Count on this gluten free and keto bread with yeast to be extra soft, fluffy and absolutely delicious with a killer crumb. Plus, with less than half the amount of eggs as your usual low carb bread recipe, this non-eggy sandwich bread will surely become a staple!
Note: this recipe was first published on April 9th 2018, but has since been updated to provide more deets ‘n tricks! And to my knowledge, it was also the first keto bread recipe with yeast on the internet! 😉
Gluten Free & Keto Bread With Yeast
Light, Fluffy & Not-Eggy (At All!!)!
Without a doubt the most requested recipe by you guys this year has been for a light and not-eggy keto bread loaf. And after quite a few takes, I finally nailed it. The resulting bread has awesome rise (nearly double it’s initial volume!!), killer crumb, and excellent taste.
And as previously mentioned, it’s not eggy, dense or crumbly. Think at least less than half the amount of eggs of your typical recipe, and a few other tips and tricks to ensure killer results. So while different from traditional wheat bread (because ahem, no wheat!), we’re still certain you’ll find this a keeper.
Plus, it keeps very well at room temp for 4 days and freezes beautifully. Oh, and you might also be surprised how good this bread is even without toasting.
The Deets
Making this paleo and keto bread is incredibly simple really. But, like with any yeasted bread, it does require you take care of a few details to ensure the best possible outcome.
And the one thing to keep in mind is that your bread will likely fall slightly post bake. Blame it on the lack of starch (keto flours are notoriously heavy and moist) and certain missing proteins (think gluten). Just keep in mind that I’m baking at ridiculously high altitude here, so if my loaf was still nearly double it’s volume after cooling- odds are yours will be even better!
Before rise
After rise
The Method
The yeast in this low carb and keto bread ensures a wonderful texture and taste. Now, how much your bread will rise (and fall!) post-bake depends quite a bit on your altitude. But note that you still won’t get that gummy and wet texture here of most low carb breads. Plus, as mentioned, I’m baking at over 7,000 feet (Mexico City here!!), so if I can make this keto sandwich bread work so can you.
On that note, I’ve since baked it in LA (you know, sea level!) and can indeed confirm that the rise is much better- but it does take a little bit longer (about 15-20 minutes more).
Weigh your ingredients. This will forever be a staple recommendation for any sort of gluten free baking here at gnom-gnom. As aside from leading to less dirty dishes, it will ensure consistent results time and time again. Remember that gluten free (and particularly keto) baking is notoriously finicky, and measuring by cups is anything but accurate. And if you don’t own a baking scale, measure with cups by dropping the ingredients onto them rather than scooping them out (which often leads to overpacking).
Ingredients at room temperature. Self explanatory really, but incredibly important (particularly for the eggs). If you add cold eggs to the mix your bread simply won’t rise much (if at all).
Proof the yeast. This involves mixing dry active yeast with water that’s just warm to touch (between 105-110°F to be precise) and inulin (which is fully keto) or an actual sugar (think maple syrup or honey) for 7 minutes until foamy. And before you scream sugar (!!) remember that the yeast will feed on such sugar to emit carbon dioxide, so it doesn’t affect the carb count. And yes, this is a scientific fact.
Avoid abrupt temperature changes and air drafts. Like with any yeast bread, you need to cuddle your dough. Make sure it’s able to rest undisturbed in a warm space.
Baking at high altitude? Yup, so am I (Paola here!!). I’ve tried quite a few combinations, and the one modification I will suggest is to increase your oven temperature by 25°F. You may also need to decrease the baking time by 5 minutes (I baked the bread for 45 mins), but that may change from oven to oven.
The Ingredients & Possible Subs
This bread does have quite a few ingredients, but you’ll find that most are staple paleo and keto pantry ingredients. In the list below you’ll find details on several ingredients and possible subs. But if possible, please do try and make this recipe without any subs. As out of the 18 permutations we tried, this one really was terrific and the absolute best.
Almond flour. You truly need a super finely ground almond flour here, as if you use meal your bread will turn out dense and oily. Super fine almond flour brands include Anthony’s (my personal favorite), WellBees and Bob’s.
Now if paleo, or in keto maintenance, you can lighten up the bread even more by substituting part of the almond flour (1/4-1/2 cup) with arrowroot flour.
Golden flaxseed meal. You’ll want to use golden flaxseed meal (we use Bob’s), and regrind the flakes in your (very dry!) bullet or blender until finely powdered. Great way to avoid slimy bread. You can technically substitute the flaxseed meal with psyllium husk powder, but we prefer the crumb much more with the flax. Just make sure its the golden variety and not the regular (VIP thing!!).
