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Keto French Fries

Annie Lampella, Pharm.D. Recipe developer and pharmacist

Published Updated

48 ratings

Crisp outside with a soft center, these keto French fries use almond-flour dough and optional potato flavoring. Slice thin and cook fresh, or freeze ahead for later. Fry until golden, bake or air fry; estimated at 2.5g net carbs per serving.
  • 2.5gnet carbs
  • 5.2gprotein
  • 12minutes
  • 4servings
golden brown french fries on a plate
holding a half bitten french fry to show the inside
a bundle of crispy fries wrapped in paper
keto fries on a baking tray
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These almond-flour fries began with the original almond-flour fry recipe. I tried that foundation in my video, then experimented with potato flavoring. The thin strips and crisp outside were the parts that reminded me of fast-food fries, with a soft center underneath.

My version uses almond flour, xanthan gum, salt and hot water, with optional mashed-potato flavor drops. Roll the dough between parchment, cut it into narrow strips, then choose frying, baking or air frying. You can cook the fresh strips right away. Freezing is an option for making them ahead.

I prefer frying for the texture. Work in a single layer so you can turn the fries and brown all sides, then drain and let them cool briefly before tasting. The card’s 12-minute estimate is for preparation and pan-frying; baking takes 10–12 minutes, and optional freezing takes additional time.

french fries scattered on a tray with ketchup

a bundle of keto fries wrapped in paper next to ketchup

frying keto fries in hot oil

How to make almond flour keto fries

Use the 100g almond flour amount in the card, weighing it if possible. A fine flour makes a smoother dough than coarse almond meal. Roll to about ¼ inch thick, then cut narrow, even strips so they cook at a similar rate.

mixing the almond flour fry batter with a spoon

Can I use coconut flour instead?

This card is the almond-flour version. My original video says I used almond flour because I did not care for the coconut-flour taste. The source recipe has a separate coconut-flour version. Follow that complete formula rather than exchanging flours or mixing its water amount with this card.

What xanthan gum does in this recipe

Xanthan gum binds the dough so it can be rolled and sliced. Use the amount in the card for the base recipe. I previously reported using agar powder in an author reply, but a measured agar conversion is not documented there. Guar gum, gelatin and other binders are not established one-for-one substitutes for this formula.

The potato flavoring secret

The mashed-potato flavor drops are optional. They are the flavor addition shown in my original video; without them, expect more almond flavor. Use a food flavoring intended for baking and follow its current concentration guidance. Butter extract and instant potato flakes are different ingredients and are not measured replacements in this recipe.

oooflavors mashed potato extract on a cutting board

How to freeze keto french fries

Freezing lets you prepare the dough strips ahead. Arrange them in one layer, freeze until solid and then transfer to a freezer bag. For best quality, plan to use them within three months; texture depends on packaging and the freezer. This is an advance-preparation option, not a required stage for fresh fries.

frozen french fries being shoved in a freezer bag

Cook the frozen strips using one of the methods in the card. Keep them in a single layer and separate any pieces stuck together. When frying, lower them into the oil carefully in small batches and avoid adding ice crystals or water. Watch for even browning; freezer temperature, strip thickness and the pan affect the time.

juicy keto burger on the table

What to serve with almond flour fries

Serve with a burger, hot dog or fish, and add a dipping sauce you enjoy. Sugar-free ketchup and ranch are options. Count sauces and the rest of the meal separately from the fry estimate.

Why these are the best low carb fries

The dough gives these fries their shape: almond flour makes the base and xanthan gum binds it when the hot water is added. Keep the strips thin and even so the outside can brown while the center cooks. The optional potato flavoring adds flavor; it does not replace the flour or binder.

I use olive oil for frying, as shown in the original recipe. The card also has oven and air-fryer methods. Cook in a single layer, then allow the fries to cool briefly before eating. Crispness and cooking time vary with thickness and the appliance.

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The recipe

Keto French Fries

Print Pin
Prep 5 min Cook 7 min Total 12 min Serves 4

Ingredients

Servings 4

Low Carb Keto French Fries Ingredients

Step by Step Instructions

  1. Whisk ingredients

    In a small bowl, whisk together almond flour, xanthan gum and salt.

