Keto Sage and Pumpkin Biscuits
Published September 14, 2019 • Updated March 3, 2026
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Sage and pumpkin keto biscuits with a buttery, flaky crumb that I serve alongside soups and stews all fall and winter.
I developed these keto pumpkin biscuits because I wanted a savory fall bread that actually tasted like fall, not like a science experiment. Pumpkin puree and dried sage do the heavy lifting here, and the almond flour and coconut flour base keeps the carbs low without making the texture gummy or dense.
The frozen butter is the whole trick. I grate it straight from the freezer into the dry ingredients, and those tiny shreds stay discrete in the dough. When they hit the oven, they melt and create steam pockets that give you flakiness. I’ve tried cold fridge butter too. It smears across the grater instead of shredding cleanly, and you end up with bigger chunks that blend into the flour. Still bakes fine, just noticeably less flaky. If I forget to freeze it, I do about 15 minutes in the freezer right before grating.
If you like bread sides, I also have my easy flaky keto biscuits (no pumpkin, just buttery and simple), keto sausage cheddar biscuits for something heartier, and keto dinner rolls when I need something softer.
One thing I need to address: drop biscuits vs. rolled and cut. The written directions describe drop-style (pinching off 1-inch pieces), but my video shows me rolling the dough out and cutting rounds. I’ve made these both ways, and here’s the honest difference. Drop biscuits are faster, but the taller, denser shape means the edges brown at 425 before the center cooks through. Multiple readers ran into this same problem. Rolling the dough to about 3/4-inch thickness and cutting rounds gives you a flatter shape that bakes evenly all the way through at 425 in 15 minutes. If you prefer the drop method (fewer dishes, I get it), lower your oven to 375-400 and give them 18-20 minutes instead.
I serve these alongside keto sweet potato casserole at Thanksgiving, next to loaded mashed cauliflower on weeknights, and sometimes just split open with butter after a bowl of soup. They pair well with keto chaffle stuffing for a full holiday spread, and I’ve been known to warm one up next to a slice of keto cornbread when I can’t pick between the two.
The sage flavor is subtle, not overpowering. You taste pumpkin first, then a warm herby note underneath. My family actually requests these once the weather turns cool. Not because they’re keto (they don’t care about that), but because to them it just tastes like fall on a plate.
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Ingredients
1 1/4 cups almond flour -
1/4 cup coconut flour
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2 teaspoons baking powder
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1/2 teaspoon baking soda
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1/2 teaspoon salt
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1 teaspoon sage
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1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
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2 tablespoons frozen butter, grated
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3/4 cup pumpkin puree
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1/2 cup keto plain yogurt or sour cream
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2 tablespoons butter, melted
Step by Step Instructions
Step by Step Instructions
Mix dry ingredients
Preheat oven to 425 degrees. In a medium bowl, combine all the dry ingredients together.
Pumpkin mixture
In a separate small bowl, combine the pumpkin puree and yogurt (or sour cream if using). Set aside.
Grate the butter
Mix the frozen grated butter into the dry mixture. Stir until combined.
Turn it into a pumpkin
Add the pumpkin mixture and stir until combined.
Bake
Pinch off a piece of dough, about 1 inch in diameter, and drop onto a parchment lined baking tray. Space each drop biscuit about 1-2 inches apart. Brush with melted butter. Bake at 425 degrees for 15 minutes. Once done cooking, remove from oven and let sit for 2 minutes before transferring to a wire rack.
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.
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Get My Macros + Recipes →Frequently Asked Questions
Does the butter really need to be frozen, or can I use cold butter from the fridge?
I've tested both. Frozen butter grates into tiny, clean shreds that stay separate in the dough. When those little pieces hit the oven, they melt and create steam pockets, which is where the flakiness comes from. Cold fridge butter tends to smear across the grater instead of shredding, so you get bigger chunks that blend into the flour. The biscuits still bake and taste good, but they're noticeably less flaky. My workaround when I forget to freeze it: 15 minutes in the freezer right before grating.
Drop biscuits vs. rolled and cut — which method works better?
I've made these both ways, and I prefer rolled and cut for more even baking. When I pinch off 1-inch drop biscuits, they end up taller and denser in the center, so the edges brown at 425 before the middle cooks through. Rolling the dough to about 3/4-inch thickness and cutting rounds gives you a flatter shape that bakes evenly in 15 minutes. If you want the drop method for speed, I'd lower the oven to 375-400 and bake for 18-20 minutes instead.
My biscuits are browning on the edges but the middle is still doughy. What temperature should I use?
