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    Keto Ham and Cheese Hot Pockets

    September 16, 2024

    Homemade crust, warm ham and cheese all ready to be held in your hand. Did we mention these keto ham and cheese hot pockets are low-carb and gluten free?

    Keto Homemade Ham And Cheese Hot Pocket on parchment

    Ham and Cheese Hot Pockets Without Cheating.

    If you’ve ever pulled a hot pocket from the freezer and popped it into the microwave, then you know teenage bliss. Melted ham and cheese between a piece of folded pizza-like crust? My inner 16 year old still craves it, but adult me was looking for a better alternative.

    Recently, while trying out the keto diet, we discovered how to make the perfect hot pocket—it’s low-carb, gluten-free, and keto-friendly. With no weird additives or unpronounceable ingredients, this magical gluten-free hot pocket recipe gives the store-bought version a run for its money!

    While these low-carb hot pockets are amazing right out of the oven—maximum flaky crust action—they are just as good reheated. So, if you’re looking for keto breakfast ideas on the go, or an easy way to bulk up those weekly meal plans, making these low-carb hot pockets in large batches is going to be a lifesaver. Just pop them in the oven or microwave and be on your way, tasty meal in hand.

    Ingredients laid out cheese, ham, eggs, cream cheese, mayonnaise
    cream cheese and shredded cheese in a bowl
    keto dough in a mixing bowl
    2 eggs added to keto dough in a mixer
    keto pizza pocket dough in a mixing bowl
    keto pizza pocket dough portioned out into balls
    keto hot pocket dough rolled out on parchment paper
    keto hot pocket with mayonnaise dijon spread and provolone cheese
    Keto Homemade Ham And Cheese Hot Pocket being made
    Keto Homemade Ham And Cheese Hot Pocket being folded
    Keto Homemade Ham And Cheese Hot Pocket being pressed together
    unbaked Keto Homemade Ham And Cheese Hot Pocket on parchment paper

    How Do You Make a Perfect Hot Pocket?

    Hot Pocket Dough: If we weren’t trying make this a keto ham and cheese hot pocket, we’d say skip the homemade dough and just use your favorite store bought pizza dough instead. But, then again, if you can make something delicious without all of those extra carbs, then why not just do it yourself? Our dough recipe uses only a few ingredients, so be sure to not make any substitutes or you won’t get that good, flaky crust.

    Here’s what you’ll need for your flaky, low-carb hot pocket dough:

    The how-to on the dough:

    Combine the cheese and eggs in a stand mixer with a paddle attachment (or handheld mixer) and beat until smooth, scraping paddle as needed. Next, add the dry ingredients and beat until they're fully incorporated. Pull the dough into a large ball and then divide it into 12 equal balls and cover so they don’t dry out. Roll out balls into 6-inch rounds and place them between parchment paper, then shape into ¼ inch thick rounds. (This dough tends to be very sticky, so parchment paper is necessary!)

    Note: If you happen to have a tortilla press on hand, this is a great way to quickly get perfectly even circles of prepared dough ready for filling!

    The Filling: Ham and cheese! I mean, is there anything better than smoky, salty ham and super stretchy melted cheese? Nope! But don’t worry, if ham isn’t your jam here are a few more filling options to pair with the cheese:

    • Bacon
    • Broccoli
    • Salami
    • Spinach
    • Shredded chicken
    raw Keto Homemade pizza pocket on parchment with pastry brush

    What Kind of Cheese is Good in a Hot Pocket?

    To get maximum flavor and meltyness we’ve combined a couple of our favorite cheeses—provolone and mozzarella. We love provolone for its strong flavor—it pairs especially well with ham. Mozzarella cheese is probably the most commonly used for a hot pocket and for good reason; its mild, melts and stretches beautifully.

    baked Keto Homemade Ham And Cheese Hot Pockets on a baking sheet

    How to Store and Reheat Keto Hot Pockets for Breakfast On the Go:

    Refrigerate: Wrap these guys individually in plastic wrap or store them in an airtight container for up to a week. To heat, place on baking sheet on center rack and bake for 10 minutes at 375°F. Alternatively, you can microwave them for 1 minute, although the crust will not be quite as crispy if you reheat them in a microwave.

    Freeze: In order to freeze, place the entire baking sheet of hot pockets in the freezer. Once frozen, add them all to a freezer bag and store for up to three months. When ready to use, bake at 375°F for 25 minutes or microwave them for 1-2 minutes until cheese is melted.

    baked Keto Homemade Ham And Cheese Hot Pocket on parchment paper

    Tools and Special Ingredients You’ll Need to Make Keto Hot Pockets

    Keto Homemade Ham And Cheese Hot Pocket on parchment

    Need More Make Ahead Breakfast Ideas?

    While not keto or low-carb, we are in love with these make ahead Breakfast Burritos!

    This Asparagus Frittata is perfect for meal prepping. One pan and you have breakfast for six days. Just store the slices individually and heat up when ready to eat.

