These cheese puffs are crunchy, cheesy, airy, and taste like Cheetos. You only need 3 simple ingredients to make them. They are keto-friendly, high protein, low sugar and low carb. They make a great snack and store well.
This is my new favorite snack to make. My family loves crunchy snacks and this one is so crunchy and satisfying.
Ingredients
- Sharp cheddar cheese
- Almond flour
- Egg whites
Sharp cheddar cheese: The keto Cheetos get their cheese flavor from freshly grated cheddar cheese. I recommend using sharp cheddar cheese for more flavor.
Almond flour: A little bit of superfine almond flour is added to the cheese batter to help stabilize it. Without the almond flour, the cheese puffs will not rise properly.
Egg whites: Egg whites are the key to creating a super light, airy and crunchy snack. Make sure to use only the whites of the eggs and not the full egg.
How to Make Low Carb Cheetos
- The cheese is first grated and then placed in the freezer until solid. The frozen cheese is then chopped in a food processor until it becomes fine crumbles.
- The egg whites are beaten until peaks form. The cheese and almond flour are then folded in.
- Use a piping bag to pipe the Cheetos. I used a St. Honore tip to help resemble classic Cheetos shape but you can use other tips for a different design.
- Bake the Cheetos for about 30 minutes and then continue to bake with the oven off for an additional 30 minutes.
Texture
These Cheetos have a light and airy texture and are very crunchy and cheesy.
Expert Tips
- Don’t skip out on the superfine almond flour. You only need a little, but it helps the structure for these crunchy cheese puffs.
- Use fresh egg whites and not carton liquid egg whites because you will need to whip them to stiff peaks.
More Low Carb Snacks
3 Ingredient Keto Cheetos
Ingredients
- 3 1/2 oz (99 g) grated sharp cheddar cheese
- 4 large egg whites brought to room temperature
- 2 tbsp (12 g) superfine blanched almond flour
Instructions
- Line a small baking sheet with parchment paper. Spread the grated cheese across and put in the freezer until frozen, about 1 hour.
- Preheat the oven to 300°F (150°C). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Once the cheese is frozen, place it in a small food processor and pulse a few times until it’s finely crumbled. Set aside.
- Add the egg whites to the bowl of a stand mixer. Using the wire whisk, beat at medium speed until the eggs start foaming, about 30 seconds. Then increase speed to high and continue to beat until stiff peaks form.
- Using a silicone spatula, gently fold in the cheese and almond flour. Be careful to keep as much air in the mixture as possible.
- Transfer the mixture to a large piping bag and pipe approximate 2-inch long strips onto the lined baking sheets, leaving a little space between them. You can use whatever piping tip you want depending on what design you prefer. To achieve something that looks like classic Cheetos, I used a small St Honore piping with a 5/16 inch opening. My cheese puffs were around 2 inches long and between 1/4 to 1/2 inch thick.
- Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until they turn golden and dry. They should also feel crunchy on the surface. Turn off oven and let them dry in the oven with the oven off for about 30 minutes. Remove from oven and let them cool completely before eating. Store leftovers in airtight container in the fridge or freezer.
Notes
- You may be able to skip the second bake with the oven off. If the puffs are already crunchy after the initial 30 minutes and you plan on eating them and not storing them, then you can skip the second bake. The second bake helps ensure they are fully dried and won't get soft later so it's good to do the second bake if you plan on storing them. The second bake also helps the puffs get fully crunchy if you piped yours thicker than traditional Cheetos.
- Cheddar Cheese note: This recipe works best with cheddar cheese that you grate yourself and not a pre-shredded bag. You do need to freeze the cheese so that you can pulse it into fine crumbles without it sticking into a big clump. I recommend sharp cheddar cheese so the puffs have enough flavor.
- I used a St Honore tip with a 5/16 inch wide opening which I got from this set.*
- *These product links are affiliate links. This means I earn a commission from qualifying purchases.
Nutrition
The nutrition information provided are only estimates based on an online nutritional calculator. I am not a certified nutritionist. Please consult a professional nutritionist or doctor for accurate information and any dietary restrictions and concerns you may have.
