Paleo Bagels: What They Are, What’s In Them, and Why They Actually Taste Good

What Is a Paleo Bagel?

A Paleo bagel is exactly what it sounds like: a bagel made without grains, gluten, dairy, soy, or refined sugar — all while still tasting like something you’d actually want to eat for breakfast.

If you follow a Paleo diet (or just want to avoid modern gut-wrecking ingredients), you know that finding baked goods that fit the guidelines and taste good is nearly impossible. Most Paleo baking either sacrifices taste, texture, or both. Bagels? Even harder.

That’s why we started Sweet Chaos Bakery. Because we were tired of pretending crumbly substitutes and dry hockey pucks counted as breakfast.

What Makes a Bagel “Paleo”?

Paleo baking eliminates:

Grains (no wheat, no rice, no oats, no corn)
Dairy
Legumes (no soy or peanuts)
Refined sugar
Artificial preservatives and fillers

The result is baking that focuses on real, nutrient-dense ingredients your gut recognizes, without sacrificing flavor or texture.

A Paleo bagel still needs to feel like a bagel: chewy, satisfying, golden on the outside, soft on the inside, and sturdy enough to hold your toppings without collapsing into crumbs.

The Ingredients We Use in Our Paleo Bagels

We’re transparent about everything that goes into our bagels. Here’s exactly what you’ll find:

Tapioca flour — gives that chewy, classic bagel structure without gluten.
Almond flour — adds richness, protein, and healthy fats.
Flax seed — for fiber, structure, and added nutrition.
Salt — because bagels without salt are sad.
Eggs — bind everything together and add moisture.
Yeast — for that classic rise and subtle fermented flavor.
Maple sugar — a Paleo-friendly, unrefined sweetener that supports yeast development and flavor.
Water — obviously.
Olive oil — for moisture, richness, and that perfect crumb.

That’s it. No filler starches. No weird gums or binders. No junk.

How Paleo Bagels Are Made

We’re not throwing ingredients into a bowl and hoping for the best. Paleo baking requires actual science. Here’s how we pull it off:

Perfecting the Blend

Balancing almond flour, tapioca flour, flax seed, and maple sugar takes a lot of testing. Too much of one, and you get a dry, crumbly bagel. Too much of another, and you get gummy, dense dough. We’ve dialed in the formula for the perfect bite.

Yeast-Fermented Dough

Even though many Paleo recipes skip yeast, we use it. Fermentation adds lightness, flavor, and structure without requiring gluten.

Boil Before Baking

Yes, we boil every bagel before baking. That’s how you get the chewy crust and glossy finish that makes a bagel a bagel. Most gluten-free brands skip this step. We don’t.

Flash Freeze for Freshness

Once baked, we flash-freeze every batch so they ship fresh to your door and hold up beautifully in your freezer until you’re ready.

But Do They Taste Good?

Yes. And not “good for Paleo bagels.” Just good.

Chewy texture, like a real bagel should be.
Slightly sweet from maple sugar, but balanced.
Light enough to toast perfectly.
Sturdy enough to load up with toppings.

We made these for ourselves first, because we were tired of settling. Now we ship them frozen nationwide so you don’t have to compromise either.

Why Sweet Chaos Bakery Paleo Bagels Are Different

Gluten-free
Paleo-approved ingredients
Organic, non-GMO, no fillers or preservatives
Boiled before baking (yes, really)
Freezer-tested, toaster-approved

We freeze them because we know you’re busy. But we test every batch to make sure they taste just as good after freezing and toasting as they did fresh out of the oven.