Low carb bread – we all crave it and we are all looking for the perfect recipe. This might just be the best low carb bread recipe, and it’s so versatile, you can use it for rolls, sticky buns, pizza and more.
Yesterday afternoon I did something I rarely let myself do: I completely blew off work. It was a glorious day here in the Pacific Northwest, not a cloud in the vibrant blue sky, a perfect 70 degrees Fahrenheit. It was CIT – “Carolyn’s Ideal Temperature”, and I just couldn’t let it go to waste, sitting inside working on blog posts and articles and photos. The glorious spring weather was calling to me and I succumbed. I threw on some flip flops and went for a walk, stopping to get an iced coffee along the way. And then I went to get my toes done, something I desperately needed for an event we are attending tonight. I couldn’t let the world at large see my calloused, banged up runners’ feet and toes as they were!
How to make Low Carb Bread
So this bread recipe is going up a little late today. And it’s not one I can just throw up and leave be. This one needs a little explaining, a little talking through. See, I’ve been working on this for a while now, trying to perfect my own version of the low carb psyllium bread (hats off to those who’ve gone before, most notably Maria of Keto-Adapted). Psyllium is like many other low carb ingredients, something that takes a little getting used to. It has its own quirks and idiosyncrasies and you have to learn to work with them or you won’t get the desired results.
One thing I’ve found is that the brand of psyllium powder definitely makes a difference. I’ve tried two: Now Brand and Yerba Prima. I think I like the Now Brand better, as the Yerba Prima gives my bread more of that slight purply colour. It also seems to give my breads a more gummy texture than the Now psyllium powder.
Because of this difference between brands, it can make it hard to write recipes that work for everyone. I know many people experience frustration with psyllium bread recipes being gummy or deflating after being removed from the oven and I think a lot of that is the brand differences. So I tried to write this particular recipe with those differences in mind. In this case, you only add just enough hot water to expand the bread to about 1.5 to 2 times the original size. With Now Brand psyllium, I find you need more water and with Yerba Prima, I find you need less. It does require using your judgement and deciding when enough is enough. This may take a little practice, but when you get good results, it’s worth it.
I also wanted to develop a bread recipe that could be used in multiple applications and I think I’ve succeeded. I’ve used it for my low carb Pizza rolls, loaf bread, buns and yes, some delicious low carb sticky buns. I think it could be used as pizza crust too, but I haven’t tried it as yet. And I am going to be cruel and tease you with the sticky bun photos today, as the recipe with be forthcoming in a few more days. They were delicious and well worth the effort!
Multi-Purpose Low Carb Bread Recipe
Ingredients
- ½ cup coconut flour (I used Bob's Red Mill)
- ½ cup almond flour
- 5 tablespoon psyllium husk powder (about 1.6 ounces)
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon garlic or onion powder (optional)
- ½ teaspoon herbs like rosemary, oregano or basil. Pizza seasoning is great too! (optional)
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 ½ cup egg whites (about 8 to 10 large egg whites)
- 3 tablespoon oil or melted butter
- 2 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- ⅓ to ¾ cup hot water
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350F. If you are making a loaf, grease a 9x5 inch loaf pan well. If you are making rolls, line a large cookie sheet with parchment paper or a silicone liner.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the coconut flour, almond flour, psyllium husk powder, baking powder, and salt.
- Stir in egg whites, oil and apple cider vinegar. Slowly pour hot water over, stirring until dough expands. Start with the lesser amount and add a bit more until dough seems like it has expanded about 1.5 to 2 times. Do not add too much water or it can become a gloppy mess.
Loaf:
- For a loaf of bread, shape into a rough rectangle and place in prepared baking pan. Bake 60 to 75 minutes, until browned and crust feels hard to the touch (it will look done long before it really is. Don't take it out early or it will deflate). Remove and let cool in pan.
Rolls:
- Divide dough into 10 to 12 equal pieces and roll between palms into a rough ball. If dough is sticky, oil your palms with olive or avocado oil. Place on prepared cookie sheet. If you want flatter rolls for burgers or sandwich rolls, press down to 1 inch thickness with your palm.
- Bake 45 to 60 minutes, depending on size and shape of rolls. Rolls should be well browned and quite firm to the touch. Remove and let cool on pan.
Joy says
Hi carolyn
I made these exactly to your recipe. I made rolls 10 of them.
They hardly rose at all. They did taste good but I would like them to be a lot bigger like hamburger bun size.
What could be the reason do you think for them not changing in size from raw to cooked?
Regards
Joy
Carolyn says
Two possibilities. Your psyllium (what brand did you use?) or your baking powder had gone and had no leavening power any more.
