High-Protein Gluten-Free Bread

Ingredients

Dry Ingredients

• 240g (2½ cups) blanched almond flour (not almond meal)
• 30g (¼ cup) tapioca starch
• 8g (2 teaspoons) baking powder
• 5g (1 teaspoon) fine sea salt
• 10g (1½ tablespoons) psyllium husk powder

Wet Ingredients

• 225g (1 cup) full-fat cottage cheese
• 4 large (200g) (4 large) large eggs, room temperature
• 10g (2 teaspoons) apple cider vinegar
• 30g (2 tablespoons) olive oil or melted butter

Optional Toppings

• 20g (2 tablespoons) mixed seeds (sesame, pumpkin, sunflower)

Pro tip: Use full-fat cottage cheese — low-fat versions have more water, which can make the loaf dense. Blend the cottage cheese smooth for a more uniform crumb, or leave it chunky for texture. Both work; it's a personal preference.

Equipment

• 8×4 Inch Loaf Pan
• Digital Baking Scale (optional)
• Food Processor or Blender (optional)

Method

Preheat and Prep

Unlike yeasted breads, this loaf uses chemical leavening — baking powder — which activates immediately on contact with moisture and heat. Move quickly once the batter is mixed to capture maximum lift.

1. Preheat oven and prepare pan. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease an 8×4 inch loaf pan with oil or butter and line with parchment, leaving overhang on the long sides for easy removal. This is important — almond flour bread sticks tenaciously to unlined pans.

Mix the Batter

This bread comes together in one bowl in under 5 minutes. The cottage cheese is the star — it adds protein, moisture, and a subtle tang without adding dairy flavor to the finished loaf.

1. Whisk the dry ingredients. In a large bowl, whisk together the almond flour, tapioca starch, baking powder, salt, and psyllium husk powder until fully combined. Almond flour clumps easily — break up any clumps with your whisk or fingertips before adding wet ingredients.
2. Blend or whisk the wet ingredients. In a separate bowl (or blender), combine cottage cheese, eggs, apple cider vinegar, and oil. Whisk vigorously (or blend) until the cottage cheese is as smooth as possible. Some small lumps are fine. The vinegar activates the baking powder slightly and adds a subtle tang that rounds out the almond flour's sweetness.
3. Combine and pour immediately. Add wet ingredients to dry and stir until just combined — about 20 strokes. Don't overmix; it doesn't build structure here and can overdevelop the psyllium gel, making the batter stiff. The batter should be thick but pourable. Pour immediately into the prepared loaf pan.

Bake

This loaf bakes low and slow to ensure the center cooks through without burning the almond-flour-rich exterior. Almond flour browns faster than rice flour — watch the top.

1. Top with seeds (optional) and bake. If using seeds, scatter them on top and press lightly. Bake at 350°F (175°C) for 45–50 minutes. At 35 minutes, check the top — if it's browning too fast, tent loosely with aluminum foil. The loaf is done when a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean and the internal temperature reads 200–205°F (93–96°C).
2. Cool before slicing. Cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then lift out using the parchment overhang and transfer to a wire rack. Cool for 1 hour before slicing — unlike yeasted GF bread, this one sets faster, so 1 hour is sufficient. Cutting hot will give you a wet, crumbly slice.

Tip: Almond flour bread will look underdone on the top center even when it's fully baked inside. Always trust the thermometer and the toothpick test over visual appearance.

Storage

• Room temperature: 2–3 days wrapped tightly — almond flour bread holds moisture well
• Frozen: Up to 2 months. Slice before freezing.

Refrigerate after day 3 to prevent mold — the high moisture content from cottage cheese means this bread spoils faster than dry, yeasted loaves. Toast from the fridge for best texture.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use almond meal instead of almond flour?

Almond meal (made from skin-on almonds) produces a denser, darker loaf with a coarser texture. Blanched almond flour (fine, skin-off) produces a lighter, more bread-like crumb. Both will work, but the texture difference is significant. Blanched almond flour is strongly preferred.

Is this bread keto-friendly?

Yes — almond flour is low in net carbs (about 3g per ¼ cup). Each slice contains approximately 6g net carbs, making this suitable for ketogenic and low-carb diets. The cottage cheese adds protein without significant carbs.

Can I make this dairy-free?

Replace cottage cheese with full-fat canned coconut cream (not coconut milk) at the same weight (225g / 1 cup). The flavor will shift slightly sweeter, and the loaf will be slightly denser, but it works well.

Why did my loaf crack down the middle?

Center cracking is normal and beautiful in this loaf — it's the baking powder releasing CO2 and the batter opening as it rises. If it's more of a side crack or collapse, the pan may be too large (use 8×4, not 9×5).

How much protein is in each slice?

Approximately 12g per slice (based on 10 slices per loaf). The protein comes primarily from almond flour (~6g per ¼ cup) and eggs (~6g each). Cottage cheese adds additional protein without significantly increasing calories.

Nutrition

Per serving (1 slice (70g)): 220 calories, 9g carbohydrates, 12g protein, 16g fat, 3g fiber, 220mg sodium. Makes 10 servings.