It takes just 10 minutes prep to make these fluffy, moist keto pumpkin bars. Topped with a silky-smooth sugar free cream cheese frosting, this recipe is a real crowd pleaser.
I love secretly healthy desserts and these sugar free pumpkin bars are one of them! The texture is just wonderful and don't even get me started on the oodles of flavor.
These bars are super easy to make and require only 10 ingredients (not counting the frosting). They contain almond flour and low carb sweetener, which means they are both gluten-free and low carb.
In my opinion, this is the ultimate keto dessert treat for fall and the holiday season, alongside my Low Carb Sugar Free Pumpkin Pie and this Low Carb Pumpkin Cheesecake.
Ingredients
Here's what you need for low carb pumpkin bars that taste as good as the real deal:
- Almond flour - I like to use ground almonds, which is equivalent to regular almond flour. If you are using super-fine almond flour, reduce the amount by ¼ cup or 25 grams.
- Baking powder
- Pumpkin pie spice mix - You can use 2 teaspoons cinnamon, ½ teaspoon ginger, ¼ teaspoon nutmeg and ¼ teaspoon allspice instead.
- Powdered sweetener - I used an erythritol monk fruit sweetener blend. You can also use pure erythritol, allulose, Bocha Sweet or another 1:1 sugar substitute.
- Chopped pecans
- Eggs - must be large and room temperature. Separate the yolks from the whites
- Butter - Melted, then cooled
- Vanilla extract
- Almond milk
- Pumpkin puree - I used Libby's canned, unsweetened pumpkin puree.
(Frosting ingredients not pictured).
Instructions
This section contains step by step instructions and photos that show how to make this recipe. See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
1.) Mix the dry ingredients in a bowl.
2.) Beat the egg whites until stiff.
3.) Beat the egg yolks until pale and fluffy. Then, add the remaining wet ingredients and blend.
4.) Add the dry ingredients to the mixture, then fold in the egg whites.
5.) Fill the pumpkin batter into a baking pan and bake until golden brown.
While the keto pumpkin bars are in the oven, make the cream cheese frosting:
Whip the butter and cream cheese until thick. Add the low carb sweetener and vanilla. Then place the frosting in the fridge to cool.
7.) Once the bars are fully cooled, spread the frosting on top. Sprinkle with a dusting pf pumpkin pie mix or mixed spice before serving.
Recipe Tips
Room temperature ingredients. All ingredients should be at room temperature. This prevents the mix from splitting.
Separate the eggs. Don't skip this step. Beating the egg whites until stiff and folding them in last yields a lighter crumb.
Variations
Dairy-free: Replace the butter with coconut oil and use coconut cream in the frosting.
Nut free: Try using a 50 / 50 blend of sunflower seed flour and sesame seed flour.
Coconut flour pumpkin bars: Replace the almond flour with 150g / 1 ¼ cup coconut flour.
Use different nuts: Instead of pecans, try walnuts or hazelnuts. Or add a handful of sugar free chocolate chips!
FAQ
Of course! Simply fill the batter into a muffin pan that you have lined with paper cases and bake for around 25 minutes.
Not at all! The bars taste just as delicious without the frosting. Or, spread them with a little softened butter or peanut butter.
It's easy to make your own pumpkin puree in the oven!
Storage
Fridge: Store keto pumpkin bars in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days and bring the cake to room temperature before serving.
Freezer: Slice and freeze for up to 3 months.
You'll also like
I have a bunch of keto pumpkin recipes on the website. Here is a selection:
Tried this recipe? Give it a star rating below!
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Recipe
Keto Pumpkin Bars
from Sugar Free LondonerNote: The servings slider only changes the first amount in each line and not any subsequent amounts. Please make your own calculations where necessary.
Equipment
- 10 x 8 inch baking pan
Ingredients
- 3.5 cups / 350g almond flour
- 2 teaspoon baking powder
- 3 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
- ⅓ cup / 60g powdered erythritol
- 6 tablespoon chopped pecans 45g
- 5 large eggs room temperature
- ⅓ cup butter melted, room temperature (plus a little for greasing) 70g
- 2 teaspoon sugar free vanilla extract
- ⅓ cup / 80 ml almond milk unsweetened, room temperature
- 1 cup / 250g pumpkin puree
Cream cheese frosting
- ½ cup unsalted butter 114g room temperature
- 1 cup cream cheese 250g room temperature
- ½ cup powdered erythritol 80g use up to ¾ cup / 120g for a sweeter frosting
- 1 teaspoon sugar free vanilla extract
- Pinch of salt
Instructions
Cake
- Preheat the oven to 350F / 180C /(electric) or 320F / 160C (fan). Line
- Place all dry ingredients (almond flour, baking powder, pumpkin spice, sweetener and pecans) in a large bowl and mix to combine.
