 8 minutes and it was nice and brown but the bottom for us needed a bit more. I used parmesan instead of protein powder. I also ran my almond flour through a sifter to avoid the dreaded gluten free Sandy texture. I think it is the cheese that gives it the gluten like texture that I miss with so many recipes..Hubby liked it as much if not better than the homemade full carb full gluten crust we use to make on the grill back in our gluten days. I miss those days 🙁 so thank you! !!!!!!! I saw the edge of yours in the photo and tried to duplicate it. I took pictures of it each step of the way it was so pretty.
I’m glad you liked the pizza, Monica. I agree with you that the cheese is what gives it a similar stretch or texture of gluten. I loved grilling my pizzas back in the day, too. I loved the charred bits and smokey flavor. I’m sure your pizza was beautiful. Thanks for taking the time to let me know about your pizza! Have a great weekend. -Kim
You can cut the carbs even farther with crushed spicy zero carb pork skins. Tried both and tasted the same to the wife and myself
Instead of the almond flour? I’ll have to try that, Buddy. Thanks for the tip! -Kim
I just made this for dinner. It was just like having pizza again. My husband said it was “great”. Next time I’ll leave the crust in for the full 10 minutes. I got worried when it started to brown so quickly. I love your website. Thanks for being out there. Jane from Ottawa.
Isn’t it great to have recipes available that taste so similar to the real thing, Jane? I’m glad your husband liked it. Sometimes husbands are hard to win over. Lol. Thanks for your kind words and for taking the time to leave such a nice comment. Enjoy your weekend. -Kim
I just made this tonight, as a Valentine’s gift for my diabetic husband, and it came together very well. I made one 12″ crust, but mine did not have the edge yours has and my crust was almost black by the time it was all done and tasted quite dry. The pizza itself had an excellent real pizza taste! Love the recipe, but am wondering what I can do so it isn’t so dark/dry. (I did bake it on parchment, but on a pizza pan with holes.) thank you for the recipe.
Elizabeth, it sounds like your oven is hotter than mine. If you overcook it it will be dry. I rolled the edge on the pizza in towards the middle just a little to get the crust to look like that. I purposely didn’t share that trick because I didn’t want other bloggers to copy it. Petty, I know. Now you know my secret! 🙂 I would decrease baking time until it is lightly browned and then put it back in just until the cheese melts. My oven is 20 years old and I am always afraid that it is going to explode on me! Lol. I hope these ideas help make your second attempt perfect. Have a nice evening. -Kim
Thank you, Kim. I do think the first browning was too much, maybe too high temp, or too close to the bottom. I was worried about it being soggy, but don’t think that’s a problem. Will remove it earlier next time will definitely roll the crust, it looks more like real pizza. My husband was thrilled…I’m more the critical one. Thank you for the recipe, it was easy to do.
You are most welcome! So glad your husband is finding things he likes. -Kim
It’s tough when you’re diabetic. He’s lost 27 pounds in four months, so I thought he deserved a treat. He’s really missed pizza.
My family loved the pizza tonight! I thought I’d get all fancy and make it a stuffed crust pizza. Sounds great, huh? Yeah, there’s so much cheese in the rest of the recipe that the cheese in the crust wasn’t even noticeable. Anyway, the husband says it’s better than take-out (and wants to know how often I can make it) and my 14 year old said it was “good.” Do you even know how high a praise “good” is to a teenager?! This recipe is definitely a keeper!
Wendy, that’s great news! I haven’t tried a stuffed crust pizza yet and it sounds great. For a while we were doing Friday night pizza night because it could be made faster than delivery! You’re right, I have a pre-teen and we are seeing some of the teenage attitude. Thanks for commenting and telling me how your family liked the recipe. Have a wonderful week. -Kim
How stupid. You post a supposed “low carb” pepperoni pizza without appropriate measurements. I am suppose to be on a low carb diet but to manipulate people like this just to get subscribers is crap. Makes it hard to give you any kind of rating.
Hi Bea. I tried my best to accommodate all with this recipe. I used cups & ounces which I measured and weighed myself and then used Google to convert to grams. If something is in error please let me know. I may be inexperienced with metric conversions, but I am hardly stupid. I like to use weight (ounces, grams) in my recipes because it gives the most accurate carb count in my nutritional calculator (MasterCook). There are a lot of folks who want to know exactly how many carbs they are eating and I try to be as accurate as I can. Furtherrmore, the serving size is 1/6 th of the recipe and I tell you in the notes what size pizzas the recipe makes and which size I used in the photo. I don’t know how I could be more specific. Thanks for your comment. I hope you have a more positive day. -Kim
Well responded. Some people just lack manners. Rather than asking for the information she needs (or using her brain to work it out), she relies on insults. This is a FREE recipe! How is that charging someone?! Keep up the great work and let negative people and their attitudes flush away like a bad meal.
