Keto Cupcakes
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My keto cupcakes are soft, fluffy, and made with coconut flour for a light, airy texture. If you’ve struggled with dry or dense cupcakes in the past, this recipe will surprise you.
I’ve been developing keto recipes since 2015, and these cupcakes were among the first I felt confident sharing on the website. After over five failed batches, I quickly learned that keto baking behaves very differently from conventional baking. Getting truly fluffy cupcakes came down to using the right flour and the right sweetener.
Thankfully, the sixth trial was the winner. The cupcakes came out light, fluffy, and perfectly sweet- without being dense, dry, or gritty- everything a good cupcake should be.
Table of Contents
Why I love this recipe
- 6 flavors. The base recipe is for keto vanilla cupcakes (my favorite), but I’ve also included several classic flavor variations.
- Easy to make. Whether you’re a beginner or an experienced baker, these cupcakes come together with simple pantry staples.
- Ready in 20 minutes. The cupcakes bake quickly and cool down faster than most traditional ones.
- Perfect for birthdays, parties, and celebrations. Even non-keto eaters won’t believe they’re low carb.
Key Ingredients
Here’s what goes into low carb cupcakes, along with my kitchen notes. Full measurements are in the recipe card below.
- Butter. Unsalted butter that’s softened to room temperature.
- Granulated sweetener. I tested several kinds and preferred allulose and monk fruit, as both dissolved smoothly without leaving a grainy texture. I don’t recommend erythritol or stevia, as they can make the cupcakes grainy and slightly bitter.
- Salt. Just a pinch to amplify the sweetness.
- Vanilla extract. A must for any cupcake recipe- it adds a subtle vanilla flavor.
- Eggs. Room-temperature eggs are best because they mix easily into the batter.
- Milk. I used unsweetened almond milk, but any dairy or dairy-free milk will do.
- Coconut flour. My preferred low-carb flour alternative for these cupcakes, giving them a light, fluffy crumb. I assure you, you won’t be able to taste the coconut.
- Baking powder. Gives the cupcakes some rise. Don’t use baking soda, as it won’t have the same effect.
- Vanilla frosting. I used my keto vanilla buttercream frosting.
Flavor variations
While I’m firmly team vanilla, I’ve included five extra flavors so you can change things up.
- Keto chocolate cupcakes. Add 1/2 cup cocoa powder to the batter and increase the milk by 2-4 tablespoons, or as needed. Top with a chocolate sugar-free frosting.
- Red velvet cupcakes. Add a few drops of red food coloring to the batter, and top with a keto cream cheese frosting.
- Chocolate chip cupcakes. Fold through 1/2-1 cup of sugar-free chocolate chips to the batter. Reserve a handful to top the cupcakes with.
- Lemon cupcakes. Add 1/2 teaspoon of lemon zest and 1 tablespoon of lemon juice to the batter. Add 1 tablespoon lemon juice to the cream cheese frosting.
- Strawberry cupcakes. Fold in ½ cup of fresh or thawed frozen strawberries and top each cupcake with a strawberry slice.
How to make keto cupcakes
Step 1- Prep. Preheat the oven to 180C/350F and line a 12-count muffin tin with cupcake liners.
Step 2- Mix the batter. In a large mixing bowl, beat the butter, sugar, salt, vanilla, and eggs. Once combined, add milk and continue mixing. In a separate bowl, sift the flour and baking powder. Fold the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients and combine.
Step 3- Bake. Pour the batter into 10 muffin liners, filling them roughly ¾ full. Bake the cupcakes for 17-20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Step 4- Cool and frost. Remove the cupcakes from the oven and allow them to cool for 10 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely. Once cooled, frost.
Why are my keto cupcakes dry?
Keto cupcakes usually turn out dry from overbaking or using too much coconut flour. Since coconut flour is highly absorbent, even a small amount of extra flour can affect the texture. The cupcakes are ready once the tops are firm and a toothpick comes out mostly clean.
Arman’s recipe tips
- Don’t substitute the flour. I tested almond flour just in case, but the cupcakes turned out too dense. Coconut flour is key to achieving a light and fluffy texture.
