My 6 ingredient keto buns have a light and airy texture and a gently crunchy crust. They are ready in 30 minutes and have no eggy taste. This easy keto bun recipe is for everyone who loves bread rolls but wants to stay low carb.
One of the things that people often say when I tell them I stay away from wheat and other grains is "No way - I could never give up bread". The thing is, you don't have to!
Of course, you'll never be able to mimic the exact texture and crunch of an artisan sourdough. (If I manage to do this one day despite all odds, I'll be sure to tell you). But with the right combination and amounts of ingredients, you can create delicious ketogenic buns using grain-free flours.
I first posted this recipe in February 2019 on the blog and still make it regularly today. I've just added more tips and tricks to answer all your questions. Here are the reasons why these are my most popular keto buns:
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Why This Recipe Works
Flavor and texture. The buns taste very similar to wholewheat buns. They have a soft, pillowy and fluffy texture and a gentle crunch in the crust. I made this recipe quite a few times until I was 100% happy with the result. Thanks to a few tweaks these buns have no eggy taste.
Easy and quick. I like an easy and quick recipe just as much as you do. You only need one bowl and 6 ingredients. With just 5 minutes of prep time, you can munch on freshly baked low carb buns in just 30 minutes!
Keto, gluten-free and dairy-free. It's 3.3g net carbs per bun. The recipe is naturally gluten-free and requires no dairy.
Filling and satisfying. You need to know that these rolls are smaller than regular bread rolls. But, that's the case with all keto bread. It is more filling than wheat bread due to the different ingredients and will keep you satisfied for longer.
Versatile. The buns taste great with both sweet and savory toppings. We often make them for Sunday breakfast, but also eat them with soups and salads. I have even used them as keto burger buns.
Ingredients
This recipe for Keto buns is loosely based on a recipe for low carb rolls I made years ago. It called for almond and coconut flour as well as butter, which made them wonderfully rich, almost like a brioche.
To create more of a wheat bread taste, I replaced the butter with water and used only one egg yolk (the eggy taste is in the yolks). Last but not least, I added psyllium husk powder, just like in my keto dinner rolls.
Here is a quick overview of the ingredients:
- Almond flour. I used blanched ground almonds in this recipe. If your almond flour is super-fine, add a little more water to loosen the dough.
- Coconut flour
- Eggs - I used medium, room temperature eggs. You can use large eggs if you increase the amount of almond flour as well. More details are in the recipe notes.
- Psyllium husk - The ground husks of the psyllium plant are a dietary fibre that is beneficial for digestive health. They also make keto rolls fluffy and help them hold their shape.
- Baking powder - Always check that it is fresh.
- Water - Just boiled is the way to go!
- Sea salt - Nut flours are gently sweet. The salt lifts the taste and makes the buns taste more "authentic".
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
Instructions
Let's make keto buns! Start by preheating the oven and lining a baking sheet with parchment paper.
STEP 1
Stir together the dry ingredients. Then put all ingredients in a food processor and blend for about 20 - 30 seconds. Alternatively, use a large mixing bowl and an electric mixer.
STEP 2
Let the dough sit for a couple of minutes so the coconut flour and the psyllium husk powder can absorb the liquid.
This is what the dough should look like. It is soft, but it is easy to handle and can be shaped with your hands.
STEP 3
For equally sized buns, form one large dough ball and cut it into quarters.
STEP 4
Wet your hands so the dough does not stick to them. Form 4 rolls and place them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. I sprinkled mine with sesame seeds.
Make a criss-cross cut on the top if you want the buns to split.
Step 5
Bake the buns for about 25 minutes in the middle of the oven.
Katrin's Expert Tips
#1 The perfect rise.
- Eggs. The most all-important tip is to make sure the eggs are at room temperature. I have made this recipe with cold eggs and whilst the rolls still tasted good, they hardly rose.
- Baking powder. Another reason for bread not rising is out-of-date baking powder. You can test its freshness by putting some in water. If it fizzes up you're good to go.
#2 Know your psyllium.
I used psyllium husk powder and not the whole psyllium husks (which look like little sticks). The two are easy to mix up. For whole psyllium husks, increase the amount to 2 tablespoons.
#3 Oven tweaks.
- All ovens are different, and some can be temperamental. For me, 25 minutes gave a perfectly browned crust. If your buns start looking too dark but the baking time is not yet up, place aluminium foil on the buns to prevent them from burning.
- You can also rotate the baking sheet so the buns brown more evenly - the back of the oven is always hotter than the front.
Variations
Poppy seeds, black sesame seeds or even sunflower seeds would work well in place of sesame seeds. Or, use Everything Bagel Seasoning.
Brush the buns with egg wash for a shiny top.
Recipe FAQs
This happens with some brands of psyllium husk, but not with others. It does not affect the taste. I have used Just Naturals and Green Origins without issues. The NOW brand is also supposed to be fine.
Yes. The oven time may increase by 5-10 minutes.
