Baking Bliss: What Pies Are Keto Friendly?

November 4, 2025 •

5 min read

It is a common misconception that dessert is off-limits on a ketogenic diet, but with clever substitutions, many classic treats are possible. This guide explains exactly what pies are keto friendly and how to make them with low-carb ingredients like almond flour, berries, and sugar-free sweeteners.

Quick Summary

This article outlines which pies are keto-friendly, detailing low-carb alternatives for crusts and fillings, including recipes for chocolate, pumpkin, and mixed berry pies.

Key Points

Almond and Coconut Flour: Replace traditional white flour in your crusts with almond or coconut flour for a low-carb base.
Sugar-Free Sweeteners: Use erythritol, allulose, monk fruit, or stevia instead of sugar to sweeten your pie fillings.
Approved Fillings: Opt for fillings based on high-fat dairy like cream cheese and heavy cream, limited berries, or mock fruit (like squash for apple pie).
Versatile Options: You can make a variety of keto-friendly pies, including creamy desserts (chocolate, pumpkin) and savory meals (chicken pot pie, quiche).
Crust or Crustless: Don't want to make a crust? Many custard-based recipes can be made crustless or with a crumbly nut topping for an even easier low-carb option.
Natural Thickeners: Use ingredients like ground chia seeds or xanthan gum to thicken your fillings without adding extra carbs.

The ketogenic diet, which focuses on high fat, moderate protein, and very low carbohydrate intake, often leaves people craving sweet treats. Traditional pies are typically high in sugar and refined flour, making them unsuitable for a keto lifestyle. However, with the right ingredients and techniques, it's possible to create a wide variety of delicious, keto-friendly pies. The secret lies in swapping high-carb components for low-carb alternatives while maintaining texture and flavor.

The Building Blocks of Keto Pie

Creating a successful keto pie requires a shift in mindset and ingredients. The two main components to address are the crust and the filling. By mastering these, you can unlock a world of sweet and savory pie possibilities.

Low-Carb Pie Crust Alternatives

Almond Flour Crust: This is one of the most popular and versatile keto pie crust options. Made from blanched almonds, it provides a rich, nutty flavor and a texture similar to a traditional pastry crust. It's often combined with cold butter, an egg, and a low-carb sweetener for sweet applications or left unsweetened for savory ones.
Coconut Flour Crust: Highly absorbent and low in net carbs, coconut flour works well for keto baking. Because it requires more liquid and can be delicate, recipes often incorporate eggs and sometimes cream cheese to help bind the crust together.
Pecan Crust: For a flavor-forward, crumbly crust, crushed pecans can be combined with melted butter and a sweetener. This works especially well for no-bake pies or creamy desserts, adding a rich, toasted depth of flavor. You can achieve a similar effect with other nuts like walnuts.
Crustless Pies: For the simplest option, many custard-based pies can be made without a crust at all. This works perfectly for pumpkin or quiche, allowing the filling to be the star. For certain recipes, you can create a crumble topping using nut flours and butter to mimic a top crust.

Sugar-Free Pie Filling Essentials

To make a filling keto-friendly, you must eliminate sugar and starchy thickeners. Instead, use:

Low-Carb Sweeteners: Allulose, erythritol, monk fruit, and stevia are excellent sugar substitutes. Many can be used in a 1:1 ratio with sugar, though you may need to adjust to taste.
Keto-Friendly Thickeners: Ground chia seeds are a fantastic natural thickener for berry and fruit-based fillings. Xanthan gum is another powerful binder that can replicate the texture of traditional thickeners in both sweet and savory recipes.
High-Fat Dairy and Cream Cheese: Full-fat ingredients like heavy cream, cream cheese, mascarpone, and butter are the base for many keto pie fillings. They provide richness, creaminess, and flavor.
Approved Fruit: While most fruits are high in sugar, low-carb options like berries (raspberries, blackberries, strawberries) can be used in moderation. For mock apple pie, cooked chayote squash is a popular, carb-conscious alternative.

Delightful Sweet Keto Pies

Once you have your crust and filling ingredients, you can start creating delicious keto pies that will make you forget about the traditional high-carb versions.

Classic Keto Pumpkin Pie

A holiday staple, pumpkin pie is easily adapted for a keto diet. The filling is naturally low-carb and can be sweetened with a low-carb sweetener. For the crust, an almond or pecan flour base works beautifully. The pumpkin puree is mixed with eggs, heavy cream, and classic spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves for a creamy, spiced dessert. A crustless version is also a great option.

