Enjoy a classic breakfast treat with these Keto English Muffins. They take 5 simple ingredients and less than 3 minutes to make!
English muffins have long been one of my favorite breakfast treats. I used to eat them fairly often, usually smothered in butter and peanut butter.
Obviously this isn’t a great keto breakfast option. Unless…
Unless we’re talking about delicious and easy Low Carb English Muffins. Like my Keto Oatmeal Recipe, these muffins are a total game-changer! Toast them up and serve with some butter and peanut butter. Or butter and sugar free jam.
However you top them, they will transform your healthy breakfast routine!
Why you will love this recipe
I have tried a number of keto English muffin dupes and I found them all to be lacking, both in taste and texture. None of them had that unique shaggy, rough texture of the classic. So I struck out on my own, playing with the ingredients until I was happy with the results.
Admittedly, they don’t look exactly like the real deal with they come out of the microwave. But once you slice them and toast them, they take on the appearance and texture. And they have only 2.7g net carbs per serving.
These Keto English Muffins take only a few short moments to make. So you can whip them up whenever you want. And you can make them completely nut-free too. Make sure to check out the Expert Tips section.
Ingredients you need
- Almond butter: You can use any seed or nut butter here. I used some almond macadamia butter from Wild Friends, but I’ve also used sunflower seed butter. If your nut butter is thick and not drippy, you need to add a tablespoon of oil or butter.
- Flax seed meal: I like the way flax meal makes these Keto English Muffins a bit shaggy and more rustic, like whole wheat. But you can also use almond flour.
- Egg: It will be easier to whisk in the egg if it’s room temperature.
- Cinnamon: This is optional but very tasty! Skip it if you plan to use the English muffins for savory dishes like breakfast sandwiches.
- Baking powder: Just a little baking powder to help the muffins rise in the microwave.
- Salt: If your nut butter is unsalted, consider adding a little more salt.
Step-by-step directions
1. In a medium bowl, whisk the nut butter and egg together until smooth.
2. Stir in the flax seed meal, cinnamon, baking powder, and salt until well combined.
3. Divide the mixture between two well greased 4-inch ramekins. Microwave both ramekins on high for 90 seconds. Let cool for a few minutes.
4. Run a sharp knife around the inside of the ramekins and flip the muffins out onto a wire rack. Slice in half and toast to your liking.
Expert Tips
The size of the ramekins makes a difference to how these low carb English muffins turn out. 4 inches in diameter is perfect for replicating the size of the real thing. You can cook them in microwave-safe containers that are a little bigger or smaller, but the cook time will change accordingly.
Don’t let them sit in the ramekins too long after cooking, as they tend to release moisture and become a bit soggy on the bottom. I like to let them cool for 5 minutes or so, then flip them out on a wire rack. Allowing air to circulate on both sides of the muffins helps dry them out a bit.
If you don’t have a microwave, try baking them in the oven at 350ºF. They will take 12 to 15 minutes. The edges should be golden brown and the top should be just firm to the touch.
Nut-Free Option: I have made these many times in the past with sunflower seed flour for a nut-free English muffin. Because sunflower seeds tend to react with baking powder, you need to add a teaspoon of lemon juice. Whisk it in along with the egg.
Frequently Asked Questions
This keto English muffin recipe has 6.5g of carbs and 3.8g of fiber per serving. That comes to 2.7g net carbs per English muffin.
Conventional English muffins are not a good choice for the keto diet and should be avoided. They have about 23g of carbs per serving, and only 3g of fiber. However, this low carb English muffin recipe is easy to make and really helps satisfy that craving.
Once baked in the microwave, remove the muffins from the ramekins and let the cool completely. Then slice them in half and store them in a covered container in the fridge for up to a week. You can also freeze them for several months.
More quick and easy keto recipes
Low Carb English Muffin Recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
- 3 tbsp almond butter, or sunflower seed butter
- 1 large egg
- 1 tbsp flax seed meal, or almond flour
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- 1/8 tsp salt
Instructions
- Grease two 4-inch diameter ramekins .
