My popular keto cheese bread is baked in a skillet for an easy low carb side dish. Deliciously tender and with a crisp topping of cheddar cheese, it has only 2.6g net carbs per slice!
You may have noticed that I have been updating a lot of older posts lately. I am working hard to provide more user-friendly content that answers your most pressing questions. I want my keto recipes to be as accessible as possible to everyone.
And this fabulous Keto Cheese Bread deserves such an update. I first created it way back in 2012 and it became an instant hit. It remains extremely popular to this day, and it’s the perfect bread to pair with Keto Beef Stew or Chicken Enchilada Soup.
Did I mention that it also makes the BEST Keto Thanksgiving Stuffing?
Why you will love this easy cheese bread
This might be the easiest keto bread recipe you will ever make. One bowl, one hot pan, pop it in the oven, and you’re done!
Low carb quick breads like this make your keto life so much tastier and more interesting. It’s a rustic-style recipe , with a moist but shaggy texture and a deliciously cheesy flavor.
Baking bread in a skillet also produces a unique crusty exterior. The key is melting the butter in the skillet as the oven preheats. This allows the batter to start cooking as it hits the hot pan.
Adding shredded cheese to the top of the bread and baking it at a high temperature also creates a crusty, cheesy top. It’s absolutely divine with a little butter melting on top! My whole family adores this bread.
Many readers use this recipe in place of cornbread. It’s certainly good that way, although I do have a recipe for keto cornbread as well. Both are delicious in their own special way.
Reader Testimonials
“Very easy to make and I loved the firmness once it’s out of the cast iron skillet. Too many Keto breads are wimpy and fall apart. Not this one. Definitely making this again.” – Peg
“Made it for your sausage stuffing recipe but SO fell in love with it– absolutely divine!!!! The bread is so buttery and the texture— oh yum. I will be making it frequently. And so quick. Thank you!!” – Kristin
“Great bread to have with soup or salad. I have even used it for breakfast with eggs. Another recipe keeper!” – Patricia
Ingredients you need
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- Butter: Adding a tablespoon of butter as the skillet heats up creates a wonderful, crispy crust. The bread batter also takes melted butter.
- Almond flour: This is an almond flour based recipe and it won’t work with coconut flour. But if you need to be nut-free, you can try using sunflower seed flour. Remember to add a tablespoon of acid like lemon juice so you don’t get the green reaction!
- Flax seed meal: I love using some flax seed meal in this recipe to create a coarser texture that resembles rustic breads. You can use more almond flour instead but it’s not quite the same.
- Cheddar cheese: You can’t have keto cheese bread without plenty of cheese! Feel free to sub your favorite here.
- Eggs: This bread really needs the eggs to hold together properly and make it rise nicely.
- Almond milk: You can actually use any thin liquid here so feel free to sub in water, or a mix of water and cream.
- Pantry staples: Salt and baking powder.
Step by Step Directions
1. Heat the pan: Preheat the oven to 425ºF. Add the butter to a 10-inch oven-proof skillet and place in the oven as it warms.
2. Prepare the batter: In a large bowl, whisk together the almond flour, flax seed meal, baking powder, salt and 1 cup of the shredded cheddar cheese. Stir in the eggs, melted butter and almond milk until thoroughly combined.
4. Add to the pan: Remove the hot skillet from oven (remember to put on your oven mitts), and swirl butter to coat sides. Pour batter into pan and smooth the top. Sprinkle with remaining ½ cup cheddar.
5. Bake the bread: Bake 16 to 20 minutes, or until browned around the edges and set through the middle. The cheese on top should be nicely browned. Remove and let cool 15 minutes.
Expert Tips
I approach baked skillet recipes with a little trepidation, as inevitably someone tries to pick up the hot skillet with their bare hands. After being burned (literally!) a few times, I now always leave the oven mitt draped over the handle when the skillet is out of the oven. You can also get silicone handle covers that stay on both in and out of the oven.
Be sure to choose a 10-inch oven-proof skillet. It doesn’t need to be cast iron, although that’s the best way to get a nice browned crust on the outside. Allow the butter to melt in the pan as the oven heats up. This helps grease the skillet and create that delicious crust.
