Lettuce wraps are great but a true burger needs to have a bun. Here’s how to make low carb keto hamburger buns easily at home with little prep time!
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Bad Buns
Are you looking for a good low carb bread roll to serve with burgers? Eating hamburgers with conventional buns significantly plummets the nutritional value no matter how healthy the meat is. And cloud bread rolls don’t always cut it.
That’s because your average standard potato starch or flour contains about 70% carbs. And those carbs, of course, are not the fiber-filled nutrient-rich kind of carbs you get from veggies or fruits. Almost everybody knows that the bread is made out of wheat flour, sugar and yeast.
But what’s not well known is that soybean oil is often used to make your standard fast-food bun. It’s extremely high in omega 6 fatty acids and not as good as other fats like olive oil and coconut oil.
That’s why I make my own keto hamburger buns when I want a little bread with my burger. And this recipe makes excellent dinner rolls too.
No Dough
Unlike the conventional way to make them, for this recipe, you won’t need dough conditioners or artificial emulsifying ingredients. Likewise, you won’t need to add any fermentation agents or amino acids.
What will you need? To make keto hamburger buns, at least the way I make them, below, you’ll need egg whites, almond flour and psyllium husk.
Obviously, if you have an allergy to nuts, you won’t be able to make them the way I do. If this is the case for you substitute almond flour with coconut flour.
If you’ve never baked with psyllium husk, you might be asking why it’s an ingredient in this recipe. After all, isn’t it used to relieve constipation?
Yes, but it’s also a natural emulsifier common in gluten-free recipes like this one. Along with guar gum, psyllium is a great surrogate for gluten-rich baking recipes.
But when you’re making your own buns at home, psyllium is easier to use in my opinion.
Just keep in mind that depending on the brand of powder you use, the bun can end up with a purplish hue. Don’t freak out if that happens, it’s completely natural.
How to make keto hamburger buns
So let’s start and make them. You’ll be able to eat the burger without the guilt that comes from 25 grams of junk carbs!
While preheating the oven to 350°F, line your baking pan with parchment paper. Combine the 1 cup almond and 1/4 cup coconut flours, 1/3 cup whole psyllium husks, 1 1/2 tsp. baking soda and 1/2 tsp sea salt in a medium bowl (figs. 1-4).
Next, in a large mixing bowl, add a cup of hot water, 3/4 cup egg whites, and 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar.
From there, you’ll want to stir the dry mixture in the medium bowl into the liquid mix in the large bowl.
Allow the mix to sit until you notice it thickens. Once thickened, divide the dough into 15 equal-sized pieces.
If you want bigger burgers, you can divide it into just 8 pieces.
With your hands (slightly wet to prevent the “dough” from sticking to your skin), form each piece into a bun. And once the oven is done preheating, you can now transfer the buns onto the baking pan and place in the oven for 25-30 minutes.
You’ll know the keto hamburger buns are ready when the edges are browned. The center of the buns will settle as well. Allow to cool for about 10-15 minutes before enjoying your burgers.
Healthy hamburger buns
As opposed to regular rolls with 25 grams of carbs, this healthy alternative contains only 7 grams. And with the psyllium husk and almond flour, my recipe contains five grams of fiber, which means there’s only two net grams of carbs.
Remember I say above that with this recipe you don’t need any fermentation agents? Well, I lied. You see, in many vegan and alternative baking recipes, apple cider vinegar is added.
Why vinegar? Like yeast, it acts as a leavening agent. The acids in the vinegar also help activate the baking soda in the recipe. Baking soda and apple cider vinegar are like the perfect yin/yang baking agents.
Welcome back to eating burgers–without the guilt. Let me know what you think. Leave a comment below.
Recipe variations
Although I love using the recipe for keto hamburger buns, the recipe makes excellent dinner rolls too. Just make them in a smaller size.
The smaller rolls are also excellent for making sliders which are great for sharing with friends on game day. Or use them for mini sandwiches. You can also make a mini keto bread loaf by baking in mini loaf pans.
Enjoy the recipe! It’s a great way to enjoy keto McDonald’s at home. And if you give them a try be sure to let us know how they came out in the comment section below.
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Low Carb Keto Hamburger Buns
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Ingredients
- 1 cup almond flour
- 1/4 cup coconut flour
- 1/3 cup whole psyllium husks about 24g
- 1 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
- 1 cup hot water
- 3/4 cup egg whites
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- sesame seeds optional
Low Carb Sweeteners | Keto Sweetener Conversion Chart
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F and line a baking pan with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.
- Combine almond flour, coconut flour, psyllium, baking soda, and sea salt in a medium bowl. Set aside.
- In large mixing bowl, stir together hot water, egg whites, and apple cider.
- Stir the dry mixture into the liquid mix. It will thicken as it sits. Once thickened, divide dough into 15 pieces for small keto buns or 8 pieces for larger hamburger buns.
- Form each piece into a bun (if dough is too sticky, it helps to use wet hands) and place on prepared baking pan.
