The Only Keto Bread Recipe You'll Ever Need 🤯
This keto bread recipe is the newest one in my collection. Use this low carb bread to fry up a toasty, gooey grilled cheese or pile it high with your favorite cold sandwich fixings.
This keto bread is great for just about everything you can think of. It toasts beautifully, is sturdy enough to hold a sandwich together, and can even be dried into delicious croutons for your next salad.
If you're looking for an alternative to almond flour, check out my 100% coconut flour bread recipe.
What's unique about this grain-free bread is the beautiful brown crust it forms on the outside. Once cooled, slice it to reveal the beautiful bread-like texture on the inside. Smear it with fresh butter or nut butter and enjoy it just as is.
Early Struggles
Before we go into WHY this keto bread recipe actually works, I want to share my early struggles. Over the past 30 months, I made recipe after recipe trying to make a loaf of bread that would work well for a sandwich only to have most of them fall apart. Even if they sliced well initially.
You see, normal wheat flour contains gluten which holds bread together and creates the beautiful texture of normal bread. But, when we eat a ketogenic diet, we omit wheat and grain completely. So, no more gluten. Which is great for our body, but so many of us miss bread!
Beware Of Storebought Keto Bread
There are many loaves of bread in the store (and recipes online) that call themselves a keto bread. However, when you look closely - they contain vital wheat gluten. It's a consensus among most keto experts that this ingredient should not be part of a keto diet as it can cause inflammation and disturb your gut microbiome. It may also cause you to sacrifice results and when we work this hard, we don't need a pesky little ingredient getting in between us and the results we're looking for.
Putting Vital Wheat Gluten To The Test Personally
In early 2020, I was at a local keto conference where there was a company selling "keto pizza". Noticing there was vital wheat gluten in the ingredient list, my mom and I decided to go ahead and test it out. That evening we ate two pieces of pizza for dinner.
The next morning, we both woke up puffy and our skin felt tight. Our hands, feet, and gut felt swollen and uncomfortable. And, even worse we struggled with brain fog and low energy for the entire day. These are all classic signs of a spike in inflammation.
Now, both of us had been gluten-free for well over 6 months. These symptoms would be almost impossible to detect if you're already eating gluten or haven't given it up. My advice is to avoid vital wheat gluten and any ingredient with "gluten" in the name when you're shopping for keto products or keto ingredients for recipes. Especially when it comes to keto bread and keto pizza crusts.
The challenge then becomes creating a "bread" without gluten. With this keto recipe, I took some inspiration from fathead dough which is the first recipe I'd ever run across that used cheese in bread. I tried many different ingredients and ratios and I'll share what worked and what didn't in this keto bread recipe.
Getting Creative With Keto Bread
My husband and I wanted a keto bread that would work for sandwiches of all kinds. This specific version started as a whacky, creative 'What-If" experiment... and it all started with inspiration from the fat-head dough...because I began with a mozzarella cheese base.
To create just the right texture, I married the cheese base with cream cheese. Added in eggs (because of the coconut flour I used so the result wasn’t too wet) and gelatin to give the bread more of a chew factor. Mixing the gelatin into the eggs creates the magic that holds this keto bread recipe together. Finally, I figured out the baking powder ratio to get a great rise that didn’t fall too much in the end (cheese is heavy!)
Can I Substitute or Omit _____?
What's interesting is that, when I tested removing the cream cheese or the gelatin or changed the number of eggs from this keto bread recipe... The results were different with each test. So, I strongly encourage you to follow the recipe EXACTLY.
Gelatin
The gelatin works in a few important ways in this keto bread recipe and the method we use to activate it is important. The gelatin acts as a binder, adds just the right amount of "chew" and creates texture in the bread. It helps mimic what gluten would do in a normal bread recipe and I consider it a critical ingredient here.
However, many have shared that they've been able to get great results using 1 tsp xanthan gum in place of the gelatin.
Coconut Flour
You can substitute the coconut flour in this bread recipe for equal parts psyllium husk powder with great results. The reason I've used coconut flour in this recipe is that it is highly absorptive. As the bread bakes, the cheese releases moisture and the coconut flour goes to work soaking up the extra moisture.
So, yes, you can also use almond flour but almond flour is not absorptive which will give you a wetter result. If you substitute with almond flour, use 7 Tablespoons in place of the 2 Tablespoons coconut flour.
Can't Find Whole Milk Mozzarella?
If you aren't able to get whole milk mozzarella, you can simply use half part-skim mozzarella and half cheddar cheese. This substitution works because cheddar is a lower moisture cheese. So, blending these two will work for this keto bread recipe.
It's possible other cheese blends will work as well, but I've only tested this ratio. If you test something that works, please comment below and let us know.
