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These soft and fluffy keto buns are made with psyllium husk powder and almond flour and taste just like multigrain bread. I offer 8 different flavor variations you can easily make all while using the same base recipe.
Originally published in 2016, I've updated this recipe with better instructions and pictures.
Experimenting with [easyazon_link identifier="B002RWUNYM" locale="US" tag="mypcoskitchen-20"]psyllium husk[/easyazon_link] has proved to be quite beneficial in my low carb recipes. Because of it, I've been able to make keto bagels, low carb tortillas , coconut flour tortillas, low carb pizza crust, keto tiramisu and even low carb chocolate cake!
Table of Contents
What is Psyllium Husk?
Psyllium husk is a form of fiber made from the husks of the Plantago plant's seeds and it's most commonly known and used as a laxative. However, it's become quite popular in low carb baking and cooking as it acts exactly the way gluten does, as glue.
If you've ever tried baking a low carb recipe, you'll notice that baked goods don't always hold together and can fall apart quite easily. By adding a bit of psyllium husk to these recipes, it helps the batter stick together where you can form any shape you want.
Types of Psyllium
- Whole Husks
- These are husks that haven't been ground into a fine powder.
- Psyllium Husk Powder
- Whole husks ground into a very fine powder.
- Homemade Psyllium Husk Powder
- This is just whole husks that have been crushed into a powder using a strong blender.
Great Psyllium Husk Uses
The greatest thing about psyllium husk powder is that it can also be used to thicken sauces, gravy like my keto gravy or soups. If you do add too much however, it does have a gelatinous feeling to it so you have to be careful with the amount you add in.
Psyllium used in cooked foods needs to be mixed with enough fluid so that the husk can absorb and bulk up, reducing the risk of constipation.
When baking with it, most recipes will call for eggs or egg whites and hot water. The hot water helps the psyllium activate and activates its 'glue' properties.
You'll notice that in all of my recipes where I use psyllium husk powder, I add hot water and lots of eggs. I find that by adding both ingredients, it helps double the recipe in size and also makes everything stick together without falling apart.
You'll definitely want to check out these low carb psyllium husk recipes where you can decide what kind of recipes you'd like to try with it.
Ingredients🥘
These low carb rolls are honestly so EASY to make as you only need to mix and bake. However, you do need to pay attention to the ingredients and make sure to follow the steps exactly to ensure the perfect buns! Also, use a scale!! A scale gives the most accurate results and will give you perfect dinner rolls every time!
These buns are gluten free and dairy free so are very accommodating to various diets. You can use them for sandwiches, for toasts, for pulled pork, for burgers or even sloppy joes.
Almond Flour: You'll want to use fine blanched almond flour for this recipe. If you can't eat nuts, simply use sunflower seed flour, it's a 1-1 replacement.
Psyllium Husk Powder: This is absolutely necessary. These are psyllium buns and the buns will not work without the psyllium. For this recipe we're using the powdered psyllium for best results. I've tried making it with whole husks and the bread is easier to handle with the powder kind and turns out prettier.
If you only have whole husks, make sure to grind it in a blender before using for a good 30 seconds on high power. If you don't want to grind them, you'll need to use about 3-4 tablespoons of whole husks to achieve the same consistency instead of the 2 tablespoons of powdered psyllium.
Eggs: We'll be using whole eggs for this recipe to keep things simple. I recommend using room temperature eggs because the coconut oil tends to solidify when touched by cold eggs.
Boiling Water: Not warm, not cold, we need boiling water for this recipe. The water helps the psyllium activate.
Refined Coconut Oil: Use refined and not extra-virgin coconut oil if you don't want a coconut taste in your buns.
How to Make Low Carb Buns🍞
To make these ultimate buns, you'll first want to mix the dry ingredients together and then add the wet ingredients on top including the hot water.
Mix together and the batter should start to thicken up. It'll be a little bit watery the first few seconds, but you'll see that the more time passes by the thicker the dough gets.
Let it sit for about 1 minute and then it's ready to roll. The dough should be very easy to grab and should stick together. Oil your hands before making a roll as it helps the dough not stick to your hands.
