Keto Pumpkin Cookies – Low Carb and Gluten-free

These Keto Pumpkin Cheesecake Cookies are so easy and delicious that you won’t want to waste your pumpkin on any other keto cookie recipe this season! These low carb pumpkin cheesecake cookies + a cup of espresso or coffee = the best part of your day, possibly your week. True story.

You. Guys. I can’t even with how much I love these Keto Pumpkin Cookies. I just bit into my second one after shooting the photos, and even though it’s still August and this keto pumpkin cheesecake cookie recipe was intended for posting in September a couple of weeks from now, I promptly sat down to start typing this up to go into tomorrow’s time slot!

I’ll be honest, I had the concept for keto pumpkin spice cookies with a cheesecake center in mind, but wasn’t sure how to execute the pumpkin cookie dough so that it wouldn’t spread too much and cause the filling to spill out onto the cookie sheet.

And regarding the filling, I wasn’t sure how much egg to cream cheese ratio I’d need to get it to firm up without being hard and eggy.

So I fully intended this first run to have some issues that I would have to solve over a couple more batches of experimenting.

To my surprise (and elation) these were keto cookie perfection straight out of the gate! I still can’t believe it!

Slightly crispy outside, chewy and soft inside, with just enough of the creamy vanilla cheesecake filling to make you desperate for one more taste…

Not cloyingly sweet, the pumpkin spice flavors are forward without being overbearing. The flavors and textures just plain work, in the most delicious and comforting way.

Seriously guys, these keto pumpkin cheesecake cookies are HANDS. DOWN. the best keto cookie I’ve ever baked or eaten.

EVER.

My excitement for you to try them and report back immediately cannot be contained. Like if you can do it by tonight that would be great ha ha.

But if not, make it your keto baking project for this weekend – I promise you won’t regret it!

And then be sure to snap a pic of your keto pumpkin cookies and tag me on Instagram so I can share them in my story! 

Keto Pumpkin Cookie FAQs and Substitutions

What type of pumpkin puree should I use for keto pumpkin cookies?

I used organic canned pumpkin puree for my pumpkin cookies, but you can also use fresh if you have it. 

When purchasing canned pumpkin puree, make sure it is not pumpkin pie filling, which will contain a lot of sugar and is not keto friendly. Look for 100% packed pumpkin and get organic if you can find it reasonably priced. 

If you are making your own pumpkin puree make sure it’s well drained and thick or it will add too much moisture to your cookies.

You can also substitute butternut squash for the pumpkin with excellent results.

Do I need special ingredients to make low carb pumpkin cookies?

These keto pumpkin cheesecake cookies don’t require a lot of special ingredients beyond the usual keto baking staples. There is no coconut flour in this keto cookie recipe, so you will only need a superfine blanched almond flour, and the keto sweetener of your choice. For these keto pumpkin cookies I used granulated erythritol as my sugar substitute to keep my net carbs down, but you can also use a monk fruit sweetener like Lakanto with good results. 

I prefer to blend my own spices rather than using a store-bought pumpkin pie spice blend because I just think it tastes better. For this recipe I used a combination of cinnamon, nutmeg, and allspice, which gave these keto pumpkin cookies an amazing flavor. 

Lastly, as in all keto baking recipes, make sure your baking powder is fresh because it loses it’s power to leaven after just a few short months from opening in my opinion. It’s so inexpensive that you can easily purchase a new batch a few times a year. 

How do I make these Keto Pumpkin Cookies?

You don’t need any special equipment to make these keto pumpkin cookies – but a cookie dough scoop and a silicone mat or parchment paper to line your cookie sheet with wouldn’t hurt. You can simply blend all of the wet and dry ingredients together in a bowl with a spoon, fork, or hand mixer until blended. 

Then spoon or scoop the dough onto your cookie sheet and make a little dent in the top of the dough balls for your cheesecake mixture to go into. 

Finally, blend your cream cheese mixture together and add that to each dent (see the photo in the post) before baking in the oven for about 20 minutes.

Can I omit the cheesecake filling to make these low carb pumpkin cookies dairy-free?

Honestly, I’m conflicted! Yes, you can, and they will still be delicious, but unless you have a good reason to avoid dairy, then I recommend trying these amazing cookies just as they are if possible!

THIS JUST IN: I was just about ready to hit schedule on this keto pumpkin cookie post for tomorrow morning and Mr. Hungry came home and tried one of the cookies. His reaction?

“These might be the best cookies you’ve ever made.”

You’ve GOT to try them – and then be sure to report back!

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More Keto Pumpkin Recipes

If your love of all things pumpkin knows no bounds, here’s a collection of both sweet and savory keto pumpkin recipes to keep you busy this season!