Keto Tortilla Chips
Published May 2, 2022 • Updated February 3, 2026
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Fried almond flour tortilla chips with real crunch and those signature bubbles. 3 ingredients, 10 minutes, 1.6g net carbs per serving.
Chips are the snack I miss most on keto. For a while, pork rinds were my only option for something crunchy. I’ve been on a mission to recreate the favorites (crackers, french fries) and these tortilla chips are my latest win. No cutting up low carb tortillas, no cheese based dough. Just real, crispy chips.
This recipe takes 10 minutes and uses only 3 ingredients, so you can satisfy that chip craving whenever it hits.
These chips are crispy enough to have those signature bubbles you see on Juanita’s. Pair them with fresh guacamole and salsa, or load them up for nachos with cheese sauce.
What makes these different
- These are made from almond flour and protein powder (no cheese). Fathead dough recipes give you puffy, flatbread chips that don’t actually taste like the real thing. These crisp up like a fried tortilla chip.
- No store bought tortilla hacks. Cutting up low carb tortillas is popular, but those are flour based and contain gluten. They taste like fried flour tortillas, not corn chips. These capture that corn chip flavor without the carbs.
THE KETOFOCUS FANS HAVE SPOKEN
“These are awesome! And if you want a lower calorie version just air fry them. They come out perfect! Just keep and eye on them. They cook fast.”
➤ from YouTube subscriber @nancyyaccarino2625
“I just made a batch of these. Oh I love them too much . I’ve made the ones with mozzarella and they are delish too but these are soooo good. Thank you for the 3 options too. I grow and dehydrate my seasonings and they all work well. The possibilities are endless. Thanks!!!”
➤ from YouTube subscriber @monav1423
How to make keto tortilla chips
- Make dough by combining almond flour, unflavored protein powder, xanthan gum, salt and water.
- Roll out dough very thin.
- Cut into triangle shapes using a knife or pizza cutter.
- Fry in avocado oil until golden brown.
Key ingredients
- Almond flour is the base for the chips. It provides substance, a slightly nutty flavor, and turns golden brown as it fries.
- Protein powder is what makes these chips crunchy and crispy. You can’t substitute it and you shouldn’t omit it. Make sure you select unflavored or the chips will have a strange sweet flavor.
- Xanthan gum holds the dough together and makes it pliable for rolling and frying. I haven’t tested guar gum as a substitute, but it should work. Can’t tolerate xanthan gum? Try using less (even half the amount still produces good chips).
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Ingredients
2/3 cup almond flour -
1 tablespoon unflavored protein powder
-
1 tablespoon xanthan gum
-
1/2 teaspoon salt
-
3 tablespoons hot water
-
1 dropperful corn extract, optional
-
avocado oil for frying
Step by Step Instructions
Step by Step Instructions
Make dough
In a medium bowl, combine almond flour, protein powder, xanthan gum and salt. Stir to combine. Pour in hot water and mix until dough forms.
Roll it out
Place dough in between two sheets of parchment paper. Using a rolling pin, roll out in all directions (attempting to form a rectangle shape) until the dough is very thin. The thinner the dough, the crispier the chip. To easily keep the dough from sticking to the parchment paper, carefully peel away the top parchment paper. Then replace and flip over. Then remove the new parchment paper on top. Now the dough will remove easily when you cut your shapes.
Cut into triangles
Using a pizza cutter or a knife, cut the dough into triangle shapes. Let the dough dry for several minutes – usually the time it takes to prep and heat the oil.
Fry in oil
In a large skillet add enough avocado oil to cover the dough as they fry. Heat oil to medium heat. Once hot, add a few triangles to the oil (enough to cover the surface) and fry until golden brown. You can flip the chips if desired or lightly press them individually into the oil with a metal spatula.
Nutrition disclaimer
The nutrition information provided is an estimate and is for informational purposes only. I am a Doctor of Pharmacy (Pharm.D.); however, this content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always consult your physician or other qualified health provider before making any lifestyle changes or beginning a new nutrition program.
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Get My Macros (Free) →Frequently Asked Questions
Can I make these with coconut flour?
I haven't tested coconut flour for this recipe. Coconut flour absorbs significantly more liquid than almond flour, so if you try it, start with about 2 1/2 tablespoons and add hot water a teaspoon at a time until the dough is pliable. The texture and flavor will be different since you lose the nutty taste that almond flour adds.
Are tortilla chips keto?
Traditional tortilla chips are made with corn or wheat flour, so way too many carbs. You might squeeze one chip into your macros, but nobody stops at one. Make these instead.
How many carbs are in tortilla chips?
A serving of Juanita's Tortilla Chips (13 chips) has 14g net carbs. This recipe gives you a full serving for only 1.6g net carbs. That's roughly 88% fewer carbs.
Can I make these in the air fryer?
