3-Ingredient Cloud Bread Is a Soft, Cheesy Alternative to Bread (2024)

Like feta pasta and Dalgona coffee, cloud bread made its way into our lives by way of TikTok. Despite its name, the super fluffy "bread" is not bread at all, but a baked meringue that gets its soft, cloud-like texture from whipped egg whites.

This version of cloud bread also utilizes a meringue to create an airy texture, but serves as a savory alternative to bread. It's made using just a few simple ingredients—eggs, cream cheese, and cream of tartar—but when mixed up in just the right way and baked in a low heat oven, you get pillowy, bread-like rounds that are gluten-free and keto-friendly.

All About Whipping Egg Whites

What Does the Cream of Tartar Do?

Bakers know the power of cream of tartar—it's an essential ingredient in meringue toppings for pies, chewy snickerdoodles, and so much more. But what exactly does this powdery white substance do here? When it comes to cloud bread, cream of tartar helps stabilize the egg whites as they whip and speeds up the foaming, resulting in a tall and glossy meringue.

Tips for Making Cloud Bread

  • Take care not to over-whip the egg whites. Once egg whites go past the stiff peaks stage, they get crumbly, rather than pillowy.
  • Be gentle when folding the whipped egg whites into the yolk-and-cream cheese mixture so you don't deflate the meringue too much.
  • Don't forget to line your pan with parchment or a silicone baking mat and lightly grease with cooking spray or oil. Since there's no butter or oil in cloud bread, they'll stick to a normal pan like crazy.

Ways to Serve Cloud Bread

Use them like you would a slice of bread or roll: eating as a side dish, topping like toast, or using to sandwich deli meat. You'll be surprised how delicious a no-grain cloud bread can be, especially when they're as airy and savory as this.

"This cloud bread was so easy to make and came out perfectly light and airy. The cream cheese gives it a tangy, savory flavor that makes it pretty delicious to eat on its own. I made half a batch on parchment paper and the other half on a silicone baking mat and found that the ones on the mat held their shape better. If you want yours perfectly round, I'd definitely recommend using a mat." —Patty Lee

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A Note From Our Recipe Tester

Ingredients

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

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  2. Preheat the oven to 300 F. Line a baking sheet with a silicone mat or line with parchment paper and spray with cooking spray.

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  3. Separate the eggs, placing the whites in one mixing bowl and the yolks in another mixing bowl.

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  4. Add the cream of tartar to the egg whites. Beat the whites with a hand mixer until stiff peaks form, or about 5 minutes. When you dip a beater from the mixer into the eggs and pull it out, a peak should form and stay standing up. Don't over-beat the eggs or they will become crumbly.

  5. Add the cream cheese and salt to the bowl with the egg yolks. Beat until smooth.

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  6. Carefully add about 1/3 of the egg whites to the yolks mixture. Gently fold the two mixtures together, being careful not to deflate the egg whites. Repeat two more times with the remaining egg whites, folding in just until mixed.

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  7. Scoop out into 6 to 9 separate disks (depending on what size you want) onto the prepared baking sheet, leaving them at least 2 to 3 inches apart.

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  8. Bake 25 to 35 minutes depending on the size of your clouds, or until golden brown. Start checking the breads at the 25 minute mark since they can overcook easily.

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  9. Let cool for a few minutes on the baking sheet before placing on a cooling rack. Store leftover cloud breads in an airtight container for up to 3 days or freeze.

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Recipe Variations

Add a dash of spice, fresh herbs, or cheese to the egg yolk mixture for a variation on this basic cloud bread recipe. Add spices for extra flavor:

  • Fresh cracked pepper
  • Dried oregano and red pepper flakes for an Italian twist
  • Chili powder and cumin for Tex-Mex flavor
  • Sesame seeds and garlic powder for an Asian fusion version

Or include mix-ins:

  • Up to 1/4 cup shredded cheese like cheddar
  • Up to 2 tablespoons grated parmesan cheese
  • Finely chopped fresh herbs like parsley or chives

Storing & Freezing

Store leftover cloud breads in an airtight container for up to 3 days or freeze.