Pro Tip💭 : Oil your hands before touching the dough. This will prevent the dough from sticking to your hands.
I personally measure the dough and separate into 5 equal portions. In this case my dough measured about 350 grams so each bun weight 70g.
By making this recipe, you should be able to make five low carb buns. Feel free to make more or less. For hamburger buns, I usually separate the dough into 4.
Once the low carb buns are formed, pop them into the oven for a good 25 minutes and they are ready to eat! How simple was that?
Flavour Variations📖
My favorite part about this recipe is that it's super easy to customize into different flavored breads. The base recipe is the same for all breads, but each version have a unique flavor to them.
Base Recipe: 1 cup (120g) almond flour, 1 tsp baking powder, 2 tbsp psyllium husk powder, 2 eggs, 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar, 3 tbsp refined coconut oil and 3 tbsp boiling water.
- Multi-Seed
- Add 1 tsp white sesame seeds, 1 tsp black sesame seeds, 1 tsp chia seeds, 2 tsp sunflower seeds, 2 tsp pumpkin seeds, ½ tsp salt and ½ tsp garlic powder.
- Cheddar Rosemary
- Add ½ cup (60g) cheddar, 1 tsp rosemary, ½ tsp salt, 1 tsp roasted garlic and onion.
- Plain
- Add ½ tsp roasted garlic and onion and ½ tsp salt. Dip each low carb roll into sesame seeds. These could also be used as keto hamburger buns. Just use 2 tbsp of water for this recipe.
- Cinnamon Roll
- Add 2 tbsp keto sweetener, ½ tsp cinnamon and ¼ tsp stevia powder. Stuff each bun with 1 tbsp of cream cheese.
- Maple Walnut
- Add 2 tbsp (20g) chopped walnuts, ¼ tsp cinnamon, ¼ tsp stevia powder and 1 tsp maple flavoring.
- Everything but the Bagel
- Add 1 tbsp of everything but the bagel seasoning and stuff each bun with 2 tbsp cream cheese. Dip in everything bagel seasoning.
- Olive
- Add 15 chopped olives, 1 tsp rosemary, ½ tsp salt, 1 tsp roasted garlic and onion. Use olive oil instead of coconut oil.
- Azuki Beans
- Make this bread Japanese by stuffing each bread with 2 tablespoons of ketofied Japanese sweetened red beans. Add 2 tbsp erythritol and ¼ tsp of stevia powder to the batter.
I've also made hamburger buns 🍔 before with this recipe and made a crispy chicken sandwich that looked like it was from Burger King, and it was absolutely amazing. Have fun with it and create whatever shape and flavor you're craving.
It's also a great side bread to have when eating some low carb soups like my cream of cauliflower soup or my low carb zuppa toscana soup.
Troubleshooting Tips
My buns turned purple.
Some brands of psyllium husk turn purple, whether you buy whole husks or powdered husks. There's nothing you can do about the purple color, but the taste and texture is absolutely the same so don't worry about it!
I recommend using NOW psyllium husk powder as that's what I've always had success using.
My buns didn't rise.
Make sure you're using fresh baking powder, that you didn't forget it, and that you didn't let your dough sit out too long.
My batter is too wet.
Did you use 120g of almond flour exactly or did you just scoop a cup out? Make sure to use a kitchen scale to make sure the flour amount is exactly the amount needed. Also let the batter sit for 1 minute, the psyllium will work its magic and thicken everything up. Also make sure to use the powder and not the whole husks as they work a bit differently.
My buns are hard as rock.
Did you add the psyllium? You cannot substitute the psyllium husk powder. This recipe will not work without it.
The dough is too sticky to work with.
Spray both of your hands with some oil, it will help keep the dough from sticking to your hands.
Frequently Asked Questions
They will keep in the fridge for 4-5 days and up to 3 months in the freezer. I don't recommend leaving them out at room temperature, especially in summer, as they can go bad faster.
If you decide to freeze them, simply thaw the buns on the counter for about 3 hours or 4-5 hours in the fridge until soft and ready to use.
