In the mood for more keto breakfast recipes? Forget about eggs for breakfast; these keto pancakes are the new star of the season! As much as I love my healthy pumpkin pancakes, sometimes I need a low-carb version. My keto pumpkin pancakes are easy to make and come out pillowy soft, with the perfect balance of fall spices. Whether you’re following a low carb diet or keto diet, these low carb pumpkin pancakes can fit easily into your daily macros!
Why You'll Love These Keto Pumpkin Pancakes
These easy Keto Pumpkin Pancakes are the perfect fall breakfast treat. Soft and fluffy, with just the right balance of pumpkin and spices. And they have only 3g net carbs per serving. Since they are made with real pumpkin puree, they taste just like fall. The real surprise is that they are made with cottage cheese! In fact, if someone you know doesn’t like to eat cottage cheese, don’t tell them it’s in there. The secret to hiding cottage cheese in pancakes is to use a food processor to make the cottage cheese completely smooth.
Pancakes are glorious at any time of the day, but unfortunately it’s a real challenge to find a version suitable for the keto diet. Every now and again I look through recipes to find some staples that I thought I’d never enjoy again. I was actually looking for a cornbread recipe and stumbled upon an almond flour cornbread that I thought was worth a try. Not only does it keep you from eating the sugary corn flour, but it is also high in protein and vitamin E. I ended up making the cornbread and being disappointed with it as it was pretty flat, gravity really didn’t treat this thing well. I decided that this recipe would be perfect to adapt to pancakes, so I started experimenting away.
Key Ingredients for Keto Pumpkin Pancakes
These pancakes are super simple - easier than regular pancakes, I think, because there are fewer ingredients. And, they only use a small bit or almond flour (perfectly paleo itself) because the pumpkin puree needs just a bit of flour to help it come together as a pancake. As an added benefit, these pancakes will never be icky and dry like some regular pancakes.
Here's what you'll need:
Read also: Easy Low-Carb Cheese Crackers
Almond flour: Blanched almond flour is best, as it yields a lighter and fluffier pancake. Your flour substitute can be almond or coconut flour. Almond flour (essentially ground almonds) is higher in calories and fats than coconut flour, but it’s lower in carbs. I suggest using almond flour because I found that it gives the exact texture and flavor I wanted for these low carb pancakes. It’s important to note how well almond flour mixes depends on the brand you use. So if you find your batter is too runny, add more flour (a teaspoon at a time) stirring to see if it reaches the consistency you want. If you find that the batter is too thick then add a teaspoon of almond milk at a time to work the batter to the proper texture. It is something you have to work with at times, to get the right texture.
Coconut flour.
Baking powder.
Pumpkin pie spice: This is a ready-made mix of cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and cloves. You can always add the separate spices instead.
Pumpkin puree: To add pumpkin flavor and moisture. Yes, real pumpkin puree is keto friendly. Try to use thicker pumpkin puree. Adding pumpkin puree gives them a wonderful, moist texture but you do have to reduce other liquids so they don’t become soggy. Do not use pumpkin pie filling which is loaded with sugar.
Read also: Keto Calorie Counting: A Detailed Guide
Granulated sweetener: Sure, you can use any low carb sweetener you like. Here’s my Sweetener Guide & Conversion chart to help you decide how much to use in place of what I used. I personally think the pumpkin stevia really enhances the pumpkin flavor of these pumpkin spice keto pancakes and there isn’t an aftertaste. Swerve Brown: I like the depth of flavor that a brown sugar replacement gives these pumpkin pancakes. But you can easily use granular or powdered sweeteners instead.
Eggs: Coconut flour is extremely absorbent and requires quite a few eggs to give it structure. But these pancakes do not have an eggy or rubbery texture.
Milk.
Butter: Use unsalted butter for these pancakes. You can also use melted coconut oil or avocado oil for dairy-free.
Protein powder: I also include some protein powder to make these keto pumpkin pancakes extra fluffy and delicious. It’s the same trick I use for all my keto cake recipes. The whey protein powder serves two functions: it adds some nutrition, but it also makes the pancakes lighter and fluffier.