- Avoid overmixing the batter. Mix only until the batter is smooth, with no lumps remaining. Overmixing can make the cupcakes dense instead of soft and cakey.
- For egg-free cupcakes, use flax eggs. Replace each egg with a flax egg made with 1 tablespoon ground flaxseed and 3 tablespoons water.
- Adjust the consistency if needed. Over the years, I’ve noticed that some brands of coconut flour can be more absorbent than others, so you may need a little extra milk. The batter should be thick but pourable.
Storage instructions
Proper storage is key to keeping the cupcakes super moist:
To store: Leftover cupcakes can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to five days. If they are unfrosted, cover them with a paper towel to keep them moist. Store them in the refrigerator for up to one week to keep them fresher for longer.
To freeze: Freeze leftover cupcakes in a freezer bag for up to six months.
Keto Cupcakes
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup butter
- 2/3 cup allulose * See notes
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 6 large eggs
- 2 tablespoons milk ** See notes
- 1/2 cup coconut flour
- 1 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 batch keto vanilla frosting
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 180C/350F. Line a 12-count muffin tin with muffin liners and grease 10 of them.
- In a large mixing bowl, beat the butter, allulose, salt, vanilla extract, and eggs together. Once that has been done, add the milk and mix until combined.
- In a separate bowl, sift the coconut flour and baking powder. Combine the wet and dry ingredients and stir until combined. The batter should be thick but pourable. If it's too thick, add extra milk, one tablespoon at a time.
- Distribute the batter amongst the 10 muffin pans, filling about ¾ full. Bake the cupcakes on the center rack for 17-20 minutes, until a skewer comes out mostly clean from the center.
- Remove the cupcakes from the oven and allow cooling for 10 minutes, before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely. Once cooled, frost.
Great recipe. One star as it’s not metric and everything turns out wrong in UK using cups. Please could you do a metric version of your recipes !
Hi Alison- yes, I’m working through all the recipes to provide metric measurements to them- I’ll have these ones done by end of the week. 🙂
Can I use oat flour instead of coconut flour?
Not for this recipe, Yahu. Coconut flour behaves very differently to other flours, and swapping it out for something else will affect the texture and flavor.
I enjoy many of your recipes Arman. I can’t wait to make these for my birthday!!
Thank you 😉
Dee
Thanks so much for this message Dee! So glad you’re enjoying the recipes. And Happy Birthday too!
Can I use almond flour in place of the coconut flour?
Not for this recipe, KG- but I do have a recipe for almond flour cupcakes that you may like- you can replace the sweetener in it with allulose!
I made this recipe lemon poppyseed…it is very good!!!
Oh I love that you did a lemon poppyseed version- I have a keto lemon pound cake that works really well as cupcakes too if you want something a little different 🙂
They were surprisingly moist
This was actually much easier than I expected. Loving all these keto options, thanks for this!
best keto cupcakes recipe I have ever made!
Are they gluten free?
They are Michelle yep!
I MADE THIS FOR MY HUSBAND’S BIRTHDAY AND DID THEM IN CHOCOLATE AND THEY WERE AMAZING!!!!! NO ONE CAN BELIEVE THEY ARE KETO. ALL THOSE EGGS IN THEM MAKE THEM VERY MOIST. THIS IS A KEEPER TRIED AND TRUE =)
best keto cupcakes ever!
how much salt is needed
1/4 teaspoon 🙂
These had a good flavor and were very moist. However, they had a slightly spongey texture which wasn’t my favorite. But, it is worth it as it’s no sugar and very low carb! These are for my nephew’s first birthday. I will serve these with whipped cream and some fruit that he can have.
Thanks Arman for the recipe!
These cupcakes taste incredible! Light and fluffy, without all the carbs and sugar. Love these and would highly recommend.
Hi, I have a question. You mention adding salt, but it is not listed in the ingredients list. How much salt should be added? Thanks.
Tommie
1/2 teaspoon 🙂
This contradicts you’re other comment, thought you should know. 😊
I made these and they seemed very crumbly and grainy. Almost like a cornbread. Is that normal or did something go wrong?
