Low Carb Keto Pumpkin Bread (FODMAP-friendly)

This easy Low Carb Keto Pumpkin Bread with almond flour is sweetly spiced, moist and only 3g net carbs per slice.  It’s an easy, FODMAP-friendly, one-bowl recipe that will fill your house with the amazing aroma of pumpkin and spice.

Nothing spreads those autumn vibes more than a cozy kitchen filled with smells of fresh baked pumpkin bread in the oven, am I right?  Well, except for maybe these Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies…

Pumpkin season is one my favorite times of year where I look forward to autumn foliage, cool weather and holiday baking.  However, I tend to use pumpkin puree year-round, rather than just for making treats when the chilly weather hits.

I’m a big fan of quick bread recipes and am excited about sharing my healthy almond flour pumpkin bread recipe!  I use my homemade pumpkin spice to season this bread with warming, fall spices.

This recipe has a few variations.  I originally made this recipe with almond and coconut flour.  While the recipe turned out really well, I also wanted to make a perfect low-FODMAP bread, so I tried a few coconut flour substitutions and found some winners!

Why you’ll love this recipe

• This healthy pumpkin bread is gluten free and low carb keto-friendly
• It’s so easy to make, with the flavor of your favorite fall spices
• FODMAP-friendly variations are provided to replace the coconut flour in the original recipe
• Each slice is made with wholesome ingredients you probably have in your pantry right now
• It’s made with zero refined sugar.  In fact, it’s sugar-free baking at its finest.
• You can warm up a slice as an easy snack or savory low-FODMAP breakfast idea

Ingredients

You’ll need a handful of simple ingredients for this recipe.  Here’s a list of what is needed:

• Almond flour – I use finely ground, blanched almond flour because it has a great texture and is the best for baking
• Coconut flour or low-FODMAP flour alternative – See discussion below about great coconut flour alternatives for a low-FODMAP bread
• Eggs – Large eggs are best
• Pumpkin puree – Make sure you use canned puree, not pumpkin pie filling
• Sweetener – I like to use powdered stevia, but use your sweetener of choice
• Golden flax meal - gives a great texture and extra omegas
• Baking powder - a leavening agent that gives this bread its rise
• Butter or coconut or avocado oil – There’s nothing like buttery bread!
• Vanilla extract – Use pure vanilla extract rather than vanilla flavoring, which is artificially flavored. Real extract just tastes so much better.
• Salt – Fine sea salt is best
• Spices – Use my easy Pumpkin Spice Recipe or simply replace with allspice, cinnamon and a pinch of clove
• Xanthan gum – Optional, but creates a really nice texture.
• Nuts and seeds - These are optional, but I love my loaf with chopped pecans. For a nice variation, use Maple Bourbon Candied Pecans. Top with pumpkin seeds (pepitas)

Coconut flour substitutions

Coconut flour, unfortunately, is not a FODMAP-friendly flour.  However, there are some great low-FODMAP flours to use as a replacement.

This recipe calls for ⅓ cup of coconut flour and can be replaced as follows:

• Almond flour – this doesn’t absorb liquid as well as coconut flour, so the quantity used for this substitution is a little higher than most others.  Use an additional cup so the bread isn’t too moist.  Each serving will still provide under ¼ cup of almond flour, which makes it a great low-FODMAP flour substitution for coconut flour.
• Whey protein powder – Try swapping the coconut flour out with ½ cup of whey protein powder.  Keep in mind, this is different from whey protein isolate.  I used a vanilla protein powder instead of coconut flour and it made a spectacular low-carb, pumpkin protein bread.  It did come out just a tad on the moist side, but still held up well even when slathered in butter.
• Vital wheat gluten – Of course, if you want to keep your loaf a gluten-free pumpkin bread, then the other options are the way to go.  However, vital wheat gluten is FODMAP-friendly, as it’s only wheat protein and doesn’t contain sugars.  It gave nice structure and texture to the bread.  I substituted the coconut flour in a 1:1 ratio and the moisture content was spot on.  I like to use Organic Vital Wheat Gluten.
• Other low-FODMAP flours that would be great here would be oat flour, plantain flour, banana flour (banana pumpkin bread, anyone?) and cassava or tapioca flour.  Keep in mind that these substitutions are not typical low-carb flour replacements.  I would suggest ¾-1 cup as a coconut flour alternative.  With the addition of one cup of a high carb flour, the carbohydrate content is going to be high even though one cup will be spread out over 10 slices.  The bread will still be considered low-carb, but the net carb content will be close to 8-10g per slice, total.  So, if you’re following a keto diet plan, be sure to watch those macros if you use one of these flour substitutes.