    For this step

    • 100 g almond flour (1/2 cup + 1/3 cup)
    • 1 tablespoon xanthan gum
    • 1/2 teaspoon salt
    dry ingredient in a bowl

  2. Mix & knead

    Mix in hot water and flavor extract if using. Knead together with hands until combined.

    For this step

    • 6 tablespoons hot water
    • 20 drops mashed potato extract (optional)
    kneading french fry dough

  3. Flatten the dough

    Place dough in between two sheets of parchment paper and roll out to 1/4 inch thick using a rolling pin. Slice dough into small strips. Try to get them as thin as possible, around 1/8 to 1/4 inch wide.

    flatten dough on a piece of parchment paper

  4. Optional: freeze for later

    To cook now, skip freezing and choose one of the cooking methods below. To prepare ahead, lay the strips in one layer on a parchment-lined tray and freeze until solid. Transfer to a freezer-safe bag and keep frozen until ready to cook. Freezing time varies and is additional to the prep/cook estimate.

    placing frozen fries in a ziploc bag

  5. Frying instructions

    To a large skillet, add enough olive oil to cover the fries as they cook. Let heat over medium heat. Once the oil is heated, add a single layer of fries to the oil and let them cook until golden brown on all sides. Turn them to cook all sides. Remove from the oil and onto a paper towel lined plate. Sprinkle with additional salt if needed.

    For this step

    • Olive oil
    french fries frying in hot oil

  6. Baking instructions

    To bake, spread french fries out in a single layer onto a baking tray. Spray the fries with olive oil. Bake at 400 degrees for 10 to 12 minutes.

    baked fries on a tray

  7. Air fryer instructions

    To air fry, spread french fries onto the air fryer basket or tray in a single layer. Spray the fries with olive oil. Air fry at 400 degrees for 6 minutes.

    air fryer french fries on a tray

Nutrition

Per serving: 10-12 fries

Calories
135
Fat
11.7g
Protein
5.2g
Total carbs
6.7g
Net carbs
2.5g

Nutrition is an estimate calculated from the ingredients listed. Brands vary, so check labels if you track closely.

Frequently Asked Questions

Are regular French fries keto?

Potato fries contain carbohydrates, with the amount depending on the portion and preparation. This recipe uses almond-flour dough as a lower-carb alternative. There is no useful universal carb count for a single fry of every size.

How large is a serving?

The recipe makes four servings, about 10–12 fries each depending on how you cut them. One quarter of the batch is the more consistent portion. The card estimates 2.5g net carbs; brands and the cooking method affect the final nutrition.

Can I use coconut flour instead of almond flour?

Use the complete coconut-flour version in the linked source recipe rather than a one-for-one substitution. My video used almond flour. A mixed-flour formula is not established in this card.

What if I do not have potato flavoring?

It is optional, so leave it out and expect more almond flavor. Butter extract and instant potato flakes are not equivalent replacements and would change the recipe and nutrition.

Can I make these keto fries in an air fryer?

Yes. The original card says to spray the strips lightly with olive oil, spread in one layer and air fry at 400°F for about 6 minutes. Check for even browning and adjust for thickness and your appliance. Frying and baking are separate alternatives.

Do I need to freeze the fries before cooking?

No. Freezing is an option for later use. Cook fresh strips right away, or freeze them until solid and bag for later. Optional freezer time is additional to the card’s prep/cook time.

What oil should I use?

The original recipe uses olive oil, and my author replies specify extra-virgin olive oil. Heat over medium heat, then work in small batches and adjust the heat if the outside browns too quickly. Do not let the oil smoke.

What dipping sauces go with these fries?

Try sugar-free ketchup or ranch, or another sauce you enjoy. Add sauces just before eating to help preserve the crisp texture, and include their nutrition separately.

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Reviews

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4.9 from 48 ratings, 38 written

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Replying to Annie Lampella

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Susan

No review, yet. I’m wondering what type of olive oil you are using. EVOO, light, plain olive oil??

Reply

Rhonda

Making these Friday, my husband has been asking for keto fries for months.

Reply

Annie Lampella

I hope he loves them! I’d fry the first batch if you can, that’s the best texture of the three ways.

