These pull-apart Keto bread rolls are made with yeast, which makes them pillowy-light and extra fluffy. They're delicious at breakfast with sugar free jam and work equally well as keto dinner rolls.

German babies are pretty much born with a bread roll in their hands, and I am no exception. When I was little, my breakfast of choice were "milk buns". These were sweet, airy white rolls made with milk and yeast, a bit like brioche or challah. I'd devour them for breakfast!
I've published a whole bunch of great bread and roll recipes on this blog already. They range from extra rustic (such as this Paleo bread - omg it's divine when sliced thinly and toasted) to extra versatile (such as my almond flour bread and this low carb bread - both are perfect for sandwiches).
The one thing I felt was missing was a healthy gluten free remake of my beloved milk buns. And after a bit of experimenting I've come up with a recipe that is a worthy substitution!
These buns are soft, airy and taste delicious. No, they don't taste exactly like traditional white buns. But they come pretty close. And even better, they are only 2.1g net carbs per bun.
Ingredients
To make low carb rolls with yeast, we need certain, slightly unusual, ingredients. Why?
Yeast, as we all know, is a living thing. It feeds on the sugars in the ingredients, emits carbon dioxide and thus the dough rises. Traditional milk buns contain wheat, milk and sugar. Plenty of sugars there. So how do you make a bun rise using low carb ingredients such as almond flour?
Here are the ingredients I used:
Dry Ingredients
- Almond flour - I used ground almonds, which is equivalent to regular almond flour in the US. If you want to use extra fine almond flour, I recommend that you start with 1 ¾ cups of almond flour as it is more absorbent.
- Whey protein powder - This gives the low carb rolls a fluffy and light texture.
- Psyllium husk powder - Also helps create a soft bread texture.
- Baking powder and yeast - For a good rise.
- Inulin - A prebiotic, soluble fibre. It is gently sweet and has amazing health benefits. Here's an informative article. Inulin is FANTASTIC to make low carb yeast dough rise.
- A generous pinch of salt
Wet Ingredients
- Eggs - We are using eggs and additional egg whites. Beat them until fluffy. This adds air and lightness to the buns.
- Butter - Melted and cooled
- Greek yogurt - Should be room temperature. The yogurt makes the rolls rise more and gives it that milk bun taste.
- Water - Should be lukewarm.
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
Instructions
Let me show you how to make keto yeast rolls. Here are the basic steps. For detailed instructions and nutrition details, scroll down to the recipe card.

STEP 1
First, proof your yeast. We want to make sure it's working and activated - and if it doesn't, we can start all over again without having to throw away expensive ingredients or having to eat tiny, hard rolls!
You simply mix the yeast with warm water and inulin. Cover your bowl with a kitchen towel and put in a warm, draught-free place for 5-10 minutes. This could be above a radiator, on top of your oven or even inside your boiler cupboard.
See the froth and bubbles in the image above? That's what needs to happen.

STEP 2
Blend the eggs, egg whites and melted butter in a food processor until fluffy. You can also use a large mixing bowl and a handheld electric mixer.
Once the yeast is activated, add it to the mixture and blend to combine.
Combine all dry ingredients in a separate bowl.

STEP 3
Now add the first half of the dry ingredients - whey, almond flour, psyllium, salt, baking powder - plus the Greek yoghurt. Blend until combined.

STEP 4
Add the second half of the dry ingredients. The dough thickens quickly. This is what it should look like - sticky and rather firm. Time to work rapidly now, so the dough does not cool down too much!

STEP 5
Line a baking tray with parchment paper. I used a regular-sized pie dish, but a rectangular casserole dish would work just as well.
Wet your hands so the dough doesn't stick too much and form 8 balls, leaving space around the bread rolls because they will double in size.
STEP 6
Cover again with your kitchen towel or, even better, with a lightly oiled piece of cling film first and then with the kitchen towel (less chance of the dough drying out).
Place the lot back in your warm place of choice for 50-60 minutes to let the dough rise.

STEP 7
Time for the yeast rolls to go into the oven! I recommend to bake them for around 15 minutes or until lightly browned, and then add another 7-10 minutes loosely covered with aluminium foil. Total baking time should be around 22-25 minutes.
Note - I did NOT cover the rolls in the images and found they turned just a little too dark for my liking. Covering them with a foil dome should make them just perfect.