Instructions

Making this healthy quick bread is so, so simple!  It’s an easy one-bowl recipe.

• Melt the butter in a large bowl in the microwave.
• Add the pumpkin, eggs, sweetener and spices and whisk together
• Mix in the flours and other ingredients until well combined
• If adding nuts or other add-ins, fold those in last

• Pour batter into a parchment-lined loaf pan
• Bake for about 60 minutes
• Let cool before slicing (if you can)

Expert tips

• If using coconut flour replacements, the baking time may change just a bit.  Check for doneness starting at 40 minutes.
• Make sure your eggs are room temperature.  It’s not 100% necessary, but recommended.  Cold eggs will cause the melted butter to solidify, which can lead to a less uniform bread.
• I bake this in a medium sized loaf pan that’s 8.5 x 4.5 inches.  If you use a standard sized loaf pan, the bread won’t be as tall and the baking time may be a little less.
• It’s best to let the bread cool completely before slicing into it.  I know, it’s SOOO hard to wait!  Breads tend to crumble more if sliced into while hot. However... it IS chef's privilege to slice off the crusty ends while the loaf is still warm and top with butter. I'm pretty sure I exercise this right every single time.
• Lining the loaf pan with parchment and greasing it with butter or oil is recommended.  This will help your loaf come out of the pan more easily.
• Consider removing the loaf out of the pan by the parchment 'wings' and place on a cooling rack to cool down. I find this really decreases the time it takes to cool off.

How to store

Keto baked goods should be refrigerated to stay fresh.  After the bread has cooled, store in an airtight container or zip top bag for up to 5 days in the refrigerator.

You can freeze for longer storage.  Simply put in a freezer-safe zip top bag and freeze for up to 3 months.  I recommend freezing unsliced portions to prevent freezer burn, but slices can be frozen, as well.

Variations

There are so many fun ways to create a unique pumpkin loaf:

• Add orange zest – citrus adds a clever brightness that's really, really tasty
• Replace the vanilla extract with maple extract.  Or, add some banana extract for banana pumpkin bread.
• Make muffins!  Simply pour the batter in muffin cups and alter the baking time accordingly.
• Top with a maple glaze, cream cheese frosting or chocolate ganache
• Replace the butter with ghee

Optional add-ins

• Nuts and seeds – walnuts, pecans, hazelnuts (not FODMAP-friendly) and pumpkin seeds are great options
• Chocolate chips or white chocolate chips – pumpkin chocolate chip bread is one of my favorite things.  I’m particularly fond of adding white chocolate chips.
• Dried berries – cranberries or currants add a divine touch of acidity, tang and sweetness

Serving suggestions

While this almond flour pumpkin bread is fabulous just on its own, I love to top it with butter, or with my delicious Sugar-Free Icing and Glaze.  I’ve been known to go all-out and use this chocolate hazelnut spread or top it with a drizzle of my favorite keto maple pecan syrup.

Whip up some pumpkin bread French toast!  This is just bliss.  Dip slices in an egg-wash with a pinch of cinnamon and nutmeg and fry until just golden.  Then drench in butter and your favorite sugar-free maple syrup.  It’s drool worthy, sticky sweet goodness.

FAQ

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Other recipes you might like:

• Pumpkin Porridge with Maple Pecan Syrup
• Deep Dish Browned Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies
• Chocolate Almond Flour Mug Cake
• Flourless Keto Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies
• Easy Keto Brownies

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