This easy low carb Keto Pumpkin Bread mixes up in no time. A wooden spoon and 5 minutes of your time are all it takes to get this delectable fall treat into the oven. This delicious pumpkin bread recipe is also gluten-free, grain-free, sugar-free, has dairy-free and nut-free options, and is Trim Healthy Mama friendly.
Ahhh, pumpkin season. I will admit to you that pumpkin is not one of my first loves. I've never tried a pumpkin spice latte because the thought of pumpkin in my coffee is less than appealing and on Thanksgiving, I never choose pumpkin pie when there are other options.
But I do enjoy a hint of pumpkin, and lots of cinnamon, in muffins, cakes, and loaves of bread. And my readers seem to be a pumpkin-loving crowd so I have one pumpkin recipe day each fall so I can add a few new keto pumpkin recipes to my repertoire.
This year I decided to kick up my Low Carb Pumpkin Muffins into a sweet easy keto pumpkin bread dotted with pecans and drizzled with a sweet glaze. It was a good decision. This low carb pumpkin bread is perfect for breakfast, brunch, as an afternoon snack, or even for dessert, just like my Keto Zucchini Bread. It keeps well in the fridge for up to a week and can be frozen for longer periods of time. Making a pumpkin bread with glaze on it gives a nice presentation but you can certainly skip the glaze to simplify this recipe further.
Ingredients
Pumpkin puree - You can use either fresh or canned pumpkin puree. Make sure you do not get a can that says 'pumpkin pie filling' because that will have added sugar.
Eggs - Eggs are necessary for this recipe.
Butter - I use salted butter when baking. If you have unsalted butter make sure to add a pinch of salt.
Cottage cheese - I promise you can't taste it at all. It adds protein to this easy keto pumpkin bread recipe and helps it stay moist.
Vanilla - Vanilla extract brings out the flavors in the other ingredients.
Molasses - I use molasses as a flavoring the way you use extracts. When used in this way the amount of carbs per serving is very minimal.
Almond flour - I find that almond flour has a mild flavor in baked goods that lets the other flavors shine through without overpowering them.
Coconut flour - I use coconut flour in conjunction with almond flour to help balance the natural oils in the almonds.
Sweetener - My sweetener blend of xylitol, erythritol, and stevia works well in many dessert recipes. I highly recommend trying it but if you would like to substitute I offer suggestions in the recipe card.
Cinnamon - Cinnamon is my favorite sweet spice. Choice one that is vibrant and flavorful. You do not want to just get the cheapest cinnamon at the store. Look for Saigon or Korintje cinnamon.
Pumpkin pie spice - Pumpkin spice normally is a combination of cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and cloves. You may add it if you like but I personally prefer just using cinnamon.
Baking powder - Check the date to make sure it is fresh or your bread will not rise.
Pecans - These are my favorite nut in pumpkin recipes but you can sub in walnuts if you prefer.
How to make Keto Pumpkin Bread
I keep my gluten free pumpkin bread recipe easy because all you need to do is mix up the ingredients in a large bowl with a wooden spoon. The sugar free glaze is easy too. All it is is a melted sweetener. When you drizzle it on top of the toasted pecans on top of the bread it gives them a little crunch and makes them taste like a traditional glazed pecan.
First Step: Add all the ingredients to a large mixing bowl. Combine well.
Second Step: Add the batter to a parchment paper lined loaf pan. Top with more pecans. Bake until no longer jiggly in the center.
Expert Tip: Baking times for anything in a loaf pan seems to vary a lot. Just make sure the bread no longer jiggles when lightly shaken. If the top starts to get too brown cover it with foil for the last 20-30 minutes.
Variations & Substitutions
Cottage Cheese - I promise you that you cannot taste the cottage cheese in this. It keeps the bread moist and is a great source of protein. However, sour cream, cream cheese, or yogurt can work in place of the cottage cheese if you prefer.
Nuts - You can sub in any but you prefer for the pecans. Walnuts, almonds, or pumpkin seeds (aka pepitas) can all work.
