So it’s been dawning on me lately that I’ve really wanted a proper hamburger. Yeah, you can make those ultra thin buns with a whoppie pan, or you can even make a cupcake bun and cut it in half – but it’s just not the same. Plus, you have to do so much work just for a few buns. I wanted something that I could throw together in a sinch and not have to worry about cleaning up, baking times, or any of that other stuff. Luckily, I’ve come up with a pretty good solution – hamburger mug bun, anyone?
The bun itself is a bit odd tasting (from the psyllium husk would be my guess). It pairs VERY well with beef, in my opinion, and I don’t really need to add any extra spices or flavorings to it. But, if you’re the type that needs to disguise the flavor, feel free to add your favorite spices to mask the flavors – cumin, oregano, paprika, even curry!
This is one of the few times that I say that the type of almond flour you use doesn’t matter. I’ve done this with both almond meal and blanched fine grain almond flour. Both turn out just fine. The only thing that’s really affected is the color. The almond meal (non-blanched) is going to give you a darker bun, similar to that of a whole wheat bun. The blanched almond flour will give you a lighter color bun, similar to a typical hamburger bun.
The mug is the most important thing to keep in mind here. You want something that’s actually large enough for a hamburger bun, so you want a mug that’s pretty wide. Whenever I make my buns, I always have a go-to mug that’s very wide and short – similar to a cappuccino cup. Making sure you select the correct mug for the job is crucial, as it will shape the bread at the end. If you choose a normal sized mug you will have a much thicker bun, but it will be much smaller in diameter.
Yields 1 servings of Low-Carb Microwave Hamburger Buns
The Preparation
- 1 large egg
- 1 tablespoon butter, melted
- 1 tablespoon almond flour
- 1 tablespoon psyllium husk powder
- 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
- 1 tablespoon chicken broth
The Execution
1. Crack an egg into a mug with a wide base. Alternatively, you can use a large ramekin for a smallish bun.
2. Microwave butter for 10-15 seconds to melt it. Once melted, pour over the egg and whisk well to aerate the mixture. The eggs should become slightly lighter in color.
3. Add in the almond flour, psyllium husk powder, baking powder, cream of tartar, and chicken broth.
4. Mix everything well to form a slightly doughy mixture, wiping off any excess stuck to the edge of the cup to make the top as uniform as possible.
5. Microwave for 60–75 seconds, depending on the microwave. If it puffs up quickly, don’t worry — it will reduce in size greatly once taken out. Once out, flip the mug over and tap it lightly against a plate to slide the bun out. Cut in half, toast, and enjoy!
This makes a total of 1 serving of Low-Carb Microwave Hamburger Buns. The serving comes out to be 271 calories, 19.8g fats, 3.6g net carbs, and 8g protein.
| NUTRITION | CALORIES | FAT | CARBS | FIBER | NET CARBS | PROTEIN |
| 1 large egg | 79 | 5.2 | 0.4 | 0 | 0.4 | 6.9 |
| 1 tablespoon butter | 102 | 11.5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.1 |
| 1 tablespoon almond flour | 41 | 3.5 | 1.5 | 0.9 | 0.6 | 1.5 |
| 1 tablespoon psyllium husk powder | 56 | 0 | 12.8 | 11.2 | 1.6 | 0 |
| 1/4 teaspoon baking powder | 1 | 0 | 0.3 | 0 | 0.3 | 0 |
| 1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar | 2 | 0 | 0.5 | 0 | 0.5 | 0 |
| 1 tablespoon chicken broth | 1 | 0 | 0.1 | 0 | 0.1 | 0.1 |
| Totals | 280 | 20.3 | 15.6 | 12.1 | 3.5 | 8.6 |
Low-Carb Microwave Hamburger Buns
Ingredients
- 1 large egg
- 1 tablespoon butter melted
- 1 tablespoon almond flour
- 1 tablespoon psyllium husk powder
- ¼ teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon cream of tartar
- 1 tablespoon chicken broth
Instructions
- Crack an egg into a mug with a wide base. Alternatively, you can use a large ramekin for a smallish bun.