You can use any type of oil that you want, but extra-virgin tends to really taste like coconut which is why I recommend using refined coconut oil. Feel free to use avocado oil, olive oil, butter or ghee.
No, you do not need to. Read above to see the 8 different kinds of breads you can make with the dough.
Depending on the brand of husk you use, some buns turn purple. They have the same texture and same taste and are perfectly fine to eat. I've personally have never experience purple buns with whatever brand I have used though.
Substitute almond flour for sunflower seed flour in the same amount.
Substitute coconut oil for olive oil, avocado oil, butter or ghee.
Substitute apple cider vinegar for lemon juice, white vinegar.
Yes you can! Double the recipe and cook it at 180C/350F for 45-50 minutes!
Yes, of course. I usually make 4 buns instead of 5, use the plain recipe and top with white sesame seeds for some good burger buns!
I have not tried and haven't seen a comment either that says they've tried so am not sure!
You can, but the dough is a little bit harder to handle. Use 3-4 tbsp of whole husks instead of 2 tbsp of powdered husks.
Made this recipe? I'd love it if you gave it star rating below!⭐
Recipe Card
Easy Low Carb Keto Buns with Almond Flour
Ingredients
- 3 tbsp (45 ml) boiling water
Dry Ingredients
- 1 cup (120 g) blanched almond flour
- 2 tbsp (20 g) psyllium husk powder
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp black sesame seeds
- 1 tsp white sesame seeds
- 2 tsp sunflower seeds
- 1 tsp black chia seeds
- ½ tsp Himalayan salt
- ½ tsp garlic powder
Wet Ingredients
- 2 eggs
- 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar (or lemon juice, white vinegar)
- 3 tbsp (45 ml) melted refined coconut oil (or butter, lard, shortening, ghee)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 180C/350F.
- In a bowl, mix the dry ingredients with a whisk. In a separate bowl, mix the wet ingredients. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and mix with a silicone spatula.
- Slowly pour in the boiling water and continue mixing. The dough will thicken up as time passes by (about 1 minute).
- Separate the dough into 5 and form 5 balls with your hands (the batter is pretty sticky). You can spray some olive oil on your hands to make the dough not stick to you. Just roll the dough onto the palm of your hands to achieve perfect little balls.
- Place the balls over a parchment paper on a baking tray and bake for 25 minutes. Take out and let cool before serving or you'll burn your fingers! These come out piping hot!
WATCH THE RECIPE VIDEO (must disable adblocker)
Notes
- You cannot substitute the psyllium husk powder.
- Please don't leave out the boiling water. You need it to activate the psyllium.
- Make sure to use REFINED coconut oil and not the normal extra-virgin kind as you'll get a huge coconut taste.
- If you double the recipe, you may need to add 1-2 tbsp of hot water to the batter.
- All of our ovens are different, so if you find yours to be too moist, just add 5 more minutes in the oven, or cook them at 190C/375F instead for 30 minutes.
- Multi-Seed
- Add 1 tsp white sesame seeds, 1 tsp black sesame seeds, 1 tsp chia seeds, 2 tsp sunflower seeds, 2 tsp pumpkin seeds, ½ tsp salt and ½ tsp garlic powder.
- Cheddar Rosemary
- Add ½ cup (60g) cheddar, 1 tsp rosemary, ½ tsp salt, 1 tsp roasted garlic and onion.
- Plain
- Add ½ tsp roasted garlic and onion and ½ tsp salt. Dip each low carb roll into sesame seeds. These could also be used as keto hamburger buns. Just use 2 tbsp of water for this recipe.
- Cinnamon Roll
- Add 2 tbsp keto sweetener, ½ tsp cinnamon and ¼ tsp stevia powder. Stuff each bun with 1 tbsp of cream cheese.
- Maple Walnut
- Add 2 tbsp (20g) chopped walnuts, ¼ tsp cinnamon, ¼ tsp stevia powder and 1 tsp maple flavoring.
- Everything but the Bagel
- Add 1 tbsp of everything but the bagel seasoning and stuff each bun with 2 tbsp cream cheese. Dip in everything bagel seasoning.