Nut-Free - I have not tested this without almond flour but sunflower seed flour is a great sub in most recipes. Just use sunflower seed flour in place of the almond flour and pumpkin seeds in place of the pecans to make this nut free.
Dairy-Free - To make this keto bread dairy free just sub in coconut oil for the butter and coconut cream for the cottage cheese.
Chocolate Chips - Feel free to swap out the pecans for sugar free chocolate chips or use both!
Cream Cheese Frosting - Swap out the glaze for a thick and creamy keto cream cheese frosting.
Muffins - Easily make this into muffins by dividing the batter between greased paper-lined muffin tins.
Common Questions
Is Pumpkin Keto Friendly?
Absolutely. Pumpkin is a great choice when on a keto diet. There are 10 grams of carbs in pumpkin puree and 3 grams of fiber. That may seem like a lot if you sit down with a can of puree and a spoon but it isn't when you are using a cup of pumpkin in a baked good divided by multiple servings.
Is Pumpkin Bread Healthy?
Sometimes. The flour in traditional pumpkin bread recipes is unhealthy. But this keto pumpkin bread uses almond flour to give pumpkin bread a nutritional boost! By cutting out sugar and using healthy flours you are making a typical pumpkin bread low carb and much healthier! By using that combination of flours it helps keep this keto pumpkin bread recipe moist as well.
The members of my family love a good sweet bread or cake for a snack or breakfast. It doesn't matter if it's lemon poppy seed, almond crumb, keto chocolate chip bread, keto cinnamon bread, or keto pumpkin bread, just slice up the sweet bread and slather it with butter to see it disappear. When we are eating one of my low carb recipes I don't have to worry about how much sugar my kids are eating.
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Keto Pumpkin Bread
Ingredients
- 1 cup pumpkin puree
- 2 eggs
- â…“ cup butter melted
- â…“ cup cottage cheese
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 teaspoon molasses ***
- 1 cup almond flour
- ½ cup coconut flour
- ½ cup Joy Filled Eats Sweetener (or see alternatives in recipe notes)
- 2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 2 teaspoon pumpkin spice optional
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- â…” cup pecans divided
- 2 tablespoon Joy Filled Eats Sweetener (or see alternatives in recipe notes) optional (to use for a glaze)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350. Line a standard 9-inch loaf pan with parchment paper and spray with cooking spray.
- Add all the ingredients, besides the pecans, into a large bowl. Stir until smooth. Stir in â…“ cup pecans. Pour into the prepared loaf pan. Spread evenly. Top with the remaining pecans.
- Bake for 50-55 minutes until golden and no longer jiggly. The center should feel firm to the touch. Cover with foil for the last 20 minutes if necessary so the pecans do not burn.
Optional Glaze:
- Melt the sweetener in a small saucepan over low. Drizzle on top of the pecan pumpkin bread.
Notes
Nutrition
Originally Published September 24, 2018. Revised and Republished November 4, 2021.
Vyvoom says
The taste is Great! I love your recipes. Made 2x and it just crumbles. What am I doing wrong? I used good high fat yogurt in place of cottage cheese
Please help.
Taryn says
Just use cottage cheese as directed. It melts and helps act as a binder. If you want to try yogurt again I'd suggest adding an extra egg.
Elizabeth says
So moist and delicious!! This is amazing! Thanks, Taryn!
Karen says
I made this yesterday, and unfortunately, didn't love it. I did love how moist it was, but it was lacking flavor. This is coming from somebody who loves pumpkin everything, and just wanted to give honest feedback. I am going to make this again, but going to add pumpkin pie spice and cloves to give it some flavor. I'm kind of bummed that I wasted ingredients on this because we're not going to eat it, but happy that I learned the base recipe is good, just needs more flavor/spices.
Taryn says
Please don't waste it. If you want more pumpkin spice added you could make it into pumpkin cake balls. Simply mix crumbs with a little almond milk or cream cheese, extra sweetener if you like, and pumpkin spice. Form into balls.