Can this be used for cake too or just cupcakes?
Haven’t tried it as a cake but I don’t see why not!
Love to bake! Fairly new(er) to keto lifestyle. I have lost 108 pounds practicing keto, but recently becoming increasingly disheartened with lack of tempting baked goods. Oh so very excited to dive in and try this recipe! Thank you for sharing!!
Hello,
I’m using a 22 mini cupcake baking dish and wondering how many eggs I should use?
Not sure- I’ve only tried it as written.
This recipe works out in the end, but it is missing some key details!
1. Salt is missing from the ingredient list. As found in the comments, it is 1/4tsp.
2. Beat your sweetener and butter together separately before adding in the eggs and vanilla. Otherwise, the batter looks like a curdled mess. I made two batches of this and it resulted in less curdling of the batter and a much fluffier cupcake. If I were to make a third batter, I would try beating the sugar/butter a little longer to see how it turned out. This also resulted in an even dozen cupcakes, versus 10.
Sooooo helpful to know, Jessica! Thanks for all the great information, as I get ready to try out this recipe.
Hello!
Could I make these with Splenda instead?
Thanks!
I don’t see why not!
Can these be turned into different flavors by adding extracts or maybe lemon juice?
I don’t see why not, I’d be careful with lemon juice though- Might be better to do a drop of lemon extract then add lemon juice to the frosting 🙂
OMG! These are amazing! So light, fluffy and tasty. Can’t even tell these are low carb. Will definitely be making these again!
Can we use regular sugar in this recipe?
Sure can!
Do you have an almond flour cupcake recipe? Or is coconut flour better for a moist cake? Thank you!
Sure do- search almond flour cupcakes on my site.
How much salt?
1/4 teaspoon 🙂
Is it best to make these right before they will be eaten, or make the night before? The ingredients cost me a little more than usual, and I don’t want to mess them up.
You can make them the night before, just be sure to follow the storage tips.
Wow, I just made these ..love the recipe, the cupcakes are soft and buttery I added some walnuts too. thank you so much for sharing this recipe
You are so welcome!
I did not think they were going to come out as I was making them because the butter would not incorporate. I softened it before adding, but it just stayed in clumps kind of looking curdled. Followed recipe exactly. They are delicious. Made these for my birthday. They are so good, honestly, they don’t need icing. I did not have time to make the icing with recipe provided, so I bought keto organic vanilla icing. I will make these again. My goal is to make the keto birthday cake next! I am not good at baking, but your recipes allow me to be successful! They have a delicious taste, not overpowering. The texture is fluffy but holds together nicely. Ever so slight hint of coconut flour but barely detectable. I liked the flavor very much. Easy and delicious. Thank you!
There is no indication of how much salt to add, if you add any at all. Do you add salt? If so, how much?
Hi Nina, 1/4 teaspoon.
Thanks for this recipe! I loved that it was moist and doesn’t have an “eggy” taste despite the amount of eggs added. The coconut flour also provided a good balance by absorbing the fats from the butter. I added blueberry on some of my cupcakes and it gave another layer of flavor and texture to the cupcake, hence not requiring the frosting anymore. Loved it!
Sounds like a fabulous addition! 🙂
Hi! How big is your cup? How many grams? Thanks
240 mls is 1 cup.
In your directions it says to add the salt to the wet ingredients, but in the ingredient list I can’t find how much salt to put in oh
Hi! Can i substitute the coconut flour?
Not for this recipe.
THANK YOU so very much! Sounds much better!
Does calories include frosting?
Not that I’ve calculated!
Why are the carbs on the frosting so high? Just curious when not using sugar, thought the carbs with be way down since butter and cream cheese has little or no carbs….is the sugar sub that high?? Your recipes are awesome BTW, so I want to try these, but, I’m concerned about the carbs. Thanks.
Hi! Sorry, there was an error in the calculations, it changed it to 25 when it should be 2- it is 1 net carbs per half cup 🙂
Hi! Can i use coconut oil instead of butter? I absolutely love your recipes by the way!
I haven’t tried!