Flaky, buttery keto pumpkin biscuits with sage in every bite — just 2.8g net carbs each. These are the biscuits 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.
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.
Sage and a little nutmeg complement the pumpkin, and I brush melted butter on top before baking for extra richness.
Which Canned Pumpkin to Buy
I use canned 100% pumpkin from the grocery store. Look for it in the vegetable or baking aisle, and check that the label says “100% pumpkin puree” and not “pumpkin pie filling,” which is already sweetened. This recipe uses 3/4 cup, and each biscuit comes in at 2.8 grams net carbs.
What to Serve with These Biscuits
These savory biscuits pair well with lots of dishes. Here are a few I serve them with:
Preheat oven to 425 degrees. In a medium bowl, combine all the dry ingredients together.
2
Pumpkin mixture
In a separate small bowl, combine the pumpkin puree and yogurt (or sour cream if using). Set aside.
3
Grate the butter
Mix the frozen grated butter into the dry mixture. Stir until combined.
4
Turn it into a pumpkin
Add the pumpkin mixture and stir until combined.
5
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
Per serving: 1 biscuit
Calories
139
Fat
12g
Protein
3.7g
Total carbs
5.5g
Net carbs
2.8g
Nutrition is an estimate calculated from the ingredients listed. Brands vary, so check labels if you track closely.
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.
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.
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.
I pinched off that first piece of dough and realized I hadn’t baked biscuits in three years! I ate two standing at the stove before dinner was even on the table. Thank you for this one!
okay confession, I couldn’t figure out why some of mine were coming out overbaked before the rest were done. took me until batch four to realize they were just different sizes, a cookie scoop fixed it. I’ve also been blotting the pumpkin puree dry before mixing and the dough is so much less sticky, way easier to drop.
I added sharp cheddar on batch four and didn’t go back. Better shape, and the sage actually comes through. Four stars because the bottom never crisps the same as the edges, but that’s my baking sheet, not the recipe. Batch seven this week.
Had written off keto biscuits after a year of tough, crumbly almond flour results. Drop biscuits skip the overworking problem I didn’t know I had, dough barely gets touched before it hits the pan. Should have figured this out sooner.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Thanks for this recipe! Really tasty and just like biscuits made with wheat flour. My kids liked them too (though drizzled in honey). For my second batch I lowered the oven temp to 350F and baked for 20 minutes which resulted in more ‘done’ centers. I might try the same next time but 3/4 of the size. But they are delicious no matter what 🙂
350 for 20 is the drop-biscuit fix, 425 gets the outside done before the center has time. Kids + honey is basically a different recipe but I’m not mad at it. The smaller size should help with the center too.
I left mine as drop biscuits and flattened them a little before baking. They browned at 15 min, but the middle was uncooked. I think if you want drop biscuits lower the temp to 400 and that might solve the problem of them Browning too much before the middle is done. The flavor is amazing! I wanted a more savory biscuit so I added a quarter cup of grated Parmesan cheese. I will definitely be making these again and even think I will swap out the sage for Rosemary at some point. They’re so good!
400 is right for the drop style. Taller biscuits mean the outside catches before the center finishes at 425. Parmesan is a good call. One of my readers tried rosemary and Parmesan together and said it beat the original. Start at half a teaspoon, rosemary hits harder than sage.
I agree with the previous comment that these would cook more evenly if they were rolled out and cut evenly. Mine burnt on the edge and were undercooked in the middle. They have a very good flavor and I will try again but roll out next time.
I thank you very much for all the great keto recipes and information you provide.
Hey Annie! These taste great! I will say though that your written directions say to make in 1-inch drop style which resulted in 25 little biscuit balls that didn’t cook all the way in the middle after 15 minutes. I did not watch the video initially so I did not see that your video directions add an extra step of rolling out the dough and cutting out the biscuits which would have made them bigger in diameter but flatter and likely cook all the way through. Just wanting you to know about the discrepancy. I think the rolling would have worked better.
