These moist and fluffy keto pumpkin cupcakes taste like autumn. The frosting is amazing - creamy and flavorful.
This easy recipe makes six cupcakes, but you can easily double it and make twelve of them.
These cupcakes are amazing. They're one of my favorite pumpkin desserts. They are tender and fluffy, delicious even without the frosting.
However, the creamy frosting makes them superb and is easy to mix by hand, so I highly recommend using it!
Jump to:
Ingredients
You'll only need a few simple ingredients to make these cupcakes. The exact measurements are listed in the recipe card below. Here's an overview of what you'll need:
For the Cupcakes:
- Eggs: I use large eggs in most of my recipes, this one included.
- Pumpkin puree: Make sure it's pure pumpkin puree and not sweetened pumpkin pie filling.
- Unsalted butter: I love using creamy European butter, but any butter will be great.
- Sweetener: I use stevia. You can replace it with a granulated sweetener if you wish. In the frosting, you should replace it with a powdered sweetener to ensure a smooth texture.
- Vanilla extract: Try to use the real thing - pure vanilla extract - and not the artificially flavored stuff.
- Cinnamon: Make sure it's fresh.
- Coconut flour: Since it's highly absorbent, I recommend measuring it by weight and not by volume. Each gram makes a difference.
- Baking powder: Make sure it's fresh and not expired, and if you need it to be gluten-free, verify that as well.
For the Frosting:
Cream cheese, pumpkin puree, stevia, cinnamon, and vanilla extract.
Variations
- Sometimes, I use pumpkin pie spice instead of cinnamon in the cupcakes and frosting.
- Add ¼ cup of chopped pecans to the batter.
- If you like the combination of pumpkin and chocolate, add ¼ cup of mini chocolate chips (the mini ones won't sink to the bottom of the cupcakes as easily as standard ones).
Instructions
Scroll down to the recipe card for detailed instructions. Here are the basic steps for making these cupcakes:
Simply mix together all the ingredients in one bowl. I typically start with the liquid ingredients (eggs, pumpkin puree, butter, stevia, and vanilla) and then gradually add the dry ingredients (cinnamon, coconut flour, and baking powder).
Scoop the mixture into lined and greased muffin cups. It's best to use foil liners to minimize the risk of sticking.
Bake the cupcakes in a preheated 350°F oven for about 25 minutes. A toothpick inserted into one of them should come out clean. Cool them completely, then frost them.
Expert Tip
It's important to allow the cupcakes to cool completely before frosting them. Frosting a still-warm cupcake will cause the frosting to melt. You can speed the process up by placing them in the fridge.
Recipe FAQs
I use stevia glycerite. I like this sweetener because it nearly eliminates the aftertaste typical of other stevia products. You can replace the stevia with ⅓ cup of your favorite granulated sweetener. If you do, check the batter. If it's too dry, you might need to add a little water.
It's best to use greased parchment or foil liners when baking these cupcakes. In my experience, coconut flour baked goods stick to standard paper liners, even if they are well-greased. As you can see in the photo below, it's easy to release these cupcakes from foil liners. Alternatively, use greased silicone cups. 
No, unfortunately, you can't. Coconut flour and almond flour are very different and are not interchangeable in recipes.
Reader Review
On Instagram, @ketokouklanj says: "Made @yumhealth’s keto pumpkin cupcakes, and they were super delicious! The cupcakes were super moist, had great texture, and had just the right amount of sweetness." She graciously allowed me to share her beautiful photos here:
Storing Leftovers
You can keep the leftovers in the fridge, in an airtight container, for up to 4 days. Remove them from the fridge an hour before you plan on enjoying them. They taste much better at room temperature.
More Pumpkin Recipes
Foodie Newsletter
I send out a weekly newsletter with a recipe and tips. Want these recipes in your inbox? Subscribe today! You can unsubscribe at any time.
Recipe Card
Keto Pumpkin Cupcakes
Ingredients
- Avocado oil - for liners
Cupcakes:
- 4 large eggs
- ½ cup pure pumpkin puree
- 4 tablespoon unsalted butter - melted and slightly cooled
- 1 teaspoon stevia glycerite - equals about ⅓ cup of sugar
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 6 tablespoons coconut flour - 44 grams
- 1 teaspoon baking powder - gluten-free if needed
Cream Cheese Frosting:
- 8 ounces cream cheese - softened
- ¼ cup pure pumpkin puree
- 1 teaspoon stevia glycerite - equals about ⅓ cup of powdered sugar
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line 6 muffin cups with foil (not paper) liners and spray the liners with oil.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs, pumpkin puree, melted butter, stevia, vanilla, and cinnamon.
- Whisk in the coconut flour, mixing patiently until very smooth. Mix in the baking powder.
- Using a 4-tablespoon scoop, divide the batter between the prepared muffin cups.
- Bake until the cupcakes are set, and a toothpick inserted in their center comes out clean, 22-25 minutes. Transfer the cupcakes to a cooling rack and cool them completely. Their texture improves when they reach room temperature.
- Once the cupcakes are completely cool, make the frosting. Place the frosting ingredients (cream cheese, pumpkin puree, stevia, cinnamon, and vanilla) in a small bowl and whisk with a hand whisk until smooth and creamy, about 2 minutes.
- Transfer the frosting to a piping bag and pipe it on the cupcakes, or simply spread it on top of the cupcakes with a spatula.
Video
Notes
- A granulated sweetener in the frosting will feel grainy, so please use a powdered sweetener.
- It's important to allow the cupcakes to cool completely before frosting them. Frosting a still-warm cupcake will cause the frosting to melt. You can speed the process up by placing them in the fridge.
- It's best to use greased parchment or foil liners when baking these cupcakes. In my experience, coconut flour baked goods stick to standard paper liners, even if they are well-greased. Alternatively, use greased silicone cups.
- You can keep the leftovers in the fridge, in an airtight container, for up to 4 days. Remove them from the fridge an hour before you plan on enjoying them. They taste much better at room temperature.
Nutrition per Serving
Disclaimers
Cup measurements refer to the standard American cup, which is 240 milliliters. Most of my recipes are low-carb (or keto) and gluten-free, but some are not. Please verify that a recipe fits your needs before using it. Recommended and linked products are not guaranteed to be gluten-free. Nutrition info is approximate, and the carb count excludes non-nutritive sweeteners. Nutrition info may contain errors, so please verify it independently. Recipes may contain errors, so please use your common sense when following them. Please read these Terms of Use carefully before using any of my recipes.
Vered DeLeeuw, LL.M., CNC, has been following a low-carb real-food diet and blogging about it since 2011. She's a Certified Nutrition Coach (NASM-CNC), has taken courses at the Harvard School of Public Health, and has earned a Nutrition and Healthy Living Certificate from Cornell University. Her work has appeared in several major media outlets, including Healthline, HuffPost, Today, Women's Health, Shape, and Country Living. 
misty kay critchfield
Wow! This was really good. Thank you.
I tasted the batter. It is now baking. I could just eat the batter, I think!
Vered DeLeeuw
I hope you enjoy the fully baked muffins, Misty! 🙂
Sheila
can coconut flour be replaced with almond flour? I don't care for coconut.
thank you
Vered DeLeeuw
Hi Sheila,
Unfortunately, no. These flours are very different and a swap isn't that simple.
This pumpkin bread is delicious and made with almond flour, but I haven't tested it in a muffin pan.