Reply

Elaine

I’m on batch eight. First few times I rolled the dough too thin and got chips, not fries. The 1/4 inch is real. Now I use a ruler, which sounds excessive until you taste what it does to the center. Still working out the oil temperature, but the dough is worth figuring out.

Reply

Jasmine

Closest thing to a diner fry I’ve had in three years of keto. That soft center under a crispy outside, the xanthan gum is what gets you there, keeps the almond flour from being just crunch with nothing behind it. Didn’t expect to feel that relieved about french fries.

Reply

Annie Lampella

That xanthan gum read is solid, Jasmine. Skip it and you get crunchy almond sticks with nothing in the middle. Three years is too long without a real fry.

Reply

Kendra

Burger night always ended with someone begging for drive-through. Made these last week and nobody said a word. Outside gets actually crispy. Not going back.

Reply

Annie Lampella

A set 20-minute freeze is not required. Cook fresh strips, or freeze them until solid for later use; freezer time varies. Thin, even cuts and cooking in a single layer are the main cues in the card.

Reply

Kendra

Figured the freeze was doing something. Making that sriracha mayo next burger night.

Reply

Connor

I subbed the flavor drops for smoked paprika and garlic powder mixed right into the dough, mostly because I didn’t have them, and somehow it worked better than any french fry I’ve made on keto. The seasoning cooks into the crust instead of sitting on top, and the golden color you get in the pan is freaking unreal for an almond flour fry. Complete beginner, first try, made these on a 95-degree day because I was not about to turn on the oven. Already planning the double batch.

Reply

Annie Lampella

Smoked paprika in the dough is smarter than drops on top. I’m doing this next batch.

Reply

Jordan

French fries were the one thing I told myself I was just going to have to miss on keto, and then I fried up a batch of these and ate half of them standing at the stove. That soft center with the crispy outside (the xanthan gum really does something) is not what I expected from almond flour. So grateful this exists.

Reply

Annie Lampella

Eating half at the stove is usually how I know a recipe made the cut. The xanthan gum is what makes that center work, without it you just get crumbly almond flour sticks.

Reply

Rick

Had no idea you could make actual fries from almond flour dough until last night. Rolled it out, froze them, dropped them in oil, and watched them go golden. The outside got genuinely crackly and the inside was soft in a way that kept catching me off guard. Making a double batch this week.

Reply

Annie Lampella

That crackly outside is what gets people. Double batch is smart, the freezer stash goes faster than you’d think.

Reply

Ana

First batch I thought the freezing step was optional and just went straight to frying, which, no. The whole thing dissolved in the oil before I could even flip it. Froze them the second time, full 20 minutes, and they held together. Got that golden crispy outside the recipe describes and the center was actually soft, not just raw dough. I also swapped olive oil for avocado oil because that’s what I had, couldn’t tell the difference. The xanthan gum was completely new to me but I tracked it down at Whole Foods and now I see what it’s doing in here.

Reply

Annie Lampella

Avocado oil works. Olive oil gets you closer to fast-food-fry territory flavor-wise, but if yours came out right, no reason to change.

Reply

Matt

My son is the one in the house who calls out keto substitutes the second they don’t match. He ate these without commentary, which for him is the highest possible praise. I think the freeze step is doing more than people realize. Keeps the shape when they hit the oil instead of going limp, and you get actual crunch instead of the soft texture I keep getting from other almond flour recipes.

Reply

Annie Lampella

When the one who always notices doesn’t say a word, you’ve got it. That’s the bar.

Reply

Riley

I’ve made at least four other keto fry recipes trying to find one worth keeping. Most of them either fall apart in the oil or taste like you’re eating a battered cloud. Freezing the dough strips before frying is what makes these work. The outside goes golden and the center has actual give to it, not that spongy almond flour texture I’ve come to dread. These are the ones I’m sending people to now when they ask.

Reply

Annie Lampella

Freezing is optional when preparing these for later. You can cook the fresh dough strips right away, as described in the original directions.

Reply

Rachel P.

Your video helped me finally nail the texture on these, I think the trick is really getting that dough flat enough before freezing. Made my fourth batch last night for burger night and they’re so crispy on the outside with that soft center that actually feels like a real fry. My husband keeps asking when we’re doing burgers again, which is basically the highest praise in this house.

