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Nut-Free Keto Buns

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4.9 stars, average of 227 ratings

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This recipe is adapted from our beloved Keto Buns — our readers just love this low-carb bread recipe!

I worked hard to create a nut-free version that tastes as great as the original recipe. Actually, I like this one even more. Everything about it is an upgrade: the taste that resembles "real" bread even more and the amazing texture. This bread is fluffy, less moist than the original buns and almost identical to "regular" bread. As a bonus, there are less carbs and calories per serving.

Just like my original recipe, I used psyllium husk powder which is my personal favourite baking essential. Those who have used psyllium before know its pros and cons. It helps the buns rise but on the other hand, it may leave the inside slightly moist. Drying them out in the oven or toasting just before serving helps but doesn't remove the moisture completely.

I used defatted sesame seed flour instead of almond flour. To my surprise, using this ingredient improved both the taste and texture. The buns are less moist and last fresh for longer. You may still want to toast them before serving but in my opinion it wasn't necessary. Defatted sesame seed flour works best but if you don't have it, use sesame seed meal (ground sesame seeds) with less water (see ingredients).

Can I Substitute Defated Sesame Flour with Ground Sesame Seeds?

Yes, you can although the bread may be a bit more moist. I've had the amazing (if not the best) results with fine defated sesame flour but it is an ingredient that may not be easily available. I get mine on Amazon.

Ground sesame seeds are different from fine defated sesame flour so you can't swap them in the same ratio. They contain more fat and the texture is closer to flax meal. I've made this bread ground sesame seeds and here is what I found if you want to get the best results:

  • To replace defated sesame flour with ground sesame seeds, use 1 cup packed ground sesame seeds (140 g/ 5 oz) for every 1 cup fine defated sesame flour (100 g/ 3.5 oz).
  • Decrease the amount of water by about 3/4 cup (180 ml) or the bread may be too moist. If unsure, use less.
  • Because of the higher-fat nature of sesame seeds, you could also swap the egg yolks with more egg whites. This means that for one loaf you will need a total of 8 egg whites.
  • There seems to be a difference even between hulled and unhulled sesame seeds (hulled work better).

How To Make Nut-Free Keto Bread Buns

Just like with the original Keto Buns, these keto buns can be made in two ways - both work equally well.

Method 1 (with boiling water): Mix all the dry ingredients and then add eggs, egg whites and boiling water (as shown in the steps below).

Method 2 (with lukewarm water): Another method that also results in fluffy bread buns:

  • Mix the dry ingredients apart from psyllium husk powder.
  • In a separate bowl, mix the wet ingredients: eggs, egg whites, lukewarm water with psyllium husk powder.
  • Pour the wet mixture into the bowl with the dry ingredients and process well.

Bread Baking Tips and Substitutions

  • If you don't have fine sesame seed flour, instead of 1 1/4 cups of sesame seed flour, use 2 cups of ground sesame seeds/sesame seed meal.
  • For best results, use a kitchen scale when measuring all the dry ingredients. Using just cups may not be enough to achieve best results, especially in baked goods. Weights per cups and tablespoons may vary depending on the product/ brand or if you make you own ingredients (like flaxmeal from flaxseeds). Psyllium absorbs lots of water.
  • When baking with psyllium, you must remember to drink enough water throughout the day to prevent constipation! If you can't use psyllium, try this dough instead.
  • Do not use whole psyllium husks — ideally use a blender or coffee grinder and process the whole husks until fine. I always use whole psyllium husks which I powder myself in a food processor/coffee grinder. Store-bought psyllium husk powder may not work. Most of the products that I've tried were too dense and didn't work in this recipe.
  • If using apple cider vinegar instead of cream of tartar, make sure to mix it with the wet ingredients.
  • Cream of tartar and baking soda act as leavening agents. This is how it works: To get 2 teaspoons of gluten-free baking powder, you need 1/2 a teaspoon of baking soda and 1 teaspoon of cream of tartar (double in this recipe of 10 buns). If you don't have cream of tartar, instead you can use apple cider vinegar and add it to the wet ingredients.
  • If making a loaf instead of buns, bake for 75 minutes. Do not use a silicon (soft) loaf pan — use a firm pam instead.
  • Note that although this low-carb bread recipe uses many eggs, it does not taste eggy.

