Keto Cloverleaf Rolls

These Keto Cloverleaf Rolls, fresh out of the oven, are so delicious. Warm and scented with garlic butter, the main ingredient for these rolls is sharp cheddar cheese, creating a rich, decadent taste. Quick to whip up, you can be eating them in under an hour. These low carb buttery delights are a guilt-free comfort to add to your baking repertoire. They’d be perfect with a warm bowl of soup, or to serve alongside your holiday meal… like Easter brunch or a St. Patrick’s Day dinner.

The Inspiration

These Cloverleaf Rolls were a happy discovery last summer. As we were approaching the last days of summer, I had been thinking that I wanted to celebrate by making one of my favorite summer treats, lobster rolls.

So, while I was looking through Carolyn Ketchum’s cookbook, The Ultimate Guide To Keto Baking, for a shortbread recipe, I saw this recipe for Cloverleaf Rolls. I thought they could be the perfect pairing for lobster. Garlicky, buttery, and made with cheddar cheese… yes please.

(If you haven’t seen this cookbook I highly recommend it. It is a wealth of information on Keto baking with essential recipes, tips, and techniques.)

The Ingredients

The dough for these rolls is very similar to a fathead dough which is made with mozzarella cheese. These Cloverleaf Rolls are made with cheddar cheese instead. I chose the Seriously Sharp Cheddar from Cabot Creamery. I like my cheddar sharp. The cheese, when heated, contributes the stretchy consistency that gluten would normally lend and helps bind these together.

This recipe is also made with coconut flour. Coconut flour is a popular flour in keto baking. It is made from the coconut meat which is leftover from the production of coconut milk. This is dried and then ground to produce a fine flour which has that sweet, nutty coconut scent. You don’t notice it in these rolls though, they are garlicky and buttery through and through.

This recipe also uses unflavored whey, something which I did not have in my pantry until I started the keto diet. Unflavored whey is a protein powder derived from dairy, which like the cheese above, replaces the protein bonds which gluten forms. It helps create baked goods which are fluffier and lighter. It is added to a number of keto baking recipes, so I now consider it an essential ingredient to have on hand.

The rest of the ingredients are everyday items that are usually on hand: butter, eggs, baking powder, garlic, and a bit of parsley.

The Steps

First, preheat the oven to 350°F. Prepare a standard nonstick muffin pan by greasing generously (these can stick). Alternatively you can line the tins with parchment paper. I sprayed mine generously with a ghee oil spray.

Next, place cheddar cheese and 2 tablespoons of butter in a microwave-safe bowl. Heat on high in intervals of 30 seconds until the cheese and butter are liquid and can be stirred together to combine.

Mix the dry ingredients together: the coconut flour, protein powder, baking powder, garlic powder, and salt. Add this mixture and the egg whites to the cheese and stir until combined. The cheese can cool rather quickly and become hard to mix well. If that happens you can stick it in the microwave again for a few seconds to soften up. Don’t be afraid to use a little muscle, we want it to knead together a bit.

Once the dough is incorporated, roll it into balls that are about 3/4 inch in diameter. The goal is to end up with 18 balls (3 for each roll). Place 3 balls in each muffin tin, pushing them together slightly to stick.

In a small bowl, microwave the remaining butter to melt. Add the minced garlic and parsley. Brush half of this on the rolls prior to baking.

Bake for 20-25 minutes until they are puffed and golden. Remove the pan from the oven and let cool for 10 minutes. Brush with the remaining butter and garlic and serve. They are best enjoyed warm!

The Results

These Keto Cloverleaf Rolls are such a treat. Warm, buttery, and slightly garlicky they would be a great accompaniment to so many meals… or used as the vehicle for them like with my Cloverleaf Lobster Rolls. With only 2.7 net carbs per roll they are a nutritious and guilt-free low carb bread.

If you make these Cloverleaf Rolls be sure to leave a comment below. I’d love to hear from you. And if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram, I’d love to see! If you like these, you should try my Cloverleaf Lobster Rolls…

How To Make: Keto Cloverleaf Rolls