The perfect Gluten Free Hamburger Buns recipe! You’ll love how simple this paleo bread recipe is to make. Just a few ingredients, and only about 5 minutes to get ready for the oven. These paleo hamburger buns are keto friendly, and perfect for a variety of diets. The best part — they have a very similar texture to wheat buns, and aren’t crumbly or dense at all!
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An Easy “Whole Grain” Keto Bread Recipe
Recently I bought gluten free hamburger buns at the grocery store. Not only did it take me a week and 4 grocery store to find them (apparently they sell out during peak grilling season!), but they are very “meh.” Yes, they were gluten free, but they were nothing special, and really, I’d rather wrap my burger in a piece of lettuce than buy them again.
I remembered seeing a gluten free bread recipe a while back that used psyllium husk, and thought it was time to dive in and try it.
The simplicity of this recipe will draw you in — these homemade gluten free hamburger buns only take about 5 minutes to make and get ready to bake. What will keep you coming back to them is how light and airy and similar to a regular bread bun they are!
These hamburger buns are Keto. While I’m not a huge fan of the diet itself, the recipes typically use ingredients rich in healthy fats with a dose of protein — which are great for lowering the total carb load of anyone’s diet, and for replacing grains with more nutrient dense foods.
I wanted to give a “whole grain” feel to my gluten free hamburger buns. To keep them paleo and keto, I added a touch of honey, and some ground up pumpkin seeds.
What is Psyllium Husk?
Most gluten free bread recipes I’ve tried in the past have been too crumbly, and often required too many starches or weird ingredients I didn’t want to use. This healthy keto bread is made with 3 main ingredients — almond flour, psyllium husk, and egg whites.
Combined with vinegar and baking powder, the three ingredients make fluffy airy bread magic! Nothing dense or crumbly about this paleo bread.
Psyllium husk is a totally natural plant fiber, and is becoming popular in gluten free baking because of it’s sticky holding power and it’s absorbency. The recipe calls for a lot of water, and as the water evaporates during baking, the bread is filled with little airy pockets, similar to a yeast bread — but no waiting for it to rise! This bread is stirred together and on a baking pan in 5 minutes flat.
Rather than making bread with questionable ingredients like xanthan gum, a food additive that’s linked to digestive issues, psyllium husk has a range of positive health benefits, from aiding weight loss, to helping improve gut bacteria and lowering cholesterol.
You can buy psyllium husk at Whole Foods in the supplement aisle. A large tub that will last many, many bread recipes costs $12. You can also buy i on Amazon.
How to Make Easy Gluten Free Buns
This recipe is incredibly easy. If you’ve made yeast breads in the past and know how much work kneading (and waiting) it is, you will love the simplicity of this bread recipe.
All you do is add almond flour, psyllium husk, some ground up pumpkin seeds (optional), baking powder and sea salt to a bowl, and give it a stir. Then add hot water, egg whites, vinegar and honey. Stir in the bowl for 1-2 minutes, until some of the air is stirred out and the dough resembles a light and sticky dough.
It will hold together in the center of your bowl, and it’s easily cut into 4 pieces. This recipe is the perfect size for 4 hamburger buns, but you could also split it into 6 pieces and make small dinner rolls.
They bake low, at 350, for 50 minutes. They will turn a deep brown color on the outside, but don’t be tempted to cut the cooking time down. The dough is very watery and the long baking time allows the water to evaporate.
Make Extra Paleo Bread and Freeze it!
Once you’ve tried this healthier gluten free bread, you’ll be hooked! It’s great stored in the refrigerator for about 4 days. The recipe is easily doubled.
When you first bake them, they have a crunchy exterior. Similar to wheat bread, the exterior softens after it’s been refrigerated. The inside of this bread is more moist than regular bread, but I don’t mind that at all, and love to spread these with sunflower butter and top with fresh fruit.
I’ve also baked them into croutons! I am thinking a summery gluten free panzanella is in the making soon!
These toast great, and you can put them right on the grill next to your burgers as you’re bbq’ing.
Add these to your meal prep routine! Not only do they taste way better than store bought gluten free hamburger buns, they are much, much healthier.
Gluten Free Hamburger Buns Make a Great Meal
Pictured above, I used these buns for turkey burgers. I added avocado, tomato, lettuce, and pickles, which is my perfect burger. Feel free to dress yours up with cheese, sautéed mushrooms or caramelized onions!