- Olive
- Add 15 chopped olives, 1 tsp rosemary, ½ tsp salt, 1 tsp roasted garlic and onion. Use olive oil instead of coconut oil.
- Azuki Beans
- Make this bread Japanese by stuffing each bread with 2 tablespoons of ketofied Japanese sweetened red beans. Add 2 tbsp erythritol and ¼ tsp of stevia powder in the batter.
Nutritional information is provided through calculations made on fatsecret.com. They are approximate only. We cannot guarantee the accuracy of the nutritional information given for any recipe on mypcoskitchen.com. Sugar alcohols are included in the fiber count. Net carbs are the total carbs minus fiber (which include sugar alcohols).
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AE
This tastes great, thanks. A question: is it possible to rise them more? They are already dense so I don't want to make bigger buns so if I can make them rise more and a bit bigger they would be perfect.
Deidra
The buns are delicious! I’ve been so frustrated trying to make keto bread and finally found your recipe. I used a donut/bagel mold for slider-sized sandwiches. I almost skipped the seeds but figured Why Not?? They’re perfect. On a side note, I dislike the taste of psyllium husk and subbed ground chia seeds, which worked. Thanks!!
Denise
I would love to make white bread, but mine turns purple. I have tried different psyllium husk powdesr and regrind it. Mine has NEVER turned out the color of yours--always looks either dark like whole wheat or purple. Does yours always turn out this color?
Mira
The psyllium I use has never turned purple, so it really just depends on the batch that the companies make. Some turn purple/grey, some don't. Don't know why. It tastes the exact same, though.
Marianne
Pleased with the results! Mine turned out a bit flatter, next time a bit less boiling water. I did let them sit before baking so water would be absorbed. Best low carb bun results to date.
Re
This is a great recipe. I make this on a regular basis for my five year old grandson. I have tried several bread recipes and this is his favorite. Thank you! Thank you!
Shida
Hi Dear Mira,
I have tried your recipe for the Psyllium buns that was fantastic. However, I should confess that the smell of onion did not go with my taste. Therefore, I substitute cinnamon powder with it and made buns with the smell of cinnamon filling my kitchen. The buns with cinnamon smell would be more palatable for breakfast with butter. Many thanks with your yummy buns.
Shida from Australia
Steph
These were super tasty, but my dough was too wet and didn't rise at all. I ended up with tasty little hockey pucks. But I definitely plan to try again! I suspect maybe my baking powder was old...
Cindy
Thank you!!! This recipe is amazing and so easy!! Finally a keto bread that tastes delicious and has the right consistency. 🙂 Thank you so much for sharing this perfect recipe!
Stephi
These came out great, so easy to make and delicious!! Thank you!!
Stephi
I made these today, followed the recipe, excluded some of the seeds and they came out great!! So excited to try the tortilla recipe next!! Thanks for the informative directions and tips!
Leah
LOVE this recipe the best out of all I have tried!
Leah
Can the dough be formed into balls the day before, placed on baking sheet, then refrigerated until the next day to pop in oven just before meal is served?
Ann
I have made these buns twice now. The first time they came out better because I only mixed the dough very lightly with a beater after adding the boiling water. I add a few tbsp more water, no garlic salt and no sunflower seeds so it makes 6 buns. This time I mixed it in more slowly and with a spatula so it took longer and they came out a little gummy. All in all I love this recipe!
Shida
Thanks Mira. It looks an amazing recipe for a yummy bread. I have just known about Psyllium Husk did not know that it could be an amazing ingredient for a yummy bread. I have been on Gluten-free, dairy free & low carb for almost one year and have been looking for a substitute for my breakfast bread. I will definitely bake it. Looking forward for more recipe from you.
Silvana
Thank you for this recipe! Tried it for the first time today and I am very happy with the result - the buns look exactly as in your photos and taste amazing! I doubled the portion too, so will enjoy them for a couple of days and share with friends! Thanks again!
Maureen
thank you so much for posting this recipe 🙂
Jonathan Lefor
I made these and they turned out delicious. I followed the recipe exactly, but mine came out a bluish/purple. I am trying to figure out why. Any ideas?