Psyllium husk powder. Same as with your flaxseed meal, you’ll always want to regrind your psyllium husk. We always favor NOW brand as it doesn’t turn bread purple. You can substitute it with more flax, but your bread may lose some elasticity and rise.
Whey protein isolate. This one is an absolute must, as it will ensure your bread doesn’t collapse post-bake. Keep in mind that this ingredient varies tremendously from brand to brand, and I’ve only tried (and are super happy!) with Isopure’s Zero Carb Unflavored. Update: I’ve since tried this grass-fed whey protein isolate and it also works the charm (a bit pricier, but undoubtedly higher quality)!
Now, the cream of tartar and powdered ginger help to condition the dough to get an even nicer rise. Though note that you can skip them without too much detriment to the final results.
Looking for more keto bread recipes with yeast?! Be sure to check out our famous cinnamon rolls, extra fluffy pizza crust and rosemary focaccia!
Gluten Free & Keto Bread With Yeast
Oh, and if baking with cups rather than grams is your thing, just click on US Cups for an instant conversion. Though for best results we (highly!!) suggest you weight your ingredients here.
Ingredients
For the paleo & keto bread
- 2 teaspoons active dry yeast
- 2 teaspoons inulin or maple sirup, honey, to feed the yeast*
- 120 ml water lukewarm between 105-110°F
- 168 g almond flour **
- 83 g golden flaxseed meal finely ground
- 15 g whey protein isolate
- 18 g psyllium husk finely ground
- 2 teaspoons xanthan gum or 4 teaspoons ground flaxseed meal**
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
- 1/8 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1 egg at room temperature
- 110 g egg whites about 3, at room temperature
- 56 g grass-fed unsalted butter or ghee, melted and cooled
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 58 g sour cream or coconut cream + 2 tsp apple cider vinegar
Instructions
For the paleo & keto bread
- See recipe video for guidance on keto yeast breads. And be sure to check out the post for full deets, tips and possible subs!
- Line a 8.5 x 4.5 inch loaf pan with parchment paper (an absolute must!). Set aside.
- Add yeast and maple syrup (to feed the yeast, see notes) to a large bowl. Heat up water to 105-110°F, and if you don't have a thermometer it should only feel lightly warm to touch. Pour water over yeast mixture, cover bowl with a kitchen towel and allow to rest for 7 minutes. The mixture should be bubbly, if it isn't start again (too cold water won't activate the yeast and too hot will kill it).
- Mix your flours while the yeast is proofing. Add almond flour, flaxseed meal, whey protein powder, psyllium husk, xanthan gum, baking powder, salt, cream of tartar and ginger to a medium bowl and whisk until thoroughly mixed. Set aside.
- Once your yeast is proofed, add in the egg, egg whites, lightly cooled melted butter (you don't want to scramble the eggs or kill the yeast!) and vinegar. Mix with an electric mixer for a couple minutes until light and frothy. Add the flour mixture in two batches, alternating with the sour cream, and mixing until thoroughly incorporated. You want to mix thoroughly and quickly to activate the xanthan gum, though the dough will become thick as the flours absorb the moisture.
- Transfer bread dough to prepared loaf pan, using a wet spatula to even out the top. Cover with a kitchen towel and place in a warm draft-free space for 50-60 minutes until the dough has risen just past the top of the loaf pan. How long it takes depends on your altitude, temperature and humidity- so keep an eye out for it every 15 minutes or so. And keep in mind that if you use a larger loaf pan it won't rise past the top.
- Preheat oven to 350°F/180°C while the dough is proofing. And if you're baking at high altitude, you'll want to bake it at 375°F/190°C.
- Place the loaf pan over a baking tray and transfer gently into the oven. Bake for 45-55 minutes until deep golden, covering with a lose foil dome at minute 10-15 (just as it begins to brown). Just be sure that the foil isn't resting directly on the bread.
- Allow the bread to rest in the loaf pan for 5 minutes and transfer it to a cooling rack. Allow to cool completely for best texture- this is an absolute must, as your keto loaf will continue to cook while cooling! Also keep in mind that some slight deflating is normal, don't sweat it!
- Keep stored in an airtight container (or tightly wrapped in cling film) at room temperature for 4-5 days, giving it a light toast before serving. Though you'll find that this keto bread is surprisingly good even without toasting!
