Decadent Keto Pumpkin Pie Cupcakes: The Ultimate Guilt-Free Fall Treat You Can't Miss!

As the leaves change and the air turns crisp, pumpkin spice season descends upon us. For those following a ketogenic or low-carb lifestyle, indulging in the flavors of fall can be challenging. But fear not, because these Sugar-Free Keto Low Carb Pumpkin Pie Cupcakes offer a heavenly solution! These cupcakes capture the essence of pumpkin pie in a convenient, crustless form, making them a perfect treat for any occasion.

What are Keto Pumpkin Pie Cupcakes?

These aren't your typical cupcakes; they're a delightful fusion of cupcake and pumpkin pie. Imagine the creamy, spiced filling of a pumpkin pie, but in a light and easy-to-eat form. Best enjoyed chilled, these cupcakes allow the flavors to meld together, creating an incredible taste experience. For those who prefer a warm indulgence, they can also be enjoyed warm with a dollop of sugar-free pumpkin whipped cream.

Why You'll Love This Recipe

Easy to Make: With just about 10 minutes of active time, this recipe is simple and straightforward, requiring no special equipment or hard-to-find ingredients.
Creamy Texture: These cupcakes have a texture similar to the center of a custard pie, offering a unique and satisfying experience.
Heavenly Flavor: Experience the classic pumpkin pie flavor without the guilt.
Make-Ahead Friendly: Prepare them in advance and refrigerate or freeze for later enjoyment.
Low Carb: Each cupcake contains only 2.9 grams of net carbs, making it a perfect keto-friendly dessert. They are also gluten-free and nut-free!

Key Ingredients and Substitutions

Almond Flour: Blanched almond flour or a superfine almond flour is recommended for the best taste and texture.
Pumpkin Puree: Ensure you're using 100% pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie filling, which is loaded with sugar and carbs. If unavailable, applesauce can be used as a substitute, though it will increase the carbohydrate count. Cooked and pureed sweet potatoes or butternut squash make excellent substitutions for pumpkin puree. You can also substitute mashed bananas.
Oil: Avocado oil is used in this recipe, but other options include butter, coconut oil, butter-flavored coconut oil, or light olive oil.
Sweetener: A mix of monk fruit and erythritol is a favorite low-carb sweetener. A brown sugar substitute is recommended for a more classic pumpkin pie flavor.
Coconut Flour: This helps balance the moisture from the pumpkin. Be cautious, as not all coconut flours are the same. Some are much more absorbent than others. Arrowhead Mills or Bob's Red Mill Coconut Flour are recommended.
Heavy Whipping Cream: For a dairy-free version, substitute with coconut cream.
Cream Cheese: Be sure to use the block variety, not the kind in the tub, for the frosting. For a dairy-free frosting option, substitute the cream cheese for a nut-based cream cheese and the butter for a dairy-free vegan butter option.
Oat Fiber: Oat Fiber is made from grinding the outer husks of oats. It’s pure insoluble fiber, which doesn’t dissolve in water and isn’t broken down in the digestive tract, so it has zero net carbs and is perfect for a Keto Diet. It helps give a more traditional texture and that’s why it is used so often. To get the best results, it’s best to use oat fiber if you can. If you’re unable to find it, try a combination of psyllium husk powder and coconut flour.

Ingredients

For the Cupcakes:

2 Cups Blanched Almond Flour - very finely ground
6 Tbsp. Coconut Flour
¾ Cup Keto Granulated Sweetener - see notes below
½ tsp. Baking Soda
1 tsp. Baking Powder
½ tsp. Sea Salt
1 tsp. Ground Cinnamon
1 ½ tsp. Pumpkin Pie Spice
¾ Cup Pure Pumpkin - NOT pumpkin pie filling!
4 Large Eggs
1 Large Egg White
¼ Cup Avocado Oil
2 tsp. Pure Vanilla

Keto Cream Cheese Frosting:

½ Cup Butter - room temperature
8 oz. Block Cream Cheese - softened
1 Cup Powdered Monk Fruit/Allulose Sweetener - see notes below for substitutions
1 tsp. Pure Vanilla