Keodii
Probably the brand of psyllium husk Powder you used. I suggest you use the now brand. That’s the brand recommended by most low carb blogs.
Karen
Love this recipe. Thank you so much.
I ate two straight out of the oven smothered in butter and cream cheese. I was full for hours after haha. Note to self, these are more filling than they look!
I had one for breakfast filled with bacon and egg. Delicious! I may leave it the garlic next time though as although I do like garlic, I'm not so fond of it for breakfast.
Stacey
My dough also turned out very "wet" which resulted in very flat buns. I think next time I'll add an extra TBS of psyllium and only 3 TBS of water. They were absolutely delicious though, even flat! Hoping some small tweaks to the recipe create a better result for me. 🙂
Linda Tenz
Absolutely perfect! My husband and I loved them! I made them again for a gluten-free friend. These were the Best roll I’ve had in years. Thank you!
Jean Spedden
Thanks for this great recipe! It’s made our lives much more pleasant😀
Juli
Love these buns! Next time I want to double or triple the recipe. Can you please confirm water amount? Double would be 8 Tbsp plus 1 to 2 more? Triple would be 12 T plus 2-4 more?
Keri
Thank you for this, so much.
I use the extra egg yolks to make mayo while waiting for the bread to bake.
Pat
I have whole psyllium husks on hand. Can I grind them in a coffee grinder to make the psyllium powder?
Mira
Yes, that should work.
Susan
Mine were small. Next time I would make 4 perhaps and flatten them a bit. Texture was very dense and for some reason they were grey in color. Anyone know why they would be greyish in color!?
Mira
The colour just depends on the psyllium you use. Some brands turn purple, some grey. Still tastes the same.
Raena
Found and tried this on a whim and I’m so glad I did! Thanks for this recipe! A couple of notes: i find it’ works better using room temperature eggs when baking with melted coconut oil, and I beat the eggs well with a whisk to help fluff them. I cut the amount of salt and garlic powders both in half. For me, it turned out to be the perfect saltiness and garlic flavor. I ran out of almond flour, so I subbed 1 Tbsp coconut flour for the last 2 Tbsp almond flour—no problems and it worked like I expected. I used a equal mix of hemp, sesame, sunflower and chia seeds. Made 4 buns, cooked them long (8 extra minutes) to gold-up the crust. Perhaps importantly (not sure) I let the batter rest 15 minutes before scooping and shaping the buns (simply because I had something else in the oven and had to wait). My feeling is that that time was beneficial in helping the batter absorb moisture and be more shape-able. Thanks again!! I’m definitely making a bunch more to freeze!
Suzanne
Hi did you freeze and how were they after?
Anne
Have you tried using aquafabor instead of eggs to make it vegan?
Mira
Hi Anne, sorry I’m not vegan so I’m not familiar with vegan substitutes.
Robyn
I make a vegan gf flatbread w psyllium no egg needed. The psyllium husk is a very strong binder all alone. I just pour rice flour in a bowl, then a tsp of psyllium husk, pinch baking soda, herbs spices, warm water and it kneads into a very elastic dough.
Sarah
Tried this today and its the yummiest keto bread I've tried so far! finger lickin' good!
Neda
Hi. Is it possible to make these in the microwave?
Alvin-Michael Linton
Followed to the letter made burger buns with it, this will be my go too from now on AMAZING!!!! Thank you.
Stephanie Clabough
This is the best keto bread I have tasted! I made the recipe exactly as you directed and it turned out perfect. Thank you!
Victoria
These worked great the very first time. I added extra sunflower seeds for extra crunch. Thanks so much for this recipe, we have been on a keto diet for a few months now due to brain cancer and really missed bread!!!!
Glenda
I tried this recipe and mine came out very watery and sticky. They were rather flat but the flavor was good. I went back and re-read the recipe. In the ingredient list is says 4 tbsp water. I added 3 then stopped because it looked too watery. Further down it says you would need 1-2 tbsp if you double the recipe. I am confused about the amount of water. I assume I added too much.
cindy
mine turned out pretty watery but i added more almond flour until it got thick & these are amazing!!!! I made the recipe into 3 oval shaped Hot dog buns for turkey dogs camping. My daughter has requested, no demanded that she expects these at thanksgiving and easter and christmas when she comes for dinner from now on they are so good! 🙂
Deb
How much boiling water do you add to buns?