Katrin's Expert Tips
Honestly, this is a NO SHORTCUTS recipe. The correct temperature of the ingredients is essential.
Your eggs must be room temperature. Also, make sure that you give the butter time to cool down so it's only lukewarm and not scalding hot. Yeast thrives in a warm environment. If it's too cold or too hot, they can die off and your rolls simply won't rise.
Trust me on this one. I made my Keto hot cross buns using the same basic recipe and my eggs were still on the cool side. The result? The buns tasted great, but did not rise as much as these keto yeast rolls.

Substitutions
If you don't have inulin, use either honey or maple syrup instead. Yeast bacteria feed on the sugar to thrive and in theory there won't be much of the sugar left once your dough has risen. I cannot guarantee that ALL sugar will be gone, but most of it would likely have been gobbled up!
Many people don't like or cannot have almond flour. I have not tried this recipe with coconut flour myself yet, but normally using around ⅓ the amount of flour works well. This is because coconut flour absorbs more liquid than almond flour.
You could use sour cream in place of the Greek yoghurt. Coconut yoghurt would also work - i.e., yogurt made FROM coconuts, such as by the Coconut Collaborative. If you wanted to use coconut cream, add 1 teaspoon of apple cider vinegar as well.
Recipe FAQs
The best substitute is egg white protein powder.
Some psyllium husk powder brands turn pruple when baked. This does not affect the taste. I have used Green Origins and Just Natural without issues. The NOW brand is also supposed to be fine.
The egg taste is in the yolks and with 4 egg yolks, the rolls taste "eggy". I hate food waste as much as you do and use the leftover egg yolks for keto mayonnaise.
Storage
I like to store these rolls in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. Gently reheat them in the microwave or pop them in the toaster.
You can also freeze them for up to 3 months! If I do this, I always slice them in half first. This way, I can pop them in the toaster straight from frozen.
More Keto Bread Rolls And Buns
- Keto Dinner Rolls
- Keto Buns Recipe30 Minutes
- Keto Biscuits (Sugar Free, Fluffy, Cheesy)30 Minutes
- Best Keto Hot Dogs (Homemade Buns!)40 Minutes
Tried this recipe? Give it a star rating below!
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Recipe