👩🍳 Tip for finding whole milk mozzarella: Check Sam's Club for a large pre-shredded bag of whole milk mozzarella. It is a red bag and is sometimes not with the other shredded cheeses.
We tested loaf after loaf to get just the right ingredients to make this recipe for us all to enjoy. So, I strongly encourage you to use the ingredients called for and follow the recipe exactly. After you've made it a few times successfully then have fun experimenting if you wish 🙂
Say YES To Bread Again!
Keto Bread That's Versatile: Make Keto Rolls or Biscuits
Just look at the texture of these keto rolls made with the same recipe. You can either drop the batter by the spoonful onto a greased cookie sheet or make formed keto rolls by refrigerating the dough before forming them.
To make formed rolls, allow the batter to chill in the fridge for 5-10 minutes until less sticky and easier to handle. Then, shape into balls and place on a greased cookie sheet. The rolls will spread as they bake, so if you want a taller roll, make sure they aren't squished down.
Then, bake in a preheated 350 degree (325-degree convection) oven for 20-25 minutes or until browned on the bottom and tops as pictured. Remove from the oven and allow to cool for 10 minutes and serve.
What Makes This Keto Bread Recipe Different?
As I mentioned, this low carb bread recipe begins with the cheese and cream cheese. These ingredients act as binders and provide the needed structure to allow the bread recipe to be substantial enough to use it for things like sandwiches. Once cooled, you can hold this keto bread horizontally and it won’t fall apart… Well, as long as you don’t slice it paper-thin!
I’ve also used gelatin as an extra binder and to give the bread a pleasant chew that was missing in early test versions.
Bread is one of the most difficult keto recipes that I’ve tackled in the kitchen. I have learned a lot in my experiments.
Storing Your Low Carb Bread
Store your keto bread or rolls in the fridge... they will keep for weeks in the fridge. Or, store in a freezer Ziploc bag or freezer-safe container in your freezer for up to three months.
Because of the cheese content, I wouldn't recommend storing your keto bread on the counter or at room temperature for more than 48 hours.
We like to make a loaf of this low carb bread, let it cool completely, and then slice it and package it into little packets of one and two-slice servings. We wrap these in saran wrap and then pop them in a plastic container and store them in the freezer.
This way, when Jeremy needs a keto sandwich, I just pull out a two-slice package the night before and throw something together for him as he heads out the door in the morning.
For me, I love toast, so I'll snag a one slice serving of keto bread right out of the freezer and pop it in the toaster. Sometimes I'll top this with one of my homemade nut-butters or just smother some fresh butter on top and enjoy it that way.
Ingredients for Keto Bread
There are a few specific ingredients you'll need to bake up this lovely golden loaf of low carb bread. I have organized them for you here so you can make sure you have what you need. Keep scrolling for the full recipe complete with nutrition facts.
- whole milk mozzarella
- cream cheese
- egg
- Gelatin
- almond flour
- coconut flour
- baking powder
Tutorial Video: Low Carb Bread
Check out my YouTube channel “Tara's Keto Kitchen”! You'll find a collection of most of the recipes I've developed for the ketogenic diet.
I share new videos and recipes every week. Subscribe so you're notified by YouTube when the recipes post.
Finally, the low carb bread recipe card. You can print this by clicking on the little print icon on the card below. You can also adjust serving sizes if you want to make a smaller or larger batch.
📖 Recipe
Keto Bread "The Only Low Carb Bread Recipe You'll Ever Need"
Ingredients
- 4 cups whole milk mozzarella (452 grams) or half shredded cheddar and half mozzarella
- 4 ounces cream cheese (113 grams)
- 4 large eggs
- 2 Tablespoons gelatin (14 grams)
- 2 ½ cups almond flour (280 grams)
- 2 Tablespoons coconut flour (28 grams)
- 4 teaspoons baking powder (18 grams)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- In a microwave safe bowl, microwave mozzarella and cream cheese until melted, stirring to combine.
- In a large mixing bowl whisk or blend together eggs and gelatin until foamy. Mix in melted cheeses.
- Add almond flour, coconut flour and baking powder, blending until completely combined.
- Grease your loaf pan with coconut oil or butter. Then, pour batter into a standard sized loaf pan and spread it out until the top is even.
- Bake for 20 minutes then reduce oven temperature to 325 degrees and bake for another 30 minutes. Top will be deeply golden and browned when done.
- Remove from oven and allow to cool in the pan for at least 60 minutes. This allows time for the cheese in the bread to cool and set. Then, turn out the loaf onto a cutting board to slice and enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
✍🏻 Other Keto Recipes
Have you had a similar experience? You find a recipe online and get really excited about how it looks in the picture. Then, you make it and have to toss out the whole thing because it's either soggy, dry, eggy, gummy or the taste is strange. Yeah...me too. In fact, these types of struggles inspired me to start Tara's Keto Kitchen!
