Cloud bread went viral on Tik Tok a while back, but the reality is that this recipe has been doing the rounds for ages. Someone got creative and threw some food dye in the mix and suddenly everyone wanted to bake cloud bread!

This is actually a really simple and tasty bread recipe that you can make when camping that will surprise your fellow campers and can even be enjoyed by those on a gluten free or a ketogenic diet.

What is cloud bread?

Cloud bread is technically not bread at all. The recipe uses eggs to form a meringue-like consistency and the result is a fluffy, doughy, slightly sweet bread-like alternative that is high in protein, low carb and completely grain free. Cloud bread is a great alternative for those on special diets who are craving the kind of meals that just aren’t complete without bread.

What does cloud bread taste like?

To be clear, this is not pretending to be bread. A self confessed carb junkie, I adore  bread and love nothing more than a slice of freshly baked sourdough with some good salted butter on it. If I tried to substitute that simple pleasure with cloud bread, I’d be bitterly disappointed. However, when partnered with a tasty meat pattie and salad, or sandwiched around some smoky bacon and slightly melted cheese, cloud bread is absolutely welcome on my plate. If you want a bread alternative where the bread is a carrier of other flavours, not the main event, this recipe can hold its’ own. I dabbled with the paleo diet a while back and tried replacing spaghetti with carrot noodles. I still enjoyed the meal because the bolognaise sauce was delicious, but it certainly wasn’t as good as beautiful durum wheat pasta that I would usually use. I put cloud bread in the same category.

Can you make cloud bread on a campfire?

Yes! Cloud bread is usually made in an oven, so you can absolutely make it in a dutch oven. If you don’t have a dutch oven, you can even make it in a saucepan on a hot plate as long as you have a lid to put on top. The key is to make sure your firepit has been cranking away for a while before you start cooking, so you have some lovey hot coals to work with.

How do you make cloud bread?

Equipment you will need:

• 2 x mixing bowls
• A whisk
• Dutch oven

Ingredients you will need:

• 4 large eggs, separated.
• 1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar (or just over 1 teaspoon of baking powder if you need to substitute)
• 1 pack full fat cream cheese (or around 2 to 2 1/2 cups) at room temperature
• Pinch of salt and  1 tsp sugar or stevia.

My favorite campfire cloud bread recipe:

•  Whisk the egg whites as much as you can, ideally until you have a firm peak. I like to make everyone take a turn at beating the eggs to save my arm getting tired…try putting your camping playlist on and making everyone whisk the eggs for a whole song each!
• Add the cream of tartar, sugar and salt and continue beating the egg whites.
• In a separate bowl, mix your cream cheese and egg yolks thoroughly.
• Fold the egg white mixture into your yolk mixture
• Grease the inside of your dutch oven so the mixture doesn’t stick. You can use olive oil, butter, coconut oil, lard – it doesn’t really matter.
• Pour the mixture into the oven and place the lid on top. The consistency of your mixture depends on how big your eggs were, how warm your cheese was and whether you’ve tweaked the recipe. Depending on how think your dough ends up, you might be able to divide it into a couple of portions, but if it’s a little runny, just cover the base of the oven inside an you can cut it into pieces once it’s cooked.
• Flatten out some of your hot coals and sit your dutch oven on top. Pile some more hot coals around the sides of the oven and some more on top of the lid. You want to create as much even distributed heat in your oven as possible.
• Cooking time depends on how hot your coals are and whether you divided your mixture into smaller portions or not, but I find that anywhere between 15 and 30 minutes usually works. You want your dough cooked through, and golden on the outside.
• Remove from the oven and allow to cool. The texture is more bread-like once it’s cooled down. I recommend eating within 12 hours of baking.

Some different variations of cloud bread to try:

For a more savoury result:
Use my favorite cloud bread recipe above, but omit the sugar and add in the following:

• 1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary or oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

• 1 teaspoon honey
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

For a sweeter, fluffier result that the kids will enjoy:
(This resembled more meringue than bread, but it’s still fun!). Cook as slowly as possible on low heat

• 3 egg whites whisked as much as possible.
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1 tablespoon corn starch
• 2-4 drops food colouring