Baking Keto - Pocket Guide

The demand for low-carb, high-protein keto products has skyrocketed in recent years, and bakeries are now looking to capitalize on this trend. Baking keto on a large scale, however, poses its own set of challenges and requires a deep understanding of ingredients and techniques. In order to produce consistent and high quality baked goods, bakeries must have a thorough understanding of the properties of these alternative ingredients and what works best in combination with them. The right proportion of each ingredient is key to achieving the desired texture and flavor.

Is there a demand for keto products?

Recent reports and studies show that there a growing space for these products:

• 64% of US keto dieters plan to stick with the diet.
• New food and drink launches with the term ‘keto’ in the product description nearly doubled from 1.2% in June 2020 to 2.3% in June 2021.
• The number of new bakery products with a ‘keto claim’ increased more than 100%, with baking mixes, cookies and breads rounding up the top-three categories.
• US sales of keto-differentiated bread and baked goods rose 23% in 2021 and 53% compared to the same period in 2019.
• Consumer surveys indicate that foods labeled “keto-friendly” appeal to those actively trying to limit their sugar and/or total carbohydrate intake.

Formulating with keto-friendly ingredients

Wheat flour contains 70-75% carbohydrates with starch constituting about 90% of total carbohydrates. Elimination of these components to meet the ‘keto’ claim is a delicate task and can only be achieved by creating network structures mimicking wheat dough using a combination of keto-friendly ingredients, such as:

• Nut and seed flours
• Dietary fiber (resistant starch, fructooligosaccharides/inulin, oat bran, psyllium husks, etc.)
• Proteins (wheat, dairy, eggs, seeds, etc.)
• Fats (butter, oils, lard, cocoa butter, margarine)
• Non-caloric sweeteners (erythritol, monk fruit, stevia, inulin, sucralose, allulose)

A guide to keto baking

For a full overview of key ingredients, substitutions, formulas, processing steps, quality control, and shelf life extension for keto breads, cakes and cookies, get our free Keto Pocket Guide! It will serve as the ultimate resource for your keto product development.