Decadent Keto Pumpkin Roll Recipe: The Ultimate Guilt-Free Holiday Treat You Can't Resist!

The holiday season is filled with delightful desserts, but many are packed with sugar and carbs, potentially disrupting your weight loss goals. This keto pumpkin roll recipe offers a solution by using low-carb flours and a sugar substitute, creating a treat that closely resembles the original without the guilt.

Key Ingredients and Their Role

Almond and Coconut Flour: This recipe utilizes a mix of almond flour and coconut flour. Lately, some have been making an effort to avoid nuts and nut flours, experimenting with more coconut-flour and protein powder-based desserts. Switching from almond flour to coconut flour can feel intimidating, but it's all about ratios. Coconut flour is highly absorbent, so you'll always need much less of it. It also needs extra moisture, usually in the form of eggs, butter, or protein powder, to achieve the right texture.
Xanthan Gum: This thickening agent adds texture to the roll and helps firm it up, as it is a gluten-free binder that is necessary in this keto pumpkin roll recipe. Without it, the cake will most likely crack a lot when rolled. Don’t leave out the xanthan gum.
Pumpkin Pie Spice: Essential for that classic pumpkin roll flavor.
Sugar Substitute: Allulose is recommended as a sugar substitute. You can use Swerve, monkfruit, Erythritol or Xylitol. The reason to use allulose is because it’s a no calorie no carb sweetener like erythritol, but it doesn’t have the cooling effect. For this recipe, you need both a granulated and a powdered version.
Whipping Cream: Combining heavy whipping cream with the powdered allulose will create a wonderful whipped filling for your pumpkin roll.

Equipment Needed

Preparing this recipe requires standard baking equipment. I’m always astonished while baking how much equipment is needed. This recipe is no different, unfortunately.

Step-by-Step Instructions

Here's a detailed guide to creating your own keto pumpkin roll:

1. Preparation:

Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C).
Line a 10×15-inch jelly roll pan, or a baking pan or cake pan of similar size, with parchment paper and lightly grease it. Properly preparing the baking pan or cake pan is essential to prevent sticking and ensures your cake rolls easily later.
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and lightly grease the paper.
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
Grease a 15x10x1 inch baking pan and line with parchment paper.

2. Dry Ingredients:

In a mixing bowl, combine the almond flour, coconut flour, baking powder, xanthan gum, cinnamon, and salt. Whisk until smooth and set aside.
In a bowl, whisk together the almond flour, coconut flour, xanthan gum, salt, baking soda and spices. Set aside.

3. Wet Ingredients:

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs, sweetener, pumpkin purée, melted butter, and vanilla until the mixture is smooth and glossy; you can use an electric mixer to ensure the mixture is smooth and well combined.
In another bowl, beat the egg yolks together with 1/4 cup of the granulated allulose until it’s pale yellow. Beat in the pumpkin puree and vanilla. This takes about 4 minutes.
In a separate bowl, beat the egg whites until soft peaks form. Add the remaining granulated sugar a little at a time until stiff peaks form. Your bowl needs to be perfectly clean and dry. And the egg whites cannot have any bits of yolk in them. I made this mistake the first time. So in your clean dry bowl, beat the egg whites until soft peaks form. This is when the mixture starts to hold up when you pull it up with the back of a spoon. Don’t stop until you reach this stage. Once you have soft peaks, you can add the remaining granulated sugar a little at a time until stiff peaks form.
In a large bowl, beat eggs on high for five minutes. Gradually add white sugar and then pumpkin.
Add rest of the wet ingredients and blend until combined.

4. Combining and Baking:

Gently fold the two egg mixtures together, then add the flour mixture and fold in until well combined, being careful not to deflate the air bubbles.
Add dry ingredients to wet and mix until smooth. Batter should be thick but spreadable. If too thick, add 1 tablespoon water or cream.
Slowly fold the dry mixture into the wet to form your cake batter. If it feels too loose, add ½ tablespoon more coconut flour. Too thick? For a lighter cake, some recipes recommend whipping the egg whites until soft peaks form before gently folding them into the cake batter.
Slowly pour in the dry ingredients into the wet and blend until incorporated.
Add flour, cinnamon, and baking powder, beating on high.
Pour the dry ingredients into the wet mixture and mix until well-combined.
Spread the mixture onto the prepared baking sheet. The batter should be about ½" to ¾" thick. Use an offset spatula to spread the cake batter.
Spread batter onto the lined baking pan and smooth with a spatula.
Bake for 13-15 minutes, or until the cake springs back lightly when touched. Don't overbake, a dry cake will crack when rolled. You want it just set in the middle.
Bake for 15 minutes, or until the cake feels spongy to the touch. Remove it from the oven and let cool for 15 minutes.
Bake for 15 minutes, or until the cake feels spongy to the touch. It might still feel a little wet, but it’s baked through when it bounces back. You don’t want to overcook it or it will become crumbly and hard to roll.
Bake at 350 degrees °F for 14-15 minutes or until cake is golden and set on top.
Bake for 20 minutes.
Transfer the pan to the oven and bake for 8-11 minutes at 375°F or until it's springy to the touch. If using a jelly roll pan, check it after 7 minutes as this size of pan makes a thinner cake.

