Following a low-carb or keto diet doesn't mean you have to give up baking. If anything, it opens up a whole new world – one with its own specific ingredients, recipes and techniques. With these handy tools at your disposal, you'll be able to whip up low-carb desserts and experience the joy of baking, no matter what diet you follow.
What is baking with these?
The keto diet is based on keeping your total net carb intake low, so some desserts and recipes are considered keto-friendly because they are extremely low in net carbs (ie, carbs that are absorbed by the body).
In order to match the limited carb count of a keto diet, both flour and sugar usually need to be swapped out in a recipe for a baked product to be keto-friendly. By using some of the ingredients listed below, you can modify the recipes to fit these instructions.
The ingredients for successful keto baking
Surprisingly, you'll want to stock your pantry a little differently for keto baking. Instead of common ingredients like all-purpose flour and granulated sugar, it's time to rethink what you use in your kitchen.
For starters, there are a few alternative flours you can turn to, starting with…
Wheat flour This: Think about ours Wheat Flour Keto as an all-purpose flour substitute. You can swap it 1:1 (by volume or weight) for traditional all-purpose flour in any recipe. It's also the basis for a number of keto-friendly recipes we've developed (more on those below!). In particular, it works well in yeast recipes because it's wheat-based, which sets it apart from almost every other keto-friendly flour.
This flour has only 4g of net carbs per serving, so it can be used to make breads and baked goods with an extremely low total net carb that fits perfectly within keto or low carb diet guidelines. Traditionally, keto dieters don't eat wheat-based products because of the high carb content, but there's nothing specifically prohibiting eating wheat on the keto diet—hence, the “wheat” in Keto Wheat Flour!
For more details on Keto Wheat Flour and tips for baking with it, see our previous blog post, Introducing Keto Wheat Flour.
almond flour: Unlike Keto wheat flour, you can't just switch almond flour for all intents and purposes and call it a day. Because it's made from nuts, not wheat, it behaves a little differently in baking. Gluten-free, almond flour gives baked goods a delicate, soft texture, as well as a rich, buttery flavor. Try a recipe like this Pizza crust with almond flour to get a low carb taste.
Coconut flour: Like almond flour, coconut flour cannot be substituted for 1:1 all-purpose flour. In particular, it absorbs a ton more liquid than regular wheat flour, so you should use a recipe specifically formulated for the hydration needs of coconut flour. That said, it's a fantastic flour with a very light coconut flavor that works in both sweet and savory goods. A number of our keto-friendly recipes call for both almond flour and coconut flour together, so it's helpful to keep both in the pantry.
However, low-carb and keto-friendly baking doesn't just mean ditching all-purpose flour. You almost always need to calculate the total net sugar carbs in a recipe as well. That's why we recently debuted a new zero-carb, zero-calorie option to bake with…
Baking sugar alternative: A 1:1 sugar replacement by volume, Baking sugar alternative it is specially designed for baking, unlike most sugar alternatives on the market. Alternative Baking Sugar looks, acts and tastes like real sugar – all with zero net carbs. For more details on baking with it, see our previous post, Our new alternative to baking sugar.
Tips for baking with these
As you get into keto and low-carb baking, here are some tips to keep in mind for even greater success:
- If you're baking with Keto wheat flour, stick with soft or moist baked goods, rather than hard or crunchy, as this flour doesn't really provide a crisp texture. For example, it is better for soft chocolate chip cookies than for crusty bread.
- When you bake something with chocolate, such as Chocolate Mug Cake, don't forget to account for every chocolate chip you mix into the batter. Stick with sugar-free chocolate to ensure you keep your net carb count low.
- If you're new to cooking or eating on the keto diet, try pancakes. They're basically foolproof, and you can dress them up with keto-friendly toppings like sugar-free whipped cream and jam. Try one of our recipesor make the simplest breakfasts using ours These gluten-free pancake mixes.
Baker's Tip: Interested in ways to eat pancakes that go beyond a short stack? See our post at creative ways to eat keto pancakes for suggestions to mix up your breakfast.
And remember…
One important point to keep in mind with keto baking: if you're used to baking conventionally, you won't get the same results when baking keto. How baked goods change varies depending on the recipe.
For example, you can make a soft, fluffy around these, but the taste will be more “wheat-y” than a conventional recipe. OR these brownies it will deliver a rich, chocolatey flavor with a firmer, denser texture than what you'd get from a standard brownie.
If you're open to new possibilities and results, baking with keto is a rewarding (and delicious!) experience.
Keto-friendly recipes to get you started
All fired up to bake some keto-friendly treats? Our test kitchen has developed many recipes to get you started. No need to worry about substituting ingredients or calculating carbs—we've already done the work for you.
(If you're interested in the nutritional details for each recipe, just click “Nutrition Information” under the ingredient list on the recipe page. As a note, net carbs can be calculated by subtracting dietary fiber from total carbs.)
Keto friendly pizza crust
If you're looking for low-carb dinner options, this pizza crust is the answer, with only 4g of net carbs per slice. Made with Keto wheat flour, it has a chewy texture thanks to the flour's gluten and is baked to a buttery mahogany. Best of all, it creates a great blank canvas on which to bake any number of keto-friendly add-ons.
Almond Brownies made with alternative baking sugar
If you are the type of person who likes dark and sweet coffees, then this is the recipe for you. Made entirely with almond flour, these brownies have a soft texture and decadent taste, plus they stay moist for days. Thanks to the Baking Sugar Alternative, they also have plenty of sweetness and no weird aftertaste.
Keto Friendly Parmesan-Onion Muffins
These little egg-based muffins are almost like breakfast soufflés in your hand. They're aromatic with herbs and rich with cheese, providing a delicious and satisfying low-carb breakfast or snack (just 2g net carbs per muffin). Made with almond flour and coconut flour, they're also gluten-free!
Keto friendly cinnamon rolls
These sweet spirals certainly don't look like they should be keto-friendly, but with only 7g of net carbs per serving (up from about 35g in a regular roll recipe), they make a fantastic occasional treat. Keto Wheat Flour makes these dried rolls possible, producing a springy, lively dough that can be easily cooked, shaped and rolled. Meanwhile, Baking Sugar Alternative is used to make a sweet cinnamon-sugar and cream cheese filling that you'll never suspect is different from regular cinnamon rolls.
A new way to bake
Keeping the carb count low doesn't mean bland baked goods or unsatisfying desserts. By rethinking how you bake and what you bake with, you can tap into a whole new style of baking that deliciously meets your dietary needs.
If you're following a keto diet (or baking for someone who is!) check out our full Collection of keto-friendly recipes for ideas and inspiration to get you started.
Cover photo by Rick Holbrook
