Healthy Pumpkin Cookies
Published October 21, 2025 • Updated March 10, 2026
This post may contain affiliate links. See my disclosure policy.
I make these healthy pumpkin cookies soft, chewy, and loaded with over 16g of protein per cookie. Topped with a tangy cream cheese frosting, they're my sugar-free Crumbl copycat with only 4g net carbs.
These aren’t your typical pumpkin cookies. They’re high in protein, completely sugar-free, and still soft, chewy, and cozy enough to make you forget they’re good for you. I wanted a healthy fall cookie that tastes indulgent (like something you’d grab from Crumbl) but without the sugar crash. These are the kind I bake every fall and keep in the fridge all week.
What makes these different
- The texture. Most recipes like this rely on oats, nut butter, or maple syrup for chew. Mine use Greek yogurt and protein powder for softness and structure without the carbs. If you’ve made my almond flour cookies, you know I’m particular about that balance between chewy center and slightly set edges.
- The macros. Because I skipped the oats and nut butters, you get a cookie that’s genuinely low in carbs without extra fat or sugar to compensate. Unlike most low-carb cookies that turn out dry or crumbly, these hold together with real chew in the center. Each one has over 16 grams of protein and only 4 net carbs.
- The frosting. I make a cream cheese frosting with Greek yogurt and a scoop of whey instead of powdered sugar or butter. It’s light, fluffy, and tangy. I ate this frosting by the spoonful more than once while testing. If you like cream cheese frosting, try it on my keto pumpkin whoopie pies too.
The base uses almond flour and oat fiber instead of traditional flour, which keeps them tender without a gritty texture. If you’re new to keto baking, my keto chocolate chip cookies are another great starter recipe with a similar base.
One thing I’ve learned from making these over and over: I actually prefer them straight from the fridge. The cream cheese frosting firms up and takes on this dense, almost cheesecake-like texture that I can’t get enough of. One of my readers, Maria, described it as a “cheesecake vibe,” and she nailed it.
If you’re into pumpkin season baking, these pair well with my keto pumpkin chocolate chip cookies or keto pumpkin cheesecake lasagna. And if you want more sugar-free desserts that don’t taste like diet food, my keto pumpkin cheesecake and keto no bake cookies are two I come back to constantly.
If you’re craving that classic Crumbl cookie vibe but want something that fits your macros, this is it. No sugar, no flour. Just a batch of cozy, fall cookies that feel indulgent and intentional.
How I make these cookies
The whole batch takes about 30 minutes: mix the dough, scoop, bake, and frost. The dough is forgiving and scoops cleanly, so I find it’s great for making with kids or prepping ahead for the week.
Explore 687+ keto recipe videos with step-by-step instructions, tips, and tricks to make keto easy.
Pumpkin Protein Cookies Ingredients
1/3 cup plain Greek yogurt -
1/2 cup pumpkin puree
-
1/4 cup sugar-free sweetener
-
1 large egg
-
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
-
1 cup almond flour
-
1 tablespoon oat fiber
-
1 scoop (29g) whey protein powder
-
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
-
pinch of salt
-
1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
Cream Cheese Frosting Ingredients
-
4 oz cream cheese, softened to room temperature
-
1/4 cup plain Greek yogurt
-
1 scoop (29g) whey protein powder
-
2 tablespoons sugar-free sweetener
Step by Step Instructions
Step by Step Instructions
Preheat oven
Preheat oven to 350°F.
Mix wet ingredients
In a large bowl, add yogurt, pumpkin puree, sweetener, egg and vanilla extract. Mix together until smooth.
- 1/3 cup plain Greek yogurt
- 1/2 cup pumpkin puree
- 1/4 cup sugar-free sweetener
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Stir in dry ingredients
Then add almond flour, oat fiber, protein powder, baking powder, salt and pumpkin pie spice. Mix until combined.
- 1 cup almond flour
- 1 tablespoon oat fiber
- 1 scoop (29 g) unflavored whey protein powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- pinch of salt
- 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
Scoop & bake
Using a large cookie scoop (one that holds 2 tablespoons), scoop cookie dough onto a parchment lined baking tray. Bake the cookies for 15-18 minutes or until they are set on top. Remove from the oven and let cool.