- Microwave butter for 10-15 seconds to melt it. Once melted, pour over the egg and whisk well to aerate the mixture. The eggs should become slightly lighter in color.
- Add in the almond flour, psyllium husk powder, baking powder, cream of tartar, and chicken broth.
- Mix everything well to form a slightly doughy mixture, wiping off any excess stuck to the edge of the cup to make the top as uniform as possible.
- Microwave for 60–75 seconds, depending on the microwave. If it puffs up quickly, don't worry — it will reduce in size greatly once taken out. Once out, flip the mug over and tap it lightly against a plate to slide the bun out. Cut in half, toast, and enjoy!
Is the Psyllium Husk necessary? I don’t have any. Maybe I could sub flax or extra almond flour?
Jessica, for this particular recipe, the psyllium husk is needed. It provides that chewy texture that I want in a bun, rather than the denseness that flax would bring. It’s relatively cheat to get (you don’t have to order a whole bag) but it can be utilized in many different ways!
How well do you think this would hold up in a toaster or toaster oven instead of butter frying it?
Kay, I haven’t actually tested it out in a toaster. I think it would hold up fine. The good thing about the butter is that it soaks up the extra fats and also gets a nice crisp layer on the outsides. In a toaster oven it may also get crisp, but I’m not 100% sure. If you do it, let me know so I can relay the information 🙂
I know this is three years later, but I’ve toasted them in a regular toaster instead of frying them, and it works great. Oh, and also cooked it in a ramekin for a perfect size bun.
THank you!! I’m going to try this tonight!!
Sure thing! Let me know whatcha think of them!
These are now my go-to buns/bread!! Love how fluffy and soft they are, not heavy and dense like most are. And no eggy taste! Definitely a hit!! THanks again!
Woo! I’ve had a few other reports of these being a hit so I’m definitely glad you buys enjoyed them 🙂
Yummo, I like it.
Glad to hear you liked it Debra! Did you eat it with a burger, or make it into a sandwich?
I’d pour 1/2 the batter into 2 microwave-safe cereal bowls, and make 2 rounded-top buns. Other than that, this is the first microwave bread recipe I’ve seen that includes psyllium.
Have you tried pouring the batter out on a flat plate, and seeing how it comes out (for use as a tortilla or flat bread)? Either add a splash of oil to the batter, or oil the plate directly for low stick.
For the tortilla–change the egg to an egg white for better texture, and add 1-2 t. tapioca flour/starch to make it flexible.
That sounds good! I’ve never tried it as a tortilla base before but I have recipes for tortillas on here. I normally don’t have tapioca flour/starch around just because it’s quite high carb, so I don’t use it. As for the microwave-safe bowl method, that could work but you may need to increase the amount in the recipe a bit to get full bowl-sized buns from this.
Hi. Just wanted to let you know that this bread toasts up very well. I made it in a 2 cup pyrex bowl, which is about the perfect size for a hamburger bun. I added a generous shake of garlic powder to the recipe, but otherwise made it as written. After cooking it, I removed it from the bowl and let it cool a bit on a rack, then cut it in half horizontally. Put each half in the toaster oven and ran the toast cycle for Medium. the “bun” came out with a nice crunchy crust, and with butter was similar to garlic bread.
I’d love to expand this recipe to make a full loaf of bread, perhaps with the addition of some cheese for flavor. Any thoughts on how to make a “real” loaf?
Eric, super happy to hear that they went well (and toasted up fine, which is a good new insight to have). Usually with microwave breads, making a full loaf will result in something that’s not as airy. They tend to be flatter, and more dense since the heat distribution is much slower and over a longer period of time. But if you wanted to bake it, I’d imagine something like 350-375 range for around 20-25 mins in a bread loaf.
