These cake pops fit right into a fall dessert lineup alongside the Nut-Free Keto Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars and the Keto Pumpkin Pie Mug Cake — all three call for sunflower seed meal and skip the almond flour.
There is something about the contrast of pumpkin pie spice and a snappy chocolate shell that makes Keto Pumpkin Pie Cake Pops feel like the definitive fall party dessert. The cake center is moist and dense enough to roll cleanly — no buttercream binding needed — and the chocolate coating sets firm so each pop holds together from the first bite straight through to the last. Bring a tray to Thanksgiving, a Halloween gathering, or a holiday cookie exchange and they will disappear fast.
I developed this recipe because most keto cake pops call for almond flour, and I am allergic to almonds. Ground sunflower seed meal — raw sunflower seeds pulverized into a flour — steps in at a 1:1 ratio and works beautifully. It has a neutral enough flavor that the pumpkin and spice take center stage, and it produces a cake that crumbles and rolls just as well as almond flour versions. If you have never cooked with it before, the swap notes below explain exactly where to find it and how to make your own at home with nothing but a food processor and raw sunflower seeds.
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Reader Love
I adore these. I love the fact they don’t contain overly sweet buttercream like a lot of cake pops. So good
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💛 Why you’ll love this recipe
- Nut-free and coconut-free in the base recipe: Ground sunflower seed meal replaces almond flour at a 1:1 ratio, so anyone with tree nut allergies can make these as written. The base recipe also contains no coconut — that only becomes an option if you swap the butter.
- No buttercream needed: The pumpkin cake is naturally moist enough to roll into balls and hold on a stick, so there is no frosting required as a binder. That also means less sweetness and a cleaner pumpkin-spice flavor all the way through.
- Real pumpkin in every bite: Pumpkin puree and pumpkin pie spice both go into the batter, so the flavor is genuinely pumpkin pie — not just a spiced chocolate pop with pumpkin on the label.
- Make-ahead friendly: The cake balls can chill in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour or overnight before you dip them in chocolate, which builds in flexibility for busy holiday prep.
- Easy to make dairy-free: Swap the butter for coconut oil at a 1:1 ratio and choose dairy-free chocolate chips for the coating, and the entire recipe qualifies.
- Freezer-ready for up to 6 weeks: Store finished pops in an airtight container in the freezer and thaw overnight in the refrigerator whenever you need them — a practical head start on fall and holiday gatherings.
⏲ How to make this recipe
👉 Easy ingredient swaps
- Powdered Monk Fruit Sweetener: Granulated monk fruit sweetener from Lakanto works at a 1:1 ratio — pulse it in a food processor until it reaches a powdered consistency before using. Swerve or erythritol processed the same way also works. Powdered stevia and liquid stevia are not viable substitutes in this recipe; they will change the texture of the cake.
- Ground Sunflower Seed Meal: Make your own at home by pulsing raw sunflower seeds in a food processor until they turn into a fine flour. You can also purchase it online. If you do not have a nut allergy, almond flour substitutes at a 1:1 ratio.
- Butter: Ghee or coconut oil both substitute at a 1:1 ratio. If your goal is a fully dairy-free recipe, coconut oil is the better choice (ghee is derived from butter and may not work for everyone with dairy restrictions). Also confirm your chocolate chips are dairy-free.
- Pumpkin Pie Spice: If you do not have it on hand, you can make your own homemade blend and use 1 teaspoon of it in the batter.
- Lakanto Chocolate Chips: A 90% dark chocolate bar chopped into pieces works well for the coating. Lily’s chocolate chips — available in dark chocolate, semi-sweet, or milk chocolate — are another option.
✨ Variations
- Overnight chill for cleaner dipping: The recipe calls for chilling the cake balls for at least 1 hour, but chilling them overnight makes them firmer and significantly easier to dip without the coating cracking or sliding down the stick. If you have the time, the overnight approach is worth it.
- Stovetop chocolate melting (double boiler method): If you prefer not to use the microwave, add the chocolate chips to a heat-proof bowl. Fill a large pot with just enough water to cover the bottom — the water should not touch the bottom of the bowl when it sits on top. Heat over medium heat and let the steam melt the chocolate gradually, stirring as it softens, until smooth.
- Rimless presentation: After dipping each pop in chocolate, tap the lollipop stick against the side of the bowl to shake off excess. Then press each pop into a halved crunchy fruit or vegetable — a turnip, apple, or beet cut in half and placed flat side down on a baking sheet works well. The excess chocolate drips away cleanly as the coating sets, leaving a smooth finish. If you set pops directly on parchment paper, the pooled chocolate hardens into a rim at the base. Both methods work; it comes down to presentation preference.
- Dairy-free version: Use coconut oil in place of butter at a 1:1 ratio and choose dairy-free chocolate chips for the coating. No other changes are needed.
