If you love pumpkin pie, but want something a little healthier, then this Keto Pumpkin Custard Recipe just might be what you are looking for. Pass on the sugar filled pie and the carb coma that follows eating it and dig into a lower in sugar (and carbs) version of pumpkin pie filling.
Pumpkin plus cinnamon, allspice and nutmeg (plus occasional a few other spices) taste great together. This is a great keto / low carb recipe that you can include in your meal plan without going over your daily carb count.
Baked Pumpkin Custard Recipe
But first…..a big question that many people have when it comes to pumpkin….
Is Pumpkin Keto?
While pumpkin is often found is sugary sweets the pureed, unsweetened version contains fewer carbs than other starchy squashes.
Pumpkin is considered a winter squash. The USDA states that canned pumpkin can be made from pumpkin or squashes. The term pumpkin can apply to two varieties of winter squash – C pepo and C maxima.
In these two varieties are Connecticut field pumpkins, Dickinson pumpkins, and Kentucky field pumpkins, as well as Boston marrow squash, Hubbard squash and Golden Delicious squash. These varieties are less stringy and are often blended together to make the canned pumpkin found on store shelves. These types of winter squash are lower in carbs than other squashes.
Pumpkins are rich in nutrients. It contains Beta-carotene. This is a powerful antioxidant that gives pumpkins their orange color.
Beta-carotene is turned into Vitamin A in the body. Eating foods rich in beta-carotene may reduce the risk of developing certain types of cancer and offer protection against heart disease.
1 cup of pumpkin puree contains 245% of your recommended allowance of vitamin A. Being rich in vitamin A and containing fewer carbs than other types of squashes pumpkin can be eaten on a low carb diet.
Ingredients for Baked Pumpkin Custard:
- Eggs – I used large eggs for this recipe
- Almond milk – this is used in place of milk as it’s lower in carbs
- Splenda or Swerve – use your favorite keto/low carb sweetener
- Canned or fresh pumpkin – use 100% pumpkin and not pumpkin pie filling (contains sugar)
- Vanilla extract – this adds a delicious mild vanilla flavor to this dessert custard
- Ground cinnamon and nutmeg – adds a delicious pumpkin pie spice flavor to this custard
- Pinch of salt – a little salty to balance the sweet
Directions to make Baked Pumpkin Custard:
Preheat oven to 350 F.
Place 6 custard cups or ramekins in a large pan and set aside.
In a large bowl whisk together all the ingredients.
Divide evenly among the custard cups.
Pour enough hot water into the bottom of the large pan so the water level is about half way up the side of the custard cups.
Bake for 25 to 35 minutes or until the custard is set in the center and when a knife is inserted it comes out clean.
Remove the custard cups carefully from the water bath and set aside to cool. Serve chilled.
What is a water bath?
A water bath is when you place a smaller pan in a larger pan that has been filled with water.
The water helps to protect the food cooking in the smaller pan. It keeps the cooking temperature consistent which keeps more delicate foods, like baked egg custards and cheesecakes, from burning, becoming dried or splitting.
Without the water bath the eggs will quickly over cook at the edges and create a tough mess rather than the smooth custard texture you are looking for.
How long do I bake the egg custard?
The length of time you bake the custard may vary slightly based on the size and shape of the dishes or ramekins you use. The custard should be set around the edges but it will be slightly jiggly in the center.
When you insert a knife into the center of the custard it should come out clean.
You can also use a thermometer to test the temperature of the custard. When checked in the center it should read at about 170-175 degrees F.
How many carbs in pumpkin?
To calculate the number of net carbs in pumpkin, we subtract the number of grams of fiber from the grams of total carbs.
For example, 1 cup of raw pumpkin has 8 grams of carbohydrates per cup, and it also has 1 gram of fiber. Subtracting 1 gram of fiber from 8 grams of total carbs yields 7 grams of net carbs.
Check out this post to learn more about reading nutrition labels and how to determine if the item you are looking at is keto. It only takes a few quick steps to find out how many net carbs per serving. Knowing how to read labels can help you avoid unwanted carbs.
