It's hard to believe that autumn is just around the corner. Perfect time to make some gluten-free keto pumpkin cookies that taste great but only have one gram of carbs per serving!
Although I realize the whole pumpkin spice theme gets out of hand around the holidays, I still love to use it in my recipes. Actually, it's become so popular that these days, you can find recipes for all sorts of dishes all year round!
Give me allllllll the pumpkin!
Are you ready to learn more about this easy and scrumptious recipe? Let's go!
There are quite a few ingredients in these cookies, but all of them are easy to find. Lots of the ingredients that I used are pantry staples, so you probably already have what you need.
In order to get the perfect cookie texture, I used both almond and coconut flour. You'll also want to use both baking powder and baking soda with it in order for the cookies to come out nice and soft.
I incorporated all the best spices that taste amazing with pumpkin. I use this combination of spices in lots of pumpkin recipes.
You will need cinnamon, ginger, cloves, and sea salt. Although, you could use pumpkin pie spice as a replacement for all of them.
Coconut oil is the healthy fat for this cookie recipe. You can use butter or ghee instead of coconut oil.
For the entire batch of cookies, you only need ½ cup of pumpkin puree. I like to use canned puree, but you can also make your own from raw pumpkin.
The best sweetener for cookies is a granular or liquid sugar substitute. You also need some vanilla extract to add flavor depth.
Tip: Check out this helpful guide on all things low-carb sweeteners to find the best one for you!
For this recipe, I'm using Vital Proteins beef gelatin. Now, if you're new to baking low-carb desserts, you might be wondering, "Why on earth would I want to eat a cookie that tastes like beef?"
Well, first of all, the gelatin is unflavored. It does come from cowhide, but you can't taste it. And, it's the ingredient needed to bind these cookies without adding an egg.
I've been moving away from using eggs in baking because of an egg-white sensitivity that causes inflammation in my body. In fact, egg whites are known to be an inflammatory food, so you may want to avoid them too.
Gelatin is a great source of protein, and it's low-inflammatory. It's basically collagen protein that has been cooled. It contains amino acids that may help regenerate your own collagen that acts as a glue for your skin and other tissues.
There are only three simple ingredients in my glaze - and the glaze is optional.
To make it, you will just need Swerve confectioner's sugar substitute, unsweetened almond milk, and vanilla.
Please note: Check out the recipe card at the bottom for a full list of ingredients used to make this low-carb recipe.
The entire recipe is in the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post. First, here is an overview of the recipe, along with some additional tips.
First, combine the almond flour, coconut flour, baking powder, cinnamon, cloves, sea salt, and ginger and set aside.
Next, in a medium bowl, combine the coconut oil, pumpkin puree, and vanilla extract. Set this aside as well.
Now what you'll do is add two tablespoons of room temp water to a separate mixing bowl. Sprinkle the gelatin on top. Let it sit for 5 minutes to begin the blooming process.
Next, add a quarter cup of hot water to the gelatin mixture. Make sure you whisk well until the gelatin dissolves completely.
At this point, what I do is add my low-carb granular sweetener, and I beat this mixture until it appears white and fluffy.
The next thing to do is fold the pumpkin mixture into the fluffy gelatin mix. Then combine the two mixes with an electric mixer.
Gradually beat the dry ingredients into the pumpkin mix.
Drop by rounded tablespoons onto greased or lined baking pans. Press down slightly using your fingers.
Bake the cookies. Before removing them from the pan, allow the cookies to cool. You can save some time by putting them in the fridge.
The glaze is completely optional - the cookies taste perfect without it. If you do decide to use it, just simply make your glaze and then drizzle it on the cookies.
Store these pumpkin cookies in an airtight bag or container. You can keep it in your pantry or countertop. They will stay fresh at room temperature for up to 5 days.
If you store them in the refrigerator, they will last about 10 days.
This treat is great for those who are not only watching their sugar intake but also for people who need to be lactose-free, gluten-free, or have an egg allergy or sensitivity.
Even if you don't have any issues with whole eggs or just the whites, these are some pretty good gluten-free low-carb cookies to indulge in!
My family loves this treat... all year long. I hope you enjoy these dairy-free and egg-free pumpkin cookies! And if you give them a try, be sure to let us know what you think in the comments.
Servings 20
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily value may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.
Make sure the cookies have cooled completely before moving them to a rack or plate. Removing them too soon can cause them to break apart as they aren't fully set until cooled or chilled.
Drizzle the glaze, but don't completely cover the cookies with it. You don't want the glaze to overwhelm the rest of the cookie.
These cookies tend to stick to baking sheets, so use a silicone baking mat or parchment paper on your baking sheet.