- Bake for 25-30 minutes or until edges are browned and centers are set.
- Place pan on rack to cool for 10-15 minutes and then remove the rolls from the pan and place directly on the rack to cool completely.
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Nutrition
Additional Info
Note on Nutritional Information
Nutritional information for the recipe is provided as a courtesy and is approximate only. We cannot guarantee the accuracy of the nutritional information given for any recipe on this site. Erythritol carbs are not included in carb counts as it has been shown not to impact blood sugar. Net carbs are the total carbs minus fiber.
Unauthorized use of this material without written permission from Lisa MarcAurele is strictly prohibited unless for personal offline purposes.
Single photos may be used, provided that full credit is given to LowCarbYum.com along with a link back to the original content.
Lisa MarcAurele has been creating keto friendly recipes since 2010. She enjoys experimenting in the kitchen to create low sugar foods that taste like high carb favorites!
C'Anne Wofford says
Hey Lisa! Thanks so much for this recipe. I have made these twice and they are great. The second time i made them, they began deflating ( @ 200F) but i popped them back in the oven and they rose again. I formed 8 buns using my hamburger former so they would be the same size and thin. It worked really well! 2 we ate immediately and 2 we saved for breakfast – sliced in half and toasted they reminded me of english muffins. I froze 4 of them raw and will let you know how they turn out.
Gerri says
I made they today..they looked beautiful coming out of the oven..then they all fell..cooked 35 mins..checked internal temp for 200f. Very disappointed..
Lisa MarcAurele says
If you are at a higher elevation, you may need to make changes for baking time and temperature.
Karen Genovese says
WHAT DID I DO WRONG? They rose beautifully. After about 29 minutes, took out of oven because they were starting to brown. As soon as I took them out , they went completely flat.
Lisa MarcAurele says
Sounds like the oven temperature may have been too high and the insides were not fully cooked. Some ovens can vary with temperature.
Karen Genovese says
How many degrees would you suggest that I decrease the temperature?
Lisa MarcAurele says
I usually try lowering by 25°F.
Linda Van Raay says
I love these. They are so quick and easy to make and the taste and texture is amazing! I recently took them along on a 3 day art retreat and on the 3rd day was being asked by several of the other ladies if I had any of those nice soft buns left. They stayed soft and tasty the whole time. And they even asked for the recipe when they found out how easy it was to make. I’m thinking this recipe would make some pretty amazing cinnamon rolls too so I’m going to try that next. I also have tried a few substitutions for anyone more adventurous, I put in 1/4 cup each of almond flour, acorn flour, lupine flour, and fermented soy flour (which gives it a sourdough flavour) in place of the 1 cup almond flour. I got the soy and acorn flour at the Asian grocery store and the lupine flour on Amazon. It turned out even more wheat tasting only more sourdough flavour and stay just as soft and the carb count is even less and it isn’t quite as expensive to make. But any combination of the 4 flours would likely work as long as the coconut flour and psyllium husk amounts remain the same. Thank you for your wonderful recipe. I’ve tried other similar recipes from the Internet but none turn out as good as yours. You have the proportions spot on.
Lisa MarcAurele says
Thanks for sharing your experience and the substitutions. I need to try it as I’ve been looking for a way to get a sourdough flavor.
D. Pike says
Just tried this recipe for the first time and couldn’t believe how delicious these buns are. The texture is so light and fluffy, and tastes like a freshly baked multigrain bread!
maureen says
Mine looked great, but collapsed when I took them out of the oven, any idea why ? ;[
Lisa MarcAurele says
Sounds like they may not have been fully cooked inside. Maybe turn down the oven and cook longer next time. I also find a thermometer helps to ensure they are done. It should register around 400°F from what I recall.
Maureen Dillon says
Thanks, will try that next time
D. Pike says
One or two of mine collapsed as well. I rechecked the recipe and realized I used baking powder instead of baking soda. Perhaps that is why they deflated. Still tasted awesome though, and light and fluffy. ?
Lisa MarcAurele says
It just may not have been fully cooked. Psyllium bread can sometimes be a little tricky to tell when done.
karen says
i have only powdered psyllium husk. what would be the ration to use.
thank you for this recipe. Looks good!
Lisa MarcAurele says
I’d start with half and see if the texture is right, but the weight measurement should work regardless of whether it’s whole or ground.
karen says
Would you let us approximnately how many eggs I need for the 3/4 c of egg whites. Or do i just keep cracking until I get what I need? here, i get large organic eggs.
Lisa MarcAurele says
It’s about 6 whole large eggs to get 3/4 cup of egg whites.
KeelyJ says
This might be a silly question, but how do you check that the buns are at 200 degrees? If you poke them with a thermometer, I would think they would deflate
Lisa MarcAurele says
Poking with a thermometer is fine and won’t deflate them.
Jacqueline Doty says
I just made these and have to say, these are GREAT! Finally I got to enjoy a hamburger. I happened to come across your site and now in love with it. Thank you so much for all your great recipes.
