Easy Keto Granola Bread

This low carb bread recipe is so versatile! You can bake it in a loaf pan, an 8 x 8“ square pan, a muffin tin or mini bread baking pan. The streusel topping is nutty and crunchy, making this a delicious coffee cake or tea bread. You can make your own low carb granola or use one of the keto granola mixes already available commercially. You might even choose to make it nut free by choosing a nut free granola. Like I said, this recipe is versatile! The addition of flaxseed meal is optional, but it adds a wheat-like color and nutty flavor to the final product. The thing that makes this recipe so easy, is that you start with a boxed keto muffin mix. I highly recommend the King Arthur’s All Purpose Keto Muffin Mix. I have use this mix several times to create muffins and quick breads and it is excellent! Most of the dry ingredients are already included in the mix and measured out for you. Enjoy this as a delicious accompaniment to your coffee in the morning for breakfast or serve it as a dessert. Either way, I think that you will enjoy this quick bread. 

Easy Keto Granola Bread

Makes 12 servings

5 large eggs, room temperature 

1/4 cup neutral oil, such as avocado oil

1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted

1 cup low carb milk of choice (or substitute ½ cup water + ½ cup heavy cream)

½ teaspoon vanilla extract

1/3 cup low carb brown sweetener (such as Swerve Brown)

¾ teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 tablespoon flaxseed meal

½ cup low carb granola (chopped, if needed) see photo of different keto granola brands below

1 box King Arthur’s Keto All-Purpose Muffin Mix

Streusel Topping:

1/4 cup low carb granola (chopped, if needed)

1/4 cup erythritol-based brown or classic sweetener

2 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cubed

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray an 8 inch loaf pan, mini bread loaf pan, 8 x 8” baking pan, or 12 cup muffin tin with nonstick spray; set aside.

2. Using a pastry cutter or two knives, mix together the streusel topping ingredients in a medium bowl until pea-sized crumbles form; set aside.

3. In a separate bowl, whisk together the keto muffin mix, 1/3 cup brown sweetener, flaxseed meal, cinnamon and low carb granola; set aside.

4. In a large bowl and using an electric mixer, or a standing mixer with paddle attachment, mixed together the eggs, oil, melted butter, low carb milk, and vanilla extract. Blend very well.

5. Add the dry ingredients and mix until well combined and no dry pockets remain. Divide the batter evenly between the prepared baking pan or muffin tin that has been greased. Sprinkle the streusel topping on top of each muffin or loaf.

6. Bake at 350° for 32-35 minutes for mini loaves or about 24 minutes for muffins. For a large loaf, bake about 38-48 minutes. For an 8 x 8“ baking pan, bake for about 35 minutes. Bake until the internal temperature reaches between 200-205°F. 

7. Remove from oven and allow the loaves or muffins to cool in the pan for about 15 minutes. Turn out the loaves or muffins onto a wire rack to cool completely before serving.

Nutritional Information per muffin or 1/12th of recipe: 215 calories, 11.8 g total carbohydrates (2 g dietary fiber, 1.5 g sugars, 14 g sugar alcohols), 19 g total fat (8.8 g saturated fat, 0 g trans fat), 97 mg cholesterol, 201 mg sodium, 68.8 mg calcium, 141 mg potassium, 2 mg iron, 100 IU Vit A, 5 g protein. Net carbs per serving: 2.8 grams

Photos and recipe by Kathy Sheehan, copyright 2024

All rights reserved. Please do not duplicate without the author’s permission. 

Low Carb Chocolate Peppermint Ice Cream

I love my low carb, sugar free Peppermint Ice Cream! Peppermint has always been my favorite flavor of ice cream, going back as far as high school, when one of my first jobs was working at an ice cream parlor. My favorite way of eating it is with hot fudge sauce (see my low carb hot fudge sauce, it’s killer!) Knowing this, my husband asked, “Why don’t you make a Chocolate Peppermint Ice Cream?” I stared at him in amazement…Duh! Why haven’t I done this before? Now, THIS may become my new favorite!