- In a medium microwave-safe bowl, whisk the nut butter and egg together until smooth. Stir in the flax seed meal, cinnamon, baking powder, and salt until well combined.
- Divide the mixture between two well greased 4-inch ramekins. Microwave together ramekins on high for 90 seconds. Let cool for a few minutes.
- Run a sharp knife around the inside of the ramekins and flip the muffins out onto a wire rack. Slice in half and toast to your liking.
Notes
Nutrition
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Love that these are nut free b/c my son is allergic to all nuts. Can’t wait to try!
Oops, forgot to note that I deliberately left out the cinnamon because I was making these with eggs.
I made these today for breakfast because I miss having something to mop up my egg yolks with. First bite was startlingly nutty (big duh moment for me… what did I expect with them being made from nut flour and nut butter? SMH) but they were very good. Two things; mine weren’t pretty like yours, Carolyn, they were misshapen on top (and looked like a tiny souffle), and when I toasted them they were bubbling with butter in the toaster; was that supposed to happen? I did forget to add the lemon juice, but the color or taste didn’t seem to be affected.
Thank you for the recipe. I will definitely make these again.
Have you tried baking these instead of using a microwave? If so, what temperature and how long should they be baked? I don’t have a microwave at home.
Your video says to use baking Soda but your recipe says baking powder….which one should we be using? Thank you!
Baking powder.
I really enjoyed this version of English muffins. I think it’s going to be a new favorite. I prefer them over muffins made with almond or coconut (or a combo of both). The only thing is that making sunflower seed flour was a PITA, because my mesh sieve was too fine.
PS. You forgot to add the lemon juice to your instructions. I whisked it into the mixture, just before I was ready to pour it into the ramekins
At what point does the lemon juice come into play? Sounds yummy!
It’s mixed in with the rest of the wet ingredients.
Do you have pumpkin pie? Is there a less cosmetic sweetener than erythromycin? It plays havoc with IBS…THANK YOU…PS
CAN ONE DO PALEO WITH FOOD COMBINING??
I just made these, but using peanut butter and PB2 peanut powder, because that’s what I had in the pantry. AMAZING!!!
My containers were slightly larger than one cup, so the end product was too thin to slice. But, we toasted
and buttered them, and thoroughly enjoyed every bite.
Thanks again for another fantastic recipe!
Oh that sounds good! I always have a hard time with these low carb recipes because I don’t have all the ingredients, but I do have PB powder and PB! Yay! It’ll be like dessert for breakfast!
I’m sorry to do this, because the endless “what can I substitute” questions in recipe comments drive me crazy; I know blog authors haven’t tried every conceivable combination and substitution.
All that said… do you think the cinnamon is necessary? Is it there to mask the flavor of the baking powder and lemon, or does it enhance the whole recipe? I was thinking of making sausage/egg muffins with these and don’t really want cinnamon with it.
I suppose this recipe is quick and easy enough that I should just try it myself. =) Thank you!
Cinnamon is not necessary. It doesn’t mask anything, I just like it in my English Muffins!
Hi Carolyn, I’m not sure whether sunflower seed butter is readily available in my little town in Australia. Do you think I could just use butter instead?
No, butter is not a good replacement for nut butter or seed butter. Any nut butter will do, though.
Hi Carolyn,
I have only recently joined the low carb wagon and i really miss my piece of bread… this seemed just the right thing to try out…so I did end up trying out the recipe with almond flour, while everything turned out perfectly during the cooking process, I felt like I could taste the egg while eating that did not seem too palatable? Any idea why that could have happened? Can I use an egg substitute (may be flax seed meal?).
I really don’t know. For me, these are MORE than palatable. I love them. Not really sure what the deal is for you?
Maybe make them the day before. I’ve found that many low carb/keto baked items taste better after the flavors have mingles over night.
oops, mingled over night.
