Cloud Bread Recipe

Prep: 15 mins

Cook: 30 mins

Total: 45 mins

Servings: 6 to 9 servings

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.

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

A Note From Our Recipe Tester

Ingredients

Cooking spray
3 large eggs, room temperature
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
2 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
1/8 teaspoon kosher salt

Steps to Make It

Gather the ingredients.
Preheat the oven to 300 F. Line a baking sheet with a silicone mat or line with parchment paper and spray with cooking spray.
Separate the eggs, placing the whites in one mixing bowl and the yolks in another mixing bowl.
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.
Add the cream cheese and salt to the bowl with the egg yolks. Beat until smooth.
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.
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.
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.
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.

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.

Nutrition Facts
Servings: 6 to 9
Amount per serving
Calories	46
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 4g	5%
Saturated Fat 2g	9%
Cholesterol 68mg	23%
Sodium 60mg	3%
Total Carbohydrate 1g	0%
Dietary Fiber 0g	0%
Total Sugars 0g
Protein 2g
Vitamin C 0mg	0%
Calcium 15mg	1%
Iron 0mg	2%
Potassium 45mg	1%
*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.