- Separate the egg whites from the yolks. Beat the egg whites using an electric whisk until light, fluffy and stiff peaks form.
- In a clean mixing bowl add the egg yolks and beat with an electric whisk for about 30 seconds. Add the melted butter, vanilla, almond milk and pumpkin puree. Whisk until combined.
- Add the dry ingredients to the egg yolk mix and stir to combine. Last, fold through the egg whites.
- Fill thecae batter into the pan and smoothen the top.
- Bake for 25 - 30 minutes until you can insert a toothpick without any crumbs sticking. Allow to cool fully.
Frosting
- Chop room temperature butter into chunks. Whip the butter and cream cheese until smooth. Whisk in the low carb sweetener and vanilla. Place in fridge for 10 - 15 minutes to stiffen up.
- Spread the frosting on top of the bars, sprinkle with a light dusting of pumpkin spice mix.
Notes
Nutrition
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Kate
Hi,
I wondered if you have any idea how to replicate the more chalky consistency of regular icing made from sugar. I have tried all the variations using sweetners and they're OK but it's the texture I really miss. I've tried using custard powder and psyllium husk but it's never quite right. I'm happy with my low carb cakes but the icing is always a let down. Would really appreciate your advice.
Thanks!
Katrin Nürnberger
Hi Kate, I recently made this coconut flour cake, which has an icing that tastes very much like "regular" sweet icing. I used powdered erythritol. The only sweetener that melts like sugar is allulose. If you haven't tried it yet, that may be worth a try too!
Patty
This is very good and I did substitute the coconut flour using the proper proportions. I would have added the whole can of pumpkin and look forward to experimenting with this using other add ins like raisins, currents, cacao chips, etc. it was much better the second day after being refrigerated. I’m so excited because sugar has a terrible reaction in me after my bout with cancer so this is very helpful.
Kim Small
Delicious pumpkin fall flavors! Easy and yummy
Liz Machin
Hi, I've just made this and its looking good. It has risen very well, just as a normal cake. I was careful to have all the ingredients at room temperature, except when it came to the icing! I took the cream cheese straight from the fridge and it did exactly as you said and split. I'm sure it will taste the same, just the texture will be not quite right. It's still cooling so I haven't tried any yet. Looking forward to eating some tomorrow.
Katrin Nürnberger
Hi Liz, so glad you tried the recipe. It's all about the taste!!!
Katrin Nürnberger
Hi Helen, how disappointing. I hope at least the taste was good. With 2 tsp of baking powder and 1 tsp of apple cider vinegar there's plenty or rising power in the cake. The milk and pumpkin give a lot of moisture. My guess is that your egg whites weren't stiff? It's a bit of a pain to beat them until they're fluffy. But you're trapping air inside them, which helps make the cake fluffier. Could that have been the issue?
Helen
Hi Katrin
I thought I'd beaten thewhites to the correct stage, but perhaps they weren't quite stiff enough. The taste was certainly good and I'm keen to have another go!
Thank you for your help.
Katrin Nürnberger
Really hope you'll nail it if you try again 😉
Sapna @ just4foodies
Love these, so good warmed up a little for a late night snack!
Jo Harding
Totally love this recipe. I made it for MR B and I and the scent of the pumpkin spice filled the whole kitchen. It was so uplifting. The bars were so moist too. Thank you.
Katrin
Mr B is a very lucky man And I absolutely agree-the lovely smells in the kitchen is one of the best things about baking!
Amanda
Hello, I was wondering can I sub powdered monk fruit sweetner for the powdered erythritol? If so, would I use the same amount? I believe I have read that powdered monk fruit sweetner is sweeter so I want to be sure I don't ruin the bars by doing so. Thanks!
Katrin
This will depend on your monk fruit sweetener. There is pure Monk fruit, which I have not yet tried, but I know that it is very concentrated. But you can also buy Monk fruit sweeteners which are essentially erythritol with added Monk fruit. You will have to check your pack and take it from there. It may state what kind of ratio it is in relation to sugar. Erythritol is a one-to-one sugar replacement.