Adventures in Cloud Bread

I’ve seen the name Cloud Bread thrown about all over Pinterest for years now, and I pinned it ages ago, but never actually made it. I was skeptical: how can you make a good tasting bread out of just eggs, cream cheese and cream of tartar?

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Excuse my terrible cell phone photo, I was making 4 recipes at once this day and didn’t document anything very well. 

Cloud Bread was originally devised as a bread substitute for those on low carb diets, specifically Atkins, but has recently had a resurgence from those trying to avoid gluten as well. If you have the right equipment, it’s ridiculously simple to make, and also very budget friendly. You only need 3 eggs, 3 tablespoons of cream cheese (I used Neufchatel) and a pinch of cream of tartar. Many recipes call for a sweetener, but it isn’t necessary to the chemistry of the recipe so it’s easily skippable. I made mine without.

I used my KitchenAid stand mixer for the egg whites, and a hand mixer for the yolks and cream cheese, then folded them together in a large bowl before scooping the fluffy batter onto baking sheets lined with parchment. The bread bakes in the oven for 30 minutes at 300 degrees until golden brown on top and dried out. I allowed them to cool thoroughly before using. In less than an hour, my double batch of cloud bread made 16 pieces of golden brown goodness, ready for my chickpea burgers.

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Cloud Bread buns for Smoky Barbecue Chickpea Burgers.

So what do they taste like? I was really worried that these adorable fluffy golden clouds were going to taste like cardboard or sadness,  but they didn’t! They don’t taste like bread either, but they may taste familiar to you anyway: they reminded me of a savory pate choux dough, the pastry filled with sweet cream to make cream puffs or eclairs. (Note, I saw a recipe somewhere for cloud bread cheese DANISH *Homer Simpson drool sounds*)

When used to sandwich a spicy chickpea burger slathered in barbecue sauce these buns were PERFECT. The slight egginess faded into the background and they held up to the moisture of the barbecue sauce well. They even reheated well, in the microwave no less, the next day for lunch!

PROS

  • Holds up well to moisture
  • Reheats Well
  • Easy to Make
  • Super Cheap
  • VERY low carb
  • Low Calorie
  • Vegetarian

CONS

  • NOT bread
  • Need electric mixer to make efficiently
  • NOT for Vegans
  • Short shelf life

All in all, I thought it was awesome and I WILL be making it again! I love a positive outcome from a culinary adventure, don’t you?

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13 thoughts on “Adventures in Cloud Bread”

  2. SO glad that I know someone personally who was brave enough to make these, and gave a good review of them!! You don’t happen to have a nutritional value for them by any chance, do you? Your plate looks scrumptious!!

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  6. when you said cream puffs I was sold on the idea! rob isn’t a big fan of “alternate” food–but if I make this and tell him its a cream puff shell–that’s all i’ll have to day! going to try them–thanks!

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  7. I’ve been living under a cloud bread rock, so this is my first exposure and I am intrigued!! I will definitely try this. My daughter has just started to cook with me (she’s 7) so this will be a nice low-cost way to spend time together in the kitchen. Thanks!!

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