Hi, Lottie! Thanks for taking the time to pop on over from Facebook and let me know the recipe wasn’t in error – and for all of the positive comments. I appreciate it! Have a great week! -Kim
Kim,
I think the problem here is that you’ve given too many possible ways to measure out ingredients. You should clearly just draw pictures of measurements. With crayons. Words are just too difficult for people without brains or the understanding of how to use a coffeemaker to get their much needed morning caffeine. Less ‘splaining and more drawing. It’s the secret to happiness. Oddly enough, it’s also the secret to stupid. Go figure.
Hi Wendy. I just bought a beautiful new box of twistable crayons for my daughter. I will get on it! 😉 Thanks for the comment and enjoy your week. -Kim
Please, be respectful. This is a service that she supplies free of charge. No need to call others names. Lots of other recipes and places to look if this is not meeting your low carb needs. No need to be so rude.
Not sure what you mean Bea by “supposed low carb pizza” because this pizza IS low carb. There is no flour & she specifies no sugar added sauce. The measurements & ingredients are very similar to the cheese, egg, & almond flour crust you’ll find in every other low carb blog.
Bea, your comment is completely unfounded & unnecessary!!
Bea-
There is this thing called the Internet. Maybe you have heard of it? You can try using it to look up the GIVEN measurements to suit what you need. Everyone is just trying to do their best. So instead of being nasty, why not just ask for what you need; OR better yet, look it up yourself (you know – fact check)? Then, make a suggestion. Should Kim also wipe your nose for you, too? The nature and tone of your comment is absolutely unhelpful. It makes people question your intelligence.
Kim, I totally do not get what this poster is commenting about. Your recipes are VERY clear and they work. I think sometimes simply have a need to be mean. Like you, I hope they have a better day and enjoy your recipes and all the work you put into them.
Thank you Patti. I appreciate the time you took out of your day to check the recipe for me and to leave such a supportive and kind comment to me. I wish you a beautiful day. -Kim
What in heavens are you talking about? The measurements are all there. This is such a wonderful site with wonderful recipes and most of us really appreciate all the work Kim puts into these recipes. You need to rethink how offensive you are. If you would have just let anyone know what problems you are having with the recipe, anyone would try to help. Personally, I much prefer my recipes in weighted measurements, but it looks like you have everything here. Perhaps you don’t know how to read a recipe.
This recipe is indeed low carb. Measurements are all there. It is also delicious and could not be any clearer in the recipe. What a shame that you can not see this. Now I wonder who the stupid person really is!! How rude of you to post such nonsense!
Oh I could make this for din but no whey protein powder.
Hi Annie. You can sub more almond flour if you want. The whey protein powder gives it a more bread-like consistency. You can also follow the original Fathead dough recipe. Many people love it, I just think mine is a tiny bit better. Enjoy your pizza! -Kim
What happens if I don’t want to use protein powder?
Hi Susan. You can sub more almond flour if you want or you can follow the original Fathead dough recipe. Adding the whey protein gives it a more bread-like texture! It a very forgiving recipe. Have a nice evening. -Kim
Gonna gave to make this real soon! Been craving pizza.
Robin, it’s so good. If the dough is too sticky, let it cool a little and you will be fine. Enjoy your pizza! -Kim
I’ve been making the fathead pizza dough for over a year, it’s good but wasn’t quite right. I saw this online a couple days ago and figured I’d give it a try. O.M.G! Thank you, thank you, thank you! This is the best low carb, grain free pizza dough I’ve had since going low carb. I feel like I had REAL pizza!
Cindy, I am thrilled that you liked the recipe and were able to scratch that pizza itch! I love pizza and it’s nice to be able to whip one up in less time than it takes for delivery. Thanks so much for leaving a comment and letting me know you feel about the recipe. Have a great day! -Kim
Can you make this without the wet protein?
Sure Mike. Add 1/4 more almond flour or follow the link to the original Fathead dough. Happy eating! -Kim
Hi again,
I made this pizza tonight, using the double boiler method for melting the cheeses that you suggested – it worked really well! I let the cheese cool down a bit before working in the egg so that it didn’t end up scrambled. I don’t have any protein powder so I used the extra almond flour mentioned in an earlier comment. The dough wasn’t too difficult to work but it wasn’t easy to roll out thinly, I used the parchment paper to roll it out. I wonder whether using a little more liquid would help to balance the extra almond flour?
I was surprised how quickly the base browned in the oven, definitely need to keep an eye on it and not stray too far from the kitchen for that stage!
The final result was tasty but it did have that distinctive almond flour taste. The texture wasn’t too bad though – perhaps both would improve if I’d used the protein powder? Next time I make it I’ll make the effort to source some – is it the same as the one that people would use for body building?
I’m so happy to have an edible low carb substitute for my usual Friday night treat. A huge thank you for providing the ingredients in grams as well as cups – this was a massive help as I’ve really struggled to find a reliable conversion tool for other US recipes and there aren’t many UK-based low carb bloggers out there.
