Keto Pumpkin Chia Muffins

Martina SlajerovaUpdated 11 March 2021★★★★★4.6 (364 ratings)

Ready in 45m
3 g net carbs
211 kcal
Serves 12

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Pumpkin Chia Muffins (low-carb, keto, paleo)

These pumpkin muffins are some of the best I've ever tasted! I've spent quite a bit of time fine-tuning this recipe. After some trial and error, here is what I realised... If your goal it to make the batter rise resulting in light and fluffy muffins, you'll need to be aware of some basic rules.

Firstly, make sure you separate the egg whites from the yolks. Then after you combine the wet and dry ingredients, gently add the beaten egg whites for a fluffier and less dense texture.

I've tried an egg-free alternative but I wasn't happy with the result (see photo). Although it's true that eggs can be substituted with a mixture of chia seeds and coconut milk, it didn't work well in this recipe. Substituting eggs with more chia seeds made the muffins too dense and they didn't rise almost at all.

I've tried a nut-free version using coconut flour instead of almond flour. Again, coconut flour made the dough more dense. You could either use just almond flour (like I did in this recipe) or a mixture of almond and coconut flour like I did in these Cranberry & Orange Muffins.

Have any more tips or favourite recipes? Let me know in the comments! :-)

Step-by-step

Preheat the oven to 175 °C/ 350 °F. Place all the dry ingredients - apart from the pumpkin seeds - into a bowl and combine well.
I make my own chia seed meal by blending it in a food processor for just a few seconds until powdered.
Separate the egg whites from the egg yolks. Using a hand beater or electric mixer (I'm using a Kenwood mixer), whip up the egg whites until they create soft peaks. In another bowl, place the egg yolks, melted butter, pumpkin purée and stevia.
The butter should be melted and cooled (don't use hot). The pumpkin purée and egg yolks should be at room temperature. If you use them straight from the fridge, the butter will clump up.
Process until well combined and start adding the dry mixture - a tablespoon or two at a time while mixing.
Add about a quarter of the whipped egg whites and mix gently. Add the remaining egg whites and fold in the batter using slow setting on your mixer or using a spatula. Be careful not to deflate the egg whites and keep the batter as fluffy as you can.
Line a muffin tray with 12 medium muffin paper cups.. Grease each cup with a small amount of coconut oil or ghee. Spoon the batter into the paper cups and transfer into the oven. Alternatively, you can use a silicon muffin tray or silicon muffin cups.
Transfer into the oven and bake for 5 minutes. After 5 minutes, sprinkle with the pumpkin seeds. Place back in the oven and bake for another 30 minutes or until the tops are golden brown.
When done, remove from the oven and place on a cooling rack. Store at room temperature for 4-5 days. Place the remaining muffins in freezer bags and freeze for up to 3 months. Enjoy!

Recipe