Count on these gluten free, paleo and keto burger buns (with actual yeast!) to be pillowy-soft, absolutely delicious and with a killer crumb. And, per usual, not-eggy at all!
Gluten Free, Paleo & Keto Burger Buns 🍔
Pillowy-Soft! ☁️
These low carb buns are the off-spring of my beloved (soft ‘n fluffy!) sandwich bread. A truly delicious grain free bread in its own right (just read the reviews on that recipe!), and probably the closest recipe to an actual yeast bread on the site.
Though it does have a bit more ingredients, and you can easily whip my keto bagels as buns too (I know many of you do!). They’re a bit quicker, and also a good one if you can’t have flaxseed.
Still, these buns are my favorite. They keep very well at room temp for 4 days and freeze beautifully (think double batches, stashed away for a rainy day). Oh, and you might also be surprised how good this bread is even without toasting.
The Deets 
Making these paleo and keto burger buns 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.
The nice thing about these buns too, is that they didn’t fall at all post bake for me (hurray!). They’re size vs a sandwich loaf clearly does help with the lack of structure of grain-free flours.
Before rise
After rise
The Method
The yeast in these low carb and keto burger buns ensures a wonderful texture and taste. And note that you won’t get that gummy and wet texture here of most low carb breads. Plus, as mentioned, we’re baking at over 7,000 feet (Mexico City here!!), so if we can make this keto sandwich bread work so can you.
- 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 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.
Yup! These low carb burger buns are suuuper sturdy (i.e. they can handle outrageous burgers!).
The Ingredients & Possible Subs
The buns do 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 , 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.
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.
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 we’ve only tried (and are super happy!) with Isopure’s Zero Carb Unflavored.
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.
Oh, and feel free to whip up some (5-minute!) keto mayo with the leftover yolks! And, of course, don’t forget the jicama fries!
(Pillowy-Soft!) Gluten Free, Paleo & Keto Burger Buns
Ingredients
For the paleo & keto burger buns
- 2 teaspoons active dry yeast
- 2 teaspoons maple syrup or honey, to feed the yeast (pssst! no sugar will remain post bake)*
- 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
- 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1 egg at room temperature
- 110 g egg whites about 3, at room temperature
- 56 g grass-fed butter or ghee, melted and cooled
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 58 g sour cream or coconut cream + 2 tsp apple cider vinegar, at room temp
Instructions
For the paleo & keto burger buns
- See recipe video for guidance on keto yeast breads. And check out the post for deets, tips and possible subs!
- Line a baking tray with a baking mat or parchment paper. 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.
- Divide dough into 6-8, shaping them into rounds using lightly wet hands. Cover with lightly oiled cling film (saran wrap), cover with a kitchen towel and place in a warm draft-free space for 40-60 minutes until the buns have substantially increased in size (see post for pics!). 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 you do need a bit extra warmth than traditional gluten doughs (I like placing the tray on top of my oven!).
- 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.
- Bake for 25-30 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 buns.
- Allow to cool completely for best texture, but you can get away with waiting just 15-20 mins for fresh warm buns!
- 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!
Video
Notes
Nutrition
and some food (for thought) 👁️
a newsletter about functional food to nourish, create and evolve.
(p.s. we don’t talk about fight club 🪄 )
xo! Paola
Can I substitute the whey isolate for micellar casein ?
Yes, I am also wondering what you can substitute for whey isolate – collagen or gelatin maybe or more egg white? The requirement for whey protein has put me off trying a number of your ‘bready’ recipes so it would be nice to know a substitute.
Hi, can you please send me the recipe video link, here are 2 videos but from other recipes, not the burger buns
Hi, these sound perfect, I was wondering if I could use monkfruit extract in place of the honey to feed the yeast.
Allo, j ai fait c est petits pains,,,et ils sont tout simplement DÉLICIEUX wow !!! J Y ai goûté toster , plain, en burger ,,,mille merci enfin des pains céto qui goûte le pain !! wow wow voulais partager photos sur ton Instagram , je n ai pas été capable, mais je me devais de t écrire 😉 je vais essayer en faire un pain dans moule a pain on verra merci ton site regorge de belle recette,,,le paradis pour cétogènes hihi
How many rolls are the macros based on?
My stomach doesn’t like flax. How much psyllium would I need to sub?
Thanks!
When are the sesame seeds added & do they need butter or egg to adhere (so they don’t fall off while rising or after baking)?
(Appreciate how informative this site is & love the enthusiasm!)
Thanks,
Connie
Awww thank you Connie! You can either brush them with egg white or melted butter before sprinkling them on (sorry I missed including that!) xo!
These are amazing! I may be a late-commer, but the amazing texture to these rolls isn’t lousy on me! I made them smaller for a dinner roll. Although not fluffy like a wheat dinner roll, they are the most bread- like thing I’ve tasted on keto. I would love if you came up with an actual dinner roll, I’m sure it would rock! Thank you. Thank you. Last Thanksgiving I made a fat head roll– not my thing– these are way better.