If you don't want to use coconut flour, I recommend that you make my keto hot dog buns instead. They are almond flour buns.
Make keto mayonnaise, sugar free custard or keto rice pudding.
Serving Suggestion
Keto buns are so versatile that you can literally enjoy them all day long.
Breakfast: Spread them with butter and sugar free marmalade.
Lunch: The buns are easily portable and don't go soggy. Use them as a sandwich filled with ham, lettuce and cheese, keto tuna salad or keto chicken salad.
Dinner: Serve in a bread basket to go with soups and salads or to mop up gravy. Or, use them as low carb burger buns! They are a great alternative to my black burger buns.
Storage
Since ketogenic buns contain eggs, I store them in an airtight container in the fridge. You could keep them at room temperature for a couple of days. But in the refrigerator, they stay fresh for 5+ days. You can also freeze them for up to 3 months.
The buns toast well. I slice mine in half and toast them straight from the freezer.
More Keto Bread Recipes
- Keto Biscuits30 Minutes
- Keto Pita Bread30 Minutes
- Keto Hot Cross Buns35 Minutes
- Almond Flour Biscuits20 Minutes
Tried this recipe? Give it a star rating below!
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Recipe
Fluffy Keto Buns
Video
Ingredients
- 3 egg whites, medium room temperature
- 1 egg, medium room temperature
- ¼ cup / 60 ml hot water
- ¼ cup / 25g almond flour
- ¼ cup / 30g coconut flour
- 1 tablespoon psyllium husk powder or 2 tablespoon whole psyllium husks
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- pinch of sea salt
- sesame seeds, for sprinkling optional
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 180 Celsius / 356 Fahrenheit.
- Mix the dry ingredients. Then put all ingredients into a food processor or mix with an electric blender until smooth, about 20 seconds. Don't over-mix the dough.
- Let the dough sit for a couple of minutes so the flours can absorb the moisture.
- Separate the dough into 4 equal portions and form buns. (Wet hands before handling the dough. This way it's less sticky.)
- Place the buns on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Sprinkle with sesame seeds or seeds of choice. Make a criss-cross cut on the top and bake for around 25 minutes or until browned.
Rosina Villella
What if you want to bake lots of this keto rolls, say 12 rolls
Katrin Nürnberger
It should be fine to triple the recipe. The baking time will be a little longer because you'll have more batter in the oven. If the rolls brown before they are done inside, simply place some aluminium foil over the tops for the remainder of the time.
Zehava
Thank you for another great recipe!
Do you think I can steam the buns and make it like bao bun?
Katrin Nürnberger
That would be an interesting experiment - I have never made bao buns myself, so I don't know what the dough consistency is compared to my buns. If you give it a try, let me know!
Zehava
I ended up baking it as your recipe suggested and boy! What a beautiful soft buns! Does feel like the real thing... next time I’ll try to be braver and steam them. I’ll let you know. Thank you so much for recipe I will be using a lot! Xx
Stefanie
Hello, your recipe sounds great. Can I use liquid egg whites from the carton? Thank you for your help.
Katrin Nürnberger
Yes, of course you can!
Carina
Thank you for the recipe. Even though the dough was watery, I let it rest for 20 mins let the almond flour and husks absorb the liquid: it came out from the oven soft and yummy buns
Katrin Nürnberger
53-63 grams.
Maria
With this recipe can I make burger buns ? Instead of 4 buns make 3 buns to get a bigger bun?
Katrin Nürnberger
Yes, of course! Make them a little flatter to get that burger bun shape. Ans check the inside is done by pricking with a skewer, just in case they need a little longer because of the size.
Maria
Thanks ... you’re very kind...I will do this as soon as I can.
Sandy B.
I made these for the first time, a few months after starting Keto, they were delicious! I used black sesame seeds. They are just as good toasted the next day w/ some sugar free jam.
Robb Seto
Deeply satisfies that bread craving. Texture, flavour......5 stars!
Kris
Can you replace the Psyllium Husk with yeast and inulin? Do you think using equal parts would work? Thanks!
Katrin Nürnberger
No, that would not work. The psyllium husk is very absorbent, only flax would be able to do a similar job. I have used yeast in these keto bread rolls, you could use it as a starting point.
Teresa
What about ground chia instead of the psyllium? My dough ended up very watery so I had to add more almond&coconut flour. I thought the chia would have absorbed the liquid as well.
Katrin Nürnberger
I think it's more likely to do with the type of psyllium you used and how coarse or fine it is. It's 1 tbsp if you're using the powder and 2 tbsp if it's whole psyllium husks. Chia will not give you the same fluffiness.
Farhan
Buying a ready made keto almond buns is expensive so I thought why not give this recipe a go. I am grateful I tried this recipe. It was easy to follow for a non-baker like me. The batter is too liquid initially and I followed your advice to add in almond flour and coconut flour. Truly appreciate this. Keep on sharing amazing recipes!