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!
I am Keto but am sugar, wheat and yeast intolerant. Do you have any alternatives that would still work? After being Keto for the last 3 years I have yet to find a non eggy bread!! 🙁
You should try her 90 second bread. I just do 60 seconds because of my microwave but it’s wonderful. Recipe is very close to this one.
Hey, I’ve made this recipe twice now, and both times it was delicious ; however, it didn’t rise very much at all either time. I’m not a novice baker, not as experienced with bread as with cakes, but am familiar with procedure. Both times the yeast bloomed, but I feel like when I mix the other elements into the yeast, it doesn’t get to the right consistency, i.e., light and fluffy. Any tips would be greatly appreciated!
Hi Crystal! What I generally suggest to readers is that they place it in a warm spot that actually warms up the try a bit (not hot, but warm to touch)- I’ve found that keto yeast breads need a lot more warmth to proof than regular dough which can just hang out at room temp. I hope this helped!
I used the carton egg whites when I made the recipe and it worked perfectly.
Hello, Is it OK to use carton egg whites for this recipe or will it be too wet?
Thanks, Nanette
I made this bread yesterday, the only substitution was using regular whey protein powder. Although the bread tastes good. it did not rise as much as shown. Could using the regular whey protein power be the cause?
It shouldn’t have made such a difference Lisa… usually the lack of rise is solved by proofing it with a bit more warmth xo!
Thank you! I’m trying it a second time. Its already been rising for 1 hour…how much longer would it continue to rise with no detriment to the finished product?
Hey Paola!
New here, but loving your recipees so far (totally game changer for my diet and life)! I’ve tried this bread a few times now, but am struggling with it a little bit and was hoping that you could help me try to figure out what to try next. The taste is fantastic, but I’m having trouble with the rise. My yeast is bubbling and I’ve had it proving on my oven (which is pretty hot! –too hot?). The structure inside looks like there were air bubbles, but they got knocked out or something (sort of squished), but your picture looks incredible so I’m hoping that I can change something. The taste seems a little dense and chewy so far. I’m very new to baking, so it might also be a bake problem. I’m in Chicago.
Thanks so much!!!
Hi Sarah and Paola.
I’m having a light bulb moment. I do not know what altitude you are at Paola? and all of you that is having trouble with bread height or collapsed bread. I think the problem is, that you are all baking at different altitude. Yeast reacts very different in different altitudes. Please go to google and ask:” Does baking white bread in high altitude give more or less rise to the bread”. It is a whole science, but check it out. the size of the pan is also very important. There are so many things that will affect the out come, but if we all experiment and share the outcome so Paola is not all alone fixing our problems.
Happy Keto Baking.♥ I’m in Ottawa Canada 240′ over sea level.
Jette
Hello,
I have recently started doing keto and I miss bread so much!! I came across this website and I am really looking forward to try this recipe!
However, we do not have sour cream and coconut cream (surprisingly) in Brazil, could I replace it for heavy cream or another ingredient?
Thank you.
Hi Julyane! Ive done it with heavy cream and a couple more teaspoons of apple cider vinegar too 😉 xo!
Paloa, my dear woman! You need to be recognized as a saint! I just made this bread and holy smokes. It. Is. Awesome! I will make a few tweaks the next time I bake it – I baked it for high altitude (I’m at 5800 ft) but apparently my oven is on steroids – it was to hot and the top was over brown – I checked it about 20 min in and it was already dark. But, I have a plan for next time. When I pulled it out of the pan, a corner came off – which was great because I didn’t have to wait to try it! I’ve also tried your chocolate sour cream cupcakes and the cream cheese frosting this week – holy smokes they are delicious! I’m so glad I found you and can’t thank you enough for sharing your knowledge and recipes with all of us! Have a great week! –Rena
I can not find the Chocolate sour cream cupcakes you mentioned in your comment. Can you help me out?
hello all, I’ve made this bread 4 times now, the last 2 times I added Lesaffre Saf-Instant Yeast directly to the flour instead of proofing regular yeast, be sure to add the proofing liquid with the wet ingredients if you do this. I am at 5500 ft High altitude. I just wanted to share how i got my bread to rise, my bread had great height and texture, I had much better luck with the rising with this method. I would not deviate further from the recipe, it tastes great!
Hey quick question. I’m not sure if you’ve answered this before, but I have made this bread numerous times successfully. Thank you. The question being, what do you think about using Greek yogurt? I’ve started buying a Greek yogurt that is advertised to be used the same as sour cream. It’s in a squeeze pack. It’s thick just like sour cream. Full fat. Anyway just curious to see if you think I could possibly use this.
I used greek yogurt instead of sour cream and it worked well. Same as many of the other comments, I did not get as much rise as I was hoping for (after 90 minutes), but the bread is very tasty with a nice crumb. I cut into 16 slices. One thing I was wondering, your recipe for cinnamon buns has 2 packets of yeast, this has only one. Would adding more yeast help rise better?
