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It’s that time of the year, and our local grocery store is bursting at the seams with baked goods like pumpkin bread, pumpkin spice cookies, and cinnamon pumpkin muffins.
I usually keep my blinders on and march past the sweet-smelling display each time I go in, typically with a bit of disappointment that I can’t partake in the festive treats.
That is until I finally landed on this recipe idea. I’ve made pumpkin cookies before, and boy has it been trial and error. There’s something about the liquid viscosity of pumpkin puree that was continuously a hit or miss when pairing with almond flour and coconut flour in search of the perfect blend, but by golly, I think I’ve FINALLY got it!
These cookies have just the right amount of chew in them without being gooey and harden up perfectly on the outer edges without being too much like a biscuit and without the gritty texture that can sometimes come with almond-flour baked goods. They’re really a delightful pumpkin treat without sacrificing flavor while trying to be healthy.
But don’t just take my word for it! I entered these low-carb pumpkin caramel chocolate chip cookies into the “healthy” category of a Halloween bake-off last month at my work and THEY WON!
There was not a single cookie left on the tray after the event. (I also won the healthy chili contest for my low-carb Cali chili recipe—COMING SOON—and group costume, but that’s a whole different story.)
Notes about the ingredients and instructions:
Tom & Jenny’s Caramels: You’ll note that these cookies use Tom & Jenny’s sugar-free chocolate caramels
Monk Fruit Sweetener: I am a huge fan of the Lankanto golden monk fruit sweetener as a replacement for brown sugar–it even smells like the real thing! It works well with this recipe as it complements the maple extract and the pumpkin pie spice. If you don’t have a monk fruit sweetener handy, erythritol and stevia can work, too, but I recommend blending them rather than using one by itself, as erythritol tends to give a cooling mouthfeel, and stevia can have a bitter after taste in large quantities.
Maple Extract: This is optional, but I highly recommend it. Again, much like the brown sugar substitute, this maple extract adds to the molasses-like flavors of the pumpkin pie spice and brown sugar in this cookie. A friend of mine had a really hard time finding this extract in stores, so keep in mind that this may be a buy-ahead-on-Amazon-HERE ingredient.
Almond Flour: Be sure to use a superfine flour. I personally use either Bob’s Red Mill Almond Flour or King Arthur Almond Flour for my baking needs. If it’s not super fine, it will give the cookies an unpleasant, gritty texture and won’t bind as well.
Double-Acting Baking Powder: My husband laughs at the fact that I buy two kinds of baking powder, but it’s for good reason. Double-acting baking powder rises mostly when it meets heat, which is what we need for these cookies. Chances are what you have on hand IS double-acting, as that’s the most common in-store, but if you are in the market for one, I always go for this brand. Just as a little fact, the other baking powder I keep on-hand is aluminum-free baking powder for my low-carb, garlic breadsticks, as that recipe calls for a LOT of baking powder and having it aluminum free helps it be more tasteless.
Lily’s Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips: I absolutely love these! Made with stevia, these morsels provide chocolate lovers a sweet fix without the guilt. You can, of course, use your favorite sugar-free chocolate chips in place of these.
On-and-off and on-and-off: you’ll notice that the recipe calls for continuously stirring the sauce ingredients while putting the frying pan on the stove for 30 seconds and off the stove for 30 seconds over and over. This is the trick I’ve found for getting the sauce perfect without burning the caramel or scorching the flavors in the caramel.
Fun fact: I actually use this same method for scrambled eggs! I learned this tip from my uncle, and it has perfected the fluffiness of my eggs and has helped my sauces tremendously. If you have a glass cooktop, it’s as easy as sliding your pan between the burner that’s on and the one that’s not every 30 seconds. Otherwise, you’ll have to pick it up in between.
Not a huge chocolate or pumpkin fan? I sort of doubt that since you made your way here in the first place. But, in the off chance that you’re not feeling for pumpkin after all, try out Bacon and Cream’s pecan pie recipe for just as sweet and just as healthy of a fall treat for your holiday needs!
So, without further ado, here we have it. The perfect low-carb pumpkin treat for your holiday needs! Enjoy, and let me know how it turns out for you if you give this recipe a try!
Gluten-free, Sugar-free Pumpkin Caramel Chocolate Chip Cookies
Ingredients
Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies
- 2 cups superfine almond flour
- 1/4 cup Monkfruit golden sweetener* or substitute your favorite brown sugar replacement
- 2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp baking powder a double-acting powder is best
- 2 tbsp coconut flour
- 2/3 cup pumpkin puree 100% puree, canned
- 1 egg
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1.5 tsp maple extract** optional but recommended
- 1/4 cup salted butter melted
- 1/2 cup Lily's semi-sweet chocolate chips*** or substitute your favorite sugar-free chocolate chip brand
- 2 tbsp butter melted, on the side for pressing the cookies
Caramel Sauce Topping
- 7 pieces Tom & Jenny's chocolate caramels****
- 4 tbsp salted butter
- 1/4 cup heavy cream more as necessary for your desired consistency
- 1 pinch course salt
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.
- In a large bowl, combine all of the dry ingredients together (almond flour, monk fruit sweetener, pumpkin pie spice, cinnamon, baking soda, baking powder, and coconut flour) and mix thoroughly.
- In a separate, medium-sized bowl, whisk together all of the wet ingredients (pumpkin puree, egg, vanilla extract, maple extract, and the 4 tbsp of melted butter) using an electric mixer to ensure all ingredients are blended well.
- Pour the wet ingredients into the large bowl with the dry ingredients and mix with an electric mixer until the dough forms.
- Fold in the chocolate chips.
- Using either a cookie scoop or your hands, scoop about 2-3 tablespoons of the dough at a time and roll into a ball. Place dough balls spread out on the two cookie sheets so they have plenty of room to bake evenly.
- Using the back of a spoon, dip the spoon into the reserved 2 tbsp of melted butter to grease and flatten each rolled ball down into a cookie shape. If the spoon starts to stick, rinse and re-grease before continuing.
- Bake for 25-30 minutes or until cookies are golden brown, rotating the cookie sheets halfway through baking to make sure they bake evenly.
- While cookies are cooling, add all ingredients for the caramel sauce EXCEPT the salt to a small frying pan and slowly heat on medium-low heat.
- You will want to stir around the caramels as they melt. Once they are nearly fully melted, you'll want to go between having the pan on the burner for 30 seconds, and off the burner for 30 seconds as you stir continuously.
- At this time, check the consistency for your sauce. It should run off a spoon easily. If not, add more cream and stir again until well incorporated.
- Working quickly, drizzle the caramel onto each cookie in a zig-zag pattern. If the caramel starts to harden, add a bit more cream and place back on the burner, stirring until the sauce has softened a bit.
- Enjoy immediately or store in an air-tight container in the fridge for up to five days. Bon appetit!