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Keto Baking - What You Need To Know

When baking with psyllium, you must remember to drink enough water throughout the day to prevent constipation! If you can't use psyllium, try this dough instead.

The reason you shouldn't use only whole eggs is that the buns wouldn't rise with so many egg yolks in. Don't waste them - use them for making Home-made Mayo, Easy Hollandaise Sauce or Lemon Curd.

I used Sukrin sesame flour (UK) but you can use this brand too (US) - both should be defatted.

Hands-on Overall

Serving size bun

Allergy information for Nut-Free Keto Buns

✔  Gluten free
✔  Dairy free
✔  Nut free
✔  Nightshade free
✔  Pork free
✔  Avocado free
✔  Fish free
✔  Shellfish free
✔  Beef free
Pescatarian
Vegetarian

Nutritional values (per bun)

Net carbs3.5 grams
Protein12.3 grams
Fat10.6 grams
Calories180 kcal
Calories from carbs 9%, protein 31%, fat 60%
Total carbs12.7 gramsFiber9.2 gramsSugars0.9 gramsSaturated fat2.4 gramsSodium397 mg(17% RDA)Magnesium102 mg(26% RDA)Potassium301 mg(15% EMR)

Ingredients (makes 10 buns)

Dry ingredients:
Wet ingredients:
  • 6 large egg whites
  • 2 large eggs
  • 2 1/4 cups water (540 ml/ 18 fl oz), boiling or lukewarm depending on the method (see intro for more details and troubleshooting)

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 175 °C/ 350 °F (fan assisted), or 195 °C/ 380 °F (conventional). Use a kitchen scale to measure all the ingredients carefully. I used defatted sesame seed flour but you can try sesame seed meal instead and use less water (see tips above for more info). To make sesame seed meal, I just blend the seeds until powdered (just like I do with flax seeds to make flax meal).
    Nut-Free Keto Buns
  2. Mix all the dry ingredients apart from the seeds for the topping in a bowl: sesame flour, coconut flour, flax meal and psyllium powder.
    Nut-Free Keto Buns
  3. Add baking soda, cream of tartar and garlic powder.
    Nut-Free Keto Buns
  4. Add onion powder and salt.
    Nut-Free Keto Buns
  5. Add the egg whites and eggs.
    Nut-Free Keto Buns
  6. Process well using a stand mixer or a hand mixer until the dough is thick.
    Nut-Free Keto Buns
  7. Immediately add boiling water and mix until well combined. Nut-Free Keto Buns
  8. Using a spoon or hands, form the buns (about 115 g/ 4 oz each) and place them on a non-stick baking tray or a parchment paper. They will grow in size as they bake, so make sure to leave some space between them. Top each of the buns with sesame seeds (or any other seeds) and press them into the dough, so they don't fall out. Nut-Free Keto Buns
  9. Place in the oven and cook for 55-60 minutes. Remove from the oven, let the tray cool down and place the buns on a rack to cool down to room temperature. Store them at room temperature if you plan to use them in the next couple of days or in the freezer for future use.
    Nut-Free Keto Buns
  10. Top with butter or cream cheese, burger meat and meat-free toppings. To save time, mix all the dry ingredients ahead and store in a zip-lock bag and add a label with the number of servings. When ready to be baked, just add the wet ingredients! Nut-Free Keto Buns