Rich Keto Chocolate Cream Pie

This decadent dessert typically features a chocolate ganache or pudding-style filling set in a low-carb crust. The ganache can be made by combining sugar-free chocolate chips with heavy cream. An almond flour or nut-based crust provides the perfect base. Top with a generous amount of freshly whipped heavy cream for a truly luxurious experience.

Tangy Keto Key Lime Pie

For a refreshing, tangy treat, a keto key lime pie is an excellent choice. The filling combines cream cheese, heavy cream, and fresh lime juice and zest, sweetened with a keto-friendly option. It sets beautifully in a buttery almond flour crust for a perfect balance of sweet and sour.

Savory Keto Pies and Quiches

Pies aren't just for dessert. Savory options can also be made keto-friendly, serving as a satisfying main course or side dish.

Hearty Keto Chicken Pot Pie

This is the ultimate comfort food, made keto. Instead of a traditional pastry crust, you can use a biscuit-like topping made from almond flour or a mixture of almond and coconut flour. The filling is a creamy, savory mix of chicken, low-carb vegetables (like broccoli or mushrooms), and heavy cream thickened with a binder like xanthan gum.

Classic Keto Broccoli and Cheddar Quiche

Quiches are an excellent choice for a keto meal, featuring a rich, egg-based filling with cheese and vegetables. A crustless quiche is the easiest option, but a simple almond flour crust can elevate the dish. Just combine eggs, heavy cream, shredded cheddar, and cooked broccoli florets for a delightful savory pie.

Comparison Table: Keto vs. Traditional Pie Ingredients


Component	Traditional Ingredients	Keto-Friendly Alternatives	Why the Swap Works
Crust	All-purpose flour, sugar, butter	Almond flour, coconut flour, pecan meal, psyllium husk, butter, cream cheese	Replaces high-carb flour with low-carb, gluten-free options that create a sturdy crust.
Sweetener	White granulated sugar, brown sugar	Erythritol, monk fruit, allulose, stevia	Uses sugar alcohols and natural extracts that don't spike blood sugar and have minimal net carbs.
Thickener	Cornstarch, flour	Ground chia seeds, xanthan gum, egg yolks	Replaces high-carb starches with low-carb thickeners that provide a similar texture.
Fruit	Apples, peaches, cherries	Berries (strawberries, raspberries), mock fruits (chayote squash)	Selects low-sugar fruit varieties or clever stand-ins to keep carbohydrate count low.
Dairy	Low-fat milk, sweetened condensed milk	Heavy cream, full-fat cream cheese, mascarpone	Provides rich flavor and texture while remaining high in fat and low in carbs.

Conclusion

For those on a ketogenic diet, the desire for a comforting slice of pie doesn't have to be a forbidden fantasy. By focusing on ingredient substitutions for both the crust and filling, a wide array of sweet and savory pies becomes accessible. From classic pumpkin and decadent chocolate to hearty chicken pot pie, there are countless ways to enjoy this classic comfort food while staying in ketosis. Just remember to use low-carb flours, approved sweeteners, and plenty of healthy fats, and you'll be well on your way to baking bliss.

For more great ideas and specific recipes, check out the resources from reputable keto recipe websites, such as the extensive collections found on Diet Doctor.

Frequently Asked Questions

No, almost all commercially prepared pies contain high amounts of sugar and refined flour, making them unsuitable for a ketogenic diet. These ingredients will typically cause a spike in blood sugar and knock you out of ketosis.

You can use low-carb thickeners such as ground chia seeds, which work well in fruit fillings, or xanthan gum, a powerful binder that can be used in both sweet and savory fillings. Some custard fillings will also thicken as they bake and chill.

Many fruit pies, like apple or cherry, are off-limits due to their high sugar content. However, some berry pies, using low-sugar berries like raspberries and blackberries in moderation, can be adapted for keto. Mock fruit fillings, such as chayote squash for 'apple' pie, are also an option.

Almond flour is a popular and versatile choice for a buttery, pastry-like crust. Coconut flour, known for being highly absorbent, is another low-carb option, often used in combination with other ingredients. Pecan meal also makes an excellent crust for certain pies.

Yes, classic pumpkin pie is very easy to make keto-friendly. The pumpkin filling is naturally low-carb and can be sweetened with a sugar substitute. The crust can be made with almond or pecan flour.

Yes, savory pies like quiche, chicken pot pie, and meat pie can be made keto-friendly by substituting the traditional crust with a low-carb alternative and using approved ingredients like meat, cheese, and low-carb vegetables in the filling.

Using cold butter and chilling the dough, much like with traditional pastry, helps create a flakier texture. A food processor can help combine the ingredients properly without overworking the dough. Adding cream cheese or a small amount of psyllium husk can also help with elasticity and binding.