It’s almost that time of the year again, Thanksgiving (or Turkey Day)! It’s a time where you get together with your friends, family and loved ones and feast on some delicious food.
I know that I’m thankful that I’m still able to enjoy loads of turkey and brussel sprouts (yum!). Unfortunately, a lot of traditional Thanksgiving dishes aren’t Low Carb or keto friendly.
That delicious stuffing, tangy cranberry sauce, creamy mashed potatoes and even grandma’s homemade Pumpkin Pie would be high on the carbohydrate count.
Or is it…?
Every Thanksgiving, I always find myself just craving a big ‘ol slice of Pumpkin pie with a big scoop of ice cream on top. I’ve already tried my hand at a low carb ice cream recipe in the past, so now all I needed was to find a low carb version of pumpkin pie!
After some experimenting, I found a simple recipe that’s quick, simple and satisfies my pumpkin pie craving in a pinch!
Health Benefits of Pumpkin
In addition to being a delicious staple for the Thanksgiving dinner table, pumpkin has plenty of other health benefits for you!
Pumpkin is naturally loaded with fiber which can help you feel full longer as well as help reduce blood pressure. It’s also on the lower end of sugar when compared to other members of the squash family.
Pumpkin is also rich in beta-carotene (turns into vitamin A) which can help with long term eye health.
For the record, these are just some pumpkin fun facts and I am in no way recommending that you eat an entire pie in one sitting! Anyways, enough jibber jabber, let’s get to the recipe!
Low Carb Pumpkin Pie Cheesecake
This recipe can either make 1 large (approximately 9 inch) low carb pumpkin pie, or 8 single serving size pies. While I didn’t have a pie tin, I just used a cake tin and put my own spin on this traditional dessert!
Low Carb Pumpkin Pie Filling Ingredients
- 3/4 Cup Powdered Sweetener ((Splenda, Stevia, Xylitol or your choice of low carb sweeteners))
- 1 Can Pumpkin Puree
- 2 Eggs
- 4 Oz Full Fat Cream Cheese
- 1 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract
- 1 Teaspoon Ground Ginger
- 1 Teaspoon Ground Clove
- 1/2 Teaspon Ground Nutmeg
- 1/2 Teaspoon Salt
Low Carb Pie Crust Ingredients
- 1 Cup Almond Flour ((or choice of crushed nuts))
- 1/4 Cup Powdered Sweetener ((Splenda, Stevia, Xylitol or your choice of low carb sweeteners))
- 2 Tablespoons Melted Butter
Preparing the Low Carb Crust
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Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit
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Combine almond flour with sweetener with a whisk and then add melted butter in a medium sized mixing bowl
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Combine the mixture thoroughly
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Line the bottom with parchment paper to avoid sticking (you can also use more butter or non-stick cooking spray)
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Pour the crust into a pie tin, cake tin, or individual ramekins
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Press the crust into the container, ensuring it’s packed tightly
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Bake the low carb crust for 10-15 minutes (or until it’s no longer damp and solid) and let cool for 20 to 30 minutes after
Preparing the Keto Pumpkin Pie Cheesecake
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Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit
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In a large mixing bowl, add room temperature cream cheese with 2 whole eggs and mix with an electric hand mixer before adding in the pumpkin puree (this will help make the filling be more smooth)
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Add the spices and continue mixing until everything is well combined
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Pour the low carb filling into the container(s) with the low carb crust (if you’re using a cake tin or ramekin, make sure you butter/spray the sides with non-stick cooking spray to avoid sticking and cracking)
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Bake for 25-30 minutes for a whole pie, or 12-15 minutes if you’re baking smaller pies in ramekins
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Let it cool to room temperature before placing in the refrigerator until it’s ready to be served!
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Optional: Serve with whipped cream or low carb ice cream!
Kitchen Essentials
- 1 Large Mixing Bowl
- 1 Medium Mixing Bowl
- Baking Oven (or a counter-top oven)
- Balloon Whisk
- Electric Hand Mixer (Your arms will thank you)
- 1 Cake Tin (or 8 small single serving size dishes)
Nutrition Facts
I’ll be the first to admit that I am no Michelin Star chef and may not have the prettiest pie out there, but I’ll be damned if it doesn’t taste amazing! You can tweak the recipe based on your own preferences.
The crust is so versatile and there are plenty of other people out there who have tweaked their crust recipe to get more of an authentic pie shell feel. You can also always take out the crust and serve it as a keto crustless pumpkin pie (or pumpkin pie pudding?)!
I added a nice layer of nut crumble to the top of it to give it added texture and added some store bought low carb ice cream as well! Halo Top and Arctic Zero makes some great flavours that are only 4-5g net carbs per serving.
I know that the holidays can be a little hectic and it’s easy to give into temptation. If you prepare ahead of time, you can avoid making hasty decisions and stay on track with your keto diet.
At the end of the day though, Thanksgiving is about spending time with your family. If you plan ahead and treat it as a special occasion (cheat meal versus a cheat day), there’s no need to beat yourself up over it. You can always hop back on to your keto wagon after the festivities. The key to a successful diet is planning ahead as well as keeping in a positive mindset. You may have a minor plateau or bloat from the foods, but you can always bounce back with enough discipline!
Anyways, feel free to share your favorite keto Thanksgiving or holiday dishes!
The post Low Carb (Keto) Pumpkin Pie Cheesecake Recipe appeared first on Start Keto.
This post first appeared on Start Keto | Your Journey Begins Now!, please read the originial post: here