Low Carb Chocolate Peppermint Ice Cream

Makes about 8 servings

1 cup whole milk (Fairlife Brand, see note below)*

3½ tablespoons powdered erythritol sweetener 

7 tablespoons allulose sweetener

4 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder

1/4 teaspoon instant coffee granules (optional, but enhances chocolate flavor)

A pinch of salt

1 teaspoon peppermint extract

1/4 teaspoon chocolate extract

2 cups heavy whipping cream

Add-Ins:

2-3 tablespoons sugar free peppermint candy, lightly crushed (I used my own recipe, click here)

1/3 cup sugar free white chocolate baking chips, chopped (I use Lily’s White Chocolate Peppermint Baking Chips)

1. Combine milk, sweeteners, cocoa powder, coffee granules, salt, and extracts in a blender. Process on low until smooth and cocoa powder is fully incorporated. Pour into a container and then whisk in the heavy cream by hand. Cover and refrigerate for at least two hours or until chilled. Whisk the mixture again just before churning.

2. Churn in an ice cream maker, according to manufacturer’s directions. Towards the end of the churning process, spoon in the add-ins. Remove to a container and place in the freezer for at least six hours to firm up.

* I recommend Fairlife whole milk because it is lactose free and has half the carbs of regular milk. If using regular whole milk, add 1½ carbs per serving.

Nutritional Information per ½ cup: 231 calories, 7.5 g carbohydrates (1.3 g dietary fiber, 1 g sugars, 5.5 g sugar alcohols), 25.5 g total fat (15 g saturated fat, 0 g trans fat), 83 mg cholesterol, 35 mg sodium, 56.1 g calcium, 53 mg potassium, 1 mg iron, 255 IU Vit A, 9 mg caffeine, 2.2 g protein. Net carbs per serving: 3.45 grams

Photos and Recipe by Kathy Sheehan, copyright 2024

All rights reserved. Please do not duplicate without the author’s permission. 

Keto Dutch Speculaas Spice Cookies

These delightfully spiced cookies are a traditional favorite in the Netherlands, a recipe that originates from the 17th century! If you’ve ever flown on an airplane, you might have been offered Speculaas cookies as a snack. Although not as crispy as the original, this low-carb version has the same delicious buttery, spice flavors! The advantage of starting with a boxed keto cake mix is that it includes ingredients that you might normally not have in your pantry, such as a psyllium fiber blend or fructan fiber. These ingredients provide structure, improves texture and increases the nutritional benefit without the hassle or expense of going out and buying each individual ingredient. Enjoy these cookies with a cup of tea or coffee on a cold winter’s day or they make a wonderful gift to share with your friends and family committed to living a healthier lifestyle! 

Keto Dutch Speculaas Spice Cookies

Makes 24 cookies

Cookies:

1 package (255g) King Arthur’s Yellow Keto Cake Mix

6 tablespoons erythritol-based brown sweetener (such as Swerve Brown)

5 teaspoons Speculaas spice mix

16 tablespoons unsalted butter (2 sticks)

1/4 cup water

1 large egg, beaten

1 tablespoon low carb milk of choice or water

Add-ins and Garnish:

2/3 cup sliced almonds (or pecans for lower oxalate), chopped

Whole sliced almonds for garnish, optional

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease, or line with parchment paper, two large baking sheets.

2. Put the butter and water into a small saucepan or measuring cup. Warm over medium heat on the stove or in the microwave until the butter melts. Remove from the heat and allow to cool a bit.

3. Using a stand mixer fitted with the flat beater, combine the cake mix, erythritol-based brown sweetener, Speculaas spice and melted butter, and beat gently until the dough forms into large clumps.

4. Add the egg and milk (or water) and mix briefly to combine. Scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl and beat at medium speed until the dough is smooth. Cover the bowl and allow the dough to rest at room temperature for about 15 minutes. This will allow the coconut flour and fiber blends in the mix to absorb any excess liquid. 

5. Mix briefly, then fold in the chopped nuts. Scoop large, heaping tablespoonfuls of dough onto the prepared baking sheets, leaving about 2” between them. (I like using a large cookie scoop for this.) With the bottom of a greased measuring cup or spatula, flatten each mound of dough until about 1/4” thick. If you’d like a fluted edge to your cookies, then use a fluted biscuit or cookie cutter and press into the flatten disc of dough and remove any excess dough from around the edge of the cutter and return it to the mixing bowl to be reused. These cookies will not puff up or spread while baking. If desired, you may garnish each cookie in the center with whole sliced almonds laid out in a flower or star pattern.