    Let Us Know How it Went:

    How’d you like this recipe? Did you get all the tennagery feels, but none of the guilt, while biting into that flaky crust and seeing that ooey, gooey cheese pour out? Do us a favor- if you made this recipe post a picture to Instagram and tag @themodernproper and #themodernproper so we can see how it turned out! Happy eating.

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    Keto Ham and Cheese Hot Pockets Recipe

    Updated September 16, 2024

    • Serves:  12
    • Prep Time:  40 min
    • Cook Time:  10 min
    • Calories:  481
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    Ingredients

    Dough

    • 12 ounces mozzarella cheese, shredded (3 cups)
    • 4 ounces cream cheese
    • 2 large eggs, room temperature
    • 2½ cups super-fine, blanched almond flour
    • 2 tablespoons oat fiber
    • ¼ teaspoon xanthan gum

    Filling

    • ¾ cup mayonnaise
    • 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
    • 4 ounces mozzarella cheese, shredded (1 cup)
    • 12 slices provolone
    • 1 pound thinly sliced deli ham, chopped
    • 1 large egg, beaten
    • Everything Bagel Seasoning (optional)

    Method

    1. Preheat the oven to 400°F with a rack in the center position. Line 1-2 baking seets with parchment paper.

    2. Make the dough. Add the mozzarella and the cream cheese to a microwave safe bowl. Heat on high for 1 minute, stir, and continue to heat on high in 30-second intervals until mixture melts and comes together when stirred. Transfer the cheese mixture to a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment and beat until smooth, scraping the sides of the bowl as needed. Alternatively use a hand mixer to beat until smooth.

    3. Add the eggs to the cheese mixture and beat 1-2 minutes until combined and smooth. Add the almond flour, oat fiber and xanthan gum and mix well until incorporated. Using your hands, pull the dough into a large ball on a parchment lined surface. Divide the dough into 12 equally portioned balls.

    4. Working with one ball at a time, place the dough between two pieces of parchment paper. Using a rolling pin, roll into a 6-inch round. The dough is sticky, so using parchment paper for rolling is essential. Repeat with remaining dough balls, keeping each dough round on an individual piece of parchment.

    5. Make the filling. In a small bowl, mix together the mayonnaise and Dijon.

    6. Spread 1 tablespoon of the mayonnaise on each dough round, leaving a ½-inch border around the edge. Take one slice of provolone and cut it into two pieces. Transfer both pieces to your dough, lining up the straight sides of the cheese so that they have a ¼-inch gap between them. (Essentially, you're placing the piece of cheese on the dough, creating a gap so that it's easier to fold over your dough to make a pocket.) Repeat with remaining provolone slices. Divide the mozzarella and ham evenly between the dough rounds. Using the parchment paper under the dough round, fold the dough in half to create a hand pie (see photos). With the parchment still in place, use your hands to crimp the edges of the pocket to create a good seal. Repeat with remaining dough and filling until you have 12 hand pies.

    7. Place the hand pies on the prepared baking sheets. In a small bowl, whisk the egg together with 1 tablespoon water. Brush the tops of the hand pies with the egg wash and sprinkle with everything bagel seasoning, if using. Bake in the oven until golden brown, about 10 minutes. Allow pies to cool slightly on the baking sheet then transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely.

    8. Refer to the article above for instructions on how to freeze, store and reheat these keto hot pockets.

    Nutrition Info

    • Per Serving
    • Amount
    • Calories 481
    • Protein 32 g
    • Carbohydrates 10 g
    • Total Fat 37 g
    • Dietary Fiber 4 g
    • Cholesterol 236 mg
    • Sodium 984 mg
    • Total Sugars 2 g

    Keto Ham and Cheese Hot Pockets

    Questions & Reviews

    Join the discussion below.

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    • G

      1. How much baking powder is used in dough? (not listed in recipe)
      2. How much Mozzarella cheese is used in filling? (Ingredient list shows 4 oz. yet instructions states 1 cup, which is it?)

      There is no baking powder in this Dough recipe. 4 oz of mozzarella cheese is one cup so go ahead and use 1 cup of mozzarella cheese. Hope you enjoy!

    • Karla

      Hi, we are allergic to all nuts, is it possible to sub the almond with something else? Thanks in advance!

      I've never tested it with anything but almond flour, so I couldn't be certain it can be done.

    • AmLovesFood

      YESSSSS going to prep these for my maternity leave freezer stash! Q: For freezing, do you place the entire sheet of BAKED hot pockets in the freezer (baked and cooled first?)? Or freeze them pre-baked? Thanks so much!

      Yes! I currently have a ton of these in the freezer! I bake them and cool them on the counter. Then I wrap them in plastic wrap and freeze them! Congrats on the new baby!!

    • Autumn

      5 stars from everyone in my family! I had leftover ham from Sunday dinner and wanted to turn it into something different for Monday night (aka on-the-go weeknight). These were absolutely perfect. It probably took me closer to 45 minutes to get all 12 made, but they were super easy and totally worth it. I’ll definitely make them again!

      Love this! So glad you enjoyed them!