Sue says
I like to use Swerve powdered sweetener in baking. It dissolves much better than the granulated Swerve!
Cammie says
Can i add the amount of cottage cheese as extra butter? My traditional (non keto) recipe for pumpkin bread calls for so much more fat than your recipe. What do you think?
Taryn says
I think a combination of more butter and heavy cream would be better than all butter. I do use full fat cottage cheese.
Leslie Lawton says
BEST EVER! Just not enough spice so added pumpkin pie spice and extra allspice. Its swoon worthy!
Angela Ritter says
Love this bread! The flavor is perfect and it fills a real need/desire for pumpkin bread comfort food in the Fall on my lowcarb lifestyle.
However, I just can’t seem to get it done in the middle.
I’m following the recipe & temperature exactly and using a 9 inch loaf pan. Any suggestions??
Taryn says
I'd just cover it and bake it longer. Could your oven temp be off?
Zoann says
Hi, I’ve baked a few things with swerve and find that it doesn’t dissolve like sugar. When it cools it re crystalizes and my almond cake and flourless chocolate cake had a crunchy texture. Have you ever had a problem with erythritol re crystalizing after being baked. Does your blend actually dissolve in your baked goods?
Taryn says
I have not noticed it recrystallize in baked goods. There is one low carb packaged cake that has that gritty sweetener problem and it is awful. One solution could be to just grind your sweetener to a powder before using.
Teetop says
Have all the ingredients on hand except molasses (although I love molasses in stuff). Just leave it out? Use a tiny bit of brown sugar?
Thanks!
Taryn says
Yes, just leave it out.
Diane says
Can you use Splenda or Stevia as sweetener in this Pumpkin Bread & how much if you can?!?
Taryn says
I do not recommend splenda. Which brand of stevia do you have? Is it a blend like truvia or pyure?
Diane says
Can I use THM baking blend in place of the almond and coconut flour?
Taryn says
Yes, use a little less.
Anna says
Hi can I ommit the cottage cheese?
Taryn says
You need to replace it with something. Sour cream or cream cheese should work but I haven't tested this with those.
Vicki says
Is it really supposed to be (tbsp) A tablespoon of baking powder.
Taryn says
Yes
Felicia Kruse says
Is the glaze just melted sweetener? No liquid?
Taryn says
Yup! You don't need a liquid to melt it.
Jess Douglass says
Hi, I really want to make your zucchini bread and pumpkin bread, but I don’t like coconut flour. Can I substitute it with something else?
Thanks!
Taryn says
You can use additional almond flour.
Michelle says
This recipe is amazing. I made it exactly as you described except for the molasses (none on hand). It’s delicious!! The hardest part was making the pumpkin purée. Apparently there is a shortage of canned pumpkin right now, but I made enough to freeze for a few more loaves.
Pat Moffitt says
I'm looking forward to trying this recipe soon. It's pumpkin season. 🙂 But can I leave out the pecans. I'm not a big fan of nuts. And if I can, how would that affect the carb count.
\Thanks
Pat
Taryn says
Yes. I don't have the nutrition with the pecans though, sorry. It wouldn't affect it much.
Carol says
I just made this and enjoyed it a lot! Thank you!!!
paulette moran says
I baked this wonderful
Pumpkin bread for almost and hour and it was still very wet.
Hoping chilling in the frig it will be better.
Taryn says
The baking time is 50-55 minutes and can take longer depending on your oven. It should not be jiggly.
DebbieE says
I cannot get the recipe to open for Easy Pumpkin Bread Recipe with Pecans Low Carb Keto.
Thanks for the help
Taryn says
It's on this page. Or do you mean the print version? Which browser are you using?
Callie Hayworth says
Do you blend the cottage cheese, or how do you get it smooth?
Taryn says
You don't need to blend it. As the pumpkin bread bakes it absorbs into the other ingredients, no chunks at all.
Anne Monahan says
Do you think I could switch out the pumpkin for shredded zucchini? Make a zucchini bread!
Taryn says
Yes, I was just thinking about trying that a few days ago!