Nut-free Keto Buns
Step by Step

★★★★★★★★★★
4.9 stars, average of 227 ratings
Nut-free Keto Buns
Easy to make, fluffy, paleo, gluten-free and nut-free bread for the ketogenic diet. This bread tastes like the real deal!
Hands on15m
Overall1h 15m
Servings10
Calories180 kcal
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Ingredients

  • 1 1/4 cup fine defatted sesame seed flour (100 g/ 3.5 oz)
  • 2/3 cup flaxmeal (100 g/ 3.5 oz)
  • 2/3 cup coconut flour (80 g/ 2.8 oz)
  • 1/3 packed cup psyllium husk powder (40 g/ 1.4 oz)
  • 2 tsp garlic powder
  • 2 tsp onion powder
  • 2 tsp cream of tartar or apple cider vinegar
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 1 tsp sea salt
  • 5 tbsp sesame seeds (or sunflower, flax, poppy seeds) or 1-2 tbsp caraway seeds for topping
  • 6 large egg whites
  • 2 large eggs
  • 2 1/4 cups water (540 ml/ 18 fl oz), boiling or lukewarm depending on the method (see intro for more details and troubleshooting)

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 175 °C/ 350 °F (fan assisted), or 195 °C/ 380 °F (conventional). Use a kitchen scale to measure all the ingredients carefully. I used defatted sesame seed flour but you can try sesame seed meal instead and use less water (see tips above for more info). To make sesame seed meal, I just blend the seeds until powdered (just like I do with flax seeds to make flax meal).
  2. Mix all the dry ingredients apart from the seeds for the topping in a bowl: sesame flour, coconut flour, flax meal and psyllium powder.
  3. Add baking soda, cream of tartar and garlic powder.
  4. Add onion powder and salt.
  5. Add the egg whites and eggs.
  6. Process well using a stand mixer or a hand mixer until the dough is thick.
  7. Immediately add boiling water and mix until well combined.
  8. Using a spoon or hands, form the buns (about 115 g/ 4 oz each) and place them on a non-stick baking tray or a parchment paper. They will grow in size as they bake, so make sure to leave some space between them. Top each of the buns with sesame seeds (or any other seeds) and press them into the dough, so they don't fall out.
  9. Place in the oven and cook for 55-60 minutes. Remove from the oven, let the tray cool down and place the buns on a rack to cool down to room temperature. Store them at room temperature if you plan to use them in the next couple of days or in the freezer for future use.
  10. Top with butter or cream cheese, burger meat and meat-free toppings. To save time, mix all the dry ingredients ahead and store in a zip-lock bag and add a label with the number of servings. When ready to be baked, just add the wet ingredients!

Nutrition (per bun)

Calories180kcal
Net Carbs3.5g
Carbohydrates12.7g
Protein12.3g
Fat10.6g
Saturated Fat2.4g
Fiber9.2g
Sugar0.9g
Sodium397mg
Magnesium102mg
Potassium301mg

Detailed nutritional breakdown (per bun)

Net carbsProteinFatCalories
Total per bun
3.5 g12.3 g10.6 g180 kcal
Sesame flour, fine, defatted
0.6 g4.6 g1.9 g41 kcal
Flaxmeal (flax meal), ground flaxseed
0.2 g1.8 g4.2 g53 kcal
Coconut flour, organic
0.9 g1.4 g1.2 g29 kcal
Psyllium husk powder
0.4 g0.1 g0 g2 kcal
Garlic powder, spices
0.4 g0.1 g0 g2 kcal
Onion powder, spices
0.3 g0 g0 g2 kcal
Cream of tartar, raising agent
0.1 g0 g0 g1 kcal
Baking soda, raising agent (bicarbonate of soda)
0 g0 g0 g0 kcal
Salt, pink Himalayan rock salt
0 g0 g0 g0 kcal
Sesame seeds
0.5 g0.8 g2.2 g26 kcal
Egg, whole, fresh, raw (free-range or organic eggs)
0.1 g1.3 g1 g14 kcal
Egg white, fresh
0.1 g2.2 g0 g10 kcal
Water, still
0 g0 g0 g0 kcal
Water, still
0 g0 g0 g0 kcal

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Martina Slajerova
Creator of KetoDietApp.com

Martina Slajerova

I changed the way I ate in 2011, when I was diagnosed with Hashimoto’s, an autoimmune disease that affects the thyroid. I had no energy, and I found it more and more difficult to maintain a healthy weight.