Sorry! I did not read the blog post very well. You mention it. Good to know I’m not the only one who doesn’t like the slimyness. I grind my own flax seed in a thermomix. I will try grinding longer.
These sound great. I just started Banting/keto last september so I’m still on a quest. Actually I do not miss bread much – being a bread monster before – but I tried Banting Bread this is almost pure flax seed and I did not like the mucous/slimy texture… you know what I mean. Like in ocra… I do not like that at all. I really need to know that before I step into this project for I will not be disapointed like with the Banting Bread.
Paola, thanks for all your great recipes!
The trick with flaxseed is to ALWAYS use the Golden variety, but the meal not the seeds, and always regrind it yourself again xo!
I still haven’t mastered the loaf – yet (too much collapse post bake even cooling it on its side) but these buns are amazing! I made my first batch in August and they rose beautifully with no post bake collapse. I wrapped them individually in cling wrap, put them in a bread bag and froze them. Ate the last one yesterday and it tasted as fresh as the day I made them. I know 3+ months is a long time but I kinda forgot two were in the chest freezer until I decided to clean it out, defrost it and get it more organized (which I obviously needed to do!). At any rate, I can attest these freeze very well individually wrapped and are delish even after almost 4 months in the freezer. I’ve got another batch rising at the moment. Fingers crossed my first batch wasn’t a fluke.
Awesome to hear Cat! You know, I think your problem with the loaf might just be that you’re undertaking it a tad (so it collapses post bake!). And as the buns require less structure and bake easier, they’re working for you better!
That is entirely possible. It browns so much, even with the foil “tent”, that I probably am. I’m thinking about trying the loaf again in my bread maker since it has a gluten free setting. I don’t like “baking” bread in it (I’ve always just used the dough setting on it for regular bread) because the mixing blade leaves a hole in the bottom and the loaf is so wide. Even if I can’t get the loaf right, at least I have a 2 out of 2 success rate with the buns 🙂
I have followed this recipe exactly a couple times now with no success. they come out super dense and more like a scone than a hamburger bun. ive tried weighing the ingredients, made sure everything was room temp, didnt leave anything out… not sure where im going wrong or how you’re getting fluffy results but mine just don’t rise enough. the yeast is definitely getting properly activated but when its time to let them formed buns rise they rise a little just nothing like they should be. please help me.
Hi Bob! If your yeast is proofing well, where are you leaving your buns to proof? If it’s just room temp, they might just need a little extra help to rise (think the top of your oven while its warming up). Thats usually the culprit here, as grain free yeast doughs do seem to require quite a bit more warmth when proofing
Can these buns be frozen after baking? As they are a little more labour intensive, I’m hoping to make s batch and freeze.
Yeah def! They freeze great too 😉
Yes, they freeze well. I slice them in half before freezing to make thawing that much quicker.
THat’s smart!! 🙂
Hello!,
This recipe seems very cool and I would like to try it. My only question is why GOLDEN flaxseed meal and not just regular flaxseed meal?
It just behaves like a completely different ingredient (regular can be slimy and dense) xo!
You are a magician! These were amazing! Thank you.
😉
Help! I’ve tried making these twice now, and I can’t get them light and fluffy. They turn out dense and moist. Is the yeast supposed to be completely bubbly and fluffy throughout or just the surface? When I mix in the wet ingredients, you say to mix until light and frothy, but mine is more of a liquid. I’ve let them rise with a warm towel and they do get bigger, but more flat and dense once baked. I bought everything but the xanthum gum using your links so it’s the same products. Any suggestions?
Hi Paola!! Can you use erythritol or swerve instead of maple syrup or honey?
You can use inulin! I know Swerve has inulin, but tbh I haven’t tried to prove it with it? Maybe worth a shot and see if it bubbles nicely?
I made these buns last week and they are truly the best bread I’ve had in 15 years of low carb baking! I was meticulous about using the correct weight measurements, and I heated my oven up a little before putting them in to rise. They rose beautifully and baked up perfectly. I used my bun pan and made six with the recipe and ended up slicing each one horizontally into 4 slices–yes, they were that huge! I use the top and bottom pieces for burger buns and the two inner slices for sandwiches and toast. It toasts up really nice and crisp, too, something that most low carb breads don’t do. Thank you for all of the recipe development and testing that you do–everything I’ve tried on this site has turned out very well!
AWESOME RECIPE! Great taste and texture!
Mine deflated a little and I am wondering if this is the reason. Do you mix the water, syrup and yeast for 7 minutes until frothy or let rest 7 minutes? ( I let mine rest for 7 minutes and it did get nice and frothy)
In the Method notes it says:
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 maple syrup or honey for 7 minutes until foamy.