5. Rolling the Cake:

Lay a clean tea towel on a flat surface and dust it lightly with powdered sweetener.
Lay a clean kitchen towel on the counter and dust lightly with powdered sweetener.
Place a cutting board on top of the cake, flip it over carefully, and remove the parchment paper.
Flip your hot cake onto the towel, peel off the parchment, and roll it gently from the short end with the towel inside.
You need to flip the cake over. I think it’s easier to do this by placing a cutting board on top of the cake, then flipping it over very carefully. You can then remove the baking sheet and pull off the parchment paper it was baked on.
Place another baking sheet pan the same size with a sheet of parchment on top (use the bottom of the pan without a lip) and flip over.
Carefully pick up the parchment paper edges and lift the hot cake to a flat surface.
Carefully pick up the sides of the parchment paper and transfer the cake to a flat surface.
Starting with a short edge, gently roll the cake into a spiral. You should roll the parchment paper up with it.
WAIT 9 - 10 MINUTES and then while it’s still warm, gently roll the sponge away from you (starting at the short side) with the parchment paper.
WAIT 9 - 10 MINUTES and then whilst warm, gently roll the sponge away from you (starting at the short side) with the parchment paper.
Allow the cake to cool until it’s just barely warm. This is important because if the cake fully cools, it will be difficult to roll it without it cracking.
Allow the cake to cool until it’s just barely warm.
Let cool completely (about 45 minutes).
Let the cake rest for 20 minutes.
Allow to cool for 1 minute and peel off the top parchment paper.
Cover with a clean tea towel to fully cool for about 1 hour whilst you prepare the filling.
Transfer to a cooling rack and let the cake rest for 20 minutes. (Any longer and the cake will be more prone to cracking!)
You can bake the cake, roll it in the parchment paper to cool.

6. Preparing the Filling:

Beat the softened cream cheese, butter, powdered sweetener, and vanilla until smooth.
Add the whipping cream, powdered sweetener, and vanilla extract to a bowl and beat until stiff peaks form. This works best when the whipping cream is very cold.
In a mixing bowl, place the filling ingredients; add the cream cheese, pumpkin puree, salt, pumpkin spice, stevia and vanilla and blend using a hand electric mixer until smooth. Option to use a KitchenAid or stand mixer.
In a clean separate large bowl, whisk the cream until thick stiff peaks . Fold the cream through the cream cheese mix using a spatula until combined. (This will make the filling thicker and stiffer than simply just blending altogether at once.)
While the cake is cooling, add the whipping cream, powdered sweetener, and vanilla extract to a bowl and beat until stiff peaks form.

7. Assembling the Roll:

Unroll your cooled cake and spread the filling evenly, leaving a small border around the edges.
Gently unroll the cake and spread the cream cheese filling on top, leaving about a ½" gap along all of the edges.
Spread over half the filling leaving 3/4 inch at the edges so it doesn’t overspill as you roll.
Spread the filling evenly over the cake.
Spread the cream cheese filling evenly, leaving a small border.
Carefully, roll the cake loosely into a log.
Re-roll the cake (without the towel) and wrap tightly in plastic wrap.
Carefully roll up once more making sure the join is under the bottom.
Carefully roll up once more making sure the join is under the bottom.
Gently roll it up again (this time without the towel).
Roll up again, removing the parchment paper as you roll the cake.
Carefully, roll the cake loosely into a log using the parchment paper underneath to help you roll it. This will avoid it cracking too much as you roll.
To roll, start from one short edge. Grab hold of the parchment paper underneath the cake and pull, using it as your guide to roll the cake tightly.
Wrap your pumpkin roll tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
Place it in the refrigerator and let it chill for at least 2-3 hours, preferably overnight.
Place in the fridge to chill covered with parchment or a clean tea towel for 1 - 2 hours.
Place in the fridge to chill covered with parchment or a clean tea towel for 1 - 2 hours.
Cover and chill until serving.
Cover with plastic wrap and put it in the freezer to firm up, at least one hour.
Cover with plastic wrap and put it in the freezer to firm up. It needs to be quite firm, so at least one hour.

8. Serving:

Remove from the freezer about 10 minutes before serving.
Remove from the freezer about 10 minutes before serving.
Before serving, remove the cake from the fridge and let it rest at room temperature for 20-30 minutes.
Dust lightly with powdered sweetener or drizzle with sugar-free caramel.
Remove the plastic wrap and dust the top of the roll with a bit of powdered sugar substitute.
Remove the plastic wrap and dust the top of the roll with a bit of powdered sugar substitute.
Dust with powdered sweetener if desired.
Top with the rest of the chilled pumpkin cream filling and option to dust with pumpkin spice.
Top with the rest of the chilled pumpkin cream filling and option to dust with pumpkin spice.
Slice and serve.
Slice + serve.
Slice + serve.
Use a sharp knife to slice clean spirals of the pumpkin cake roll. Wipe the blade between cuts for picture-perfect edges.