I love the combination of the almond flour and flax seed but if you don’t want to use flax, you can use another half cup of almond flour. The bread turns out a touch more crumbly that way so you may want to add half a teaspoon of xanthan gum to give it a bit more structure.
Frequently Asked Questions
There are any number of keto bread recipes out there, and many keto breads you can purchase in stores or online. But you do need to read the labels and look at the ingredients. Many “keto breads” are actually quite high in carbs and may not be suitable for your diet. This keto cheese bread has only 6.6g of carbs per slice and 4g of fiber, so it has 2.6g net carbs per serving.
Choose a cheese that can be grated easily so that they can be incorporated into the batter. Firm cheese like cheddar or mozzarella work well, as do gruyere or Monterey Jack.
Store this bread on the counter in a covered container for up to 4 days or in the fridge for up to 10. It can also be frozen for several months. Wrap it up tightly to avoid freezer burn.
Great for keto stuffing!
I have turned this easy keto bread recipe into Thanksgiving stuffing numerous times and it always gets rave reviews. The trick is to dry the bread out very well in your oven the day before. Then proceed with the usual stuffing ingredients and bake.
Even the non-keto eaters love it. Many readers have said that my low carb stuffing recipe disappears before the high carb versions!
More Keto Skillet Recipes to Try:
Keto Cheesy Bread
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon butter for the skillet
- 2 cups almond flour
- ½ cup flax seed meal
- 2 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 ½ cups shredded Cheddar cheese divided
- 3 large eggs
- ⅓ cup butter melted
- ¾ cup unsweetened almond milk
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425ºF. Add the butter to a 10-inch oven-proof skillet and place in the oven as it warms.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the almond flour, flax seed meal, baking powder, salt and 1 cup of the shredded cheddar cheese. Stir in the eggs, melted butter and almond milk until thoroughly combined.
- Remove the hot skillet from oven (remember to put on your oven mitts), and swirl butter to coat sides. Pour batter into pan and smooth the top. Sprinkle with remaining ½ cup cheddar.
- Bake 16 to 20 minutes, or until browned around the edges and set through the middle. The cheese on top should be nicely browned. Remove and let cool 15 minutes.
Amanda says
Just made a batch to make into stuffing and….you guessed it, burned my hand on the pan. Ha! That’s what I get for too much multi-tasking. Delicious though. I can’t believe how much it tastes like southern cornbread.
Carolyn says
Yikes, Amanda….sorry to hear you burned your hand!
Darlene says
I just baked this in order to make your stuffing recipe and it is incredible! I want to eat it instead of cubing it and drying it out in the oven! I try lots of low carb recipes from the internet and yours are consistently my favorites. Thank you so much for making eating healthy very tasty!
Melanie says
Just wanted to let everyone know that it still turns out if you accidentally put twice the amount of melted butter in! Oops! I’m still not used to measuring butter in terms of ‘cups’ (I’m a ‘tablespoons’ girls), but those pesky–wonderfully pesky–Kerrygold bars threw me off again! haha Next time I think I’ll add some garlic powder or a little bit of cayenne.
Carolyn says
Hey, I love Kerrygold! I say 2x as much butter is better. Glad it still worked out!
Mary Moody says
Made this today. It was wonderful. I made half a recipe in case I didn’t like it. I used the amount of baking powder called for, but I used buttermilk and 1/4 tsp of soda instead of the almond milk. It was really good. I’m a southern girl and we like our buttermilk. Will definitely make this again.
Mary Moody says
Made this today. It was wonderful. I made half a recipe in case I didn’t like it. I used the amount of baking powder called for, but I used buttermilk and 1/4 tsp of soda instead of the almond milk. It was really good. Will definitely make this again.
f1ossy says
Love this, its a standby, and makes great dumplings in slow cooker stews
Lisa says
I modified it (due to limited ingredients) and it turned out great. I used 1 cup hazlenut flour and 1 cup homemade Atkins (I think it was almond flour and soy flour mixed), and used whipping cream (since my almond coconut milk went into soup). Texture very much like oven cornbread. I think if I made this for company, I might even add a very small amount of creamed corn.
