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 Biscuits (Sugar Free, Fluffy, Cheesy)30 Minutes
- Low Carb 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
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
- 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.
Jo
Nice recipe. Next time I'll add some garlic salt, pepper and dried shallot flakes. Yum!
Ly
Can these be made in advance and frozen?
Katrin Nürnberger
Yes, absolutely. All my bakes freeze well.
Kelly R Hardison
Do they have to be egg whites? I have a hard time separating mine?
Katrin Nürnberger
I am using the egg whites and not the entire eggs because many people don't like the "eggy taste" low carb bread often has. The egg flavour is in the yolks.
MCBeachGal
Hands down the best gluten free keto buns EVER! These are so soft and flavorful. I added a pinch of pink salt as a reviewer suggested and topped with Everything but the Bagel" seasoning. Question, do you store at room temp? I can't wait to use these for sandwiches and hamburger buns! Thanks so much for the recipe.
Andrea
They turned out great and fluffy, but totally tasteless. Shouldn’t the recipe contain some salt?
Katrin Nürnberger
You can definitely use salt to your preferences.
Penelope
Hi,
Coconut Flour is high FODMAP and I cannot consume it. What would be a good substitute?
Katrin Nürnberger
Why don't use make this almond flour rolls recipe instead. It is delicious.
Sarah Seymour
Hi. What can I do with all the egg yolks? I made a double batch and now have 6 organic egg yolks that I don’t want to waste. I don’t want to make anything with sweetner , so any ideas?
Thanks.
Katrin Nürnberger
Make this keto mayonnaise! Or this keto rice pudding.
Zosia Borejko
Recipe ideas using sweetener please.
Just made these buns for the first time and they’ve turned out well, will definitely make again.
Katrin Nürnberger
If you are looking for sweet recipes, take a look at my sugar free desserts section.
Diane Brill
Tried this recipe yesterday and although mine didn't look quite as puffy as the ones pictured, they taste amazing! Thank you so much for this recipe.
Peter
These came out quite good! Next time I will see if I can't shape them into hamburger buns.
Katrin Nürnberger
Yes, that works well 🙂
Mary Rixen
These buns turned out beautifully! I’m going to make a double batch and make them a little larger next time. Thank you so much!
Renee
I never usually comment on a recipe nor do I ever believe a comment saying “best keto bread so far” because they always fail for me, but this recipe is AWESOME. I was so excited when I opened the oven door to find super puffy and airy buns that weren’t all gooey and eggy on the inside. This recipe is such a keeper and the tops of the buns were even a bit crispy I wanna say but in such a good way. I put some trader joes everything bagel seasoning on this time. I’m happy that now I can make hamburgers and not dread the lettuce bun because these are phenomenal.
Chelsea Q.
I'm new to your blog since just this week, but not new to keto. Thank you for your recipes because they have changed my life in just a week. I began with your keto scones, which came out wonderfully, and frankly, were less fussy to make than conventional flour scones. Then, as I needed something to eat the scones with (I wanted to be more adventurous than butter), I found your lemon curd recipe and made that last night. I had never made lemon curd in my life, but it came out great, albeit slightly eggy. Perhaps I cooked it a little too long. Anyway! Today, I decided to try a roll recipe and settled on this one. Followed all your instructions and notes, and the buns are great! Nice texture, fluffy, and very satisfying. As you've written, low-carb baking will never be the same as conventional baking, but it can come pleasantly and surprisingly close enough to satisfy bread cravings. At least for me.
I had a few questions regarding my buns. They're good, however, my dough was not sticky at any stage. I used very fine almond flour, only about 50 ml of hot water instead of 60 ml, and I mixed my ingredients with a fork, then formed a ball with my hands before letting it rest. My buns aren't as fluffy as the ones pictured above. Should I use an electric blender and add more water so that my dough is stickier next time? Will this produce a fluffier bun? Also, my psyllium husk powder is actually a brownish color, which also lent a browner color to my buns. I don't care about the color, but do you think this could have slightly effected the fluffiness of the buns?
Thanks a lot!
Katrin Nürnberger
Hi Chelsea, mixing with a blender and using the 60ml of water should sort this out. The almond flour I use is not super-fine, which means it absorbs less liquid than the one you use, making my dough stickier. I'm so happy you're enjoying the recipes!