Burgers deserve a real bun. These fluffy, gluten-free keto hamburger buns hold together and taste like the real thing, with 3.4g net carbs and 20.3g protein each. I baked them because I was tired of bunless burgers.
I know you’ve been missing bread and a real burger with a bun. I have been too.
There are only so many bunless burgers I can take. I created this recipe because I wanted a real bun, not a lettuce wrap, not a fathead dough disc made from a pile of mozzarella. These are gluten-free buns that actually rise in the oven, hold their shape, and taste like bread.
The reason these work when so many keto buns don’t is the combination of xanthan gum and psyllium husk together. Most recipes skip one or the other. I’ve tested both ways. Without xanthan, you lose the stretch and the bun tears when you pick it up. Without psyllium, the inside dries out and goes crumbly within hours. Using both gives you a bun that holds a loaded burger without falling apart on the first bite.
The whole process takes about 18 minutes, and only about 5 of that is hands on before the buns go in the oven. I sift the dry ingredients (this matters for a finer crumb), stir in eggs, melted butter, and sour cream, then shape the dough with wet hands. It’s sticky on purpose. 12-13 minutes at 400 degrees and the edges crisp up golden while the inside stays soft and spongy.
Here’s what I do on burger night: I start the grill, then mix the batter. Once the burgers go on, the buns go in the oven. By the time everything is off the heat, the buns are cool enough to slice. Dinner hits the table at the same time, no waiting around.
A tip I picked up from a reader: chill the shaped buns for 10 minutes before baking. It helps them hold their dome instead of spreading flat on the tray. I didn’t include this originally, but I’ve been doing it ever since Ashley mentioned it and she was right.
These work for more than just burgers. I’ve used them for breakfast sandwiches with egg and cheese, sloppy joes (the hardest test because the sauce soaks in fast), and as slider-size buns when I divide the dough into 6-8 smaller pieces (they bake in about 10-11 minutes since they are smaller, so watch them). One reader made 8 sliders for a party and said they held up better than the full-size version. The toughest job these buns have at my house is holding a cheese stuffed burger. When the molten cheddar starts flowing out of a juicy lucy, a flimsy bun does not survive it.
Some of the ingredients here aren’t typical pantry staples. Protein powder, psyllium husk, flax meal. I keep them around because I use them in most of my keto baking, but if you need to swap something out, here’s what I know works.
The combination of these ingredients produces a light, fluffy bun with a bread-like crumb. Each one does a specific job, so I’d avoid skipping any of them entirely.
Instead of almond flour, use sunflower seed flour. It’s the best nut-free option and measures cup for cup with almond flour, so you’ll still use 1 cup. The taste is slightly different but the structure holds up the same.
How many carbs are in a regular bun?
I get it, you’re at a cookout and the buns are right there. But consider this: a traditional hamburger bun has 28 grams of carbs per bun. Even a quarter of one is 7 carbs, which is more than two of mine.
These come in at 3.4g net carbs each. That’s a real bun with a real burger for a fraction of the carb cost. I’d rather spend 18 minutes making a batch than blow my macros on a store-bought bun that isn’t even that good.
Store bought alternatives
If you don’t want to bake your own, there are a couple of brands I’ve tried.
Franz buns
Franz makes a low carb bun with 1 gram net carb per bun. The catch: they’re not gluten-free. They use wheat gluten and modified wheat protein for that squishy texture. If gluten gives you inflammation or you’re sensitive to it, skip these. I tried them once and they taste fine, but I prefer making my own so I know exactly what’s in them.
Hero buns
Zero net carbs and 11 grams of protein per bun. I’ve bought these when I’m short on time and they’re solid. The texture is close to a regular bun, and the macros are hard to beat. If you need a grab-and-go option, Hero is the one I’d pick.
What to serve on burger night
Burger night at my house always has sides. Here’s what I usually throw together:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place a sheet of parchment paper on a baking tray and set aside.
2
Sift dry ingredients
Whisk or sift together dry ingredients in a medium bowl. Sifting the dry ingredients is preferred to get a finer texture.
For this step
Almond flour
Whey protein powder
Psyllium husk flakes
Golden flax seed meal
Baking powder
Xanthan gum
Salt
3
Finish dough
Add eggs, melted butter and sour cream to dry ingredients. Mix together until combined.