Reply

Annie Lampella

The thickness really does make or break them. I go for 1/4 inch max, any thicker and the center stays too soft. Your husband’s got the right idea about burger night.

Reply

Whitney

HOW in the world have i missed this recipe? I have long said that my downfall on Keto is fries. I made myself wait two days after I read this recipe because I wanted to get the potato flavoring and I am SO glad that I did! These are remarkable! I made a batch to freeze so I could wait until the husband got home from work and I would add them to dinner. . of course I had to “test” them. He’s not home yet and I have to make another batch. LOL One million thank yous and one million stars!

Reply

Annie Lampella

Ha! The test batch never makes it to dinner around here either. The potato flavoring really does make them, worth the wait.

Reply

Sue

I made these yesterday and they were amazing! The only change I made was adding 2 tablespoons instant potatoes to the mix and Wow! Amazing! I also salted the dough before cutting into strips.

Reply

Annie Lampella

Instant potatoes in the dough, that’s smart. Haven’t tried that but it makes sense for flavor and probably helps with texture too. Salting before cutting is interesting, I usually just hit them with salt after frying but your way would get it more even.

Reply

cynthia’tompkins

Allergic to almonds so tried 1/2 cup Coconut flour and 1/3 cup Hazelnut flour because i thought all coconut flour might be too sweet. Did the extract and salt, xanthum gum… fried in olive oil. Made sugar free ketchup (delish!)
Fries looked perfect but inedible.😔
Flavor and inside texture (outside nice crunch) WAY off. Hope this helps someone.

Reply

Annie Lampella

This card uses 100g almond flour. For coconut flour, follow the complete formula in the linked source recipe; neither a three-tablespoon swap nor a one-for-one exchange is established here.

Reply

Wendy

Getting ready to make these and was wondering why you place them in the freezer before cooking!?!?!

Reply

Annie Lampella

That is only if you want to freeze them though. If you don’t want to freeze for later, you don’t have to freeze the fries before cooking

Reply

Karen

Oh my gosh, just when I thought I couldn’t look at another spec of almond flour again. I almost didn’t make these because it seems like everything I make just tastes like almond in a different shape. The mashed potato flavouring makes all of the difference in the world. This isn’t just great, it’s my all-time favourite keto recipe. With a plate of french fries every now and then, I can stay keto. Thank you soooooo very much for this.

Reply

Annie Lampella

The potato flavoring really does make them. I tested batches with and without and it’s night and day. Worth ordering if you don’t have it.

Reply

Gerasimos Makaras

I wonder if anyone has tried swapping the flours for Pork Panko (ground pork rinds) in this recipe. It seems like it should work. May even add extra crispiness.
I find that I feel much healthier limiting plant-based foods and sticking to animal-based foods as much as possible.

Reply

Annie Lampella

Haven’t tried pork rinds for this one. The xanthan gum binds the almond flour into a moldable dough, and crushed pork rinds don’t work the same way without egg or cheese to hold them. You’d end up with crumbles, not fries you can shape and fry.

Reply

Erica

I haven’t watched Heavenly’s version, but I imagine that she may have let the dough sit if she used coconut flour, as it takes time for it to absorb the liquid completely.

Just made these w/coconut flour and popped some in the freezer! Hubby will be excited as he’s always asking for fries! 🙂

Reply

Annie Lampella

Coconut flour needs that rest. The dough starts loose and firms up as it absorbs. Bet he loves that fry stash.

Reply

Lana McQuown

I just made a batch of these fries after watching Wes at Highfalutinlowcarbs’s video where he mentions your recipe where you added the potato extract to Heavenly Fans recipe. I just happen to have the extract on hand so wanted to give your recipe adaption a try. And just Wow!!! They were delicious. It reminded me of the fries at some fast food chain that are lightly battered and pillowy soft on the inside. These will definitely be a keeper. I also love that you gave Heavenlyfan the credit for the original recipe, but made your own adaptions. Thanks so much for sharing such great recipes.

Reply

Annie Lampella

Wes is great for finding recipes worth trying. Heavenlyfan’s base dough deserves the credit – I just dropped the potato extract in and it clicked. Pillowy soft on the inside is exactly what I was going for with those drops.

Reply

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