That’s when I decided to quit sugar, grains, and processed foods, and to start following a whole-foods-based ketogenic approach to food.

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Comments (73)

I love this recipe!  I have tried unsuccessfully for years to make a good hamburger bun.  The only change I made was I used almond flour instead of the defatted sesame seed flour.  I used the hot water method. They tasted great and didn't crumble when I cut them.
I do have a question though.  When they came out of the over then were quite tall and I got very excited.  As they cooled they started to collapse.  The were still tall enough to cut in two but I was wondering why do they collapse when cooling?

Thank you Betts! This seems to happen sometimes and I'm not sure why. It happened to me a few times before but not with the buns, only with a loaf. I assume it could be down to either over-processing  the dough or using too much raising agent. I hope the next batch comes out nice a fluffy!

Great, tasty recipe, and they rise considerably, but the bulk of the size is a air void. Any ideas on how to reduce?
I’m thinking Less mixing or less water?

Hi Colin, air bubbles are more common in loaves where the dough that needs to rise is significantly bigger, not so much in buns but it can happen. It could be over-processing (the psyllium gets gluey if you process it too much and them makes it hard to raise). You could also make the buns smaller. I hope this helps!

Thanks. Good to know.

I was so excited to see this nut free recipe. But,  now I'm disappointed,  as I am also allergic to sesame.   Is there a non-nut or sesame flour that can be used instead - coconut flour?

Hi Virginia, this bread is nut-free (skip the sesame oil and use more olive oil instead and it's only used for flavour): Fluffy Nut-Free Keto Sunflower Bread
This bread tastes similar to rye bread but you can skip the caraway seeds to make it taste more neutral. I hope this helps!

I can’t find sesame flour. What else can I use instead? Thank you!

You could make these instead: Ultimate Keto Buns 😊

Hi Martina!
I have an intolerance to flaxseed, so I was wondering if replacing it with more psyllium would work? Or what would you recommend?
Thanks so much!

Here's a recipe that may work for you 😊 The Best Low-Carb & Paleo Bread - The Ultimate Guide

Hello Martina,
I'd love to make this bun recipe..but I cannot use eggs or ghee. Is there a substitute I can try? And then what else would I do differently for this recipe? Thank you!

Hello Charisse, I don't have an egg-free bread recipe but I'm working on it 😊 This dough may work for bread but won't be fluffy: The Best Low-Carb & Paleo Bread - The Ultimate Guide

Can you sub heavy cream for some of the eggs in the recipe?  I always get a heavy egg taste when using such a large quantity.
Thanks, Rita

Hi Rita, I would not substitute it with heavy cream, I don't think that will work. These don't taste eggy, you might want to give them a try 😊 Or you can try these (egg-free): Ultimate Keto Breadsticks
I hope this helps!

So I got very excited when I saw this because it states nut free and I am allergic to all tree nuts. However I was once again left extremely disappointed when I read the ingredients and saw that it contains coconut flour. That ingredient makes it not nut free. I do not know where this idea that coconuts are not tree nuts came from when in fact they are. If you look at any product that has an allergy warning on it that has a coconut product in it the label reads CONTAINS TREE NUTS!!!!! If anyone had any ideas on truly nut free substitutes for this ingredient and any other coconut product that are still KETO friendly they would be greatly appreciated .

Julia, the term coconut can refer to the whole coconut palm or the seed, or the fruit, which, botanically, is a drupe, not a nut, although it is commonly listed on food packaging as a "tree nut", but it is worth checking if you can eat them (you may still be allergic to coconuts). Please, avoid using capital letters in comments. Google is your friend.