Lisa MarcAurele says
You’re welcome. Glad you got to enjoy a burger with low carb bun!
Emily P says
These are so fun! I was very skeptical about the ingredients but wow. I will probably make these all the time. I used the powdered husks, which I’m sure affects the texture and cooking time, but I will definitely try the proper recipe next time. Question though, what does a “set” center look like when they are coked properly? Mine were slightly moist inside, but I popped them in the toaster to dry them out a bit
Lisa MarcAurele says
They should be cooked fully. Some people like to bake until the center reaches a certain temperature to ensure doneness. I believe the temperature is about 200°F.
Barbara PhillipsBar says
I don’t have Phyllis husk. Can you use xamtum gum instead?
Lisa MarcAurele says
This is a psyllium bread so it’s an essential ingredient.
Monique says
These buns are incredible! I have wasted money buying keto bread/buns and nothing tastes this good! These buns were easy. TO make and delicious! Thanks so much!
Yetza says
I made these as larger buns. Baked for 30 minutes. Came out of the oven so pretty and puffy. But after cooling they completely deflated. Any ideas on why this happens?
Lisa MarcAurele says
They may not have been done. Some people actually take a thermometer to psyllium bread to make sure the center is over 200°F. The other thing that can cause that is overmixing.
cynthia aldrich says
Yeta, since you made larger buns and the timing is for smaller buns you will need to bake longer. I had to bake mine for 45 mins . Yours deflated because they were still moist inside. It is like making cream puffs you have to make sure they are baked long enough otherwise they will deflate. <3
~C.
Diane says
Hi Lisa, I tried this recipe for the 1st time today. I made 14 buns (guess the buns weren’t all the same size and made 14). They looked great when cooking, I thought yes I’m going to love them. I want to make them again but when I took them out of the oven and set aside I noticed the tops fell,hhmmm I’m thinking, what happened? I used the hand mixer for only a min to blend the ingredients.
Any idea? I don’t want that happening to my next batch
Lisa MarcAurele says
It sounds like they may not have been fully cooked or were beaten too much. I manually stir the mixture. There’s no need for an electric mixer so that might be one issue.
Lawrence says
Can you use baking powder in place of the baking soda?
I saw a comment in another post that the baking powder might work better?
My wife and I have been keto for 4 months so very excited to find your website!
Lisa MarcAurele says
It should work but you’ll likely need a little more.
Diane says
I would like to make these yummy looking rolls. I have Psyllium Husk Powder instead of whole. Do you think it would work in this recipe?
Thank you!
Lisa MarcAurele says
It should work, but volume would be less (weight the same). You’ll need about 24 grams.
karen says
OK just found this in answer to my own/same question. thanks
laura says
leave as round rolls or flatten?
Lisa MarcAurele says
I leave them as round rolls or whatever shape I want them to be. They will expand a bit and rise in baking.
Chelsea Metherell says
How long will these keep once baked? Or are they a same-day recipe only? I’m the only one low-carb in my house, and I like to prep a bit. Thanks!
Lisa says
Mine keep in the refrigerator for over a week. And if you want to store them longer, they freeze well for months.
patricia says
I commented seeking an answer but do not know where it went to.
You mentioned in the beginning that you used whole psyllium powder and in the list of ingredients you used whole psyllium husk. That is 2 different things and will give very different results. I am wonderig what exactly you used…..the whole husk or the powder? Thank you.
Lisa says
Fixed “powder” to be “husk” as that was a mistake in the text.
patricia says
Please clarify…..In the beginning you mention you use whole psyllium powder and in the ingredients you list whole psyllium husks. Those are 2 different things and will make a big difference in the final outcome of the buns So which do you use?
Lisa says
I use whole psyllium husks.
Mary says
I’ve been making these for almost a year & love them. But, I’ve used all almond flour. I’ll have to try them with the coconut flour.
Lisa says
I find using coconut flour gives a better texture.
Mary says
My husband and I found that yeast and regular flour doesn’t agree with us. Sugar is also off the list. With all that contraband we haven’t had any bread for over a year, with the exception of an occasional and usually disappointing baking powder biscuit. I will be tracking down some psyllium husks so we can try this. He is able to eat the special muffins I make using Erythritol and Stevia. His favorite is Apple Muffins, from a recipe that I altered until worked for us. I found he is able to digest NON GMO flour that is also Organic, but it would be nice to have this recipe of yours work for us. It sounds like it is light and yet chewy
Lisa says
I’ve found that psyllium breads come the closest to wheat bread when it comes to low carb bread.
Tracy says
Have you ever baked these in a loaf pan to make bread?
Lisa says
Not with this recipe, but it should work out. You’d just need to make sure the center is fully cooked.
Jenn says
I learned so much from this post, thank you! I’m super interested in all the ins and outs of keto and these burger buns look downright marvelous! Bookmarking to try ASAP! XO
Lisa says
Hope you give these easy rolls a try. My non low carb family really liked them.