Nina says
I never comment on anyone’s site but I feel I must contribute on this one. I made half the recipe (5 rolls) not expecting much but encouraged by other reviewers. I used Lore’s suggestions on the grams amount and I must say this is the only low carb, grain free bread that actually comes close to taste and texture of traditional wheat flour bread. Crunchy crust and soft ‘gluten-like’ crumb inside. I’ve tried many recipes, including Maria’s, and have been disappointed by gummy or crumbly bread. The combination of almond and coconut flour seems to be the key and you’ve certainly unlocked this secret. Well done! I’m off to buy more eggs and bake more bread.
Carolyn says
Oh, I am so glad to hear it!
Caroline says
Hi there. I just put my bread into the oven but unfortunately I don’t think it will work. I didn’t see the dough expand at all. Uncertain of the type of psyllium i used, since I purchased it bulk at the health food store.
Carolyn says
Sorry, wish I could help. If it didn’t expand, then I have to think the psyllium powder is at fault here.
Caroline says
It did end up rising a bit and it tastes great. That is my first non- yeast bread and it is good. The bread on the inside is a little moist/wet; is that meant to be or should I have baked it longer?
Thank you
christie says
Just made rolls with this recipe. They are wonderful! Thank you so much!
The texture and taste are very “wheaty”. Nice addition to a low carb lifestyle.
Hope says
I made these as stated in the recipe, and they turned out great! Thank you, this one is a keeper.
Jane says
I made these with all almond flour instead of almond and coconut flour and my baps rose about three times the size and tasted so much better than when with the coconut flour~ I’m not a fan of the coconut flour aftertaste ~ thankyou so much for this ~ I have sandwiches every day now
Carolyn says
Interesting, I may try that.
Jane says
Hi Carolyn ~ can you put the bread batter in the fridge and make bread rolls the next day ? Or do you have to cook them straight away ~ thanks
Christine says
How much almond flour did you use? Thank you
For posting this, I have an allergy to coconut.
Christine
Lani says
I made this recipe this morning. It turned out perfectly! I have made Maria’s bread too, with success. But yours is prettier. Every recipe I try of yours is a winner. You make me look like a good cook/baker! And trust me, I am not. Cooking/baking this way is not an easy path, especially when first starting out eating low carb/high fat. You continue to give me confidence to try more and more of your recipes. Thank you so very much for all your offerings. Your skills are a gift to this community! You are making a difference in the lives so many. Not just their health, but their quality of life by being able to still eat great food. Thanks again!
Carolyn says
This is SUCH a wonderful comment to hear. Thanks so much!
Heather says
Hi Carolyn,
Made your bread recipe into a loaf..it ddint turn purple and it puffed up beautifully. It didnt sink either. Only problem was- the inside had a huge air bubble. Such a big air bubble that i couldnt use the top half o the loaf. The bottom appeared a littly spongy but i cooked it for an hour and 45 minutes..
Any idea how i can get my bread to not form a big air pocket? It tastes great and eats like french toast.
Carolyn says
First off, yay that it didn’t turn purple or deflate. I think the air pocket was in there before you baked it. I’ve gotten air pockets when I’ve done the cinnamon raisin swirl bread, because as you roll it up, you do create little pockets. Unlike a yeast dough, this isn’t giving off gasses to rise, so that makes me think that when you were forming the bread, there was an air pocket already there. Try kneading it a bit to make sure there are none when you shape your loaf. Did you do it in a loaf pan or just free form?
Anne o says
Have now made this recipe about 5 times. All came out perfectly.
This week I made the dough (added 1 tsp Italian spices) into one large pizza, coated the pizza top in a light coat of olive oil, baked it about 40 min then added toppings and baked 5 min longer. I have tried about 5 different low carb pizza recipes and this was the best by a long shot. Chewy, deep dish, crusty edges.
NOW brand psyllium powder and Bobs flours are what I’ve used. Using other brands resulted in purple gummy centers.
Thanks Carolyn.
Deborah says
I just made the bread and it turned purple. I used the Yerba brand because that is what my store had. I know that you said you would start making videos of how you prepare some of your dishes and I would definitely like to see a video of this recipe!
Debbie says
Hi Carolyn, I am also living at sea level. I made this bread almost a dozen times. It works great. My first attempt came out perfect…so fluffy, I was in heaven. But the rest of the time, somehow, it does not come out too fluffy anymore and a bit gummy. I wonder what I did wrong. whic of the ingredient actually creates the fluffiness? I might need to add more of that one. Thanks so much for your skill, low carb living feel a lot better with a “real” bread”
Carolyn says
So I have noticed that if I use all carton egg whites, the bread is not as good. It’s much better with at least half the amount of egg whites coming from fresh eggs.
Anne o says
Carolyn- I’m dying reading these comments wondering what your expression on your face is when you read our comments. I mean what sane person would even attempt this recipe once they read the blog and every comment?! I am laughing. I missed this recipe when you posted it earlier this year. After reading the comments today I decided to try it (a half recipe). I too have made Maria’s bread probably 15 times, have had my share of purple, gummy, droopy bread no matter what I did to her recipe, but happily ate it all. I have Celiacs so I don’t cheat with wheat. But, unlike some of your readers, I never threw away any of my flops, even though the bread was purple and gummy, toasting it cured the problem and I ate every loaf.