Hello,
was wondering if I could substitute sunflower seed flour for flax seed flour?
Flax seed flour is a lot thicker, I am not sure it would work. You can certainly try.
Mine turned out a little gushy on the bottom…..any suggestions?
Flip it out, let it air dry a bit or stick directly into the toaster. Mine seemed a little “wet” on the bottom too, but dried and crisped up in the toaster.
Envisioning healthy, low-carb versions of my favorite fast-food breakfast sammys. CanNOT wait to make these. =))
Can’t wait to try these. Had previously given up on ever having low-carb English muffins that tasted like cardboard.
Really love your post including your comments about being friends and encouragers rather than enemies and competitive with each other. I’m in a highly competitive profession and would love it
if things were better that way. The smart ppl catch on!
V
I don’t have a microwave scold you tell me what oven temperature would be good and for how long?
thanks for your wonderful recipes.
Michelle
I don’t know for sure but I’d try 325F for 10 minutes and keep checking after that if it’s not done.
Looks great, do you know how long I’d bake them in the oven, what temp?
I don’t know for sure but I’d try 325F for 10 minutes and keep checking after that if it’s not done.
Thank you! Can’t wait to try these for breakfast this morning. I found out last month I’m allergic to almonds & my husband was just recently diagnosed with coconut allergy. There went my go-to GF flours. I’ve been looking for recipes using sunflower seeds. Does this turn greenish using baking powder? I know baking soda reacts with the chlorophyll of sunflower seeds & turns baked goods green.
That’s what the lemon juice is for. 🙂
I have more recipes here for sunflower seed flour: https://alldayidreamaboutfood.com/2015/12/how-to-make-your-own-sunflower-seed-flour.html
Bless you!!
Hi Carolyn, Do you think almond flour would work? Why sunflower seed?
Thanks!
I used sunflower seed because it’s nut-free and I like to experiment. Use Brenda’s recipe if you want almond flour. 🙂
thanks Carolyn! Here’s the recipe for the almond flour version Linda, http://www.sugarfreemom.com/recipes/2-minute-low-carb-english-muffin/
Yep and it’s linked in my post a few times as well!
My apologies Carolyn. I enjoy your musings and usually read the whole piece but English Muffins are one of my favourite things and I was hoping to make them for breakfast. I promise to read the whole piece later……
That’s totally okay! I am touched you even read my ramblings…
Thank you!
Can this be made in the oven since the microwaved food is so hard on your body?
Try 325F for 10 minutes and check on it every few minutes after that.
Just a science PSA. Microwaving relaxes plant cell walls and makes nutrients more bioavailable. This is why raw foods are considered less nutritious, because your body can’t break down the cellulose walls. Microwaving does and so all the good little phytonutrients and antioxidants are now available to your body! It makes food EASIER to digest and that’s a great thing!
Microwaving is one of the weakest forms of radiation. For reference, the order of the electromagnetic spectrum (in orders of magnitude) are radio wave, microwave, infrared, visible light, ultraviolet, x-ray, and finally gamma ray. For reference, visible light is two magnitudes (orders of ten!) stronger than microwaves. Visible light is more harmful than microwaves! Sunburn anyone? Microwaves only superheats water molecules, causing them to rub together to generate heat. Thus, microwaved food is considered to be “steamed”. Boiling vegetables actually leaches nutrients into the water, making the food less nutritious. This is why microwaving has been one of the greatest inventions of our time for nutrition – it preserves the phytonutrients AND breaks down the plant cell walls so that we can access those phytonutrients. For more information on microwaving and how it makes food more nutritious, read Eating on the Wild Side: The Missing Link to Optimum Health by Jo Robinson.
FYI, I’m an oral surgeon who also has a bachelor’s degree in Biochemistry and a minor in physics. I’ve been keto for 2 years and lost 75 pounds. Even though I’m in maintenance, I stay low carb because there’s strong research behind it. Just like how the science behind microwaving is there!
This is SUCH interesting information. Thank you!