This is a recipe I came up with about two years ago when I was experimenting with a low carb diet. The diet didn't help any of my various maladies, but I kept the recipe because these are good rolls with some nutritional value. The software I use says each 2 oz roll has about 163 calories, 16 grams of protein, 11 carbs (5 of which are fiber) and 7 grams of fat. Not bad! They're close to being keto with a few small adjustments, but even without they're still high in protein and lower in carbs.
Like the low carb bread, these rolls are made with vital wheat gluten, almond meal, flax meal and a little dark rye. They have more protein than your average dinner rolls, a different flavor from the blend of flours, a fluffy interior and chewy outer crust.
Vital Wheat Gluten
A key ingredient in these rolls is vital wheat gluten. Vital wheat gluten is a type of flour that is very high in protein and often added to breads to provide structure. In this recipe it acts as the main flour, providing structure and protein. It also imparts some extra chewiness, kind of like you get in a Subway roll. I really enjoy the chewiness the gluten adds, though the obvious downside is the rolls aren't suitable for gluten-free diets.
Slightly Sweet But Still Low Carb
To keep the rolls lower in carbohydrates and fluffy, I sweeten them with allulose or an allulose monk fruit blend. Sugar, honey, molasses or maple syrup are all great substitutes, but the rolls do come out a little fluffier and rise higher with the allulose or allulose monk fruit blend. Use whatever sugar you like. I made my last batch with Wholesome Yum Besti brown sugar and they had a slight maple flavor to them. Coconut sugar would also work well.
Low Carb Flaxseed Roll Variations
You can make the recipe as written or change it up. I use rye flour, but if you like the flavor of chickpea or lupin flour you can substitute one of those. The olive oil is interchangeable as well. Sometimes I substitute melted butter, or I'll use walnut oil and throw some walnuts into the dough. There are all kinds of little flavor substitutes you can make and still keep these low carb, high protein. You can even add cottage cheese to the dough for more protein.
One Rise and a Cold Oven Start
Another reason I like this recipe is it calls for only one rise, so you can start the dough pretty late in the day and have rolls ready in time for dinner. I sometimes use a cold rise, where I put the rolls in the cold oven, set the temperature to 350 and the time to about 30 minutes. I've also just preheated the oven to 350, in which case the rolls are usually done sooner. The rolls puff up a bit as they rise, but they don't quite double.
If you like the idea of a seedy and grainy roll but don't want to use vital wheat gluten as your main flour, you can make a more traditional version with bread flour. Here's the higher carb version, Flax & Seed Rolls. They have a more traditional texture and flavor.
Calories, Carbohydrates and Protein
If you are watching macros, I recommend putting the ingredients in your most trusted nutrition calculator. I used My Fitness Pal to calculate the macros, but if you make changes or want more in depth info you should double check.
I hope you enjoy the recipe!
Recipe
Low Carb Flaxseed Rolls
Ingredients
- 100 grams vital wheat gluten (¾ cup)
- 50 grams blanched almond flour (½ cup)
- 50 grams flaxseed meal, golden or dark (½ cup)
- 25 grams dark rye flour
- 1 ½ teaspoons instant yeast
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 150 grams warm water (120-130 degrees) (½ cup plus 2 ½ tablespoons)
- 1 tablespoon sweetener of your choice (I like allulose blends) (heaping if using allulose)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 tablespoons additional water (if needed)
Instructions
- Combine vital wheat gluten, almond flour, flaxseed, rye flour, yeast, salt, and sweetener in the bowl of a stand mixer. Pour in the very warm water, then give it a stir and add the oil. Stir until it comes together.
- Put the bowl on the mixing stand, attach the dough hook and begin kneading. It might break apart a little as it kneads, and that is okay. Knead for about 3 minutes with the hook, then remove from the stand and test the consistency. It should hold together, though it might break into two parts, and should be malleable. If it feels dry, add another tablespoon or two of water. Knead for a few more minutes with the hook.
- Once dough is kneaded and has a bit of elasticity to it, divide it into either 6 or 8 equal pieces. The best way to do this is to pat it into a rectangle and cut it into squares or rectangles. Put the pieces in a greased or nonstick foil lined pan, spacing at least 2 inches apart. Alternatively, put them in a very well greased muffin tin dusted with almond flour.
- Let the dough rise in a fairly warm place for about an hour. The dough will not double in size, but the dough will expand. Brush tops with a little egg white and sprinkle with some seeds if you like.
- After about 40 minutes, put the rolls in a cold oven, set heat to 350 and timer for 30 minutes. After 30 minutes, the rolls should have risen substantially and browned. Check the internal temperature of one to make sure they are done. Rolls should be around 200 degrees F. or more. You can also bake in a preheated oven in which case they should take about 25 minutes.
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