  • Breads
  • Keto Recipes
  • Gluten-Free Breakfast
  • Quick Breads
  • Gluten-Free Food
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
46Calories
4g Fat
1g Carbs
2g Protein

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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 6to 9
Amount per serving
Calories46
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 4g5%
Saturated Fat 2g9%
Cholesterol 68mg23%
Sodium 60mg3%
Total Carbohydrate 1g0%
Dietary Fiber 0g0%
Total Sugars 0g
Protein 2g
Vitamin C 0mg0%
Calcium 15mg1%
Iron 0mg2%
Potassium 45mg1%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.

(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

Recipe Tags:

  • gluten free bread
  • keto
  • side dish
  • american

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3-Ingredient Cloud Bread Is a Soft, Cheesy Alternative to Bread (2024)

FAQs

What is cloud bread made of? ›

It's made using just a few simple ingredients—eggs, cream cheese, and cream of tartar—but when mixed up in just the right way and baked in a low heat oven, you get pillowy, bread-like rounds that are gluten-free and keto-friendly.

What ingredient makes bread soft and fluffy? ›

Adding sugar weakens the gluten structure, absorbs water, and eventually makes the bread lighter and softer. As a result, sugar improves the bread's taste, structure and texture. Yeast also eats up sugar to produce carbon dioxide, which raises the dough and makes bread fluffy.

Why isn't my cloud bread getting fluffy? ›

If the whites don't get “stiff” enough, your cloud bread will spread and be flat. The peaks are stiff when they “stand up” when you hold the beaters up (see my picture above). They also should not move or slide out if you tilt or invert the bowl. Traces of fat will prevent your whites from whipping.

What ingredient makes our bread soft and keeps it from drying out too fast? ›

Hydrocolloids can retain moisture in the bread. This is important because moisture plays a crucial role in the freshness and softness of bread. By holding onto water, hydrocolloids help prevent the bread from drying out too quickly, thus maintaining its moistness for longer.

What are the health benefits of cloud bread? ›

"From a micronutrient perspective, cloud bread contains numerous nutrients not found in traditional bread, including vitamin A, vitamin D, phosphorus, choline, and selenium," says Clark. "These nutrients support eyes, bones, metabolism, cognitive function, and immunity."

What happens if you add an extra egg to bread? ›

It makes the bread lighter and fluffier. The reason for that is the fat in the yolk that inhibits gluten formation just as any other fat would. This results in a looser dough that can expand and puff up more.

Why is my cloud bread so runny? ›

The problem some people have had when making this recipe is that they don't mix the egg whites long enough, causing the mixture to be too runny.

How do you keep bread soft and fluffy? ›

The solution is to put your lovely bread into a zip lock storage bag, then place that bag into a second plastic bag. Place a moistened, damp paper towel in between the two bags and zip it shut. Using this little trick should help your bread stay fresh for up to 5 days in the refrigerator.

What is two ingredient cloud dough? ›

This easy no-cook dough requires just 2 ingredients: cornstarch and hair conditioner. Easy enough! Mix equal parts together in a bowl. There is no cooking required and students can get their hands messy while helping to make it.

Why does my cloud bread taste like eggs? ›

Cloud bread is made from 3 ingredients: egg whites, sugar, and cornstarch. The egg whites are make up the majority of the recipe so it's only natural that cloud bread will taste like eggs. If you want a sweeter cloud bread to help it taste less like eggs, add a 1/4 cup of sugar.

What is cloud dough made of? ›

How do you make cloud dough with 3 ingredients? The 3-ingredient dough includes cornstarch, hair conditioner, and food coloring. You can do this with artificial food coloring or you can experiment with natural food coloring like beet powder or turmeric. Can you use any lotion for cloud dough?

Why is cloud bread popular? ›

The soft, colourful bread that'll make you feel like you are literally eating a cloud has taken over social media with people giving their own vibrant twist to the bread. Popularised by the TikTok user linqanaaa, the food trend not only looks good but also tastes great!

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