For this step
Eggs
Butter
Sour cream
4
Mold into buns
Wet your hands with some water or oil in order to handle the dough as it is sticky. Divide the bread dough into four balls and mold each ball into a round disc shape and place on a parchment lined baking tray. Continue with remaining dough. Place each dough ball about 1-2 inches apart.
5
Sprinkle sesame
Sprinkle sesame seeds on top of each bun if you want to make a sesame seed bun. Some add bagel seasoning here for a ‘kitchen sink’ burger bun topping!
For this step
Sesame seeds
6
Bake
Bake at 400 degrees Fahrenheit for 12-13 minutes or until slightly hardened on the outside and spongy to the touch. Let cool for 3-5 minutes before slicing.
Nutrition
Per serving: 1 bun
Calories
310
Fat
23.8g
Protein
20.3g
Total carbs
8.7g
Net carbs
3.4g
Nutrition is an estimate calculated from the ingredients listed. Brands vary, so check labels if you track closely.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I make these in an air fryer?
I've tested these in the air fryer and they work well. Drop the temp to 375 (not 400, the psyllium holds moisture and they'll dry out fast at full heat). Start checking at 10 minutes. Mine usually go about 12. They won't dome as much as the oven version, but the texture is right.
Can I use psyllium husk powder instead of flakes?
Powder is way more concentrated than flakes. Use about 1 tablespoon of powder in place of the 2 tablespoons of flakes. Readers who've tried it tell me the buns come out a bit more dense, and they can look slightly gummy when warm. That cooks out as they cool. I keep flakes in my pantry specifically because they're easier to measure for baking.
How do I store, freeze, and reheat keto hamburger buns?
I freeze them all the time. Let them cool completely after baking, then separate with squares of parchment paper and store in a freezer bag. They keep for about 2 months. To thaw, I leave them on the counter for 30-40 minutes or microwave for 15-20 seconds. For reheating, I microwave for about 20 seconds wrapped in a damp paper towel. Whatever you do, don't toast them. Almond flour buns lose moisture fast without gluten to hold things together, and toasting makes the bottom crumble into pieces.
Why didn't my buns rise?
The most common reason I see is old baking powder. If yours has been sitting in the pantry for a while, it loses its lift. Also double-check that you're using 1 1/4 teaspoons of xanthan gum (not 1/4 teaspoon, which my video overlay got wrong at one point). If the dough is spreading flat instead of holding shape, try adding a touch more almond flour, or chill the shaped buns for 10 minutes before they go in the oven.
What can I substitute for whey protein powder if I'm dairy-free?
I haven't tested every option, but pea protein or a plant-based blend should work. Make sure it's unflavored so the buns don't pick up any sweetness. The protein powder gives these their structure, so I wouldn't skip it entirely. If you're also cutting sour cream, try coconut cream as my suggested swap.
Can I add herbs or spices to the batter?
I do this all the time. Garlic powder and onion powder are my go-to additions (a teaspoon of each). A reader turned me onto everything bagel seasoning on top instead of plain sesame seeds, and I won't go back. Italian seasoning mixed into the dough works well with burgers too.
Wet hands was the trick I almost skipped! The dough stuck to everything until I read that part again and rinsed my hands off. First time I’ve baked anything keto and I really thought I’d end up with flat sad discs, but they puffed up and held a whole burger without falling apart. Thank you for spelling out the steps so clearly!
Did the lettuce wrap thing for almost a year and told myself it was fine. It’s not fine. Made a batch last weekend and now I remember what an actual burger tastes like, so that’s that. They’re a little dense, almond flour, but the sour cream in the dough is doing real work.
A year of lettuce wraps, Mei, that is real commitment. You caught the right thing with the sour cream. I put it in for the tang but it also keeps them from drying out. Dense is fair, mine come out sturdier than a store bun and that is sort of the point when you are holding a burger.
