I’ve been on a mission to make a French baguette-style bread that is both low carb and fits within my Trim Healthy Mama journey.
I developed this French baguette after recovering from a broken hand that sidelined me for about four weeks. As a very right-handed baker, working with dough, cutting, and pouring with limited mobility was a challenge, but I managed — and I’m thankful for the progress. My husband Rick loved these so much he ate an entire baguette by himself. While that’s technically a crossover for Trim Healthy Mama, I still call it a win: picky-hubby approved.
If you have a stand mixer or a heavy-duty hand mixer, this recipe comes together quickly. For a long time I struggled to create a formable low-carb dough that would behave like traditional baguette dough. After nearly two years of experiments — failed loaves, discarded batches, and a few frustrated tears — I finally found a method that works. This recipe produces a dough you can shape into baguettes, and it’s become a reliable staple.
I don’t own a dedicated baguette pan, so I improvised using a 13×9 pan with two 12-oz jars and one 4-oz jelly jar to create dividers, all lined with parchment. The setup worked really well. A silicone baguette or sub roll pan would be a useful addition to the kitchen for making consistent shapes and sizes.
Unlike my Simple Soda Bread and Basic Low Carb Yeast Bread, this baguette does not rely on baking soda or baking powder for rise. The key I discovered is pre-mixing xanthan gum with oil, which helps create structure similar to gluten strands in traditional dough. That technique gives the dough the elasticity and form needed for shaping baguettes. I’m excited to experiment with this approach in other bread recipes, so expect more variations soon.
How I modified a 13×9 pan to bake baguettes
Here are the loaves after being left to rise for 30 minutes.
- 2 tablespoons active dry yeast (room temperature)
- 2 teaspoons honey
- 1 1/2 cups water (about 90°F)
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 3 teaspoons xanthan gum
- 2 cups THM Baking Blend
- 1 cup THM Oat Fiber
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
- Preheat oven to 400°F with a pan of hot water on the shelf below the baking rack to create steam.
- In a container that holds at least double the volume, combine water, yeast, and honey. Allow the yeast to proof for about 10 minutes; it should become foamy and increase in volume.
- While the yeast proofs, whisk together the olive oil and xanthan gum in a small bowl until combined. Set aside.
- In your mixing bowl combine the THM Baking Blend, oat fiber, and salt. Use the regular paddle or whisk attachment—do not use a dough hook. Add the proofed yeast mixture, the oil-xanthan mixture, eggs, and the apple cider vinegar while mixing on low speed. Increase to high and beat for about 3 minutes. The batter will come together into a formable dough.
- Divide the dough in half and scoop each portion into one side of your prepared pan. Wet your hands thoroughly with water and shape each portion into a loaf. Re-wet your hands as needed to smooth the tops.
- Quickly score the tops of the loaves with a sharp knife. Cover the pan with a damp kitchen towel and allow the loaves to rise in a warm, draft-free place for about 1 hour.
- Place the pan in the preheated oven and bake for 10 minutes at 400°F, then reduce the heat to 350°F and bake an additional 50 minutes. If the loaves brown too quickly, tent them loosely with foil.