Yes I agree, I'm allergic to all nuts too but coconut does not bother me because it is not in the nut family. Typically products that state that also have something else other than the coconut in them which is why the product states that. Now I'm a strange allergy person where I can't have the coconut flakes but all other parts I can have. Hope this helps others.

Hi Martina - great blog! I've been wanting to make these buns for awhile now...but are hey really low carb? I have the defatted sesame seed flour in my cart, but questioning the carb count on this at 10g netvcarbs per ounce. Seems rather high, doesn't it?

That doesn't sound right. There is just 6 grams of total carbs and 1.7 grams of net carbs per ounce. I suppose the labelling is wrong.

Checking out the labeling the Sukrin brand of sesame flour it is lower in carbs than the Kevala brand of sesame flour. It is still possible to buy Sukrin's product via Amazon in the US fwiw. 😊

Those nut-free keto buns are so yummy! Thank you for all the work so that we can just whip them up in no time😄. I had baking soda at hand but no cream of tartar but I did have baking powder. I substituted 4 1/3 tsp of baking powder for the 1 tsp of baking soda and 1 tsp of cream of tartar. And they came out very nice.

Thank you! You can also use an equal amount of apple cider vinegar (I will add it to the ingredients as an alternative) 😊

I can not use sesame seed, as my son is deathly allergic to it. What would be a suitable substitute? Thanks!

You can try ground sunflower seeds (nut-free) or try this recipe instead (contains nuts): Ultimate Keto Buns

Hi Martina,
I am allergic to Sesame and almond and have relentlessly looked for a Keto-friendly bread recipe that doesn't contain either. I also don't cook with pork rinds, any suggestions for a Keto friendly bread? Or do I have to give up on bread all together 😞
Best,
Safaa

I think you may like this one: Fluffy Nut-Free Keto Sunflower Bread (use olive oil instead of sesame oil).

hi Martina,
  I realy like your app , i almost try all your recipes and my family is like it all loool , but when i try to make this keto buns it doesn't cooked from inside , I do exactly as you saying, but i have to cut it in half and cooked again , even i cooked like you say 60 minutes maybe more ..
  can you help me to figure out  what my mistakes..
   and i also want to ask you about my child ,he is 8 years old and we just found he is diabetes , can i make him the ketodiet .. or atkins phase 3 or 4 ??
thank you ,
walaa

I'm sorry to hear that, Walaa. Do they look moist inside? It may just be the way they are because of psyllium (they are moist but cooked). I do cut mine in half and toast them before serving. Here are more troubleshooting tips if it helps: The Best Low-Carb & Paleo Bread - The Ultimate Guide
Yes, the ketogenic diet is suitable for diabetics and will help you manage this condition. However, before you do, make sure you consult this with your doctor, as your son will likely need to have his medication adjusted. Also, here are experts who might be able to help: Low-Carb Experts

Hi, i just got my sesame fliur today and suprized that in a 28 g serving there was 10 g carbs and no fiber, is this a misprint? Its the same brand your link goes to.

Hi Brooke, yes, that looks inaccurate, I didn't noticed that they list it wrong. There is about 5 g net carbs and 12 g fibre in a cup of sesame flour (~ 80 grams/ 2.8 oz per cup).

Hi Martina, I think a made a mistake in your recipes. The recipe calls for 6 eggwhites and 2 whole eggs. I thought you ment 6 eggwhites and 2 egg yolks, so I put in 2 hole eggs and 4 eggwhites. Can you confirm that I need to put in 6 eggwhites + 2 whole eggs please? Thank you!

Yes, it's 6 egg whites + 2 whole eggs = 8 eggs (6 egg yolks are not used in this recipe). I hope this helps!