I’ve found that with this bread the trick to the rise (and you’ll also see it in comments throughout), is to get the heat right! For instance, I proof it on top of my oven while its warming up. So you need to definitely add some warmth, not just let it hang out in your kitchen 😉
my Psyllium husk powder just came in the mail and i was all excited to make this today and then realized i don’t have any yeast 🙁 And its blizzarding outside so i can’t go to the store right now 🙁
I’ve been looking for a great gf, low carb, yeasted bread recipe and this one is perfect! I didn’t have enough flaxseed meal so subbed chia seeds and didn’t grind them but it turned out fine. Didn’t have whey protein isolate so used collagen powder. I like a lot of texture so added 1/4 rounded cup of pumpkin seeds and same amount of sunflower seeds. My loaf rose to only about 2 1/2″ high but it has a nice crumb and wonderful flavor. Definitely my bread of choice now!!
Great bread. thank you so much.
Does it freeze well?
Would like to batch bake.
The post stated somewhere that it freezes well, but did not say sliced or whole; which is what I’m searching for :/
I slice it (that way you can portion it as you can’t slice it frozen 😉 xo
Wow this bread is fantastic!! Amazing flavors and the texture is just like homemade bread! I’m very pleased and will be making this on the regular. Thanks so much!
I tried to grind my flaxseed in the vitamix and it turned rather mushy. It looks like the dough is very elastic and smooth now that everything is together, but I’m a little nervous. It’s my first try. As with bread-baking in general, it takes time, practice and patience! We’re so used to quick breads in Keto baking.
Hi Jessica! Grinding flaxseed is a little like almonds, if you go to far you end up with a butter 😉 hopefully it works out, but I agree that yeast baking in general takes a little practice!
I do mine in the vitamix all the time. It works out fine. Did you use the dry container or wet? That would definitely make a difference. You have to use the dry.
I must admit that when I read all the comments for this recipe I was so nervous to try it even though I’ve been hand-kneeding and baking my own breads without a recipe (an ancient family tradition) for over 20 years. Since I don’t have any background in gluten-free baking but recently changed to a low-carb lifestyle, I didn’t know what to expect. I noticed that a lot of people seemed to have issues with the proofing and resting of the bread dough. In order to eliminate the possibility of this happening, and since I know I understand yeast proofing really well, and knew that I won’t have an issue with dead yeast, I made sure that my kitchen temperature would be really warm so I placed a space heater on my kitchen counter facing the yeast and then later the dough as it rested. In the end, the bread turned out near perfect. The smell and taste was fabulous. The only thing I can say is that my bread pan is a 9X5 so next time I will make 1.5 the recipe. Otherwise, all I can say is this recipe is a winner!!!!
Fayrooz thank you so much for sharing your experience in such detail! So happy to hear that such a bread connoisseur like yourself approves 😉 xo!!
Hi Paola!
I’m wondering if you could share the nutrition facts of the almond flour you use. I can’t find any of the almond flour you recommended here, but I found 2:
– one suuuper fine (they state the oil was extracted, so just 8% fat content);
– one very fine (full almonds, no oil extraction).
Which one do you recommend me?
Anyway, I bought the two… But I would really appreciate your advise 🙂
Keep up the good work!
I use the regular full fat one…. but can you let me know which brand is the defatted variet?! I’ve been looking for one since I tried the peanut flour 😱
Hi Paola!
Thank you for the reply 🙂
The website isn’t available in english, but portuguese is very similar to spanish, so here it goes:
http://www.diese.pt/produtos/farinhas/farinha-100-de-amendoa-bio-200g
They also have defatted pine nut flour and hazelnut flour!
I bought the almond flour here:
https://www.celeiro.pt/ (they do ship worldwide, but OMG the cost!)
If you want it and can’t find a similar one anywhere, we can arrange a way to ship it to Mexico 😉
Thank you for the reply!
The defatted almond flour I bought is from diese.pt (can’t paste the link)
The website isn’t available in english, but portuguese is very similar to spanish 🙂 They also have pine nut flour and hazelnut flour, both defatted.
I bought it from Celeiro.pt (they do ship worldwide, but OMG the cost!).
If you want it, but can’t find a similar one anywhere, let me know and we could arrange a way to ship it to you 😉
Paola, thank you for the reply!
The defatted almond flour I bought is from Diese (a portuguese brand), and I bought it at a local store (Lisbon, here!). Diese also produces pine nut flour and hazelnut flour, both defatted.
Diese’s website isn’t available in english, but portuguese is very similar to spanish…
Let me know if you need any help 😉
Thank you for the reply!
(Don’t know why, but I can’t leave a reply in your reply 🙁 )
The defatted almond flour I bought is from Diese (a portuguese brand), and I bought it at a local store (Lisbon, here!). Diese also produces pine nut flour and hazelnut flour, both defatted.