Pull-Apart Keto Bread Rolls
from Sugar Free LondonerNote: The servings slider only changes the first amount in each line and not any subsequent amounts. Please make your own calculations where necessary.
Ingredients
Dry Ingredients
- 2 cups / 200g almond flour or ground almonds
- 3 tablespoon whey protein powder
- 3 tablespoon psyllium husk powder
- 2 teaspoon baking powder
- 2 teaspoon inulin
- 2 teaspoon active dry yeast
- generous pinch of salt optional
Wet Ingredients
- 2 eggs, large room temperature
- 2 egg whites room temperature
- ¼ cup / 50g butter melted
- scant ¼ cup / 50g Greek yoghurt
- ⅓ cup / 80ml lukewarm water
Instructions
- Proof the yeast! Put the yeast and inulin into a bowl and add the warm water (40 Celsius / 105 Fahrenheit). If you don't have a thermometer, the water should be warm to the touch. Cover the bowl with a kitchen towel and leave in a warm place for 5-10 minutes until it starts to froth and thicken.
- In the meantime, combine the dry ingredients - almond flour, protein powder, psyllium husk powder, baking powder - in another bowl and set aside.
- Using an electric mixer or a food processor, whisk the room temperature eggs and egg whites, melted (warm, not hot!!) butter and the activated yeast mixture until well combined.
- Add the yoghurt and the first half of the dry ingredients mixture. Blend until combined, then add the second half of the flour mix. The dough will thicken quickly as the psyllium and the almond flour absorb the moisture.
- Line a pie dish or a casserole dish with parchment paper. Lightly wet your hands and form eight dough balls. Make sure you leave some space around the rolls as they will significantly increase in size.
- Cover the dish with lightly oiled cling film and a kitchen towel and return to a warm space for around 50 to 60 minutes until the rolls have substantially expanded - see the images in the post. I like to place my tray on top of the radiator.
- Towards the end of the rising time, pre-heat the oven to 175°C/350 Fahrenheit.
- Bake for around 15 minutes or until the rolls are starting to brown. Then cover loosely with aluminium foil and continue to bake for another 7-10 minutes.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
First published April 2019. Republished with more information in February 2024.
Victoria Kron
These are my favorite keto rolls. I make them often and they are delicious…
Daniel R
Hi, Can Buttermilk be substituted for the yogurt?
Katrin Nürnberger
That's a good question. Buttermilk is more liquid than yogurt, so if you do try it as a substitute, you may need to use a little less to stick to the same wet/dry ratio.
Dawn Sides
Could you use stevia or Splenda for the inulin?
Katrin Nürnberger
No. You need something to activate the yeast. That's why I use the inulin. I list alternatives in the post.
Vick
Hi what can I use as substitute for inulin?
Katrin Nürnberger
You can use sugar or honey.
Marie
I have no Whey protein could i use collagen powder instead or something else ??
Thanks in advance for your kind reply
Katrin Nürnberger
Hello Marie, I don't think collagen powder would work as well in the recipe. Perhaps egg white protein powder is the best replacement.
Marie
These look really good but Could i use ground flaxseed instead of almond flour ??
I normally dont like psyllium husk much , i find it turns most breads into a slippery , sloppy consistency when chewing but hoping this recipe wl be different-fingers crossed.
Katrin Nürnberger
Hi Marie, it is not possible to use flaxseed instead of almond flour. It would end up being a completely different bread.
L W
Thank you for the recipe. My rolls are very tasty, but a little dense and a darker color than in your pictures. I used Costco blanched almond flour, and perhaps need less than 2 cups as you suggest for a lighter texture. Is your almond flour a light color?
Katrin Nürnberger
I made these Keto buns with ground almonds, which is equivalent to regular almond flour in the US. It is light in colour as it does not include the skins. For extra-fine almond flour, I recommend that you start with 1¾ cup of almond flour. This should be sufficient to achieve the same dough consistency you can see in image 4. The density could also be due to the yeast dough not rising well. Room temperature ingredients, a warm place for riding and fresh yeast should do the trick for this.
Marguerite Lindemann
could you use a silicon pan without parchment paper?
Katrin Nürnberger
Yes, probably. I just love using parchment paper where I can because not only does it ensure the rolls do not stick, but also because there is less washing up later.
Lois
I am dairy-free. Can I omit the whey powder, and can I use coconut oil instead of butter?
Katrin Nürnberger
You can replace the whey with more almond flour (which would make the texture a little heavier and denser) or with egg white powder or a dairy-free protein powder. And yes, you can use coconut oil in place of butter.
Elena Gremminger
I tried making these today. It was my first attempt at yeast bread. My year progress well, but even tho I had gotten my eggs out hours ahead of time, I think they were still too cold and I didn't work fast enough after I made them, getting small little hard, rocks. But.... They were very dark, like whole wheat bread. My psyllium husk powder is dark. It is finely ground, like flour, but just very dark. Do I need a different kind of psyllium husk powder? Are there different colors of it?
Katrin Nürnberger
I wish I had the answer for you! I have only ever had light brown psyllium, but it is entirely possible that there is a dark type, just like ther is brown and golden flaxseed.
Cat
Hello,
I would like to try your recipe, but I'm hesitant due to the use of psyllium husk powder. It is definitely 3 tablespoons, right? I have the Now brand psyllium husk powder, would that do?
I'm confused because I have read that it's better to ground psyllium husk yourself to half its volume, but I have tried that and my recipes always fail. Such a disappointment when you put in so much time and ingredients into making it. I really want to try this recipe. I did want to mention that I like how you use regular psyllium husk powder. This thing about grinding to half its volume is a pain because what I say is half may not be what you say is half, right!
Katrin Nürnberger
If you have whole psyllium husk (which looks like little sticks) and you grind it, it will have half the volume. As long as you use psyllium husk POWDER, this recipe will work with 3 tablespoons.
Cat
Thank you Katrin, I will try it with my Now brand psyllium husk powder. I'm really excited about this recipe although I have to get inulin. Thank you again.
Season
We love these. Thank you for this recipe.
I am working needing about a loaf? Small one maybe? Do you think it would work?