Easy-To-Make Keto Pumpkin Pie Recipe

Key Ingredients

Almond Flour

To craft the crust for our keto pumpkin pie, we typically require flour. In a traditional pumpkin pie recipe, this usually means using regular wheat flour. However, for a keto pumpkin pie, regular wheat flour is off the table due to its high-carb content.

Hence, our go-to choice is almond flour for constructing the crust. Almond flour boasts a low-carb, high-fat profile, making it a favored ingredient for keto-friendly recipes that call for flour. Moreover, it boasts a 1:1 ratio with regular wheat flour, simplifying the conversion of traditional recipes into keto-friendly alternatives.

The fine texture of almond flour plays a pivotal role in achieving the tenderness and crumbliness we desire in our pumpkin pie crust. It contributes to that delightful melt-in-your-mouth quality that's the hallmark of an ideal pie crust.

Pro tip: Opt for blanched almond flour for your crust. It possesses a finer and lighter texture compared to regular almond flour or almond meal. This finer quality aids in creating a smoother, more cohesive, and visually appealing crust.

Lakanto Powdered Monk Fruit Sweetener

One way to cut carbs from a meal or dessert is to take away sugar from the recipe. But to compensate for the loss of sugar, we'd need something else that can sweeten our pie crust. And for that, we have Lakanto's monk fruit sweetener. It's a keto-friendly sweetener that's all-natural, zero glycemic, and has no aftertaste. It also has a 1:1 ratio to sugar, which makes it easier to convert traditional pumpkin pie recipes into keto-friendly ones.

We'll be using the powdered version of this sweeter for easier incorporation into our pie crust batter and pie filling. It distributes more evenly through the batter and filling compared to using a granulated sweetener. If you can't get yourself the powdered version, you could run a granulate sweetener through a food processor until it has a powdered consistency.

Butter

Butter is essential for our pie crust for several reasons:

It adds a rich buttery flavor to our crust, which enhances its overall taste. It also complements the flavors of the almond flour and Lakanto sweetener.

It's a key ingredient for creating a tender and flaky crust. It works together with almond flour and other ingredients to create small pockets of fat that melt during the baking process, which results in a light and delicate texture.

Together with the eggs, it helps bind the ingredients together so that the crust doesn't lose its structure during the baking process, as well as when slicing the cooked pie.

It provides moisture, ensuring that the crust doesn't end up very dry and hard.

It contributes to the browning and caramelization of the crust during baking, which is how the crust gets its appetizing golden-brown color.

While you can use other fats or other oils as substitutes, using butter will yield the best results.

Pumpkin Puree

To make our pumpkin filling and give our pumpkin its desired pumpkin flavor, we'll be using a can (15oz) of pumpkin puree. We're using canned pumpkin puree over fresh pumpkins primarily due to one reason: time. Unlike fresh pumpkins, canned pumpkin puree can be readily used from the get-go. And it still tastes great with all of its pumpkin goodness.

While you can use fresh pumpkins and make your own pumpkin puree with them, it will require more time and effort. If you can spare additional; time to make this keto pumpkin pie recipe, you can go ahead and puree some fresh pumpkins. But canned pumpkin puree totally works fine and will still provide our keto pumpkin pie with its desired pumpkin flavor.

Heavy Cream

To help create a smooth and velvety texture in the filling, we'll be using heavy cream. Its low-carb and high-fat content makes it a great ingredient for keto recipes that require cream. Its creamy texture adds a luxurious and smooth mouthfeel to the pumpkin pie. It also helps in binding the other ingredients together, ensuring that the pie holds its structure while it's baking.

Eggs

In this recipe, we'll be using eggs for both the crust and filling. They act as the main binding agents that ensure that our pumpkin pie doesn't fall apart during the baking process. Aside from that, eggs also provide moisture to the pie ensuring that doesn't end up a dry mess.

Key Tools For Recipe

• Mixing bowls: you'll be using these to mix the ingredients together to create the batter and filling. Have them in varying sizes.
• Whisk or electric mixer: you'll be using this to mix the ingredients together. Using an electric mixer will speed up the process.
• Rolling pin: you'll be using this to flatten your dough after refrigerating it.
• Parchment paper: using this will ensure that the dough doesn't stick to the rolling pin and pie plate.
• Pie plate, pie dish, or pie pan: this is where you'll place the batter and filling for baking. A 9-inch pie plate would be ideal for this recipe.
• Fork: you'll be using this to prick holes in the pie crust before baking.
• Spatula: you'll be using this to spread the filling in the pie crust.
• (Optional) Baking sheet: placing the pie plate on a baking sheet can help catch any spills or drips during baking.
• (Optional) Pie shield or pie crust shield: use this if you need to cover your crust to keep it from over-browning while the pie bakes
• (Optional) Blender or food processor: if you're planning to use fresh pumpkins and puree them yourself, you'll be needing a blender or a food processor.

Summary Notes

• It's important to not overmix the filling and overbake the pie as these will minimize the likelihood of cracks forming on the surface of the pie while baking. Overbaking can cause the filling to dry out and crack. You'd know that the pie is done when the edges have set and the center has become slightly jiggly.
• Work carefully with the almond flour crust as it's typically more delicate and crumbly than traditional wheat flour crust. Be gentle when pressing it into the pie pan or plate.

• For a stronger pumpkin flavor, add extra pumpkin puree to the pumpkin pie filling. This will introduce more moisture to the pumpkin pie, so you'd have to make adjustments to achieve the same texture and consistency. You might need to bake the pie for a slightly longer time to ensure it sets properly.
• You can use another keto-friendly sweetener if Lakanto Powdered Monk Fruit Sweetener doesn't meet your preference. You can use stevia, allulose, erythritol, Swerve, etc. Be mindful of the ratios as it isn't always 1:1 to sugar. Also, it's recommended that you use a liquid or powdered sweetener for easy incorporation into the filling and dough.
• Work quickly with your pie crust while it's still very cold. The crust being cold makes it more manageable, allowing you to control its thickness. If you feel like it's beginning to melt or defrost, pop it in the freezer for 15 minutes before proceeding.
• Chilling the keto pumpkin pie in the refrigerator overnight gives more time for the flavors to meld and the pie to become firm. This also makes it easier to slice the pie.
• If you chose to go with fresh pumpkin puree, it's recommended that you use smaller sugar pumpkins or pie pumpkins. This is because they have a sweeter and smoother flavor compared to large pumpkins. Also, roast your pumpkins before putting them in the blender or food processor. Not only does this enhance their flavor, but it also removes excess moisture, resulting in a thicker puree.
• Using cold cream cheese and cold butter for the crust helps in making it flaky and tender.
• Don't throw away any leftover pie dough. You can use it to decorate your pie or cover cracks. Make pretty cutouts with and decorate your keto pumpkin pie.
• Feel to garnish your keto pumpkin pie with your favorite keto-friendly topping. Top it with whipped cream, dust it with a sprinkle of pumpkin spice, or drizzle it with sugar-free caramel or maple syrup. Get creative! Just make sure to keep it keto-friendly.