We've rounded up a few more low carb bread recipes we think you'll enjoy here on the website. You can also use the search functionality at the top of the website or click the "Keto Recipes" link you see on the banner to go to different categories to explore.
We love to hear from our readers, so drop us a comment below. Happy baking 🙂
Denise says
This looks delicious. I have recently become allergic to eggs (and I am hating it). Do you have suggestions for this or any other keto bread that would use an egg sub? Thank you in advance for your thoughts on this. I recently found a product called Just Egg. It is made from mung beans.
Tara Wright, CHC, MBA says
I don't at this time, but will add that to my list 🙂
Rebecca says
Will it work if I use part skim milk mozzarella? I don't have whole milk and am on Covid-19 lockdown.
Tara Wright, CHC, MBA says
It won't work the same...it's pretty soggy. but you could use half cheddar cheese! Do you have that on hand?
Valerie says
Rebecca, I couldn't find any shredded whole milk Mozzarella near me either, but I'm good with just getting the ball and doing it myself. Besides, I don't like that pre-shredded has other junk in it to prevent it from sticking together. It will take 16 oz to make the 4 cups. Also....if you have an Amazon Prime account, there are many choices there! I"m gonna order from them next time. 🙂
Lisa says
Hi, can I make this in my bread machine? What cycle would I use ? It has a low carb selection. Thanks lisa
Tara Wright, CHC, MBA says
You could bake it in the bread machine - but this one has a specific method to follow that won't work in a bread machine. 🙂 Watch for a bread machine recipe coming soon!
Melissa Lopez says
i made it in my machine and added extra cheddar cheese and I also added about 15 more minutes on the bake setting removed it as soon as it was done on that setting placed it on a rack to cool and it was amazing
i set it to reg.rapid
light crust
after it was done, i set it for bake 15 min and it was amazing I think adding in the extra cheese helps it bind better
Susan Bishop says
I just made this bread. At the last minute I found I didn't have any gelatin and as this is Covid_19 quarantine time - I couldn't go purchase it. So I substituted 2 teaspoons of Xanthan Gum. The bread came out just fine and tastes wonderful!
Tara Wright, CHC, MBA says
I'm so happy to hear this worked!!
Debi says
Can pectin be used in place of gelatin?
Tara Wright, CHC, MBA says
No, I don't think pectin will work as it requires sugar to activate.
Julia lynch says
Must you use gelatin? And what about sheep milk manchego cheese.
Tara Wright, CHC, MBA says
Great questions! Gelatin is the magic ingredient here that really brings it all together. Some readers have used 1 tsp xanthan gum as a substitute with satisfactory results. I prefer the gelatin.
As for other cheeses, it will depend on moisture content and fat content. I know you can easily substitute half cheddar in the recipe - so there is some room to play. But, I've never tried sheep milk manchego cheese personally.
I hope this helps 🙂
Richard says
made it twice. batter rides up and clogs beaters. take the time to pull batter from beaters and use hands to mix. nothing like your video. Tastes good when done but a mess to make. have to look for another
Dana says
Hi Richard, I had the same problem with the batter riding up the beaters and had to finish mixing it by hand. Terrible mess. Will not do it again.
Tara Wright, CHC, MBA says
We've discovered recently if you use half cheddar cheese the dough is easier to work with. Otherwise, it's similar to a regular dough in that you've gotta work with it a bit to get it to form into the dough ball. The patience required is well worth the end result 🙂
Trudy says
What do you mean by half cheddar cheese? Do you mean to use 2 cups of cheddar instead of 4 cups of mozzarella?
Tara Wright, CHC, MBA says
I mean 2 cups cheddar and 2 cups mozzarella 🙂
Pam says
Had same problem but use food processor and worked great!
Louise Groenewald says
Hi Tara, is the nutritional values given per slice? Thanks. Warm regards from South Africa ?
Tara Wright, CHC, MBA says
The nutritional values are in the recipe above. It's 4 total carbs per slice/2 net carbs if you slice into 21 slices 🙂
Cindy says
But isn't it a lot of calories? Or doesn't that matter with Keto? Just starting it.
Janie says
Im allergic to coconut so i have to leave out the coconut flour. Its comes out a little more moist then i like. How do i fix this
Alissa says
Does the bread need to be dark like the picture? Because I put it back in but no difference from just a super light brown.
Tara Wright, CHC, MBA says
Interesting, did it cook all the way through? I've always ended up with a dark brown crust with this bread. I guess you'd have to be the judge based on the inside texture 🙂
Mill says
What size pan is used
Tara Wright, CHC, MBA says
A normal sized bread pan
Rhonda Jewel says
Can you use any other type of cheese- say like sharp cheddar for instance?
