Buttery Keto Calzone Crust

If I had to point my finger at one thing that made keto go from something I was trying out temporarily to something that I could potentially do long term, it would probably be the famous “Fathead” pizza crust recipe. I’ve always loved pizza, so having a keto-friendly version that is delicious and pretty easy to make was a game changer for me. I probably eat pizza more now than I did pre-keto, only now I don’t feel bad about it!

Of course, pizza isn’t the only meat and cheese delivery system that I enjoy. I’ve always been a big fan of calzones too, but unfortunately my attempts at making a low carb calzone using the standard fathead crust never turned out quite right. Sometimes the bottom would be a soggy mess, and other times the whole thing would just melt into one meaty-cheesy blob. It was still tasty, but not quite what I was looking for: a big “pizza pocket” with a golden flaky crust.

Low Carb Pizza Pocket

After a little tweaking and experimentation, I think a stumbled upon a combination that gets me a little bit closer to that ideal. This crust holds up to being filled with meat, cheese, and sauce without getting soggy. It browns nicely in the oven without spreading into a melted mess. And it’s not only good for calzones! Divide the dough into smaller sections to make low carb hot pockets.

For the most part, it doesn’t call for any specialized ingredients, although I really do recommend including the whey powder if you have it (and if you don’t, Vitacost usually has Isopure Zero Carb Unflavored Whey Isolate at a decent price).

Low Carb Keto Calzone

Low Carb Calzone Crust

This keto-friendly recipe makes a buttery crust that’s perfect for low carb calzones and hot pockets.

  • Prep Time: 20m
  • Cook Time: 25m
  • Total Time: 45m
  • Yield: 2-5

Ingredients

  • 1 cup shredded mozzarella
  • 1/4 cup shredded cheddar
  • 1/4 cup butter
  • 1 ounce cream cheese
  • 1/2 teaspoon red pepper
  • 1/2 teaspoon fennel seed
  • 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning
  • 1/4 cup almond flour
  • 3 tablespoons coconut flour
  • 1 tablespoon unflavored whey protein powder (optional)
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1 egg
  • additional coconut flour and grated parmesan, for rolling dough

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 400F.
  2. In a microwave safe bowl, combine mozzarella, cheddar, cream cheese, butter, and spices. Microwave for 60-90 seconds, until melted. Stir to combine.
  3. Stir in egg and remaining dry ingredients until well combined.
  4. Divide dough into desired number of servings (2 for large calzones, 3 for standard calzones, or 4 for "hot pocket" size). Roll each section into a ball.
  5. Lightly "flour" a sheet of parchment paper with grated parmesan and coconut flour. I use around a 3:1 ratio, or a teaspoon of coconut flour per tablespoon of parmesan.
  6. Using a rolling pin, roll each ball of dough into a circle. The dough should be around 1/4 in. thick. To keep it soft and workable, you may need to pop each section into the microwave for 10 seconds or so before rolling.
  7. Using a fork, poke holes in one half of the dough circle. This will be the "bottom" of your calzone.
  8. Add filling as desired. To prevent sogginess, I would recommend not adding sauce directly on top of the crust and using no more than ~2 tablespoons of sauce in a large calzone.
  9. Sliding your hand under the parchment paper, fold the dough over the toppings. Microwave for an additional 10 seconds to soften the dough if needed, then seal the edges together using your fingers or a fork.
  10. Using a knife or fork, poke a few holes in the top of the calzone to let steam escape.
  11. Optionally, sprinkle the top of each calzone with additional shredded cheese. Transfer parchment paper to an oven safe tray and bake for 15-20 minutes, or until crust is golden brown. For a bit of extra crisp, finish under the broiler for another 2-3 minutes.

Not sure which fillings to use? Here are a few combinations that I’ve tried with good results:

  • Meat lovers’ pizza: pepperoni, bacon, Italian sausage, salami, ham, cheese, and low carb pizza sauce
  • Spinach and chicken alfredo: chicken breast, spinach leaves, mozzarella, alfredo sauce
  • Turkey, ham, and swiss: sliced turkey and ham, swiss cheese, bacon, and equal parts mustard and mayo

Feel free to tweak the crust seasonings to suit your fillings, and remember that any meats you add should be already cooked. These keep pretty well in the fridge, although if you want the crust to stay crispy then I recommend a few minutes in the oven after reheating.

The macros for 1/4 of the recipe (no fillings) work out to 315 kcal, 25.4g fat, 7g total carbs – 3g fiber = 4g net carbs, and 14g protein.

Low Carb Calzone

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15 comments

  • Rain

    I can’t wait to try this. It looks delicious. Do you think the whey powder can be substituted with soy protein powder? Thanks.

  • Karen Lengyel

    I am trying to make low carb peirogies. I wonder if this would work with a cheese cauliflower filling?

  • Melynni Jolliff

    Do you get most of your ingredients locally or online. We are pretty rural and a lot of things aren’t available I don’t think. I haven’t checked everything but thought I’d ask. If I can order at the same cost I’d prefer that.

    • KetoGirl

      Many of the keto “specialty” ingredients are available locally for me, but I often prefer buying online for better pricing anyway. For example, you can usually get a huge 4 pound bag of coconut flour for around $10 from Amazon. Almond flour is more expensive, but the Amazon price for larger bags is still much cheaper than buying the 1lb bags in stores which I’ve seen for $10-15 each. Plus the big bags will easily last for months. Hope that helps!

  • Kim

    How would I substitute flaxseed meal for the coconut flour?

  • Michelle

    Ok this is by far one of the best things I have had in weeks!!! It actually tastes like I’m eating a bread product!!! Soooo delish! Thank you!

  • Ty

    Anyone experimented with doing any variations of this for other recipes that call for a similar pastry, like as a chicken pot pie topping or such?

    • Linda

      I am going to try it for my Italian Easter Pie recipe. The filling is hot Italian sausage, ricotta cheese, mazzzerella cheese and hard boiled eggs. I can’t wait to try, I thought I was going to have to forego my Easter tradition!!

  • Jeffrey

    Thanks KetoGirl for this awesome recipe! I’m a week and a half into keto eating and needed a comfort plate. This is the ticket. Calzone has always been one of my top five plates and going cold on breads hurts sometimes but this recipe is gonna be my go to for old times sake and actually I think that regular calzone might not meet the mark with the flavor this crust brings. I am a novice cook and had no trouble on this at all so to anyone one the fence: Give it a shot and be impressed. I could have done better on the filling but the crust is awesome and will refine my recipe for the filling. I used a homemade style marinara that is low carb and sugar which I will use again as it also had a more natural flavor to bring in. I pre-cooked filling meats and do marinara as a side for dipping or pouring on like gravy (I start dipping or spreading it on with each bite but have to cover it after I get to enjoying it).

  • Becky Hosack

    Just curious what you used the whey protein for? I made mine without and they were great!

  • This is a great recipe! My picky 16 year old actually ate it and liked it!
    I’ll definitely be saving it for regular meal rotation.

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