Thanks once again,
Angie
Angie, thanks for the detailed comment. I’m really happy that the double boiler method worked. I wonder if the cheese got too cold to be worked properly? Maybe the conversion was off and a little less almond flour was needed? I can get my crust REALLY thin when rolling it between oiled parchment – it does take a little time. The protein powder I use is Whey Protein Isolate and it is pure whey powder. It is used by bodybuilders and in low carb baking. It helps improve the texture of baked goods. I would buy an unflavored protein powder because you could always add flavoring and sweetener. Make sure to get one with the least amount of carbs. I get a zero carb protein powder – Nature’s Best Isopure brand. Thanks again for letting me know how it went and it is my absolute pleasure to share recipes. Have a nice weekend. -Kim
Thank you for the extra info, I’ll definitely be making this again so I’ll try the protein powder and oiling the parchment.
Take care!
Angie
I just made this pizza crust, and it was AWESOME. This is definitely my new favorite low-carb crust! Thanks SO much for sharing this wonderful recipe!
Hooray, pizza! Thanks for taking the time to tell me how you like the recipe Shanda. Have a great week! -Kim
Hi Kim
What an ingenious idea! I love cheese so this recipe sounds heavenly to me… Only problem I have is that I don’t have a microwave to soften the cheeses – do you have any suggestions for how I could do that step?
Thanks in advance from the UK!
Angie
Hello Angie, thanks! Hmmm. Maybe a double boiler? I would cut the cream cheese up and put it into the bottom and then add the other on top and cover? I’m just shooting from the hip here. When I do mine in the microwave, it gets all melty when I stir it. If it gets too hot, the dough will be very sticky, but letting it cool, helps a lot. If you have to go through the trouble of the double boiler, I would make a double or triple batch. Readers have had success in freezing and thawing the raw dough. Will you comment again and let me know what method you used and how it worked? I’m sure it would help others. Thanks again and have a wonderful week! -Kim
Thank you for your reply, I will let you know how I get on!
Thanks Angie. Have a great weekend! -Kim
Have you ever tried putting the melted cheeses into your Kithen Aid mixer then adding the egg and letting the mixer do the work? Love the crust hate the work!
Yvonne, that is such a great idea. You could double or triple the recipe that way. No, I haven’t used the mixer although I think the paddle attachment would be perfect! I’ll add it to the post. I’m so lazy that it would take more effort for me to lug out my mixer and clean the bowl and attachment and put it the mixer away, so I just use a fork. Someone froze the extra dough the other day and let it come back to room temperature before rolling and it was perfect. I think the mixer and a big batch is the way to go! Have a nice weekend. -Kim
To the best of my knowledge 8 ounces = 1 Cup or 125 g
Hi Terri. I’m not sure what your comment is addressing… Are you referencing the cheese? I measured the cheese, then weighed it in ounces. I usually use Google to do the conversion from ounces to grams.
I measured the cheese again, just now, in cups; re-weighing in ounces and then in grams and changed the gram weight in the recipe. Different ingredients have different weights so 8 ounces of something (say feathers) may not equal 1 cup. Thanks. -Kim
This looks delicious! Is there anything I could use instead of the protein powder?
Hi Jenny, great question. Yes, you can use 1/4 cup more almond flour or 2 tablespoons of Oat Fiber 500. I tried psyllium powder, oat fiber and protein powder and thought that the version with the protein powder tasted the best and gave a “breadier” feel to the dough. The original recipe just called for the almond flour. IF the dough is too sticky, let it cool just a bit before working with it. Have fun! -Kim
Fabulous! I have made calzones with this dough also. My husband loves it!
Thanks for coming back and leaving a comment Natalie! This dough makes the BEST calzones. Glad your husband likes it too. Enjoy your week. -Kim
Kim, I will be the first to say that I am an official, nay, high-ranking official of the Cheese Lovers’ Club. Haha. I have to say, your photo of this low carb pizza just had me at first glance. That perfect crust and those generous slices… girl, I could use some of this like, RIGHT now. Well done on making it low-carb too! It’s super impressive that you made a crust OUT OF CHEESE!! Woah. Great recipe & great pics. P.S. It’s so nice to meet you. 🙂 Can’t wait to explore more of your blog. Pinning!
Nice to meet you, too, Demeter. I’ve been totally loving this low carb crust. It makes a darn good pizza – good enough to satisfy those pizza cravings cause…yeah, most everybody loves pizza! Thanks for introducing yourself and your great comment! Have a nice weekend! -Kim
Life and lack of organization happens to the best of us, Kim, so don’t fret! Plus I think you totally made up for the lack of posts with this cheesy deliciousness! Drooling over here!! And I love that this pizza is low carb, definitely means I can eat the entire thing… right?! 😉 Cheers, friend!
Thanks, Cheyanne! It’s a great pizza! -Kim
I am a cheesehead! haha I love pizza but certainly don’t need all the carbs — I’m more about the cheese and toppings. This looks perfect!
Hi Marcie! I know, it is all about the toppings! Thanks so much. Have a great weekend. -Kim
we Love this crust! wondederful!!!!
Hooray! I’m so glad Natalie. Have a great weekend. -Kim