Description
This Pumpkin Casserole is a low carb version of the traditional sweet potato casserole! It’s almost a dessert. Serve with low carb ice cream or homemade whipped cream – or just serve as a sweet side dish! THM S
Pumpkin is less sweet and more tangy/acidic than the traditional sweet potatoes, but it’s a great low carb substitute if you don’t want to turn Thanksgiving or Christmas into a THM Crossover or if you want to make this casserole a regular event!
Ingredients
PUMPKIN LAYER:
- 2 (15 ounce) cans plain pumpkin puree
- 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
- 4 tablespoons salted butter (melted)
- 2 eggs
- 2 tablespoons THM Super Sweet Blend (to taste)
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
STREUSEL TOPPING:
- 2/3 cup finely chopped pecans (I use a Tupperware Smooth Chopper)
- 1/2 cup Briana’s Baking Mix
- 1/4 cup quick oats
- 1/4 cup salted butter (softened)
- 2 teaspoons THM Super Sweet Blend
- 1 teaspoon molasses
Instructions
PUMPKIN LAYER: Mix the ingredients together with a hand mixer until homogenous. Spread evenly into the bottom of a greased 8” x 8” glass baking pan.
STREUSEL TOPPING: Mix the ingredients together with a hand mixer or (don’t laugh – it works) meat fork. Sprinkle evenly by hand over the top of the pumpkin layer.
BAKE at 350° F for 30 minutes, uncovered, until the casserole is set (a little jiggly is fine) and the topping is browning. Let cool a bit after baking to firm up before serving.
My favorite way to eat this Pumpkin Casserole? Cold with whipped cream! It develops a more balanced flavor when cold, but it’s good warm too. Serve with low carb ice cream or homemade whipped cream – or just serve as a sweet side dish! You can also serve it with a little drizzle of half and half or unsweetened almond milk over the top, like a cobbler.
Notes
Feel free to make a double batch in a 9” x 13” pan! You may need to bake it longer.
I successfully used freshly baked pumpkin instead of canned when testing this recipe. FYI, if you want to use up those porch pumpkins.
For a happy medium between sweet potatoes and pumpkin with moderate carbs and a little more sweetness than pumpkin, try baked butternut squash in its place!
Sweetener: Feel free to use your favorite low glycemic sweetener to taste in place of the THM Super Sweet Blend. Many people like more sweetener than I do, so adjust to taste to make sure you get a result you like.
Briana’s Baking Mix vs THM Baking Blend: My baking mix is a little drier than THM Baking Blend, but in this case the amount is small enough that I would start with the same amount of THM Baking Blend, then add more if needed to make crumbs for the topping.
Quick oats: I prefer quick oats to old fashioned oats in this recipe. Quick oats used to be considered off plan for Trim Healthy Mamas, but the stance on that changed in 2015 (as long as you have protein in your meal to help blunt a blood sugar spike). You could try substituting more pecans or some coconut flakes if you prefer a lower carb option, but I do like the traditional streusel feel that the oats bring. This amount is within THM S carb limits.
Molasses: This is allowed on the Trim Healthy Mama plan in small amounts (1/4 teaspoon per serving) for flavor. I like Grandma’s brand molasses from Walmart or a local grocery store. Blackstrap molasses is recommended I believe, but the nutrition info isn’t that different from Grandma’s and I don’t like the taste nearly as well. Molasses IS technically a sweetener, but it’s not refined sugar and is only used in a small amount for flavor so I’m still calling this recipe sugar free. 😉
Allergy info: Gluten free (use gluten free oats)
- Prep Time: 15 mins
- Cook Time: 30 mins
- Category: Side Dishes
- Method: Bake
- Cuisine: THM S, low carb, sugar free