So I made this yesterday and it’s pretty fantastic–thanks for developing the recipe! My question: has anyone tried making a baguette shape with it? Would it work on a baguette pan?? I’m just dreaming of crostini here…
Hi Katy! I’ve sorta tried but haven’t gotten lucky with keto flours coming out crisp from the oven 🙁
Hmm…but if they get sliced and toasted?? I don’t have a baguette pan but I’m considering trying. After all, what’s a $16 pan when I spend $25 on almond flour every month! 😂
Katy let us know if you try a different shaped loaf. I’m thinking of using this recipe and adding some cinnamon and spices to make hot cross buns this easter!
Check out the panettone recipe instead 😉 aaaand I’ll be posting an actual hot cross bun recipe soon!
Wonderful Bread! Tastes great and you can toast it 😍(I tried higher temp when toasting and I had perfect toast for my breakfast). I’m baking on the weekly basis and keep my bread in the freezer.
My weekends are “full” of Paola’s donuts, my family love gnom-gnom donuts, they are gone in minutes!
I recommend buying Paola’s books lots of great recipes which you can print out and keep it handy. Thank you Paola!
I’ve made this twice, and the first time it was unbearably salty. I cut the salt less than half this time, and it still tastes quite salty. Has anyone else had issue at all? Or is there a different ingredient in it that is salty? The texture is amazing
Are you using salted butter instead of unsalted butter that is standard in most of the Gnom-Gnom recipes?
Are you using table salt instead of kosher salt? They measure differently.
What is the best way to line the pan with parchment paper? Just had my first slice of the Keto sandwich bread. My mouth is doing a happy dance!! My kids nicknamed my weekly homemade honey WW bread ‘best damn bread’ (their friends would time their visits to a batch fresh out of the oven), but I haven’t made it since an IBS diagnosis a few years ago. I’ve been trying out various Keto recipes since starting Keto last fall. This is the closest thing to a healthy version of my BDB ever (except for the time involved; maybe I will get faster with practice??). Thank you, thank you, thank you!!!
This looks so good. Do you know if I can bake it in my bread cloche? Or do I need to alter the recipe?
Thanks,
Joe
Hi Paola,
Just wondering if I can make this recipe into rolls? If so, do I need to change the temp of the oven or the bake time?
What sort of magical mixture genius are you? I am NOT good at making breads but decided to give this a go and VOILA! nice textured, tasting, looking, smelling bread!!! I’m hooked!
Hello Paola
I wanted to try your recipe and I found almost all the ingredients here where I live. But I’m still stuck on the isolate whey protein. Could I skip to another protein, like pea protein? Do you think it alters rising/taste? I’ve never baked anything with this powder proteins, and since this pea protein happens to be the one easily on reach, I was wondering if you could help me sorting this out.
Another question is room temperature, as it happens to be really cold here, what would you advise?
I’m sorry if you get this questions often, I did try to to read the comments though to prevent double questioning you, but couldn’t find anything that suited me.
I wanna desperately bake some of your recipes!
Thank you!
In regards to the rising, you could put it in the oven with just the oven light on – that would make it just a little warm for the dough.
You can order UNFLAVORED whey protein isolate on Amazon. It is the only place I have found it!
Vitamin shoppe as well
I made two batches of this bread today. I have to say that different from most, my dough rose beautifully. However, the taste was not what I expected. It was pretty much tasteless and extremely dry. No idea what went wrong, but I am deeply disappointed as I was counting on using this bread for my son’s sandwich at school tomorrow…
I bought the same exact powdered Psyllium husk (NOW brand) with the link, and my bread turned out purple. I did not put the powder in the blender as you suggested (because I felt like the powder was as fine as can be), and I was just wondering how I could solve this? Thanks! I love the recipe!
Had you put it in the blender, this would not have happened. I don’t think the brand matters as I’ve seen complaints/comments about this for all the good brands. My niece used the same Now brand and had purple rolls. I used the very same pack about two weeks after and ran it in the blender along with the flaxseed meal (as that’s usually not fine enough) and salt (as my grains are quite large) and everything came out just fine. I continued to use the same pack until it was finished and had no issue.
This happens because of a chemical reaction (oxidation) with ground psyllium husk that is solved by regrinding it. I guess the reason why this does not happen with Paola is because she always grinds. There’s lots of information on this online that you can find if you just google it.
I cannot stop talking about how much I love this bread. It’s now the staple at my home (I have a loaf in the oven as I type!).
