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Keto Pumpkin Muffins with Cream Cheese Swirl

Published: Jul 28, 2020 · Modified: Jul 28, 2020 by Kay Johnson · 4 Comments

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These keto pumpkin muffins are unbelievably moist, fluffy, and swirled with a sweet cream cheese frosting. This is the ultimate low carb breakfast, snack, or dessert idea!

keto pumpkin muffins

How to make Keto Pumpkin Muffins

This recipe is for all of my pumpkin lovers - and just in time for Fall! Low carb pumpkin muffins are a great snack for when you are on the go, or if you're having a sweet tooth. They are super easy to make and come together in just a few minutes.

To make this recipe EVEN BETTER, I added an easy sweet cream cheese icing to swirl in these muffins. You will love the smell of pumpkin lingering in your house as they bake! 

keto pumpkin muffins

What You'll Need

For the muffins: 

  • Coconut Flour - I prefer making these with coconut flour, as they come out much lighter than if using almond flour.
  • Baking Powder - This helps the muffins rise while baking.
  • Erythritol Sweetener - I used Swerve.
  • Pumpkin Spice - To give it that classic pumpkin taste.
  • Pumpkin Puree - I highly recommend Libby's brand.
  • Eggs - These serve as a binder, and help the coconut flour to properly bake.
  • Melted Butter - This will add some good fat to the muffins, as coconut flour is lower in fat.
  • Vanilla Extract - For extra flavor!

ingredients

For the cream cheese filling:

  • Softened Cream Cheese - The cream cheese needs to be really soft for mixing. I microwaved the cream cheese for 20 seconds to get it soft enough.
  • Erythritol Sweetener - I used Swerve.
  • Vanilla Extract

keto pumpkin muffins

Step by step instructions

Step 1. Start by mixing all of the dry ingredients together in a large mixing bowl.

Step 2. Next, add the pumpkin puree, eggs, vanilla extract, and butter to the same bowl and mix everything together.

pumpkin muffin batter being mixed

Step 3. Line a muffin pan with cupcake liners, and fill each muffin cup with a generous amount of the muffin batter.

Step 4. In a separate small bowl mix together the cream cheese, sweetener, and vanilla extract. Then, add a small spoon of the cream cheese mixture on top of each muffin. Use a toothpick to swirl the cream cheese into the muffins.

pumpkin muffin batter in cupcake pan

Step 5. Bake in the oven for 20 - 25 minutes, and then allow them to cool for 5 minutes. Enjoy!

keto pumpkin muffins

Is Pumpkin Keto Friendly?

Yes, pumpkin is a low carb vegetable! A half can of pumpkin puree contains about 3 net carbs, making pumpkin keto-friendly when used in moderation. Of course, you'll want to mindful of your portion size as with anything else.

Looking for more keto dessert recipes? You might also like these: Best 4 Ingredient Keto Peanut Butter Cookies

Coconut Flour vs. Almond Flour

I prefer making these muffins with coconut flour, as it is lighter than almond flour. As a result, the muffins come out less dense and fluffier. You cannot substitute coconut flour for almond flour, as it is not a one to one replacement ratio. 1/4 cup of coconut flour equals about 1 cup of almond flour.

Additionally, coconut flour absorbs more liquid than other flours. As a result, you will need to use more eggs when baking with coconut flour in order for it to bind properly. 

How to Store Keto Pumpkin Muffins

These muffins can be stored on the countertop, or in the fridge, and should be good for about 3 days. If you would prefer to eat them warm, simply microwave them for about 10 - 15 seconds.

Recipe Tips

  • The muffin batter will be fairly thick. This is expected, and there is no need to add any additional liquid to the batter.
  • For less sweet muffins, only use 1/2 cup sweetener in the muffin batter. For sweeter muffins, use 3/4 cup. I used 3/4 cup of sweetener.
  • If you have trouble swirling the cream cheese into the muffins, simply microwave the cream cheese mixture for about 15 - 20 seconds. This will help to soften it up.
  • The amount of sweetener used in the cream cheese filling will impact the color of the cream cheese when baked. Using 1 tablespoon of sweetener will cause the cream cheese to stay whiter while using 2 Tablespoons caused the icing to be more transparent/glaze-like after baking.

Keto pumkin muffins with a cream cheese swirl

keto pumpkin muffins

Keto Pumpkin Muffins with Cream Cheese Swirl

Yield: 11 Muffins
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 22 minutes
Additional Time: 5 minutes
Total Time: 37 minutes

Unbelievably moist Keto Pumpkin Muffins swirled with a sweet cream cheese icing!

Ingredients

For the muffins

  • 1/2 cup coconut flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 3/4 cup granulated sweetener, (I used Swerve)
  • 2 Tablespoons pumpkin spice
  • 4 eggs, beaten
  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted
  • 1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 3/4 cup pumpkin puree, (I used Libby's brand)

For the Cream Cheese Filling

  • 4 ounces cream cheese, softened
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 - 2 Tablespoons sweetener, (to taste) See Notes

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees, and line a cupcake pan with cupcake liners.
  2. In a large mixing bowl, add the coconut flour, baking powder, sweetener, and pumpkin spice. Mix everything together.
  3. Next, add the eggs, melted butter, vanilla extract, and pumpkin puree to the same bowl as the dry ingredients and mix everything together.
  4. Fill each muffin cup in the muffin pan with a generous amount of the muffin batter.
  5. Next, make the cream cheese filling. In a separate bowl, add all of the cream cheese filling ingredients and mix everything together.
  6. Spoon about 1 teaspoon of the cream cheese filling onto each muffin. Use a toothpick to swirl the icing into the muffins. This doesn't have to be neat, and you will likely have some icing leftover.
  7. Bake the muffins in the oven for 20 - 25 minutes. (My muffins took 22 minutes.) Allow them to cool for 5 minutes prior to serving.

Notes

  • The amount of sweetener used in the cream cheese filling will impact how white it appears after being baked in the oven. For example, using 1 Tablespoon of sweetener will cause the icing to stay whiter. While using 2 Tablespoons of sweetener will cause the cream cheese swirl to appear more clear/glaze-like when baked.
  • If you don't have a toothpick, you can also use a fork or a butter knife to swirl the cream cheese.
  • My muffins were done right at 22 minutes.

Nutrition Information:
Yield: 11 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 169Total Fat: 15gSaturated Fat: 9gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 5gCholesterol: 100mgSodium: 108mgCarbohydrates: 5gNet Carbohydrates: 4gFiber: 1gSugar: 2gProtein: 4g

Did you make this recipe?

Please leave a comment on the blog or share a photo on Instagram

© Kay Johnson
Category: Snacks
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Kay Johnson

Kay is passionate about living a healthy low carb lifestyle. She loves low carb comfort foods that are also family-friendly!

Filed Under: Snacks

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Jenny W

    October 11, 2020 at 6:40 pm

    Pure deliciousness. Substituted almond flour for the coconut flour and increased the pumpking to 1 cup. Perfection!

    Reply
    • Kay Johnson

      November 02, 2020 at 11:04 pm

      Thank you! I'm glad that you enjoyed it!

      Reply
  2. Kristine Huggins

    December 27, 2020 at 2:47 pm

    I found these to be super delicious!! It was the first keto baked good we made. I did find it to be a bit too much spice and the cooking times for me were a bit off however they turned out amazing!! Do they freeze well?

    Reply
    • Kay Johnson

      January 11, 2021 at 8:56 pm

      Thank you, oven times will vary by oven. I have not tried freezing them.

      Reply

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