These fathead breadsticks are shaped like bones for a fun and spooky low carb Halloween appetizer! They're made from cheesy fathead dough, dipped in Parmesan and baked until golden, and at just 5g net carbs per serving they're keto friendly too.
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This recipe combines two of my favorite things: fun low carb Halloween food and fathead dough! They look impressive on a party table, but they're really just breadsticks with a little extra shaping, so they're easy enough to make on a busy October weeknight.
What Are Fathead Breadsticks?
Fathead dough is the go-to low carb dough made from melted mozzarella, cream cheese, almond flour and an egg. It's soft, stretchy and easy to shape, and it bakes up golden with a slightly chewy, bready bite, which makes it perfect for breadsticks. Fathead dough can be used for all sorts of recipes, from pizza crusts to pastries, so check out my Ultimate Guide to Fathead Dough for lots more ideas and tips.
Here I've used it to make fathead breadsticks, but with an extra dusting of Parmesan and formed into bone shapes! Nobody at the party will guess they're low carb, and the kids love grabbing a "bone" and dunking it in sauce.
Key Ingredients & Substitutions
- Shredded mozzarella. This is the base of the dough, and it's what gives fathead breadsticks their stretch. Use low-moisture, full-fat mozzarella; fresh mozzarella is too wet and makes a sticky dough.
- Cream cheese. A couple of tablespoons makes the dough softer and easier to knead. Full-fat block cream cheese works best. You can leave it out in a pinch, but the dough will be a little stiffer.
- Almond flour. Use a finely ground blanched almond flour, like Oh! Nuts Blanched Almond Flour, for the smoothest dough. Coconut flour isn't a one-to-one swap here; it's far more absorbent, so you'd need about a quarter of the amount.
- Egg. A beaten egg binds everything together. Let the melted cheese cool for a minute before stirring it in so it doesn't scramble.
- Grated Parmesan. Dipping the tops of the bones in Parmesan gives them a salty, crispy, slightly knobbly "bone" texture. Finely grated Parmesan sticks best, and Pecorino Romano works too.
How to Make Fathead Breadstick Bones
Make the fathead dough by melting the shredded mozzarella and cream cheese together in the microwave. Stir in a beaten egg and the almond flour.
Here's my video on how to make fathead dough!
After the dough has cooled a little, knead it for a few minutes until smooth. Take small balls of the dough and form them into bone shapes.
Dip one side of each bone into a plate of grated Parmesan, then place on a lined baking sheet, Parmesan side up.
When you have used up all the dough (I made 12 bones in a few different lengths), bake in a preheated oven for 8-10 minutes or until cooked through and golden brown on top. Serve warm!
Helpful Tips
Shape the bones in three quick steps. Roll each piece of dough into a log about 4 to 5 inches long and a little thicker than a pencil. Then use a knife to make a short cut, about half an inch deep, into each end, and gently pull the two halves apart and round them off into little knobs. That's it: a log with two knobby ends reads as a bone straight away.
Keep your hands slightly damp or oiled. Fathead dough gets sticky as it warms up. Rubbing a little olive oil on your hands, or wetting them lightly, makes rolling the logs so much easier. If the dough gets too soft to shape, pop it in the fridge for 10 minutes.
Knead it while it's still warm. Work the dough as soon as it's cool enough to handle, until the cheese and almond flour are fully combined and there are no streaks. If it firms up before you've finished, microwave it for 10 seconds to soften it again.
Use a silicone mat or parchment. The cheese in fathead dough can stick to a bare pan. I bake mine on a reusable silicone baking mat, which makes clean-up really easy, but parchment paper works just as well.
Mix up the sizes and keep an eye on them. Bones in different lengths look more fun on the plate, but smaller ones bake faster. Check them at 8 minutes and pull out any that are already golden so they don't burn.
Variations
- Garlic Parmesan bones. Stir ½ teaspoon of garlic powder into the Parmesan before dipping, then brush the hot breadsticks with a little melted garlic butter and sprinkle with chopped parsley as soon as they come out of the oven.
- Pizza dippers. Knead 1 teaspoon of Italian seasoning into the dough, press a few mini pepperoni slices onto each bone before baking, and serve with warm marinara. They taste just like pizza breadsticks! If your family loves that combo, try my Keto Pizza Roll Ups too.
- Everything bagel bones. Swap half the Parmesan for everything bagel seasoning for a savory, crunchy topping.
- Spicy bones. Add a pinch of cayenne or red pepper flakes to the dough, or mix some finely diced pickled jalapeño into it for a little kick.
- Cheesy herb bones. Use a blend of Parmesan and finely grated cheddar on top, and add dried rosemary or thyme to the dough.
Serving Ideas
Breadsticks and marinara are a classic combination, and a little bowl of warm marinara makes a perfect "bloody" dip for these bones! Look for a jar with no added sugar, like Yo Mama's Keto Marinara, and check the label, since many regular pasta sauces are surprisingly high in sugar.
In the photos I served them with a low carb ketchup, and my homemade low carb chipotle ketchup would also work really well! For more ideas, click over to my guide to low carb ketchup, which includes both store-bought products and recipes. And if you don't have any low carb ketchup or marinara, you could always use a low carb salsa.
For a Halloween party spread, pile the bones into a black tray or a small cauldron and serve them alongside other spooky finger foods, like Low Carb Mozzarella Sticks and a big veggie platter. They also make a fun side for a bowl of soup or chili on a chilly October night.
Storing & Freezing
These fathead breadsticks are at their best warm from the oven, but leftovers keep well. Let them cool completely, then store them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Reheat in a 350F oven or an air fryer for 3 to 5 minutes to crisp them up again; the microwave works, but it makes them soft and chewy.
To freeze, lay the baked and cooled bones on a tray until firm, then transfer them to a freezer bag for up to 2 months. Reheat from frozen in a 350F oven for 6 to 8 minutes. You can also make the dough a day ahead: wrap it tightly and keep it in the fridge, then let it sit at room temperature for 10 minutes (or microwave for 10 seconds) so it's soft enough to shape.
More Low Carb Halloween Recipes
If you loved these spooky breadsticks, here are a few more Halloween treats you might enjoy:
- Halloween Witch Fingers (Keto, Low Carb)
- Low Carb Mummy Hot Dogs
- Halloween Jalapeño Poppers
- Halloween Spider Deviled Eggs
- Low Carb Halloween Recipes
📖 Recipe
Low Carb Breadstick Bones
Ingredients
Equipment
Step-by-Step Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375F (190C) and line a baking sheet with a silicone baking mat or parchment paper.
- Make the fathead dough: put the mozzarella and cream cheese in a microwave-safe bowl and microwave for 1 minute. Stir, then microwave for another 20-30 seconds until fully melted and smooth.
- Let the cheese cool for a minute, then stir in the beaten egg and almond flour until a dough forms.
- While the dough is still warm, knead it for a few minutes until smooth. Divide it into 12 pieces.
- Roll each piece into a log about 4-5 inches long. Make a short cut about ½ inch deep into each end, then gently pull the two halves apart and round them into knobs to make the bone shape.
- Dip one side of each bone into a plate of grated Parmesan, then place on the baking sheet, Parmesan side up.
- Bake for 8-10 minutes, or until cooked through and golden brown on top. Serve warm with marinara for dipping.
Nutrition
Notes
Tried this recipe?
Let us know how it was!Nutritional information is provided as a courtesy and is my best approximation. Net carbs are calculated as the total grams carbs minus the total grams of fiber.
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