Diese’s website isn’t available in english, but portuguese is very similar to spanish…
Let me know if you need any help 😉
Hi Nidia!! Thanks so much for being persistent!! I think what happened was that with the links you added (thank you!!!) your comment got flagged as spam by the system. Sorry this happened bit thanks so much again for sharing it I’m definitely excited to try it!!
I just want to send the biggest thanks to Paola and the team at Gnom-Gnom for creating these magical recipes!! Since finding this site, I’ve made this bread recipe (twice!!), the carrot cake cupcakes, salted caramel sauce, and no-churn vanilla ice cream and needless to say, they’ve all turned out incredibly successful. I have absolutely no complaints at all. I hardly ever repeat substitute keto bread recipes since I’ve never found one that has been satisfying enough but this. THIS recipe. It’s a complete game changer and has become a staple in my weekly prep and daily eating. The carrot cake cupcakes are delicious, tender and moist- unlike any of the other substitute recipes I’ve tried. And as for the ice cream and salted caramel sauce- I actually think I’ve gone to food heaven. It’s as good, if not better than the real deal. I don’t know how Paola came up with these recipes. She’s a true magician. I have so much admiration and adoration for her. Hoping that she keeps up all the amazing work and that Gnom-Gnom continues to thrive. Sending virtual hugs. x
Hi Paola,
I’m really exited to try this awesome bread recipe, but I was wondering if there is any subs for the whey protein isolate. Can I used a different kind of protein powder instead? Perhaps vegan protein powder?
Thanks
Is there anyway to make this in a bread maker? I made this and just like the others it didn’t rise very much. I know understand what I didn’t do correctly.
I’ve tried with bread machine. It didn’t rise and taste like eggy. I will try without bread machine next time.
I made this tonight for myself and my husband. It is outstanding! Thank you for the amazing bread that actually tastes and feels like bread!!
Made this today and it is delicious! I’m so excited to have bread again!
Is there anyway to adjust this recipe to make dinner rolls or hamburger buns?
Yup! Search for burger buns 😉
Hello Paola, I was wondering if you could comment on what type of bread pan you use. I have both glass and steel and I used the glass on another recipe for bread. Great rise, great browning but it was gummy inside. Wonder if the glass may have been part of the problem. Thank you for taking the time to answer.
Hi Leslie! I use a metal pan (the golden ones from William Sonoma to be exact… their lighter color keep the bread from over browning and gives a nice crust. Drawback is they are a little more pricey). Did you bake it on a tray?
I’m not sure about glass tbh as other than pies (ceramic), I bake everything in metal? Sorry I couldn’t give you an exact answer!
I can’t find golden flaxseed meal anywhere I am (currently overseas working). Can I use just more almond flour?
Unfortunately no Danah, grain free flours are not really interchangeable 🙁
This sounds awesome! Do you think I could make a dinner roll using this recipe? I’ve made gluten free rolls (daughter allergic to wheat), but now I’m Keto and want to try for Thanksgiving.
Def! Check out the burger bun recipe (same difference!) xo!
UGH! Thought everything was so perfect until I cut into the loaf after cooling. Only the crust cooked. When I cut a slice, the inside was empty and hollow with all the mixture sitting in the bottom of the pan. The mixture was still wet. Le sigh…
Hi Paola, just wanted to say OMG thank you so very much for this no eggy bread recipe! It’s the best! Had to stop myself from eating the whole lot lol lucky it’s filling . Gave my partner a slice who is so sceptical , it was a hit! He keep saying you sure you didn’t put flour in it? I followed your recipe to a “T” wanting it to be a winner ( except the ginger ( didn’t have any). It rose to perfection! I was so worried that it would flop after taking it out of the oven….. nope kept it’s shape. The taste is exceptional, no eggy after taste , not slimy ….. yeasty perfection! A real winner! Thank you again I love your recipes ….. big hugs from Australia!
Hello,
This is my second time making this bread! First time I didn’t use golden flaxseed meal so the color was little darker ( and I didn’t like the one I got from Trader Joe’s ) . Second time I used Bob’s golden flaxseed meal and color and flavor was much better!!! But both time it didn’t rise like your bread. My yeast was nice and bubbly. Only thing I can think of is my Psyllium Husk was whole not power. Does that make a difference? I did grind it up but it wasn’t powder like. Another thing I read in the other comments was the kitchen not being warm enough. I don’t think my kitchen wasn’t warm enough so next time I’ll try it on top of my oven!
Even the bread didn’t rise like yours, my son and I live this bread!!! Thank you for sharing the awesome recipe! I’ll keep trying!!! ✨🍞✨
Does it matter psyllium husk or powder? If using powder do you use less?
Made the bread last night..yum…an absolute winner. Also made pumpkin spice latte muffins. Both great recipes. Enjoy the great variety you share. Thank You