I've seen this with drop-style biscuits at 425. The taller shape means heat hits the outside long before it reaches the center. Two fixes I've confirmed work: roll and cut to 3/4-inch thickness so they bake evenly at 425 in 15 minutes (my preference), or keep the drop shape and lower your oven to 350-400 for 18-20 minutes. One of my readers had success at 350 for 20 minutes, another at 400. I'd start at 375 and adjust from there based on your oven.
Can I swap the sage for rosemary or thyme?
I've only published the sage version, but one of my readers added rosemary along with a quarter cup of grated Parmesan and said the flavor was fantastic. Rosemary is stronger than sage, so I'd start with half a teaspoon and taste the dough before adding more. Thyme would be more subtle. I'd use the same amount as the sage. All three herbs work with pumpkin, so go with whatever you like.
Can I use sour cream instead of keto yogurt?
I've used both interchangeably in this recipe. Sour cream gives a slightly tangier flavor and a touch more richness. Keto plain yogurt is a little lighter. The texture difference in the finished biscuit is minimal. I reach for whichever one is already open in my fridge.
How do I store leftover biscuits and how long do they keep?
I keep mine in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. They reheat well in a 300-degree oven for about 5 minutes (microwave makes them a bit rubbery in my experience). For freezing, I wrap each one individually in plastic wrap and put them in a freezer bag. They hold up for about a month. I thaw in the fridge overnight and warm in the oven before serving.
Can I add cheese to these biscuits?
One of my readers folded in a quarter cup of grated Parmesan and said it made them more savory and richer. I'd stick with a hard cheese like Parmesan or aged cheddar (about 1/4 to 1/2 cup) since softer cheeses add moisture that can throw off the texture. If you want a cheesier keto bread, my keto Parmesan bread puffs are built around cheese from the start.
Are these biscuits sweet or savory?
Savory. The pumpkin puree adds a mild earthiness, not sweetness, and the sage pushes the flavor firmly into savory territory. I serve these the same way I'd serve any dinner roll: next to soup, stew, or a roast. If you're looking for a sweet low carb pumpkin bake, these aren't it, but the savory angle is what makes them work as a real side dish.
These pumpkin biscuits are the perfect side for a warm bowl of soup or creamy fettuccine alfredo during fall and winter. Drop biscuits come together fast and they’re a great way to use up that extra canned pumpkin sitting in your pantry.
I add sage and nutmeg to complement the pumpkin. Before baking, I brush melted butter on top for extra richness. Parmesan works great too if you want a savory kick.
I use canned 100% pumpkin from the grocery store. Look for it in the vegetable or baking aisle. Double-check that the label says “100% pumpkin puree” and not “pumpkin pie filling,” which is already sweetened.
Pumpkin has more carbs than most vegetables, but a little goes a long way in keto baking. This recipe uses just 1/2 cup split across 12 biscuits, so the carb hit per serving stays low.
These savory biscuits pair well with lots of dishes. Here are some favorites:
Tried a few keto biscuit recipes and they always came out dry or just... weirdly dense. These are actually soft in the middle, which I didn't expect, and the sage makes them taste like a real biscuit, not a compromise. Sticking with these.
The pumpkin is what fixes the density problem. Most keto biscuit recipes skip it and that's why you get that weirdly dense thing you're describing.
Made these to go with chicken soup last weekend and my son, who has strong opinions about biscuits, ate three before I mentioned they were keto. When I told him, he just shrugged and asked if we had more pumpkin. That shrug said it all. The sage comes through in this warm, savory way that makes them feel like actual biscuits, not a substitute.
That shrug from a kid with strong biscuit opinions is a five-star review. The pumpkin question is the right follow-up.
Made these with chicken stew last week. My mom, who has zero reason to eat keto, asked if they came from a mix. The frozen butter trick gives them this flaky, almost layered texture I've never managed with almond flour biscuits before.
The mom test is the one that counts. And yeah, that layered texture with almond flour is almost entirely the frozen grate - those little shreds melt into pockets instead of blending into the dough.
Brought these to a Sunday dinner at my sister's place last weekend, mostly because I had pumpkin puree to use up and needed something to go with the soup. The grated frozen butter trick is what I keep thinking about. I've been baking for years and I don't know why I haven't done that with drop biscuits. So much flakier than anything I've made. My sister's neighbor, who's not keto and pretty opinionated about food, took two and asked if I used a mix because she wanted to buy it. When I told her almond flour and coconut flour she didn't believe me. Four stars only because by the time we sat down they'd lost some of that outer crispiness, but that's on my timing, not the recipe.
That neighbor. Non-keto and opinionated and still took two. The crispiness drops off fast, 10 minutes maybe, so I time them to come out right as everyone sits down.