You can also use these buns for:
- Dinner rolls or “sliders”: Try splitting the dough into 6 instead of 4 large buns.
- Croutons: Recipe coming soon!
- Breakfast Sandwiches: Just add an egg, some sausage or bacon, and some avocado and egg, for a healthy and satisfying breakfast option! I also love them with nut butter and fresh fruit.
Gluten Free Hamburger Buns
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup almond flour
- 5 tablespoons psyllium husks whole, not powered
- 3 tablespoons pumpkin seeds ground coarsely in blender
- 1 tablespoon sesame seeds
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 3/4 teaspoon sea salt
- 1 cup boiling water
- 3 egg whites
- 2 teaspoons honey
- 1 teaspoon white wine vinegar
- 2 tablespoons sesame seeds to top, optional, white or black
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
- Combine almond flour, psyllium husks, pumpkin seeds, sesame seeds, baking powder and sea salt in a bowl.
- Add the liquid ingredients into the bowl quickly, and begin stirring. The dough will initially look very sticky, but continue stirring for 1-2 minutes, and the dough will thicken as the psyllium husk absorbs the water.
- Without over mixing, stop when the dough holds together in a ball and resembles a sticky dough.
- Cut the dough into 4 equal pieces, and use wet hands to mold in to a ball. Gently flatten onto a baking tray to the width of your desired bun. They will rise more as they bake.
- Bake buns for 45-55 minutes. The buns will get very dark on the outside, but resist removing them too early. The water needs a lot of time to evaporate, leaving a soft and light bread inside.
- The end result has a very similar texture to regular bread, but is slightly wetting. I don't mind the texture, but toasting the buns helps to dry it out.
- Store leftover in the refrigerator for 4 days, or freeze in airtight packaging for 2-3 months. Thaw and toast to serve.
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Nutrition
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Is there anything I can replace for the egg whites? I am vegan.
I am really not sure! I have never tried this recipe any other way — if you try it, please let me know! 🙂 Good luck.
Hi Michelle, I tried this recipe but replaced the eggs with the aquafaba from a tin of chickpeas, it worked out great!
Thank you Alex! I will have to try that!
Egg substitute! Works well. Or tapioca.
That’s so good to know! I made these this week but will have to try the egg substitute myself!
Hi Michelle,
I have tried this recipe 3 times (following it to the T) and each time I am left with a lovely raised roll that looks beautiful on the outside but the inside is hollow with all the uncooked dough on the bottom of the roll. I have no idea what I am doing wrong, help!
thanks, Lynn
That is very strange! I had them turn out the first time. What kind of psyllium husk are you using? I am going to make these again this week and get back to you — because I love them, but also it’s been a while since I made them so I can’t really think what would be causing the outcome you are getting. I have your email address written down so expect to hear back! 🙂
Hello! Any idea why this is happening? My buns turned out the exact same (looked perfect on the outside but inside was hallow on top and very much uncooked on the bottom). I even cooked them for an hour and 5 minutes. Thanks!
Can I use the psyllium husk powder?
Thank you
I haven’t tested them with the powder, but honestly, I can’t imagine why it wouldn’t work. I need to go in and update this post — some people have told me theirs turns out a little gummy inside. I’ve tried it a few times and have found that the reason that happens is if your oven isn’t the right temp. So when you think they are done, cut one open, and if it isn’t light and fluffy inside (it should be!), just continue to bake another 10-20 minutes. Enjoy these! I am making them this weekend.
After eating dry, crumbly gf bread, cookies, etc. these burger buns are a joy! They are large enough to easily accommodate a 1/3 lb burger. They are high, soft and light with a mildly nutty flavor. The recipe is miraculously easy! No waiting for yeast dough to rise. I bought psyllium powder instead of husk and deduced it would be more compact so I used 4T instead of the 5T required in the recipe. I resisted taking them out of the oven too soon, baked them the entire 55 minutes and the results were perfect! Just in time for summer cookouts! I’m grateful
That’s how I felt when I first tried them! They are incredible. I have some in my freezer now that I just pull out when I really need a sandwich. I really don’t like gluten free breads other than these!
These gluten-free hamburger buns are stunning. I’m not a talented baker, but I would love to give these a try!
You don’t need to be a talented baker to make these! I love them. The hardest part about making them is allowing them the full baking time. They will look done a lot sooner than they are and still be a bit mushy inside. If you allow them to keep baking, they will become light and airy inside. Let me know how you like them!
Hi, is baking time less if you make 6 smaller buns?