So I made your recipe today, following your instructions precisely (Bobs flours and Now Psyllium powder) and baked at sea level and all I got was perfection. My head was spinning after reading the comments but I did cook the rolls at 45 min turned off the oven and removed them about 15 minutes later. Could not believe the slightly crunchy outer texture and the divine spongy bready inside. No hint of Purple gummy shrunkenness. Perfection! i made 5 beautiful rolls from a half batch. Bought supplies for a double batch tomorrow. You are a scientific genius. Thank you again and happy New Years!
Carolyn says
I am so very glad it worked out!
Renee says
Love this bread! Easy and delicious. I made it a few days ago, and my boys and I have been enjoying it in many different ways.
How do you recommend storing it? I left our loaf on the counter (in a sealed container, of course), and today when I went to slice up the last of it, I saw that it had some cute little feathery white things growing out of it! Haha next time I’ll definitely keep it in the fridge, and I was just wondering if you do the same.
Carolyn says
Carolyn, you are awesome! I just made these with much fear and trembling but the rolls came out perfect! When I was making them they did not seem to increase in size, so I was concerned… my egg whites were from the carton and were cold from the fridge… I love your recipe and now I feel brave to make the Sticky Buns and the pizza dough. Thank you so much for all the time you spend developing these recipes! God bless you and Merry Christmas!
Carolyn says
So very glad they worked and you liked them!
Anu Vuppala says
hanks a lot for this amazing recipe…however i wanted to know what can be replaced eggs? Can I I use the egg replacer (bob’s redmill product) or flaxmeal?
Carolyn says
I am highly doubtful that this recipe will work with any sort of egg replacer. It really relies on the egg whites to rise properly.
Anu Vuppala says
Thanks Carolyn! do you have any other recipes which are not egg dependent but are low carb.. have a blessed one!
Corinne says
I make this all the time…rolls, hotdog buns, etc. I’ve added poppy seeds several times, which is quite good. I’ve made them flat for sandwich wraps but they still puff up a lot.
I am thinking of trying it today without baking powder or vinegar, then smashing it into flatbreads for use with sandwiches, pizza crusts, etc. Do you think that will work or am I wasting time and $$$?
Carolyn says
I think you can skip the vinegar but still put in the baking powder so that it rises a bit. You wouldn’t want it that flat, I think.
Marla says
I’m wondering have you ever tried making it in a bread maker?
Carolyn says
No and I really doubt it would work in one.
Appletree says
Hi Carolyn, Please can I ask if you have ever weighed 1 cup almond flour in g? There is so much difference in how people measure their cups. If you get a chance, please can you let us know? Thanks in advance.
Janet says
I too have tried this type of bread recipe with local brands of psyllium and they did not work. I was meticulous with the directions but my attempts flopped and turned purple. I ordered the NOW brand from Amazon, was careful to have boiling water, a bit at a time, and it worked wonderfully. I was amazed. Thank you for your work on this recipe.
Carolyn says
So glad it worked out!
Kathy says
Carolyn, I really appreciate this very versatile recipe, and you for sharing it with us. Thank you. My diabetic husband, and two relatives who must eat gluten free have all been delighted to have rolls that taste and have the texture of real bread.
Like Janet, may I also ask if you would be kind enough to weigh one cup of your ground almonds? I can’t get Honeyville brand where I live, and I wonder how yours compares in weight to what I use. Although I have never had a failure using this recipe, knowing the proper weight might give me consistent results.
Thank you, and warm regards.
Bill Hilton says
I’m new to keto breads but I just baked a purple baguette (gummy & unbaked in the centre even after 40 mins at 180 degree C. What is the reason for the boiling water you mentioned. My Psyllium is also from Amazon. Does dissolving? psyllium powder in boiling water avoid it going purple on baking? Does anyone understand what is happening to the Psyllium when it goes purple?
Carolyn says
Nothing can avoid the purple with some psyllium powders.
Mari says
We love this recipe. I have made it at least six or seven times since I found this recipe. It is almost impossible to get a bad batch of these. These taste the most like real bread of all the things I have made in the last twenty years. I have forgotten to add ingredients, ended up throwing the dough back in the bowl with the baking powder or vinegar, or whatever I forgot to add, tossed in a little more water, remixed, and then formed the rolls. They turned out perfectly anyway. This recipe is very forgiving. I like this recipe better than Maria’s recipe. There is no gritty texture or odd taste to these, just pure delicious texture and taste. So far I have made them as dinner rolls, hamburger buns and hot dog buns. They work perfectly for whatever I need them for. I really haven’t made it as a bread, but one of these days I will. These are like eating soft fluffy clouds of breads goodness. Totally amazing. Thanks for all your recipes, but especially this one. It’s a lifesaver.