Cream cheese frosting
Make the frosting while the cookies are cooling. In a small bowl, combine cream cheese, yogurt, protein powder and sweetener until light and fluffy. Spread the frosting on top of the cooled cookies and dust on more pumpkin pie spice.
- 4 oz cream cheese, softened to room temperature
- 1/4 cup plain Greek yogurt
- 1 scoop (29 g) unflavored whey protein powder
- 2 tablespoons sugar-free sweetener
- pumpkin pie spice (for dusting)
Nutrition disclaimer
The nutrition information provided is an estimate and is for informational purposes only. I am a Doctor of Pharmacy (Pharm.D.); however, this content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always consult your physician or other qualified health provider before making any lifestyle changes or beginning a new nutrition program.
Your Macros. Your Recipes. Calculated in 60 Seconds.
Get personalized keto macros and instantly see which recipes fit your targets. No more guessing what to eat.
Get My Macros + Recipes →Frequently Asked Questions
Why did my cookies spread flat instead of staying thick?
I've had this happen when the dough is too warm or the protein powder absorbs less liquid than expected. Two fixes that work for me: chill the dough in the fridge for 15-20 minutes before scooping, and if it still feels loose, add a tablespoon of almond flour until it holds shape on the scoop. I always scoop onto a cold baking sheet too, not one that's been sitting near the oven.
Can I use vanilla protein powder instead of unflavored?
I've tested both and vanilla works fine. The dough already has a teaspoon of vanilla in it, so you're just leaning into that flavor. If it's sweetened vanilla powder, back off a tiny bit on the sweetener in the dough (drop it by about a tablespoon).
What can I use instead of oat fiber?
I've tested coconut flour as a swap, and it works, but use about half the amount since it absorbs way more liquid. You can also try psyllium husk powder (about 1 teaspoon) for a similar binding effect. My preference is still oat fiber because the texture is closest to what I get with the original recipe, but coconut flour is my go-to backup.
Can I make these dairy-free?
I haven't tested a fully dairy-free version myself, but the swaps are straightforward. Use a thick coconut or almond yogurt in the dough and a dairy-free cream cheese for the frosting. The biggest thing to watch is moisture. Dairy-free yogurts tend to be thinner, so I'd add an extra tablespoon of almond flour if the dough feels too loose.
Are these actually keto?
I eat two of these in a sitting sometimes and it barely moves my daily carb count, so yes. Each cookie has 4.2g net carbs, which fits comfortably within a keto range of 20-30g net carbs per day. The carbs come from almond flour and pumpkin puree, both whole food sources. They work just as well for anyone eating low-carb, not just strict keto.
Can I freeze these?
I freeze these all the time. My method: freeze them unfrosted in a single layer on a sheet pan, then transfer to a freezer bag once solid. They keep for up to 2 months. When I'm ready to eat them, I thaw in the fridge overnight and add the frosting fresh. The frosting doesn't freeze well (it gets grainy), so I always frost after thawing.
How do these compare to a Crumbl cookie?
I designed this recipe specifically to hit that Crumbl chew, but with completely different macros. A typical Crumbl cookie runs 500+ calories, 60g+ carbs, and 40g+ sugar. Mine come in at 262 calories, 4.2g net carbs, and zero sugar. Greek yogurt and protein powder do the work that butter and sugar usually handle, so the texture is closer than you'd expect.
Can I double the frosting?
I make 1.5x frosting most of the time now. The base recipe technically covers 6 cookies, but I like a thick layer, and one of my readers, Nicole, mentioned the same thing. If you want a generous Crumbl-style frosting cap, go 1.5x. I wouldn't go full double unless you're frosting 8+ cookies or want extra to snack on (no judgment, I do it).
First time making anything keto-adjacent and I picked these because the macros seemed almost too good to be real (16g protein in a cookie). The dough came together faster than I expected with my KitchenAid, almost more like a thick batter than what I'd normally scoop into balls. Then the cream cheese frosting, that tangy hit against the pumpkin stopped me mid-bite and I spent the next ten minutes "testing" while the rest of the batch cooled on the rack. Making a second batch this weekend, trying to actually let them set first.