Mira
It's the first ingredient. 4 tbsp.
Sarah
I’ve just made these and 20 in the oven I have forgotten to add the boiling water and I’ve made double the quantity !!!!
beacher
These were good! Much better than mug bread! Felt more like I was eating a whole grain bun. I found the garlic powder a bit overpowering, but that is personal preference, would use less next time and oh yes, there will be an next time. They were on the small side, so not something I could use for a burger. Since I am new to this, could I double the recipe and make 5 bigger buns? What would be the cooking time adjustment?
Jennie Mills
I don't know what happened. I followed your recipe. And they look like giant cookies. No fluff at all.
Linda
I forgot to give my star rating in my post. Definitely a 5!
Linda
Hi, I made these buns and they turned out great! I was wondering if the recipe could be baked in a loaf pan and if so for how long, and would I need to make any changes?
Shiloh
Hi! Would it be possible to replace the almond flour with coconut flour instead ? Thanks
Mira
You would need to change the entire recipe's liquid and dry ratio.
Angeline
Honestly, the BEST REAL HEALTHY tasting bread in the world ever!!! Thank you for this amazing and life-saving recipe. ❤️❤️❤️💋💋💋🌈🌈🌈
Cyndi Culbert
My dough came out very watery and I had to spoon it out! What did I do wrong?
Mira
Did you forget to add the psyllium? This dough should be anything but watery.
Cyndi Culbert
No, I tried again today and it was exactly the same. They taste great, and they are perfect hamburger buns! They are just scoopable!
I didn’t have any chia, is that was thickens?
Mira
Hmm, no all of the seeds are completely optional so that wouldn't affect the dough.
Lex
Did you boil the water and add it last?
Bev
Oh my goodness!! Just made these, without the seeds and I used ghee, and wow!!! This is so much "like the real thing" that I think I may be able to get the hubby to go full keto! I've been searching & searching for a good keto "bread" for his lunch sandwiches at work, and this does it! They're delicious! (I agree with the comment about less salt because that was the only "negative" comment he made about them, being too salty, and he likes his salt). I made 6 little ones to try them out, and the next time I'll make 4 use as sandwich buns. So easy to make too (no whipping egg whites)! THANK YOU!!!
Jessica
I couldn’t be happier with these buns! I make four, instead of five, because I use them as hamburger buns. As dinner rolls, the size is perfect. Sometimes I add seeds, sometimes I make them plain...you can’t go wrong with this recipe. The texture is amazing. Best low-carb bread I’ve had, hands down.
RB
This recipe is very good- thank you for sharing!
Any recommendations for adjusting for a lox oxalate diet? What would be a good substitution for almond flour and/or seeds? We have a family member who is prone to kidney stones.
Thank you for sharing your recipe!
Sarvie
Absolutely delicious! Probably the best “bread roll” recipe that I’ve come across so far!! This is definitely my go to from now on! Thank you so much!
Laura
I make these all the time but I use pecan flour instead of almonds as it makes it even fluffier.
Have you tried to use the same mix to make a focaccia?
Allison
Wow... These tasted VERY close to real bread! Thanks for an awesome recipe. I will be making this again. We normally have keto seedy crackers for lunch with various toppings, but these will be great for the weekend when we have more time to spend in the kitchen. Also I must say thank you for mentioning xanthan gum can be used as a thickener (it was in one of your other recipes... Can't remember which!) I've just made the first ever keto chicken gravy that actually looks and tastes like gravy and coats the back of a spoon... I can't tell you how much I've missed gravy! Lol only needed a couple of pinches and voila - perfect. So, so glad I found your site - keep up the good work! All the best from England 🙂
Silvana Napolitano
Just found out this recipe, and is surprisingly good! The only thin is that I would add less salt. Himalayan salt usually is saltier when baking or cooking. So I’ll will use 1/2 of the suggested use. Other than that, is really good!
Maman Turner
Oh yummy!!