While I no longer eat pumpkin pie I do eat this pumpkin custard. When I first began baking custard I had to make a few changes to all of the recipes I found. Most used milk or some type of cream and sugar. Too keep the carbs down I replaced the milk/cream with almond milk and the sugar with Splenda for Baking.
You could easily replace the almond milk with your favorite type of low carb milk replacement such as almond/coconut milk or even coconut milk and the Splenda with your favorite type of keto/low carb sugar replacement. The addition of pumpkin firms the custard up and gives it a texture that reminds me of pumpkin pie.
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Keto Pumpkin Custard (Baked, Sugar free)
Equipment
- Mixing bow
- Whisk
- 6 ramekins or small baking dishes
Ingredients
- 4 Eggs large
- 2 1/2 cups Unsweetened Almond Milk
- 1/3 cup Swerve or Splenda
- 1 cup Pumkin Puree canned or fresh
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon Ground cinnamon
- 1/8 teaspoon Ground Nutmeg
- pinch Salt
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 F.
- Place 6 custard cups or ramekins in a large pan and set aside.
- In a large bowl whisk together all the ingredients.
- Divide evenly among the custard cups.
- Pour enough hot water into the bottom of the large pan so the water level is about half way up the side of the custard cups.
- Bake for 25 to 35 minutes or until the custard is set in the center and when a knife is inserted it comes out clean.
- Remove the custard cups carefully from the water bath and set aside to cool.
- Serve chilled.
Notes
- See the information below for net carb counts depending upon which sweetener you use. The recipe card doesn’t include sugar alcohols so the carb count isn’t correct.
- Use canned pumpkin (nutrition label says pumpkin only with no added sugars or other ingredients). Homemade pumpkin puree can also be used.
- Almond milk can be replaced with regular milk or a combination of milk, cream or evaporated milk. This will change the number of carbs due to the lactose (milk sugar) present in those types of milks.
Nutrition
Nutritional Information:
If using Splenda for Baking
- Calories: 90
- Fat: 4.5 grams
- Carbohydrates: 5.9 grams
- Fiber 0.5 grams
- Net Carbs: 5.4 grams
- Protein: 5.1 grams
If using Splenda packets (yellow packets):
- Calories: 90
- Fat: 4.5 grams
- Carbohydrates: 4.6 grams
- Fiber 0.5 grams
- Net Carbs: 4.1 grams
- Protein: 5.1 grams
If using Swerve or other erythritol based sweetener:
- Calories: 90
- Fat: 4.5 grams
- Carbohydrates: 15.2 grams
- Fiber 0.5 grams
- Sugar Alcohols: 10.6
- Net Carbs: 4.1 grams
- Protein: 5.1 grams
If you enjoy this baked egg custard recipe then you may also enjoy these recipes:
Baked vanilla egg custard recipe
Baked chocolate egg custard recipe
Check out these 6 egg custard recipes that you are sure to love!
Looking for other keto or low carb recipes? Try one of these:
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Love the simplicity of custard! I have never tried baking with splenda. I think I need to try it out! I will keep you in mind if I have any questions
@KatySkrzy
Love custards and don’t make them nearly enough – look forward to trying your recipe out!
Looks like a great recipe! I just love pumpkin! I also love using splenda baking blend as well in many products. You never know the difference in my opinion!
Hi Jess, I love using Splenda for baking. Being able to use it cup for cup when replacing sugar in recipes is a big help. I don’t like to play around with multiple sugar replacements to sweeten recipes. So far, it’s my favorite sugar substitute.
My aunt who has diabetes will love this! Thanks for sharing!
Happy to share low carb recipes. Though I would eat this even if I didn’t have to watch my carbs.
Love Love Love custards. Great idea and wonderful to provide recipes that are WLS friendly.
Thanks for stopping by Mary! I often see recipes listed as WLS friendly when they often are not. But, having recently passed the 8 year post op mark for my own WLS, I can say that any recipe posted as been well tested.