Interesting! I’ve been hearing about regrinding preventing the purple so much this week, so happy you guys are helping figure out the oddities in keto baking 😉
This is the best bread. I have been trying to find a bread. That isn’t eggy that taste good. It taste like I’m eating a slice of really good whole wheat homemade bread. I didn’t have the golden flaxseed I had the brown and it still rised. My husband who is not keto&who is very picky likes it. Thank you, thank you for coming up with this recipe.
THis bread is delicious! Thanks so much for the recipe. So, I’ve been testing Paleo breads trying to find my HG for a year now. This is the closest recipe to real wheat bread that I’ve ever come. It has great texture, great taste, toasts up perfectly. You hit the nail on the head. I followed the recipe to a T and set out all my weighed ingredients first. My bread rose perfectly in my toaster oven set at 110 degrees. Baked for 55 min because my oven runs cool. Its perfection. Thanks so much
I just used this bread for grilled cheese to go with soup……UH-MAZ-ING. grilled up beautifully. xoxoxo
If possible, can you create a bread recipe that is keto friendly, and can be made in a bread machine? I have found a successful low carb bread recipe that my husband likes to eat but that includes vital wheat gluten. I have been trying to find a recipe that can be made in a bread machine and that doesn’t require gluten for some time, but I have been unsuccessful. Please create one.
Can you tell what recipe you are using for your husband. Looking for one with vital wheat gluten for my hubby.
Hi Paola
I made this recipe exactly per instructions and result was great taste and texture. The only concern I had was when adding the vinegar to the whisked bubbly yeast and egg white /butter mixture it went from smooth and fluffy to thick and lumpy. Further whisking didn’t improve. Wondering what the vinegar is for and if the rise would be even better without it. Also, any idea what curdle (ie butter or eggs). Also wondering if add the cream of tartare directly to the eggs as being whisked would also improve it.
Regards
Graham
Hi Graham! The only thing I can think of is the butter was too hot and it curdled the eggs? The mixture should def not go lumpy (I do it all the time with the vinegar and it never curdles) xo!
The butter and eggs are already with yeast and whisked together and nice and silky before I added the vinegar. I only added the butter soft and not melted so maybe it has a cooling action with vinegar. Anyway going to try making bread rolls tomorrow with all the way melted butter!
Mine did the same thing. I think next time I will add the butter with the sourcream.
Just got a bread machine and want to try this recipe out in it. Do you think it will work if I bloom the yeast first?
No clue how to make bread rise. Second time. Changed out the flax seed. Added to oven slightly preheated. Went from US to metric. Same result.
I cut it in half and slice long ways. Tastes good but not light. It is very dense.
Is your yeast still good? It always expires before I use it up. Just a thought
I’m having the same problem. I followed the recipe exactly and put it my airing cupboard to rise but no its still the same as when i put it in. The yeast is a new tub too. I don’t know where I’m going wrong. The same happened with the bagels I made too.
Hi Paola,
I’m wanting to try your bread recipe out and I have a question. In the recipe it says “18 g psyllium husk finely ground” when I click on the product link it shows psyllium husk powder. Do I need to regrind the powder or do I use whole psyllium husk and grind it.
Thanks in advance.
Theresa
This looks and sounds amazing, but I can’t use whey protein. Is there something one can sub for that?
Thanks
Dear Paula!!!!!!!!!
OMGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGG I have just rizen from the ketodead lool cannot believe the taste/smell/toastability/non eggy/crust it has, i am in love with your website thank youuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu would be cool to have these receipes in thermomix translations 🙂
Maybe my yeast is old. I can never get it to rise to the top of the pan. Btw it’s no less delicious. Best bread recipe ever!! I’ll keep trying.
I’m the same as you. Even tho I can’t get mine to rise as hers has its still the best. When I slice it thin and toast it it’s hard to tell your not cheating. I just wish I could figure out how to get the rise as hers looks in the pics.
Yeast should not get that ineffective even when it’s old. How long do you let the bread rise for? I usually let it go for an hour. My house is cold so I came up with the idea of leaving it to rise, covered, in the microwave with the light on underneath. This is after I heated up water for some time (be careful to not leave it in until the water explodes!) in the microwave. This creates a warm environment. For the last couple of batches I warmed the oven to 170 and turned it off then left the bread in, covered, for an hour. It rose like a champion. Good luck!
Wonderful idea Maxine, thank you for sharing!