Though I might have to experiment with this myself to get a proper reading on the time. I’m basing this off of what people do for the mug cakes, but increasing time for the amount of dough that will be in 1 container (rather than cupcake style). Normally bread is made around 325F, so I might have to experiment (unless you do first). If that’s the case, report back because you always have some great insight!
Craig, Made this last night! I thought it was great. So easy, which is such a plus. I can see making french toast with this.. which might just have to be breakfast this morning. Thanks again!
Glad you liked it Alisa! If you make it into french toast let me know how it does – sounds like it would be delicious with some cinnamon and nutmeg mixed into the dough 🙂
Hey Craig, do you think these could be baked in large muffin trays instead if microwaved? If you haven’t tried, would you have a good guess as to what temp and how long? I try to use the ol’ nuker as little as possible 😛
Hey Serge,
I haven’t tried to bake them in the oven. If you do, though, you will probably get less rise out of them. I’d be guessing 350F for around 10-15 minute range (just going off what people tell me for the mug cakes). Hope that helps – if you end up doing it let me know how they turn out!
Oh my gosh….I just made the bun and I’m so very happy my friend posted your recipe on Facebook because it was absolutely delicious! I’ve been doing no carbs for 3 months and really was starting to miss sandwiches and the like…I thank you because now I’ve got them again!. I followed the recipe & toasted the bun using the the pan method, and after I melted a slice of cheddar cheese in between….yummy is all I can say!
Thank you and I really appreciate this recipe.
Sounds delicious Sarah, glad you liked it!
Craig, I whipped up one of these this morning. It was so light, fluffy, and really easy to make. I fried mine in bacon fat. I’m about to go make an epic bacon sandwich, then lie down and die a happy man.
Thanks!
I’m glad you liked it Brian, and I hope you were able to make an epic bacon sandwich because that sounds pretty awesome right now!
Made a couple and took them to a BBQ over the weekend and they worked great!
I didn’t have a coffee mug like that, so I just used a bowl I had that was little wider and upped the tartar / baking powder to puff it up some more.
The batter also takes really well to herbs and spices. I’ve been doing garlic and green onions.
I’ve gotta say, this is the best bread replacement for a sandwich I’ve tried in 10 years of Keto. It’s better than any other pre-made low carb bread or any other mixes I’ve tried. It’s not going to be big and chewy like a regular hamburger bun, but it’s puffy enough, pairs well to just about anything, is super easy to make, and doesn’t have anything questionable in it.
I’ve used it for burgers, grilled cheese, and bacon/egg/cheese breakfast sandwiches this weekend and they were all delicious.
No microwave so I whipped these badboys up and baked in my muffin top pan at 350° for 10 minutes. Came out great! Very good texture for a bread sub. Oh yes I doubled the recipe but split it into 3 instead of two (I lean towards thinner breads). If making one per recipe may have to increase bake time by a few minutes. Pan fried in butter after carefully slicing and had a burger. Can’t wait to try it with something else!
Glad they turned out in the oven. I figured they would but it’s always nice to have the confirmation. Happy to hear you liked them!
Craig – You’re a hero among men.
Now that we have that out of the way, how long do you think this would keep if I made it ahead of time? Should it be stored in the fridge? I doubt many people can resist gobbling this up right away, but I’m not a morning person and I’d love to make this the night before then slop a big fried egg and bacon on it the next day. Whatcha think?
Ruth, thank you! I’m not sure how it’d fair in the fridge, but you could give it a try. My girlfriend does that for breakfast in the morning (makes it all the night before, bacon included) and just does the egg in the morning to take to work. She says it’s good – so give it a go 🙂
Awesome! Just made a egg, bacon, and chedder sandwich!
Sounds great Laura!
I made some awesome bacon and avo burgers with these last night and they were a huge hit… I have a question though… Can i dip these in egg and fry them as french toast?
I don’t see why not, Lynette. They crisp up really well in the pan, so I imagine they’d do just fine as a french toast. Also, your burger sounds fantastic!