Lisa says
Another great recipe….this went great with my pot of vegie/beef soup! This is so much better than any of the other almond flour bread recipes around!!!!! This will be so versatile, you can add just about anything, you could go sweet or savory. And it is easy easy to make. Thanks again~Lisa
Carolyn says
You are most welcome!
MamaT says
Just tried this recipe and used coconut oil instead of butter and it looks and tastes declicious. Can’t wait to try other low carb recipes. God bless!
Mary Parry says
Just made this, it. Is. INCREDIBLE!!!! Thanks for posting all your recipes 🙂
Antoinette says
Can you freeze the bread? I know myself, if I like it and it’s not put away securely after had some, I’ll be eating way too much of it!
Carolyn says
Yes, I think you could probably freeze it.
Sharon B says
I’m a single female and live alone. (I like it that way. Doesn’t mean I don’t date! ????????) I’ve made several skillet cornbreads using a cast iron skillet. I think that’s a must! Back to being single…after baking it’s way too much for a single person. I divide it into quarters. Wrap each quarter in Saran Wrap then foil and put them in the freezer. Take them out of the freezer as I need or want to eat it. Toast it in my toaster oven and slather with butter! Mmmm mmmm mm!
Carolyn says
Smart idea!
Mary in Louisiana says
I have made this twice, once as written and once “tweaked” a little. My tweaks were: —made in 12″ skillet with 2 T butter for a thinner bread
-add 1/4 c unflavored whey protein to firm it up
-1 cup of Parmesan cheese in the bread and 1/2 c cheddar/monterrey jack on top
All were successful. Next time, add chopped jalapenos for a Mexican twist.
Carolyn says
Sounds good to me!
Janice says
I found this recipe on Pinterest and it is amazing!!! I’ve cooked it twice. Once just like your recipe and then last night I made it and added taco meat. All I can say is OMG, it was delicious!!!!
Janice says
So…I made this again tonight but altered it to be a desert. Left out the cheese and added a box of cream cheese, 1/2 cup splenda, a little vanilla, and some blackberries. Topped off with Carb Smart vanilla ice cream and it was amazing.
Janice says
Forgot to mention, I had to cook it about 6 min longer.
Heidi says
Oooo, that sounds tasty!
RachelH says
What size bix of cream cheese? 3 or 8 oz?
Mari says
I’ve been craving bread lately, so I made this last night, and it’s delicious. Used my oven safe Swiss Diamond skillet, and it worked great. This is a moist bread, for sure, so it doesn’t have a lot of “crumb,” but of all the breads I’ve tried over three years of low carb eating, this is a rare “keeper.” Actually, all of Carolyn’s recipes are keepers in our house, and I’m so excited to be receiving her new baking cookbook this week!
Carolyn says
Thanks, Mari!
Susan says
Just a hint on avoiding burns from a hot skillet handle. You can buy pan handle holders (like pot holders, but designed to slip onto and cover a pan handle) and leave it on while the pan is cooling. Alternatively, drape a dry dish towel over the handle for safety and/or a visual reminder.
Kathy says
Yes! My silicone handle sleeve has saved countless burns. I store it on my cast iron skillet handle, take it off for cooking, and place it back on the handle immediately after removing from the oven – before I take off my oven mitts.
Pattie says
Waaaahhhhh!! My husband and son didn’t like it. I baked mine in a cast iron skillet. It didn’t look done in the center so I baked it about 7 minutes longer. Still kind of mushy in the center. I had a piece for breakfast this morning and warmed it in the microwave and I liked it. I did put it in myfitnesspal and was shocked at the calorie coune which is about 325 calories fo 1/10 and I had alittle more than that. I try to eat low carb and low sugar, but I do like to track what I eat in myfitnesspal and I still can’t let go of the “calories in calories out” philosophy to lose weight. Its scary to eat stuff with this much fat and calories. I’ll keep trying to have an open mind though. You have so many great recipes that I want to try.
Carolyn says
Hi Pattie…I think your oven temp might be off, if it took that long to cook…next time, I’d up the temp by 25 degrees or so. Sorry your husband and son didn’t like it.