I've made probably six different keto pumpkin cookie recipes over the last two falls and most of them either taste like a muffin top or dry out by day two. This one actually holds its texture and I still can't figure out exactly why. My guess is the Greek yogurt, because protein-heavy cookies usually collapse into that dense, gummy center and these don't. The cream cheese frosting is THICK and stays where you put it, which matters more than I realized until I've had versions where it just slides right off. The 16g protein per cookie is what made me click on this in the first place, but the texture is what's making me plan a double batch this weekend. Four stars because I personally want the sweetness pushed a little higher, but that's probably a me thing and I'd rather adjust the frosting than lose the cookie.
Swapped in vanilla protein instead of unflavored and the cream cheese frosting went from great to really something. That warmth pulls it all together. Also: refrigerate the scooped dough 10 minutes before baking and it holds its shape instead of spreading flat.
The vanilla pull on the frosting is real. I kept the recipe as unflavored because it works either way, but your way sounds better.
Brought these to a spring potluck last weekend and someone asked if I'd ordered them from somewhere because of the cream cheese frosting. Hard to explain that each one has 16g of protein without sounding like I'm showing off. Wish I'd made a double batch.
The frosting is what does it. People don't expect a cookie at a potluck to look that finished. Double batch next time, and go 1.5x on the frosting if you want the thick cap.
Been keto since November, cookies were the one thing I kept missing. Made these Sunday with the cream cheese frosting and they did what I needed. Didn't expect 16g of protein in a dessert. That part got me.
The protein caught me too when I first worked it out. Greek yogurt plus a full scoop of whey. Glad it hit.
Made a batch last weekend. Pretty good overall, but mine spread totally flat instead of staying thick like the photos. Used the large scoop, baked at 350. Is that usually a protein powder brand thing or should I chill the dough first?
Both, actually. Chilling the dough for 15-20 minutes before scooping usually fixes it. And yeah, protein powder brand matters a lot here, some absorb way less liquid and the dough just spreads. If chilling alone doesn't hold them, try adding an extra teaspoon of oat fiber next batch.
I've made every version of keto pumpkin cookies at this point and most of them end up cakey in a way that reads more like muffin tops than cookies. This one is actually different. The protein powder and Greek yogurt combination does something to the texture that the almond-flour-only recipes can't touch, it holds together with this soft chew that stays that way even after a day in the fridge. The cream cheese frosting is what sold me completely, tangy enough to cut through the sweetness without being overpowering. I was honestly skeptical it would come close to a Crumbl cookie but the size and the frosting ratio are spot on. 16g of protein per cookie is the part that keeps pulling me back to this recipe over every other version I've tried. I'm already making a second batch this weekend.
The cakey texture was the whole thing I was trying to solve. Took four batches before that protein powder and yogurt ratio clicked. Second batch already planned is exactly what I wanted to hear.
My daughter grabbed one before I finished frosting the batch and said they smelled like fall (her words, in March). The frosting just barely covers 6 cookies, so I'd make 1.5x next time, but the pumpkin spice is strong enough you don't need it.
Ha, 'smells like fall' in March is a win. And yeah, I always make extra frosting. 1.5x covers 6 cookies cleanly.
First time actually trying keto baking, and I grabbed this one on a whim during a snow day. The dough came together so fast (the Greek yogurt helps, I think?), and the cookies came out soft and almost pillowy, not the dense texture I was bracing myself for with almond flour. That cream cheese frosting on top was really the thing that got me. Quick question: do you think vanilla protein powder would work here? I can't find unflavored near me.
Vanilla works fine. The dough already has a teaspoon of vanilla in it, so you're just leaning into that. If it's sweetened vanilla powder, back off a tiny bit on the sweetener in the dough.
Can I freeze these? Want to meal prep a batch but not sure if the cream cheese frosting holds up after thawing.
Yes, I freeze these all the time. I actually freeze them unfrosted and add the cream cheese frosting after thawing. Holds up better that way.
My kids inhaled these. They had no clue there was protein powder in them.
Ha, same here. I've learned not to mention the protein powder until after they've eaten them.
The cream cheese frosting is the real star here. It firms up in the fridge and gets this dense cheesecake vibe.
Yeah the cold frosting is the best part. I actually prefer them straight from the fridge for that reason.
Used casein protein instead of whey in the frosting. Came out thicker, almost like a buttercream. Liked it better.
Oh that's smart. Casein sets up firmer, makes sense it'd get that buttercream texture. Might actually hold up better in the fridge too.