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This Best Pumpkin Spice Snickerdoodle Cookie Recipe (Keto, Gluten Free) is quick and easy to make and will have you reaching in the cookie jar for “just one more cookie”.
When it comes to fall treats, pumpkin is a must. There are so many pumpkin-flavored sweets, and we love them all! This Best Pumpkin Spice Snickerdoodle Cookie Recipe (Keto, Gluten Free) is one of our favorites.
It features sweetly spiced pumpkin cookies with a low carb icing that hardens perfectly. Paired with a cup of hot tea, it’s the perfect afternoon treat!
How to Bake pumpkin in the oven
I remember a few years ago there was a pumpkin shortage here in the US…right before Thanksgiving we were all desperately trying to find canned pumpkin! Instead of going on a wild goose chase looking for something that couldn’t be found (or was really expensive when I finally found it), I decided to bake a pumpkin. You’ll be surprised at just how easy it is to bake a pumpkin in the oven!
Here are the steps to bake a whole pumpkin the oven:
- Preheat the oven to 400F.
- Wash the outside of the pumpkin.
- Cut the pumpkin in half, and remove the seeds. (You can save the seeds to roast.)
- Rub a bit of olive oil, avocado oil, or melted ghee all over the pumpkin halves, inside and outside.
- Place the pumpkin halves cut-side-down on a baking sheet.
- Roast the pumpkin until it’s very tender, about 40 to 60 minutes. It’s done when a paring knife inserted deep into the side with the skin slides right out.
- Let the pumpkin cool until you can handle it, about 10 to 15 minutes, and then scoop the flesh into a bowl and discard the skins.
How to Make Baked Pumpkin into Pumpkin Puree
Making baked pumpkin into puree is very easy, and requires just one additional step after roasting the pumpkin. Once you complete steps 1-7 listed above, transfer the pumpkin flesh to a food processor and puree. Alternatively, you can mash it with a potato masher if you don’t need it to be completely smooth.
What Can You Make with Pumpkin Puree?
You can use pumpkin puree to make several kinds of baked goods, such as bread, cake, cookies, pie, cheesecake, etc. Pumpkin puree also lends itself quite well for use in savory recipes, such as pasta sauce (keep it keto and use zoodles!) or creamy soups.
Of course you can use pumpkin puree to make this Best Pumpkin Spice Snickerdoodle Cookie Recipe, which is gluten free and keto.
A couple of my favorite recipes using pumpkin puree are:
- The Best Pumpkin Spice Mug Cake for One from Healthy Sweet Eats
- Low Carb Sugar Free Pumpkin Spice Latte from The Keto Queens
- Nutty Spiced Pumpkin Crackers (Paleo) from An Edible Mosaic
Is Pumpkin Healthy?
The humble pumpkin comes with a whole host of health benefits! Pumpkin may be good for the following: cancer prevention (because of the antioxidant beta-carotene), heart health (because of plant-based chemicals known as phytosterols that reduce LDL cholesterol), eyesight health (due to its vitamin A content), and weight loss (in large part to the fiber). (Read more about the health benefits of pumpkin on HuffPost and Medical News Today.)
Pumpkin is a Superfood
Pumpkins are nutrient-dense, and full of antioxidants, vitamins, and fiber. Pumpkin is a delicious superfood! (Read more about pumpkin’s superfood status on Health.)
Pumpkin Nutrition Information
According to the USDA Nutrient Database, one (1/2 cup/120 g) serving of pumpkin puree has the following nutrition information:
- 50kcals
- 1g protein
- 0g fat
- 10g total carbohydrates
- 4g fiber
- 4g sugar
- 6g net carbs
Is Pumpkin Low Carb?
With 6g net carbs per 1/2-cup serving, pumpkin is an easy fruit to incorporate into a keto and low carb lifestyle. This is particularly true because a little bit of pumpkin can go a long way, like in this recipe for the Best Pumpkin Spice Snickerdoodle Cookie Recipe. Here we only use 2 tablespoons of pumpkin puree in the whole recipe!
Can Eating Too Much Pumpkin Turn You Orange?
As strange as this question might sound, this is actually a pretty common question about pumpkin! If you eat an excessive amount of pumpkin or carrots, your skin can turn orange, which is called carotenemia. When this happens, the excess beta carotene enters the bloodstream, but is deposited in the outer layer (i.e., epidermis) of the skin until it eventually breaks down and the skin color returns to normal. (Read more about this condition on UCSB Science Live.)
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Best Pumpkin Spice Snickerdoodle Cookie Recipe (Keto, Gluten Free)
Ingredients
Cookies:
- 1 cup almond flour
- 1 1/2 tablespoons Swerve Confectioner’s
- 2 teaspoons beef gelatin
- 1 1/4 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice mix
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon fine salt
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter room temperature
- 2 tablespoons heavy whipping cream
- 2 tablespoons pumpkin puree
- 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 5 drops liquid stevia
- 1 large egg
Icing:
- 2 tablespoons Swerve Confectioner’s
- 1/4 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice mix
- 1 to 2 teaspoons water
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350F; line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper or silpat liners.
- For the cookies, whisk together the almond flour, Swerve, gelatin, pumpkin pie spice mix, and salt in a large bowl.
- Use a handheld beater to mix in the butter, and then the cream, pumpkin, vanilla, stevia, and egg.
- Use a 1 tablespoon-sized scoop to measure out the dough. Roll it into balls and arrange the balls evenly on the baking sheets, slightly flattening each cookie. You should get about 18 cookies.
- Bake until the cookies are golden along the outside, about 14 minutes, rotating the trays once halfway through.
- Let the cookies cool completely on the baking sheet before removing and icing.
- For the icing, use a fork to stir together the Swerve and pumpkin pie spice mix. Mix in enough water so it reaches an icing consistency.
- Drizzle the icing over the cookies and let it harden before serving.
Notes
Nutrition
I didn’t see an explanation for the beef gelatin – I assume it’s for binding? Could another egg or flax meal serve the same purpose? Or could you recommend a substitution? I don’t usually keep this ingredient on hand but I have everything else. Thanks!
Alex, Beef gelatin acts as a binder in keto baking, and also adds chewiness. If you’re interested, we wrote more about gelatin in keto baking in this post: https://theketoqueens.com/crispy-low-carb-indian-flatbread-recipe/
We haven’t tried this recipe using something other than the beef gelatin. I think an egg would add too much liquid and you may need to add more dry ingredients. Flaxseed meal (or a “flax egg”) might work as a binder, but the cookies might not have the same chewy factor that they’d have if using beef gelatin.
Another option that could potentially work is xanthan gum, which unfortunately we try to steer clear of because it causes some people (us included) GI distress.
I hope this helps! I know it’s not a black and white answer; keto baking is truly a science project, lol. Please feel free to let me know if you have more questions!
I’m definitely trying these out tomorrow!! Yum! Love, love love pumpkin spice!
Jenn, We hope you enjoy them! 🙂