These are tender in a way I didn't expect from a keto biscuit, which made me happy. The sage is subtle though, and I think I'll double it next time. I like a biscuit that smells like sage from across the room, and these were a bit quiet on that front. Still, paired with a bowl of soup on a rainy Sunday, they did exactly what I needed them to do.
Double it. 1 teaspoon keeps it background for people who aren't sage fans, but 2 is where it actually smells like something. Soup weather is exactly right for these.
Never made biscuits before (keto or otherwise) and these stopped me cold. Sage comes through just enough, and the frozen butter grating trick is a revelation. Making a double batch next weekend.
First biscuits ever and you went straight for the frozen butter grate. Double batch is the right call, they don't last long.
Didn't have frozen butter so I used melted instead and expected them to come out flat. They didn't. A little denser than I imagine the original is, but the sage and pumpkin flavor is really good. Probably going to get it right next time but these disappeared before I had a chance to feel bad about the substitution.
The frozen butter creates little steam pockets as it melts, which is where the lift comes from. Denser makes total sense without it. But gone before you could feel bad about it? That's a pass.
My mom was hovering near the oven because of how strong the sage smelled while these were baking. She's been skeptical about everything I've made since I went keto, but she grabbed one straight off the pan before I even set them on the table. I was worried the almond flour would make them dense (I'm still pretty new to this), but they came out soft with this light flaky texture I wasn't expecting. Double batch next Sunday.
She grabbed one straight off the pan without waiting. That says more than I could. Almond flour alone goes dense, the pumpkin is what fixes that ratio in this one.
Made these alongside chicken soup Sunday and my son (who claims to hate pumpkin) grabbed a second without saying a word. High praise from him. The sage comes through just enough that it reads more like a herby dinner roll than pumpkin bread, which I think is why it worked on him. Would go heavier on the sage next time.
Second biscuit without a word from a pumpkin skeptic. That's the whole review right there.
My grandmother used to make sage biscuits every time the weather turned cold and I haven't thought about them in years until I opened the oven on these. That sage smell stopped me. The flaky crumb with the little pockets from the grated frozen butter isn't identical to hers, but it was close enough that I teared up a little, which I did not see coming on a random Tuesday night. Found a can of pumpkin in my pantry left over from fall and I'm so glad this is what I used it on.
Sage does that. Something about the smell when it first hits the oven. The frozen butter took me ages to get right, those little pockets are everything.
These are SO good, and the grated frozen butter trick gives them a flakiness I don't usually get with almond flour biscuits. Only note: a full teaspoon of sage gets a little overpowering at room temp (flavors intensify as they cool), so I'll drop to 3/4 next time.
Sage is weird that way. Keeps going after they come out of the oven. 3/4 if you're letting them sit, full teaspoon if you're eating them hot.
Made a double batch Sunday night and these hold up in the fridge better than anything else I've tried. Most keto biscuits I've made go rubbery or fall apart by day two. Wrapped them individually in foil and reheated at 300 for about eight minutes. Flaky crumb still there, not gummy, not dry. What got me was the sage smell coming back when they warmed up, like they'd just come out of the oven. Been pairing them with whatever soup I heat up for lunch and it's become the thing I actually look forward to at noon. The sage does mellow out after day three, so I'm going to bump it up in the next batch. First biscuit thing I've found that actually works as a meal prep staple.
Yeah, sage fades faster than most herbs once it's baked in. Go to 1.5 teaspoons, could push to 2 if you want it to hold through day four. And the foil wrap for reheating is better than what I usually tell people - keeps the crumb from drying out instead of steaming it into mush.
Brought these to a soup night at my friend's place last week and was a little nervous because pumpkin in March felt weird to explain. Nobody cared. Two people asked what herb I used because the sage was so noticeable, and one of them doesn't even eat low carb. Going to make them again for Easter, feels like the right biscuit for a heavier meal.
Easter is the right call for these. The sage question is a good sign, means it landed.
Wasn't sure about pumpkin in a biscuit, but the sage makes it work. More savory than sweet, which I didn't expect. Would do a double batch next time so I actually have leftovers.
The pumpkin gets everyone expecting sweet. Worth doubling - they freeze well if you wrap each one individually. Pull a couple out the night before, reheat at 300 for 5 minutes.
Oh, freezing them individually is a good call. Making a double batch next weekend then.
Do I really need to freeze the butter first, or would cold butter straight from the fridge work? I've never grated butter before and wasn't sure if the frozen part is what makes the texture come out right.
Frozen is way easier to grate. Cold fridge butter works but it tends to smear instead of shredding, so you get bigger chunks instead of those tiny bits that melt into the dough. Still bakes okay, just slightly less flaky. If I forget to freeze it I do about 15 minutes in the freezer right before grating.