In the printable recipe it says:
Pour water over yeast mixture, cover bowl with a kitchen towel and allow to rest for 7 minutes.
Do you think whipping the eggs whites a little would also help with lift?
Thanks!
Has anyone tried making the dough in a bread machine? The order of ingredients seems pretty specific but I’m just curious. It’d make life easier, but I’ll definitely try these either way.
Hi Paola,
Mine are still a little slimy…at first I was using just flax meal and then after reading one of your comments on another’s review I bought Bob’s golden flax but there was still a slick feel in my mouth.
Is this from the flax? Can I substitute anything else?
Thanks!!
Hi Bonnie! Are you re-grind it? Also, are you making sure to buy the flakes rather than the seeds (I’ve never been able to successfully grind whole flaxseeds at home). Alternatively, you could just be underbaking them a tad! I hope this helps xo!
I actually did not re-grind! Maybe this will help 🙂 Thank you!
I just want to say your site has made my keto life so much better! A total game-changer!!
Keep up the good work Paola….we need you! 🙂 🙂 🙂
SO happy to hear this Bonnie! And yup on the flax, I’m fairly certain that should be it (grinding it helps redistribute the moisture more evenly = more even baking) xo!
Seriously amazing.
A bit of work but well worth it.
Our house smelled just like proper bread while they baked.
The crumb is light and fluffy but with great structure, they rise properly and making them made me feel like a real baker.
We made roast beef & gravy rolls with these for dinner, they were absolutely perfect.
Just love this recipe, thank you for sharing it.
Ok, so mine came out more dense than fluffy. I followed the recipe – no substitutions. They rose properly. However, I was not able to weigh the ingredients. Could that have made the difference?
Maybe! The grain free flours can be hard measure precisely by cups. The only other thing off the top of my head is the flaxseed, did you use golden rather than regular? xo!
Ah! that would be it! I thought I had Bob’s golden flaxseed but it was in fact the regular…thank you so much. I will try again!
Just made this again – fifth batch! Can you say these are a hit?? Tonight I made them in to hot dog buns. I sliced the hot dog in half to lay on the bun – OMG I am so happy to be able to eat a hot dog in a bun again! Hubby is delighted as well. This recipe is a keeper!!!
it rise nicely before baking but somehow during baking, it reduced slightly in size. Turned out quite dense and looked slightly moist in the center. do I absolutely need to regrind the psyllium husk powder?
Hi Angie! I think your problem most likely is that you simply under-baked them (undercooked center pulls the bread down and they collapse more post bake). So just do 10-15 mins more next time? If you are using psyllium husks rather than powder this could account for the longer baking time needed. I hope this helped xo!
They turned out amazing! So soft and great both warm and cold. I accidentally forgot ginger and they still rose fine so I’m curious to make them again with ginger 🙂 Also, I didn’t have psyllium husk so I just used flaxseed instead. (Just reporting in case anyone else wonders if there’s any difference.)
Thanks so much for this recipe!!! 🙂
Ginger helps with the rise, so it depends on a lot of factors how much of a difference it makes to you (I bake at very high altitude so I see a nicer rise 😉
Hi, I made this today, they are delicious!!! And the closest to “real” bread I have made so far!! Added about 3 tbsp of chopped fresh rosemary and my kitchen smells wonderful!!!
I made them into 6 buns, they didn’t really rise as nice as what you have in your pics but they really do taste great.
One question I have – the center of my bun is slightly moist, are they supposed to be like that? I didn’t regrind my flaxseed meal, could that be the reason?
Thanks for the great recipe, your site is my most visited keto recipe site!!
Hola Paola,
Que sour cream usas y donde la compras? :O Solo la he visto en el norte.
Saludos!
Hola Ana Barbara! Compro la de Flor de Alfalfa (es la crema normal mexicana, el equivalente de la sour cream americana). Tmb es de libre pastoreo, organica etc. xo!
OMYGOODNESS!! SO good! Doing the happy dance here! These are the BEST keto rolls I’ve ever found; and I’ve tried every recipe for a keto bread that I’ve seen. They truly do hold up to a burger, not an easy thing for gluten free breads. Also made the jicama fries and the mayo that you suggested…they are both winners as well! Paola, EVERY recipe that I’ve tried on your site is nothing short of amazing!! Thank you, thank you, thank you!!
Paola, you are freaking genius….my regular eating hubby just came down stairs and said I was killing him with the smell of these cooking. I told him to have the other half with butter (because I ate half just as they came out of the oven). He even “mmmm…mmmmm’d” them. Well done, Paola!!!!!! The house smells amazing and my hubby can’t believe this is keto bread! I love you!
Would this work with sunflower seed flour or another nut free option?? (allergic to treenuts)
you’re recipes all look so yummy!!