Something I noticed after batch three: my daughter started asking me to toast them before building the burger. She has opinions about a lot of things but bread is usually not one of them. Whatever it is about the flax and psyllium husk together, there’s enough structure that toasting actually matters, the way it does with a real bakery bun. I use a dry skillet, about 45 seconds per side. The cut side gets this almost nutty edge. She’s 16 and subsists primarily on complaints, so. High praise. Burger nights have doubled and I’m doing double batches now.
The xanthan gum amount stopped me, 1 1/4 teaspoons felt like way too much and I almost halved it before just going with it. Made them anyway for a backyard cookout and they held up fine all meal, loaded with mayo and all the toppings. The outside has this actual chew I wasn’t expecting. Took off a star because my first batch came out a little dry (I went the full 20 minutes, 17 or 18 was the sweet spot for me), but second batch was right.
Running these every Sunday since grill season kicked in, and 20g protein per bun is why they’re the real anchor of my lunch packs. Uncovered in the fridge, then four minutes in the toaster oven at 350 and they come back almost fresh. Xanthan gum has to be exactly 1 1/4 tsp or the crumb gets dense and weird, learned that the hard way.
Tried subbing full-fat Greek yogurt for the sour cream and the buns came out noticeably lighter, almost pillowy in the center but still sturdy enough for a loaded burger. Didn’t expect that small a swap to make that big a difference.
Batch six and I finally figured out that keeping them a little thicker when you mold them makes the inside way more tender. Not a small difference. Going to be hard to go back.
Made a batch for a spring cookout and my neighbor spent a solid minute inspecting the bun before biting in, convinced I’d bought brioche somewhere. The psyllium husk gives them that chew that throws people off. He still doesn’t fully believe me.
First attempt at keto buns and went in braced for disaster (psyllium husk and whey protein aren’t exactly my comfort zone). Dough came together fast and held a full burger without falling apart. Can these be frozen, or does the texture go?
Tried these with Greek yogurt instead of sour cream because I didn’t have any on hand, and the texture came out a little denser but still held up completely fine under a loaded burger, which I was genuinely not sure about. The psyllium husk does something interesting in the bake, that slight chew in the middle, I kept poking at the first one trying to figure out what I was tasting. By batch two I realized the wet hands step matters more than the recipe implies: really soak them, not just barely damp. The dough stopped tearing and I got much cleaner rounds that didn’t look homemade in the best way. Going to try these at a cookout this spring and see if anyone notices they’re not regular buns.
Soaked, not damp. I’ve been vague about that for years and I need to fix the wording. The Greek yogurt going a little denser makes sense (less fat), but 2 tablespoons either way isn’t enough to lose the structure.
Shape them higher than feels right before they go in. Mine go about an inch and a half tall, almost domed, because they spread in the oven. If they’re going completely flat the baking powder might also be old – that’s the #1 culprit I see with these.
Made burgers last Sunday and my husband, who has given up on every keto bread I’ve tried, picked up his bun and squeezed it before eating. It held. He asked for burgers again on Thursday, which is basically a standing ovation from him.
Tried every ‘keto bun’ recipe out there and most fall apart the second you load them up. These held a full burger with the works. Xanthan gum ratio is finally right, and that sour cream tang beats the fathead versions I’ve been making for two years.
I’ve tried every keto bun recipe out there and they’ve all let me down the same way. Either they crumble the second you pick them up or they’re so dense you might as well be eating a protein bar between two bricks. Was going to give up and just do burger bowls. The psyllium husk in the ingredients list almost made me skip this one too (that’s usually what sends keto bread sideways for me) but I made them anyway. Loaded mine up with a smash patty, extra pickles, and a pile of sauce. The bun held. It actually held. This is the first keto bun I’ve made that I’d put in front of someone who doesn’t eat keto without any kind of disclaimer.
The no-disclaimer test is the real one. Psyllium gets a bad rap because most recipes use it wrong (or use the powder when the flakes work better here). Worth the risk.
Used brown butter instead of regular melted and the buns picked up this nutty depth that worked really well with a smash burger. Worth the extra two minutes.
Added a teaspoon of garlic powder to the dry ingredients and won’t skip it again. Also, chilling the shaped buns 10 minutes before baking helps them hold their dome.
The xanthan gum and psyllium together are what make them actually hold. A lot of keto bun recipes skip one or the other and they just fall apart the second you bite in.