I’ve done the same thing (with the oven) but I can only get it to barely rise, at best. It’s an amazing bread though. Reminds me a bit of Rye by the taste. I just wish I could get it taller so that it could stand up to a real sandwich. Right now, I can only get it about half as tall as a normal slice of bread. I even tried increasing the amount of yeast and honey to 1 T each. The only thing I can think of is to increase the recipe so that it better fills my 9×5 pan? Any thoughts?
BTW, I absolutely ADORE your recipes. Thank you so much for everything you do!
The recipe says to use a 8.5 x 4.5 pan and I use that size pan and make 1/2 more of the recipe and it makes a nice size slice of bread = 1 1/2 of the recipe. IF you use a 9×5 pan I would suspect that you would easily make 2 X the recipe or even 2 1/2 X the recipe. BIG difference in size.
Hi Paola, just tried your bread recipe yesterday. I proofed my dough in a Brod & Taylor proofing box at 88F for one hour. My dough rose, but not by much, not by 100%. I used Bob’s Redmill Fine Almond flour but might change to Anthony’s or King Arthur Flour super fine almond flour because my bread came out similar to a brick. Should I let my dough rise for more than one hour? Thank you Paola….love your site and recipes and think you are a genius!!
Just finished making my first loaf. First let me say it’s absolutely delicious.
I did, however, run into some issues. Following all of the instructions as described my results prior to baking looked really good. No substitutions. I even let the loaf proof on top of the stove while my oven was in use roasting your parmesan “potatoes”. It was pretty cold in the house so I didn’t want to chance it not proofing well.
The baked loaf was pretty flat. Not sure was went wrong. My guess is that I forgot to oil the loaf pan itself (the ends specifically). So I’m wondering if it was stuck and not able to rise. The rest of the pan was covered with parchment.
In any case, I was finally able to have a little sample of bread and butter which was thrilling and so yummy. I originally intended to make turkey sandwiches with the loaf, but may end up repurposing it. It would make some great croutons for the Gnom-Gnom stuffing recipe. But I can also see some bruschetta in my near future. By cutting the loaf horizontally, I think I can still manage to get at least one turkey sandwich out of it this week. That’s if I don’t keep sneaking little slices for bread and butter 😉
Definitely going to try this recipe again in an attempt to match the pics. I know it can be done!
I followed this recipe to a T and used all the same brand ingredients listed. But my bread looks darker pre backs then the one pictured. It also didn’t rise much. Tried a warmer area and it didn’t work. Maybe the ingredients are off? I even ran the flax seed meal thru my ninja for like 10 min
Did you check that it’s golden flaxseed meal and not regular?
Gotcha. That’s exactly what it is. Thanks. Does it make a huge difference on rising/taste?
I am using regular flax seed meal, you are right. Will this have much impact on taste and rising? With regular flax seed it tastes a bit wheaty
Yeah definitely they’re essentially two different ingredients when it comes to baking
Mon meilleur pain keto merci 😍
De rien! 😉
I have also been disappointed about the bread not toasting except at the very top and bottom….guess I have just accepted the problem. Both my regular toaster and my toaster oven have had the same (non) results. Ah well, until someone else figures this out it is still the better non eggy bread out there.
I’ve found thin slices are best. Too thick and it’s still a bit spongy.
I use a regular stand up toaster with 2 sides – don’t know what else to say about it. Maybe the slices aren’t thick enough but I think they are probably 1/4″ thick.
Oh man I’m sorry I dunno! 🤔
Does anyone have trouble toasting this bread? Mine will toast on the top and bottom crust but not on the bread itself. It remains pure without any toasting at all. Don’t know what I’m doing wrong.
How are you toasting it Joanne? I haven’t had problems with this (see the stuffing recipe!), and readers generally report back that it toasts well?
I guess the “elephant in the room” is the fact that these ingredients aren’t on the cheap side and require lots of hunting for them because they aren’t always available. Then you want it to turn out perfect after all that – it’s a journey that’s for sure. Thanks so much for the recipe and all these comments help to make the bread perfect.
Def agree! I’m working on a few things to hopefully make keto baking more affordable (and easier!) stay posted!
Hi Paola
In the description of your recipe you wrote dairy free, but there is whey protein. Any alternative?
Back in the day when Inuse to bake regular bread, I would batch bake it because we have 5 kids. I know you can’t treat GF baking the same. When I used coconut flour I would just do the same recipe in two different bowls. Is that hownInwould have to batch bake this or isnthere an easier way? Thx!
Hi Emily! I’m probably having a case of the Friday’s, but I don’t quite understand your question? You can’t use coconut flour here