Tips and Tricks for Success

Don't skip the xanthan gum: It's crucial for preventing cracks in the cake.
Beat the eggs properly: Be sure to beat the eggs to a full soft or stiff peak, per the recipe.
Use your preferred sugar substitute: Use whatever sugar substitute you regularly use.
Monitor the cake while baking: The cake can quickly become overcooked in the oven, so watch it carefully and take it out just as it’s firmed up. It won’t get very browned.
Roll the cake while it's warm
Make sure the cream cheese is softened to room temperature otherwise it won't whip well and there will be lumps in the filling.
Almond flour cakes are especially prone to cracking. Xanthan gum is a MUST for this recipe (so please don't skip it!). A few small-ish cracks in the cake are fine, but if you let the cake cool any longer than 20-25 minutes, you may end up with some larger cracks.
Too thick? For a lighter cake, some recipes recommend whipping the egg whites until soft peaks form before gently folding them into the cake batter
For the best results, you'll need to roll the pumpkin cake when it's hot out of the oven, and you cannot let it cool in the spiral shape for any longer than 25 minutes.
If your roll cracks a little, don’t worry, the extra filling on top will hide it!

Variations

This pumpkin roll cake recipe is a great base!

Maple Pecan (Nut-Free Version!): Use a few drops of maple extract in the batter and filling.
Chocolate Pumpkin Swirl: Replace 1 tablespoon of the protein powder with unsweetened cocoa powder for a chocolatey twist.
Pumpkin Spice Latte Roll: Add 1 teaspoon of espresso powder to the batter and mix 1 tablespoon brewed coffee into the cream cheese filling.
Gingerbread Pumpkin Roll: Swap the pumpkin pie spice for ground ginger, nutmeg, and cloves.
Dairy-Free Version: Use dairy-free cream cheese and coconut cream instead of heavy cream.

Troubleshooting

My cake cracked when rolling!: That usually means it cooled too much before rolling or was slightly overbaked.
The cake stuck to the parchment: Make sure to grease the parchment lightly.
My pumpkin roll cracked. What do I do?: Even though I'm not sure how that happened since I made this keto pumpkin roll recipe several times (as did others) and not once did it crack, you can just dust it with powdered sweetener or cover it with whipped cream and move on with you life. Then ask yourself, did you make substitutions, use a different ingredient brand or not follow instructions. If yes, let us know in the comments what you changed and your result.

Make-Ahead and Freezing Instructions

Can I make it ahead?: Absolutely! This Keto Pumpkin Roll can be prepared ahead of time.
Can I freeze it?: Yes! Keep your keto pumpkin roll tightly wrapped in the fridge for up to 4 days. Freeze it until you’re ready to serve it. It will keep in the freezer for at least a few months. You can even keep it in there as an occasional treat and just take a slice when you want it. Yes, you can freeze a prepared pumpkin roll for up to 2-3 months.

Nutritional Information

Each slice of this keto pumpkin roll has just 4 net grams of carbs in it, thanks to substituting the sugar and the regular flour. The entire roll has 10 servings. Each serving has about 5 grams of total carbs and 2 grams of fiber, for a total of just 3 net grams of carbs per slice. Compared with the original version that has about 27 grams of carbs, you can see that this keto pumpkin roll is so much lower in carbs. The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It's best to independently calculate nutritional data on your own with the specific ingredients you use.

Read also: Easy Low-Carb Cheese Crackers

Why This Recipe Works

This keto pumpkin roll recipe makes a lovely cake that is ultra tender with a delicious pumpkin flavor and a creamy, tangy filling. It's a keto nut free, gluten free cake roll that you can easily master at home! Unlike traditional pumpkin rolls, this version uses a blend of almond and coconut flour for a moist, tender pumpkin cake that's low in carbs and gluten free. With this pumpkin roll recipe you don’t need to mess with rolling the freshly baked cake up in a towel and the apprehension of unrolling it - trying not to crack it so you can have a picture perfect keto swiss roll. Instead, this recipe promises a spongy texture filled with a luscious buttery cream cheese concoction AND a crack-proof finish.

Can I have pumpkin on keto?

It depends on who you ask. Those who are really strict keto or some Keto Karen’s out there will tell you pumpkin isn’t keto approved because it contains sugar. I like to gently remind them. From berries, to zucchini, to even avocado - they all contain small amounts of sugar. This recipe uses 1/3 cup of pumpkin puree for the entire cake, which is 10 servings. When it comes to keto cake, we don’t always use gluten-based flours. Almond flour and coconut flour are the baking staples when it comes to making cakes. Oat fiber is an insoluble fiber that comes from oat husks.

Read also: Magnesium Supplements for Keto

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