I know that most of my recipes are extremely high fat and high calorie…but it keeps you satiated for longer than other things and if you can find your way to stick with it, you will lose weight. I never started low carb to lose weight, only to control my blood sugar, but I am amazed by the changes in my body. Far more muscle and less fat, and given the amount of fat I eat, it’s amazing! And I don’t lift weights or anything, I only run, but I am more toned all over. That’s a lot of the reason I don’t give any info but carbs…I think we focus too much on the other numbers and it can derail our diet. 🙂
Lily Rose says
This was A-M-A-Z-I-N-G! I made it for brekkie, and ate it alongside some chicken sausages! I did use einkorn flour instead of flax, and also subbed heavy cream for the almond milk! So, so, good! Can’t express that enough. Made it in our medium cast iron!
MarciaH says
Looks yummy. But, unfortunately I don’t have a regular sized oven– just a stand-alone convection oven that wouldn’t remotely hold my cast iron skillet. Do you have any idea how to pull this off with different equipment that could fit in my oven?
Carolyn says
Do you have an 8 inch round cake pan? That would work. Do the same thing with the butter, melting it in the pan, and be sure to swish it around so it goes up the sides before you add the batter. Then watch it a little more closely…it may cook a bit faster or slower, I am not sure.
Serena says
I was wanting to make this last night, but not wanting to spend $60 on a new cast iron skillet (My skillets aren’t oven safe, and if I’m going to buy an oven safe one, I’m stubborn, it will be cast iron.) So glad you think the cake pan will work Carolyn, that’s what I was considering using. Best of all- NO HANDLES! 😉
Carolyn says
Yeah, I don’t like to buy special equipment either, unless I know I will use it a lot. Keep your eye on the bread, it may bake more quickly in a thinner pan like this.
MarciaH says
I do have a cake pan, but then you have to be really careful heating it up on the stove to melt the butter– without a handle at all. I’ll try it. Thanks.
Carolyn says
Hi Marcia…you don’t heat any of it on the stove, it’s all done in the oven. So you don’t need to worry about that! 🙂
Allison says
I just made this last night and it was AMAAAAAAAAAZING!!
Juna says
Ok, now I understand. When you write “almond flour” you mean ground almonds. Here this is two different things. Ground almonds are sold in every supermarket in little 100 grams portions. It’s rather fluffy and everyone uses it for cookies. Almond flour is difficult to get. Usually you find it in shops with organic food or in health food stores. It’s as heavy as regular flour and looks about the same. Since it’s cold pressed, there is only 10-12% fat left, but – according to what they say – the flour still includes all essential fatty acids and nutrients.
Since I tend to eat too much, when I really like the taste (no matter if it’s filling), I need to keep an eye on the total amount of calories.
I guess a compromise will do: ground almonds for salty things and almond flour for sweet things.
Thanks a lot for your help. I’m still amazed about all those wonderful recipes and tried already quite a few (transforming all those “cups” into grams is not so easy though 😉 ).
Juna says
This looks just great, and I’d love to try it. Just one little problem: anything salty I ever baked from almond flour has a strong marzipan-taste. Any almond flour I could get here in Germany (and there are many different options) is great for sweet things, but salty things made from it taste really weird. Is there a trick or an ingredient to get rid of this marzipan-flavour?
Carolyn says
Wow. That never happens to me at all. Is the almond flour sweetened? You know what I suggest for this recipe? Get a bag of almonds and grind them up as finely as you can yourself (without making them almond butter!). This recipe doesn’t require a fine texture, so that should would fairly well.
Juna says
No, it’s not sweetened. All nut flours here are “cold pressed” without adding anything. We can also buy ground almonds, which are regularly used for cookies. I used them already once for a bread, and you are right -there is no marzipan-taste. But the amount of calories is extreme: 100 grams of ground almonds = 650 calories, 100 grams of almond flour = 250 calories. You see, it makes a big difference, and I could use it once in a while, but I don’t want to use it for any bread, pizza and whatever salty stuff. So I hoped, there is a trick, since you use almond flour a lot.
So what could be the secret of American almond flour? 🙂
Carolyn says
The secret to American almond flour, I think, is that it’s not pressed at all. It’s just really, REALLY finely ground almonds. I’m not someone who worries about calories…the more filling the item, the less of it you eat. I suspect your “almond flour” in Europe has had much of the fat pressed out of it. Which is why it’s light on calories. And, in my humble opinion, light on healthy fats and nutrients!