Tara Wright, CHC, MBA says
Rhonda,
That's a great idea. I haven't tried it!
Are you willing to give it a test?
Jeff Porter says
I just put a loaf in the oven, half part skim mozzarella and half sharp cheddar. Will let you know how it turns out! My small town didn't have the whole milk mozzarella and I was anxious to try this bread.
Deborah Brophy says
I'm trying to find a replacement for fresh breadcrumbs. Do you think this bread will "Crumb"?
Tara Wright, CHC, MBA says
Yes, I do. I would chunk it up and dehydrate it (low oven temp) and then crumb it that way 🙂
I have a recipe coming out in the coming weeks that's a new bread recipe that crumbs & makes great croutons. To make sure you get notified, join my email list at http://www.wholebodyliving.com/email 🙂
Linda Monsegur says
Hi love the recipe for keto bread genius!! But can I just make it with coconut flour only?
Tara Wright, CHC, MBA says
Linda... that's a great question. I am working on a coconut flour version, but haven't gotten it just right yet. Let me know if you're willing to do some recipe testing for me 🙂 I'm always looking for willing recipe testers!! Just send me an email at tara@wholebodyliving.com
Sandra W. says
Tara: I've read somewhere that coconut flour cannot be exchanged 1 for 1 for almond flour in whole amounts. Since your recipe (which I plan to try) is so successful, I wouldn't try this. Up to you, of course.
Tara Wright, CHC, MBA says
That is correct. There's a number of adjustments for coconut flour. Once I'm successful with a coconut flour version of this bread I'll post that 🙂
ELAINE SMITH says
how do you make the pizza crust and biscuits...not a baker, just a keto beginner.
Tara Wright, CHC, MBA says
Search on this website for those items and you'll find the recipes 🙂 You got this!
Sean says
Great recipe! Please can be specific about the nutritional information? Is it per slice or per 100g? Thank you.
Robert says
What size eggs? This would make a big difference.
Tara Wright, CHC, MBA says
large
Deni says
1.What is considered a standard size bread pan? I've seen that referred to everything from an 8 x 4, an 8.5 x 4.5, a 9 x 5 and in some countries even longer and/or deeper. Please advise what size you used;
2. And, did you spray with coconut oil and/or lined with parchment paper for easier removal;
3. Also, do you need to remove the bread immediately to cool (to avoid moisture buildup) or leave in the pan to cool completely;
4. Your pan appears to be ceramic; can silicone or metal be used?
Tara Wright, CHC, MBA says
Hey Deni! Thanks for your questions 🙂
1. I used a pretty large bread pan. Any size should work.
2. You can grease your bread pan with coconut oil or avocado oil. I haven't tried lining the bread pan.
3. Leave in the pan to cool completely
4. Ceramic or glass will work for sure. Metal may brown faster, but I would have to test that. Silicone tends to hold in a lot of moisture so I wouldn't recommend it.
kristy says
Does this bread have a cornmeal taste to it?
Tara Wright, CHC, MBA says
Nope 🙂
Sarah says
In Measuring the gelatin is it just 2 tbspn straight from packet or do l need to weigh it for accuracy?? Help!!
Tara Wright, CHC, MBA says
Hey Sarah! I found that the gelatin was a little more than 1 packet! which is why I said 2 Tbsp... Measure it with a measuring spoon to make sure you get the correct amount:)
Line says
Hello,
I just made your bread recipe it is very good but a bit wet and some holes in some places. What did I do wrong? I mixed by hand maybe I should use a mixer next time. What kind of baking powder? Please help I would try to make it again.
Tara Wright, CHC, MBA says
If you have a mixer, I would recommend using that. If it was too wet, let it rest about 20 minutes prior to baking to allow the coconut flour more time to avoid the moisture. If you omitted the coconut flour, then it would turn out wet 🙂
As for baking powder, make sure it's fresh and not expired. To test your baking powder, place a half tsp into a bowl and pour 1/4 c boiling water on top of it. It should bubble violently if it's still fresh 🙂
Cheryl says
I've looked at this page 4 times and do not see the nutritional information.
Jeremy Wright says
You'll find that information at the very bottom of the recipe card.
Chris says
Is that nutritional info per slice of bread ?
Jeremy Wright says
You'll find that info above in the recipe card 🙂
Angie says
Hi there, I do find the nutritional info but it does not specify it. I tried playing around with the number of slices to see if the count changed but it remained the same so it is not adjustable. Could you please specify the nutritional info by 100g or something like that that we could actually use to keep track? Slices are kinda tricky as well for that.
Richard Waingold says
How about simply answering the question? Are the values given for a single slice?
Tara Wright, CHC, MBA says
Yes, if you slice it into 21 slices 🙂