Hi Martina,
I was wondering if you could provide the nutritional info if the bun (recipes) are turned into a loaf? I mean the nut-free and the ultimate keto buns.
Would this also be a loaf of 12 slices? or more? And how much carbs, proteïne and fat would that be?
Thank you so much for all your great recipes!
I also asked this question on your facebook page.

Hi Sofie, I'd think that a loaf would make 12 slices, each would be about 2.9 g net carbs, 10.3 g protein, 8.8 g fat 😊

What can you replace the husk stuff

Try this psyllium-free recipe instead: Psyllium-Free Low-Carb Bread

Hi, I was wondering if you can use just almond flour instead of coconut flour? Or is there something else you can use to replace coconut flour? Thank you!! These look great!

Hi Heather, yes you can but you will need to use less water (almond flour is less absorbent than coconut flour). You can also use more sesame seed flour instead. I hope this helps!

I was going to make this for my sister, but her nut allergy includes coconut.  What can I substitute for the coconut flour?

Hi Robin, I'd use more sesame seed flour - the one from Sukrin that I used is in texture very similar to coconut flour (you may need to use slightly less water). I hope this helps!

OMG these are awesome. And so easy to make. One bun is very filling but is nice that I could have a hamburger tonite. The whole key has been weighing the ingredients and they turned out perfect. I have my stash in the freezer for more burgers! Yaay! I weighed out the 100g of sesame flour and it barely made 1 Cup whereas the recipe says 1 1/4 Cup in the ingredients list. My sesame flour is the Kevala brand and isn't defatted so that might be the difference.  Anyways all went well. Thank you!

Thank you, I'm glad you liked them! 😊 I used the "defatted" sesame flour from Sukrin so that might be the reason. I seem to remember that Sukrin was not easy to find on Amazon US but I'll have a look again and update the links if it's available (I live in the UK). Update: I just checked the nutrition facts and the Kevala brand should also be "defatted" so it must be just the brand that is different in some ways.

I have made these a few times now, & they taste great! I even made them larger to make into hamburger buns, but when I put them into a loaf pan to make bread, the centre fell. Am I doing something wrong? I did use ground sesame seeds as I couldn't find defatted sesame flour.

Hi Yvonne, I don't think that it fell because of that. I have some tips (troubleshooting at the end) in this post: The Best Low-Carb & Paleo Bread - The Ultimate Guide (might be over processing the dough)

Is there still a bread version in the works?  I'm really looking forward to that!
Also, for people in the US looking for Sukrin products, their website is sukrinusa.com.  I've ordered twice from them in the last two weeks and their shipping in lightning fast and the pricing is very reasonable.  The products are pretty great too!

Hi Celia, yes as a matter of fact I've been working on it and experimenting with different sorts of bread mixtures. The one I really liked is nut & flax-free and will soon post the recipe on my blog. I will also include tips for the existing bread mixes (regular keto buns, nut-free keto buns made into a loaf). I should be able to do it in about 3 weeks (still have some summer recipes that I need to post before that) 😊

Just made these. WOW. I have made a lot of low carb rolls and breads and these are the best.  Having with soup now and egg sandwich tomorrow.  Thank you!!

Thank you Dorothy!! 😊

Would love to make these, but I cannot find reliable nutrition info for sesame seed flour/meal, not even on Kevala's website. Nutritiondata.self.com has some info, but no fiber count. Also, some of their data is user submitted, so I'd prefer to find info from the manufacturer. Does anyone have a link to the info?

I used the nutrition facts from Sukrin (link is in the post) who also make sesame seed flour - if you have a look at their website, their info is quite accurate.

Thanks for the reply Martina. The link above - took me to amazon for "Kevala Organic Sesame Flour 2 lb" which said out of stock. I'll search amazon and google for Surkrin. Thanks!

Just searched for it - the link is - www.amazon.com/.../B009QKKBYU
Can't wait to try it!

Great! 😊

wow very delicious recipe. The buns looks very tempting.

Thank you!

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