〰️ How to serve
- Arrange on a fall dessert tray alongside Pumpkin Keto Cheesecake Fluff — the airy cheesecake mousse next to a chocolate-dipped pop gives you two very different textures on the same table.
- These travel well in an airtight container, which makes them a practical choice for Halloween parties, Thanksgiving gatherings, or holiday cookie exchanges — the lollipop sticks mean no plates or utensils needed.
- Make them up to 5 days ahead and refrigerate in an airtight container, or freeze for up to 6 weeks in an airtight container and thaw overnight in the refrigerator before serving. Pull the tray straight from the refrigerator when guests arrive.
- For a larger fall dessert spread, add Pumpkin Spice Fat Bombs alongside — two different bite-size pumpkin options with completely different textures on the same tray.
💬 FAQs
What can I use instead of ground sunflower seed meal, and where do I find it?
You can make ground sunflower seed meal at home by pulsing raw sunflower seeds in a food processor until they reach a fine, flour-like consistency. You can also purchase it online. If you do not have a nut allergy, almond flour works as a 1:1 substitution. No other flour alternatives have been tested in this recipe.
Can I make these cake pops ahead of time, and how should I store them?
Yes — these are a strong make-ahead dessert. Once finished and the chocolate coating has fully set, store the pops in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. For longer storage, keep them in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 6 weeks and thaw overnight in the refrigerator before serving. You can also split the process across two days: bake and roll the cake balls on day one, chill them overnight, then dip in chocolate on day two. The overnight chill firms up the balls and makes the dipping step noticeably easier.
How do I get a clean, rimless chocolate coating on each pop?
After dipping each pop, tap the lollipop stick against the side of the bowl to shake off any excess chocolate. Then press the pop into a halved crunchy fruit or vegetable — a turnip, apple, or beet cut in half and placed flat side down on a baking sheet — so the remaining chocolate drips away as the coating sets. The result is a smooth, rimless edge. If you set the pops directly on parchment paper, the chocolate that pools at the base will harden into a rim. Both methods are fine; the halved fruit or vegetable just gives a cleaner presentation.
Why do I beat the egg whites separately, and what happens if I overmix them into the batter?
Beating the egg whites until fluffy and folding them in separately keeps the cake light and airy rather than dense. This matters because the finished cake needs to be moist enough to crumble and roll into balls without turning gummy or falling apart. When you fold the beaten egg whites into the batter, stop as soon as they are fully incorporated — overworking the batter deflates them and the cake will not have the right texture for rolling. Do not skip this step or combine the egg whites with the yolks at the start.
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Keto Pumpkin Pie Cake Pops
Ingredients
- 3 eggs, yolks and whites separated into 2 bowls
- ½ cup 96g Lakanto Powdered Monk Fruit Sweetener
- 1 ¼ cup 138g ground sunflower seed meal
- 1 ½ teaspoon gluten-free baking powder
- 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup 122g pumpkin puree
- ¼ cup 2 oz melted butter, ghee, or coconut oil
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 120 grams Lakanto Chocolate Chips
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line an 11×7-inch baking pan with parchment paper.
- Cake: In a mixing bowl, using an electric mixer with a whisk attachment, mix together egg yolks and powdered monk fruit sweetener until pale in color.
- In a separate mixing bowl, whisk together dry ingredients. To bowl of dry ingredients, pour in egg yolk and monk fruit sweetener mixture. Add pumpkin puree, melted butter, and vanilla extract. Stir ingredients until well-combined.
- In another separate mixing bowl, using an electric mixer with a whisk attachment, mix egg whites until fluffy. Fold egg whites into batter, being careful to not overwork and deflate the egg whites.
- Pour batter into prepared baking pan and, using a rubber spatula, smooth into even layer.
- Transfer pan to oven to bake until golden brown on top, about 22-25 minutes. Remove pan from oven and set aside for 15 minutes to cool slightly.
- Once cooled, using hands, crumble cake. The cake should be quite moist. Using a small ice cream scooper, scoop out one scoopful of cake and roll into a ball. Transfer rolled cake ball to parchment paper-lined baking sheet and push a lollipop stick about halfway through the cake ball. Continue doing this until all of the cake has been formed into balls. Transfer cake balls to refrigerator to chill for at least 1 hour, preferably overnight.
- Chocolate Coating: After cake balls has chilled, in the microwave in a microwave-safe bowl, add chocolate chips and melt in 30 second increments until smooth. Alternatively, you can melt the chocolate on the stovetop using the double boiler method. See notes below for instructions on how to do this.
- Final Steps: One-by-one, dip cake balls into melted chocolate and gently shake off any excess chocolate by tapping lollipop side on side of bowl. Place each into halved fruit or vegetable (see note below for how to create a rimless cake pop) or directly on to parchment paper-lined plate or baking sheet before transferring to refrigerator for 30 minutes to set before serving.
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