Read also: Magnesium Supplements for Keto
Pantry staples: Vanilla, baking powder, salt.
Step-by-Step Instructions
I’ve included step-by-step photos below to make this recipe easy to follow at home. And this recipe is so easy! 10 minutes of prep time and 20 minutes of cook time. Which means you are on your way to enjoying a healthy keto breakfast in half an hour.
Make the batter: In a high-speed blender or food processor, add your almond flour, coconut flour, pumpkin pie spice, baking powder, allulose, pumpkin puree, eggs, and milk, and pulse until a thick batter remains. Blend all ingredients into a high powered blender or food processor and blend until smooth. Whisk the wet ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, pumpkin puree, and brown sugar substitute until well combined. Stir in the butter and vanilla extra until smooth. Add the coconut flour, protein powder, pumpkin spice, baking powder, and salt, and whisk until well combined. Add liquid one to two tablespoons at a time as needed (see notes). In a medium bowl whisk the dry ingredients (almond flour, Gentle Sweet, pumpkin spice, cinnamon, and baking powder). Add pumpkin puree and eggs. Continue whisking until homogenous. In a medium bowl whisk to combine almond flour, 2 tablespoons monk fruit, baking powder, spices, and salt. In a large bowl whisk to combine pumpkin, eggs, milk, and vanilla. Whisk in dry ingredients. Slowly add wet ingredients to dry ingredients to get a smooth consistency. Mix eggs, pumpkin, sour cream, and butter. Mix almond flour, pumpkin spice, baking powder, and salt in a separate bowl. Slowly add wet ingredients to dry until smooth.
Rest: Transfer your pancake batter into a bowl and let sit for 10 minutes to thicken. Pour the pancake batter into a bowl and let sit for 10 minutes to thicken. Coconut flour batters thicken up as they sit, so you may need to add a little more liquid as you go. Simply whisk in water or nut milk 1 tablespoon at a time. If the batter is too thick, add a little extra milk of choice.
Cook: Pre-heat your non-stick pan on medium heat, and spray it lightly with cooking spray. Spray a non-stick skillet or griddle with cooking spray and set over medium heat. Heat a large nonstick pan over medium heat. Wipe the surface with a paper towel dipped in oil.Put a pan on medium heat. Use some butter to grease the pan. Put a cast iron skillet on medium heat. Grease with butter. Heat 2 tbsp avocado oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Lightly grease a large skillet or griddle and set over medium heat.
Cook the first side: Once hot, pour scant 1/4 cup portions of batter. Use 1/4 cup measuring cup to fill pancake batter. Scoop about two heaping tablespoons of batter onto the skillet and spread into a 4 inch circle. Use 1/3 cup pancake mix per pancake. Ladle batter into skillet, using ¼ cup per pancake. Cook until the bottom is golden brown and top is set around the edges. When the pancakes begin to bubble at the top, flip. Make sure they have browned a bit at the edges first. Cover the pan and allow to cook for 2-3 minutes, until the edges bubble and are slightly golden.
Flip the pancakes: Flip carefully and continue to cook until second side is golden brown. Flip over once batter is bubbling around edges and center, about 5 minutes. Flip pancakes and cook on the other side until browned. Flip and cook for an additional 1 minute. Carefully flip the pancakes with a spatula, and cook the underside, for another 45 seconds. Cook an additional 5 minutes on this side.
Serve: Once cooked, serve immediately. Transfer the pancakes to a warm platter and set aside.
Tips for Perfect Keto Pumpkin Pancakes
- Skip the blender: You can mix the batter by hand if you don't have a blender or food processor.
- Adjust the consistency: I’ve noticed coconut flour brands can vary in absorbency, as can pumpkin puree in its consitency, so check your batter and add more milk or flour as needed. Keep in mind that different brands of pumpkin puree can vary in consistency and different brands of coconut flour can vary in their absorbency. That is why there is no specific amount for the additional liquid. You want to add just enough to get a thick pancake better consistency.
