This low carb bread recipe with almond flour came about somewhat by accident during my Sunday keto meal planning. Lately I’ve been making the flattened version of my 4-ingredient almond flour biscuits to use for sandwiches each week, but since I’ve been wanting to create a keto almond flour bread recipe, last weekend I decided to attempt that instead. This is one of the closest ways I’ve come to a carb-free bread or “carbless bread”. Technically, cloud bread is lower in carbs, but the texture is much further from real bread. My white keto bread recipe is also lower in carbs (1 gram net carbs instead of 2 grams per slice!), but that one is more like a fluffy white instead of a classic wheat. That one is more light, while this low carb gluten-free bread is chewy and similar to wheat bread. You can also make coconut flour bread without any almond flour at all… or for a sweeter almond flour loaf, make almond flour zucchini bread. Just depends on what you’re going for! This low carb gluten-free bread post was originally published on March 13, 2017 and the post was republished in December 2020 to add useful tips and answer common questions. It’s still the same delicious keto almond bread recipe that has been popular for years!
The Secret To Easy Low Carb Gluten-Free Bread
To be honest, I didn’t expect the first version of this easy almond flour bread to make it to the blog. It was mostly just for the family, and I planned to make several versions before sharing it. But when my husband asked me why I bought “real bread”, I realized this was one to share right away! Almond flour on its own tends to be a bit crumbly. That’s perfect for biscuits and cakes, but a sturdier low carb bread loaf is better for sandwiches. It doesn’t have the gluten that wheat flour has to make breads chewy and sturdy. So, what’s the secret to a real-bread-like texture? Psyllium husk powder! If you haven’t heard of it before, psyllium is a type of fiber from the plantago ovata plant’s seeds. It’s often used in fiber supplements. In keto baking, it helps create a chewy texture and also makes low carb gluten-free bread recipes more sturdy. But if you use too much psyllium, the end result can be gummy. The good news is that my close to no carb bread recipe doesn’t require a lot of psyllium husk powder. I used only 1/4 cup for the entire loaf, compared to 2 cups of almond flour. The psyllium husk powder transformed what would be a crumbly almond flour bread into sturdy slices that can stand up to sandwiches and spreading just about anything. You may even be able to reduce the amount to 2-3 tablespoons, which I’ll try next time. You’ll want to reduce the water a bit if you do that. I’d heard recommendations of using only egg whites with psyllium, but whole eggs are more convenient. Besides, egg yolks are a natural leavener, so including them, makes the bread rise better in combination with the baking powder. Fortunately, whole eggs worked! It turns out that my friend, Lisa, used whole eggs in her bread recipe, too.
Low Carb Almond Flour Bread Ingredients
The pleasant surprise about this low carb bread recipe was that it worked out with only five ingredients (plus salt and water):
Blanched almond flour – The kind you use here is important. It needs to be super fine almond flour like this to achieve the right texture. Psyllium husk powder – Some brands can turn gray or purple when baking, so I recommend this one for consistent results. Baking powder – I always use gluten-free, but any kind will work. Sea salt Eggs – Be sure you use large; not medium, extra large, or jumbo. Coconut oil – You can also use butter instead, in the same amount. Warm water – This helps the psyllium husk “bloom”, since it absorbs moisture.
The combination of texture, taste and only a handful of ingredients all make this the best low carb bread in my book.
How To Make Low Carb Bread With Almond Flour
This almond bread recipe is super easy! Just a few easy steps:
Prep. Preheat the oven and line a loaf pan with parchment paper. Stir dry ingredients. These would be almond flour, psyllium husk powder, baking powder, and sea salt. Add wet ingredients. Add the eggs, melted coconut oil, and warm water.
TIP: Mix well here to create air bubbles! This will help your bread rise.
Bake. Transfer the batter to the baking pan, round out the top, and bake until the top is crusty and an inserted toothpick comes out clean.
TIP: It will pass the toothpick test before it’s completely done, so make sure the top is very crusty, too. Let your keto almond bread cool completely before slicing it, which will allow it to set inside. And check out my tips below…
Tips For The Best Low Carb Bread
I’m so excited about how delicious and chewy this almond flour bread is! It’s one of my favorite low carb bread recipes, and I want it to be yours, too. So, below are some of my best tips for it. And if you have other questions about this low carb gluten-free bread, don’t hesitate to ask! I’d be happy to update this list.