Step-by-Step Instructions

Making the Cupcakes

Preheat and Prep: Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line a muffin tin with 12 muffin cups. Set aside. (You can also opt out of the cupcake liners.)
Combine Dry Ingredients: In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the almond flour, coconut flour, sweetener, baking soda, baking powder, sea salt, ground cinnamon, and pumpkin pie spice.
Combine Wet Ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk together the eggs, egg white, pure pumpkin, pure vanilla, and avocado oil.
Mix Wet and Dry: Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and mix well.
Fill Muffin Cups: Evenly distribute the batter between the 12 baking cups. Smooth out the tops with your fingers if needed.
Bake: Bake for 20 - 25 minutes, or until the tops are nicely browned and no longer look doughy. If tops are browning too fast, loosely cover with foil.
Cool: Allow to cool 5 minutes in the muffin tin then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Making the Frosting

Cream Butter and Cream Cheese: Add the room temperature butter and cream cheese to a large bowl and beat with an electric mixer until combined, about 2 minutes.
Add Sweetener: Slowly beat in the powdered sweetener until thick and creamy, scraping down the bowl as necessary.
Add Vanilla: Beat in the vanilla until incorporated and a pinch of sea salt if it's too sweet.

Frosting and Serving

Frost: Once the cupcakes have cooled completely, frost with cream cheese frosting. You can frost these by hand or scoop all the frosting into a piping bag, fitted with your favorite tip and frost.
Chill (Optional): For the best flavor, chill the cupcakes before serving.

Tips for the Perfect Keto Pumpkin Cupcakes

Don't Overbake: Overbaking will result in dry cupcakes. Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
Cool Completely: Ensure the cupcakes are completely cool before frosting to prevent the frosting from melting.
Use Room Temperature Ingredients: For the frosting, it's crucial that the butter and cream cheese are softened to room temperature for a smooth and creamy texture. If you don’t have time to allow the butter to soften, check out tutorials on How To Soften Butter Quickly.
Adjust Sweetness to Taste: If using a stevia sweetener, add it little by little to taste, as some find it to be quite sweet.
Add Nuts or Chocolate Chips: For added flavor and texture, incorporate chopped walnuts, pecans, or sugar-free chocolate chips into the batter or sprinkle on top of the frosting.
Make Your Own Pumpkin Pie Spice: If you can't find pumpkin pie spice in stores, it's easy to make your own. Simply combine ¼ cup ground cinnamon, 2 tablespoons ground ginger, 1 tablespoon ground nutmeg, and 2 teaspoons ground cloves.
Consider Stevia Sweeteners: Stevia-based sweeteners (such as Pyure) work best when allowed to cool completely. Or even after a thorough chilling.

Storage and Freezing Instructions

Storage: Cupcakes can be stored, unfrosted, tightly covered at room temperature for 1 day, in the fridge for 2 to 3 days, or can be frozen up to 3 months. Cupcakes are best eaten on the same day. These keto cupcakes can be stored loosely covered at room temperature for one day. Unfrosted cupcakes can be stored, tightly wrapped, in the fridge for 2 to 3 days.
Freezing: Individually wrap the cupcakes tightly in plastic wrap, then place them in a freezer-safe baggie for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge before eating. If you won’t be serving all the cupcakes at once, keep the frosting separate in the fridge. Then, when you’re ready to serve, slightly warm the cupcake first, then frost it. These cupcake are SO GOOD when they are just slightly warmed. Don’t heat them too much or the frosting will melt right off!

Is Pumpkin Keto-Friendly?

Canned pumpkin puree has 12g of carbs and 4g of fiber per half cup serving. While it’s not the lowest carb option, it can be consumed on a keto diet in small quantities. This keto pumpkin cupcake recipe uses only 3/4 cup spread out over 6 servings, so it’s very keto-friendly.

Variations and Additions

Dairy-Free: To make these dairy-free, omit the frosting or use dairy-free cream cheese and butter substitutes.
Nuts: Add chopped walnuts or pecans to the batter or as a topping.
Chocolate Chips: Incorporate sugar-free chocolate chips into the batter or sprinkle on top of the frosting.

Read also: Easy Low-Carb Cheese Crackers

Read also: Magnesium Supplements for Keto

tags: #keto #pumpkin #pie #cupcakes #recipe