This is my go to recipe for bread/buns! Easy & good 🙂 Tonight I experimented and poured the batter into a “Whoopie Pie” baking pan, and baked them, they turned out great to have with our soup! I tripled the recipe, and put little bits of butter on the bottoms of the well first, then poured in the batter…the bottoms/sides crisped up really well too 🙂
Sounds awesome Lara – thanks for sharing that, I’ll definitely have to try it sometime 🙂
Loved it. The best substitute so far.
Glad to hear it Ginger!
These buns were awesome. I have tried other recipes, but by far this is the best. Thanks
Thanks so much – glad you liked them!
This really is a great bread substitute. I found I was out of cream of tartar so used same amount of white vinegar instead. Results were perfect
This is a go-to for me as well. I make them a little sweeter for breakfast [cream cheese and keto-friendly home made jam], or spicy/savory for dinner for a burger or panini. I’ve varied the size bowl to get the size bun I need. I’ve even used the same recipe with garlic powder, onion powder and Italian seasonings in a wide bowl to make a mini-pizza crust that crisps up nicely in the oven afterward on a pizza stone for quick pizza dinner where the crust isn’t too heavy. My favorite, is the basic recipe with the ‘everything but the bagel’ spice that came with the first Keto Delivered package. Delicious!
I’m so glad I found this. I’m going to give this a try tomorrow. I’ve convinced my son to try keto diet as well, and this bun would make it so much easier. One question. I’ve looked at many keto bun recipes, usually they use baking powder, or baking soda combined with cream of tartar. What’s the difference?
Whenever I’m looking for keto recipes, yours come up often, and they are ALL delicious. Thank you!
Usually with cream of tartar, they will have you whip egg whites – tartar adds some stability to this. For the baking soda, it needs to be activated by an acid. For baking powder, it’s like a ready-made activated baking soda. Thanks so much for the awesome feedback!
What is the diameter of your large cup Craig?
Hey Deb – sorry for the late reply here. I don’t own that cup anymore so I’m not sure on the diameter. It was wider than a “normal” coffee cup (similar in diameter to the Starbucks city mugs you can buy if you have seen those).
What is the psyllium husk for? Could it be made without?
It’s for the texture – unfortunately this recipe can’t be made without it.
Would this work without chicken broth?
can i use an vegan egg substitute and coconut flour to sub for the almond flour? I can’t eat any eggs and almonds right now
Hi Carmela, I think it’s possible but I can’t tell you exact substitution amounts because I’ve never tried it before.
This was delicious. I only had unsalted butter and didn’t have chicken broth though. I used water instead and missed the salt. Next time I’ll remember. It was just as you described. Bun came out easily without greasing the container. And it toasted up beautifully. And the nutritional information was spot on!
Tried this last night. Added garlic and rosemary and it tasted delicious. Can’t wait to try again with adding cinnamon next time, slather on some cream cheese and pretend it’s a bagel.
Has anyone tried adding a tiny amount of maple extract? I’m thinking McGriddles here. Tried these today using a Pyrex 2 cup ramekin. Matches the size of the silicone egg rings mentioned elsewhere on this site.
We have a mcgriddles copycat recipe that makes me think yes!
https://www.ruled.me/low-ca…
It should work with this type of bun using maple extract, or even sugar free pancake syrup.
Just saw this…thank you so much!
I’m a big fan of meal prep. How long do these last? Do they freeze well
They would probably go a bit dry once you refrigerate or freeze them and may turn out a bit weird on re-heating. I wouldn’t personally recommend it but I haven’t tried it with this specific recipe. If you did or have tried it, please let me know how it turned out.
What purpose does cream of tartar serve in this recipe?
It helps with the stabilization of the bun – I find that it doesn’t deflate as much when you ass the cream of tartar. That said, I looked into cream of tartar and it’s usually added in with baking soda. We use baking powder in this recipe, so I don’t think there would be any difference if you left it out.