How to create air pockets in almond flour bread
Some people ask why low carb bread doesn’t rise like wheat bread. Unfortunately, almond flour just doesn’t work the same way as wheat flour. But, you can still do everything you can to help this bread rise:
How to make sure your low carb bread recipe is done
The only really challenging part about this low carb bread recipe is knowing when it’s done. It will look done before it actually is! And if you take it out too soon, it will fall and worse, it will be gummy inside. Here are 2 ways to test for doneness: Oven temperatures vary, so it might take a little experimentation in yours if it’s not done the first time. But in general, err on the side of more time and not less. You can always cover the top if it starts to burn, though I’ve never had to do that.
Can you make it without psyllium?
This low carb bread recipe with psyllium gets its texture and batter consistency from the psyllium husk powder, so you can’t just omit it. But, I do have a version without psyllium – just follow my flaxseed bread recipe instead! It’s very similar, with flax instead of the psyllium.
Can you make this low carb bread in a bread machine?
Yes, you can! My recipe uses the oven, but I’ve had people ask me about how to make low carb bread in a bread maker. I don’t have a bread machine, unfortunately. So, I asked the members of my low carb support group (join here – it’s free!) to test it for me. And – good news – it worked!
How to make low carb bread in a bread maker:
To make this almond flour bread in a bread maker, simply follow the instructions as written, but instead of the baking step, use your bread maker according to manufacturer instructions. Make sure to choose the “quick bread” setting!
Is this really carb-free bread?
Not quite, but almost. This keto almond bread has 2 grams net carbs per slice.
Why did it turn gray or purple?
This can happen with some brands of psyllium husk powder. I recommend this one to avoid this.
Why didn’t it rise?
See the tips section above to help with this!
Can you add yeast?
I haven’t tried adding yeast to this particular low carb bread recipe. By far, this is the best keto yeast bread I’ve ever made.
How To Store Almond Flour Bread
Like any other bread, you’ll want to wrap this almond flour bread for storage, so that it doesn’t dry out. I’ve kept it on the counter for 3 or 4 days with no problem. It did get a little hard toward the end. I’d expect the same thing if I bought wheat bread at the store. TIP: Don’t wrap this low carb bread in plastic wrap or a plastic bag. It will trap moisture and ruin the texture. If it gets a little damp or gummy with time, you can pop it in the toaster to fix that, but usually that’s only an issue if storing in plastic. To get a few extra days out of it, you can store this low carb gluten-free bread in the fridge for up to 1 week. Just wrap it in parchment paper, not plastic.
Can you freeze keto almond bread?
Yes, you can freeze low carb bread for 3-6 months. For easier retrieval, slice it first and place on a parchment-lined baking sheet in a single layer. Once frozen solid, you can transfer your (almost) carb free bread slices to a freezer bag. That way, you can just grab a slice and pop it in the toaster when you want some.
Loaf pan – This one is the perfect size and doesn’t stick in case the parchment paper coverage misses some areas. The non-stick surface is PTFE-free and PFOA-free. Parchment paper sheets – These are pre-cut for baking sheets, but the size is also perfect for loaf pans to hang over the sides when making low carb bread. Bread maker – This is NOT required for this low carb bread recipe! But, some people want one and my readers have told me that the recipe does work in it, on the quick bread setting. Psyllium husk powder – This is the one I use and it doesn’t turn purple for me. Some brands of psyllium husk powder can do that, though it’s harmless either way.
This reader favorite recipe is included in The Wholesome Yum Easy Keto Cookbook! Order your copy to get 100 easy keto recipes in a beautiful print hardcover book, including 80 exclusive recipes not found anywhere else (not even this blog!), my complete fathead dough guide, the primer for starting keto, and much more. ORDER THE EASY KETO COOKBOOK HERE Share your recipe picture by tagging @wholesomeyum and hashtag it #wholesomeyum on Instagram, or in our Facebook support group, too - I’d love to see it! This recipe was originally made in a 9x5 loaf pan, but I now recommend this size instead - it makes a taller loaf. Recipe from The Easy Keto Cookbook.