- Spread the pancake batter: Do note that this pancake batter doesn’t spread on its own in the pan. You need to pour it on and then use your spoon or measuring cup to spread the pancakes into 3 or 4 inch circles.
- Cover that pan!: This is my #1 hack for guaranteeing ultra-thick and fluffy pancakes.
- Making a large batch?
- Don’t have pumpkin spice? No problem!
- Add mix-ins: Level up the pumpkin flavor.
Topping Ideas
Pancakes can be topped with traditional or innovative toppings. Consider adding pumpkin puree, sugar-free applesauce, or a decadent peach sauce.Now don’t get me wrong. These pancakes are perfectly yummy all on their own. We all know syrup from the store is full of unhealthy additives, so instead, reach for a sugar-free syrup or a dab of butter. You can also add peppermint whipped cream or maple salted caramel sauce. Store leftover pancakes in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.These pancakes are very filling, so you should probably try them alone first.
- All-U-Lose Maple Syrup: This is my favorite sugar-free maple syrup. It’s made with allulose so it’s thicker and richer than other syrups.
- For those that can’t do allulose, ChocZero has some wonderful syrups, including caramel, maple, and maple pecan.
- My Keto Pecan Praline Sauce is a fabulous topper for any pancakes, but it goes especially well with pumpkin!
- Regular caramel is usually made from sugar, cream, butter, and vanilla, but the first three ingredients on that list are generally Paleo on-nos. But when you get used to cooking Paleo style, you begin to be able to see where you can replace certain non-Paleo items with more Paleo-friendly things. First, we use honey instead of sugar. Honey metabolizes slower than sugar, meaning that it won’t spike your blood sugar in same way sugar does, even though it lends sweetness to your recipe, just the same. Honey is also reported to have antibiotic properties and oftentimes has nutrients that sugar doesn’t. Instead of butter, we used coconut oil. Some Paleo eaters are fine with butter, or its clarified cousin, ghee, and you could use ghee for this recipe. But, coconut oil adds flavor and is, in fact, better for you than butter, so why not use the fat that’s healthier with more flavor?
To make the caramel, in a small cast iron or heavy bottom skillet place all the ingredients except walnuts. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium heat, stirring frequently. Once boiling, turn the heat to low and let the mixture boil slowly for the next 3-4 minutes or until caramel has reduced and thickened. Add in the walnuts and mix well. Drizzle the caramel sauce over the pancakes and serve.
Serving and Storing
Serve these pancakes for breakfast, brunch, or as a high-fiber snack. You can also make the pancakes ahead of time and eat them on the go with some of your favorite portable breakfast faves. Make a double batch of pancakes and store the leftovers in the refrigerator for later. These cottage cheese pumpkin pancakes freeze really well, too. Then, you can reheat them in the toaster. If you’re looking for a partner for your pancakes, I suggest adding a side dish like this bacon and egg cottage cheese casserole or simple sausage or bacon.
Store the pancakes in a covered container in the fridge for up to a week, or in the freezer for several months. I recommend flash freezing them on a parchment-lined cookie sheet until they are solid before placing them in a freezer safe container. Can you freeze keto pumpkin pancakes? Yes, these pancakes freeze very well. I recommend flash freezing them on a parchment-lined cookie sheet until they are solid before placing them in a freezer safe container. This way, they don’t stick together as they freeze.
Dairy-Free Option
Replace the whey with egg white protein powder, and the butter with coconut oil or avocado oil.
Nutritional Information
These keto pumpkin pancakes are made with coconut flour, which is low carb and high fiber. How many carbs are in pumpkin pancakes? This recipe has 6.4g of carbs and 3g of fiber, so it has 3.4g net carbs per serving.
I provide nutritional information for my recipes simply as a courtesy to my readers. It is calculated using MacGourmet software and I remove erythritol from the final carb count and net carb count, as it does not affect my own blood glucose levels. I do my best to be as accurate as possible but you should independently calculate nutritional information on your own before relying on them.