6. Bake the cookies until the edges are browned and the centers are set, but still soft, 13 to 15 minutes. Remove them from the oven and allow the cookies to cool completely on the baking sheets. Note: These cookies are very soft when warm. They will firm up as they cool, although they will not be super crisp.

7. Store the cooled cookies, well wrapped or in a sealed container, at room temperature for several days. They freeze well for longer storage.

Nutritional Information per cookie: 131 calories, 5.7 g carbohydrate (4.4 g dietary fiber, 0.8 g sugars, 1.7 g sugar alcohols), 13.1 g total fat (7.1 g saturated fat, 0 g trans fat), 28 mg cholesterol, 94 mg sodium, 28.4 mg calcium, 56 mg potassium, 1 mg iron, 75 IU Vit A, 1.3 g protein. Net carbs per serving: 2.3 grams

Photos and recipe by Kathy Sheehan, copyright 2024

All rights reserved. Please do not duplicate without the author’s permission. 

Keto Chocolate Fudge Sauce

Although there are some sugar free chocolate sauces commercially available, I really haven’t found one that tastes good. But because it’s so easy and quick to make with only a few ingredients, I don’t mind making my own. This recipe is absolutely delicious! It’s got a deep chocolate fudge flavor that pairs perfectly with low carb ice cream. I deliberately made it lighter than ganache so that it stays fluid and pourable for longer as it cools, that way it won’t melt my ice cream into a puddle, like most hot fudge sauces can. You can use any sugar free chocolate chips, but I highly recommend Guittard’s Keto Dark Chocolate Baking Chips. They are my new favorite keto baking chips! They do not contain any sugar alcohols and have only 1 net carb per serving of 23 chips!

Keto Chocolate Fudge Sauce

Yields about 1 cup (8 servings)

½ cup low carb milk of choice (or substitute 1/4 cup heavy cream + 1/4 cup water)

1 tablespoon unsalted butter

8-10 drops monkfruit extract or liquid stevia

4 ounces sugar free milk or dark chocolate chips (you can substitute any flavor of sugar free baking chips)

1. Place the sugar-free chocolate chips in a bowl; set aside.

2. In a saucepan, bring the milk to a low simmer. Pour the very hot milk over the chocolate. Add the butter and monkfruit extract. (Alternatively, you can heat milk and butter in the microwave until very hot and steaming, then pour over the chocolate chips and add the monk fruit extract or stevia.)

3. Allow the chips to sit in the hot milk undisturbed for about one minute, then whisk until chocolate is completely melted, becomes blended into the milk, and the sauce is smooth. Enjoy!

4. Cover and store any leftovers in the refrigerator. The fudge sauce will thicken as it cools. It can be reheated in a microwave oven for about 15 to 30 seconds to make it pourable again.

Nutritional Information per 2 tablespoons (made with Guittard Keto Dark Chocolate Baking Chips): 113 calories, 5.6 g carbohydrates (4.7 g dietary fiber, 1.9 g sugars), 11 g total fat (6.4 g saturated fat, 0 g trans fat), 14 mg cholesterol, 3 mg sodium, 13.6 mg calcium, 70 mg potassium, 2 mg iron, 43 IU Vit A, 1 g protein. Net carbs per serving: 0.9 grams

Nutritional Information per 2 tablespoons (made with Lily’s Sugar Free Dark Chocolate Chips): 85 calories, 8.4 g carbohydrates (3.8 g dietary fiber, 0 g sugars, 2.8 g sugar alcohols), 8.7 g total fat (2.7 g saturated fat, 0 g trans fat), 14 mg cholesterol, 3 mg sodium, 0.4 mg calcium, 0 mg potassium, 0 mg iron, 43 IU Vit A, 1 g protein. Net carbs per serving: 1.8 grams

Recipe and photos by Kathy Sheehan, copyright 2024

All rights reserved. Please do not duplicate without the author’s permission.