Thanks for the great recipe.
No- I actually have split it into 6 and the baking time was the same! Enjoy!
Trying these today. I am using flaxseed meal instead of pysllium husks. Will it make a difference?
Flax seeds will definitely not work. There is no sub for the whole psyllium in this recipe — it’s a very unique ingredient!
Can you omit the honey?
Yes you can!
I adore these buns! I have even made the dough into hot dog type buns and they turn out perfect! My question is with the carb count… 21g of carbs per bun seems high for a keto diet. Just wanting to double check the nutritional info.
I just tried making these today, the looked so good but when I opened it up it was completely hollow? I’m not sure what I did wrong? I did use powdered psyllium… but I feel like that shouldn’t have made too big of a difference?
Can I avoid the pumpkin seeds?
Yes, just omit them!
This is the most bizarre recipe, but in a good way. I used a stand mixer and added in wet ingredients without the hot water first, then poured that in with the mixer running. The buns poofed up in the oven, like HUGE. Like tall beautiful brichoe buns. They are insanely light! I tempted them to make sure they were done, they were 210 degrees at 50 minutes. I let them cool and cut into one and the texture inside is so light, and almost spiderweby. I expected them to fall after they got out of the oven but they didn’t. This is a crazy miracle of a bread that actually: 1) is shockingly easy to handle for GF dough 2) holds together 3) doesn’t crack 4) isn’t dense 5) looks beautiful! I am not even sure what to make of this one! But I will make it again and again!
Yay, so glad you enjoyed these! I love having a light and fluffy GF option — I love these with nut butter and sliced strawberries, or with cheese and avocado 🙂
Hi just want to check the carb count is it 21 gram per bun?
Yes, it is, but you can subtract the 12 grams of fiber for a net carb count.
I’d love to use this for hot dog buns. Would it still be split into 4 servings?
I would imagine so! I have never tried shaping it long, but definitely try it and let me know how it goes!
I had the same experience as Michelle. Puffed up very tall after 55 minutes but they were hollow in the middle with all the gooey dough still uncooked at the bottom. If you determine what caused this to happen to our batch, please let me know. I opened them and let them cook another 10 minutes to salvage the ingredients. They tasted wonderful. I hope to master them.
This recipe is so difficult for me — I have equal numbers of people who have them turn out perfect as have what you have described. I have made them with lots of different tweaks and have never had them hollow. I think what I need to try is different brands of psyllium husk and see if some brands don’t work for these! Thanks for letting me know and I will message you if I can solve this!
Hi! Sorry but 21 carbs per bun is not Keto ;(
Net carbs 9 — and everyone has different carb needs on keto! Very active people easily can handle meals with 20g + and maintain ketosis!
Just made them tonight. It worked for me! I’m so happy because I was so concerned based on other people’s experience with hollowed buns. I didn’t have Psyllium husk whole — just the powder stuff. So I only used 4TBSP as per another commenter and it worked fine. 🙂 Oh — I didn’t have pumpkin seeds so I used unsalted sunflower seeds. I measured the 3TBSP and then ran them through the food processor along with Pink Himalayan salt (I didn’t have sea salt). I also topped the buns with “Everything but the Bagel” seasoning instead of straight sesame seeds.
I baked for a total of 55 minutes. It was probably done at 50 minutes but I waited another 5 minutes just to be sure. I turned off the oven.
After the buns cooled down a little, I cut them with a bread knife, turned them cut side up and placed them back into the oven which was still warm. This helped toast and dried them a little bit more. I’m not sure if this last step was necessary but who doesn’t like toasted bread?!
I’m currently eating one wth ham and butter. I’m just testing this out because I’ll be serving hamburges later this week and one of my guest is Gluten sensitive. I think she’ll like this bread. 🙂
Just be warn, Psyllium husk mask the flavor of whatever you put it in. So, the bread is pretty tasteless unless you slather your sandwich with sauces. But I like this bun for the texture and the look and feel. 🙂
Thank you for such a thoughtful review! I feel the same way about them. They are a great sub and have a great feel to them.
Wow! I was really pleased with this recipe. My husband and daughter liked it so enough said there. I substituted cassava flour 1:1 with the almond flour and it was great! Like she says in the post, it is a little more moist on the inside but the taste is really good and no one in my family seemed to mind. I think they would also be really good toasted. I feel like this recipe has opened up new paleo doors of opportunities for me. Thank you for a great recipe!!