Yes. Several readers have air fried these with great results. They cook faster and come out just as crispy. Watch them closely since they brown quickly in the air fryer.
What oil is best for frying keto tortilla chips?
Avocado oil is my first choice because it has a high smoke point and neutral flavor. Coconut oil works too but adds a slight coconut taste. You need enough oil to submerge the chips (about 1 to 2 inches in a small pot). Heat it to medium or medium high before adding the chips.
Why are my keto tortilla chips not crispy?
Three common reasons. First, the dough was too thick (roll it as thin as you can without tearing). Second, the oil wasn't hot enough (chips should bubble immediately when they hit the oil). Third, you skipped the protein powder. The protein powder is the key ingredient for crunch.
How many chips does this recipe make?
You'll get roughly 40 to 50 chips depending on how large you cut the triangles. The recipe makes 5 servings at about 8 to 10 chips per serving.
Can I bake these instead of frying?
You can, but the texture is different. Baked chips come out more cracker like and don't develop those bubbles. If baking, place them on a parchment lined sheet at 350F for 8 to 10 minutes, flipping halfway. The air fryer gives better results than the oven for a crispier finish.
Weekly staple at this point. Roll them thinner than you think you should.
Yes! If you can almost see through the dough, you're in the right spot.
Made a batch for the playoff game. Gone in 20 minutes. Need to double next time.
Next batch I'd roll them thinner than you think you need to. That's when you get those bubbles and the real crunch.
The corn extract makes these. Tastes like actual corn chips.
Right?! The corn extract is one of those things that seems optional but it really does make a difference.
Can you substitute the protein powder for collagen powder?
Unfortunately, you can't substitute collagen powder for the whey isolate protein powder.
Very good! Easy, crunchy, and able to scoop up pico de gallo and guacamole. I use my tortilla press and two little parchment sheets to make small round chips. It's fast and it saves me the rolling and cutting. Bless you!
These were good! They hit the spot.
I didn’t have any unflavored protein powder so i subbed in Vital Wheat Gluten and it worked perfectly. I did need to add like two extra tbs of water though I think. I cut them, sprayed with coconut oil and air fried them for like 5-6 minutes. Came out really good. Delicious delivery method for guacamole
The very first keto recipe I ever tried for anything, that actually turned out crispy results. These are so much better and crispier that the ones I made with cheese. Thank you!!! I will definitely try more of your recipes now. By the way, I used coconut oil because I didn't have avocado oil. They still turned out crispy and beautiful, but I think they will be even tastier with avocado oil.
What a great recipe! I used Tajin to season the dough, then separated it into 4 balls. I don't have a tortilla press (yet) so I flattened each disk with a rolling pin, then with a pizza cutter rolled each disk into 8 triangles. One of our favorite dinners is carnitas nachos and let me tell you, these chips fit the bill...thanks for this awesome recipe 😋
Just made these for our KETO Cinco de Mayo dinner and the chips turned out delicious. Followed the recipe and made a few operational changes - shaped the dough into a small 1.5" diameter roll. Divided into 8 pieces, and used my tortilla press with parchment on both sides. Cut them in quarters with a pizza cutter and fried them up. 32 chips were perfectly crisp and awesomely delicious. Thank you for creating this recipe.
I made two batches today, one following the recipe, only I used egg white protein powder instead of whey protein powder because that's what I had. The second batch I replaced a quarter cup of almond flour with Lupine flour. Also experimented with some flavorings, sweet corn and corn bread. I preferred the lupine flour batch made with corn bread extract as far as flavor. Neither batch came out crispy, more bready, like a sopapilla, they puffed up and reminded me of that. I think they would be good drizzled with keto honey and a sprinkle of cinnamon. Would using a different protein powder cause them to not get crispy?. I was hoping egg white would be a fine substitute, so I don't have to buy another protein powder. Thanks
Yeah, I bet it was the egg white powder instead of the whey protein powder. Thanks for experiment though. I love sopapilla. Maybe that's a good replacement for that. I'll have to try it! Thanks!
Just fyi, tried using psyllium powder instead of Xanthan gum; couldn't peel them off the parchment paper without them falling apart. So not a good substitute.
Still tried frying them; boy do they fry quickly before burning!
Will try the egg next time.
Can you air fry them?
I haven't tried air frying them, so I'm not sure how well it will work.
Hi! I made the crispy taco shells and they were wonderful. This looks like the same recipe, just in half, if that is the case, should the xantham gum also be reduced to 1/2 tbs? I appreciate your help!
Can you use soy protein powder?
Thanks!
I haven't tried soy protein or pea protein powder. If you do try it, let me know if it works so I can update the recipe.
Annie, can these be used as a soft tortilla? Just a quick fry in a dry non stick pan?
Possibly. The protein powder is what helps to make them crispy. I do have a tortilla recipe coming out in January.