10 Sugar-Free Thanksgiving Desserts Your Family Will Love
Thanksgiving dessert doesn't have to mean a blood sugar rollercoaster. These ten recipes use allulose and other keto-friendly sweeteners to deliver all the flavor and tradition without the sugar crash. Every recipe has been tested on real families — including picky eaters and skeptical grandparents.
1. Classic Pumpkin Pie
This is the one everyone asks for.
Crust
- 1.5 cups almond flour
- 3 tbsp melted butter
- 2 tbsp allulose
- 1/4 tsp salt
Press into a 9-inch pie plate and bake at 350°F for 10 minutes.
Filling
- 1 can (15 oz) pure pumpkin puree
- 3/4 cup allulose
- 2 large eggs
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1.5 tsp cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp ginger
- 1/4 tsp nutmeg
- 1/4 tsp cloves
- 1/2 tsp salt
Whisk everything together, pour into the pre-baked crust, and bake at 325°F for 50–55 minutes until the center is just slightly jiggly. Cool completely before serving.
Pro tip: Allulose makes the filling slightly softer than sugar. Chilling the pie in the fridge for at least 4 hours gives you clean slices.
2. Pecan Pie Bars
The classic Southern favorite in bar form — easier to make and serve.
- 1 batch almond flour crust (same as above, pressed into 8x8 pan)
- 1/2 cup allulose syrup (or melt granulated allulose with 2 tbsp water)
- 3 tbsp butter
- 1/4 cup heavy cream
- 1 egg
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 1.5 cups pecan halves
- Pinch of salt
Bake the crust for 12 minutes. Meanwhile, heat allulose syrup and butter until combined. Remove from heat, whisk in cream, egg, and vanilla. Fold in pecans. Pour over crust and bake at 325°F for 25 minutes. Cool completely, then refrigerate before cutting.
3. Sugar-Free Apple Crisp
- 4 medium Granny Smith apples, peeled and sliced thin
- 1/4 cup allulose + 1 tsp cinnamon (toss with apples)
- Topping: 1 cup almond flour, 1/2 cup oats (or omit for keto), 1/4 cup allulose, 1/3 cup cold butter (cubed), pinch of salt
Spread apples in a baking dish, crumble topping over them, and bake at 350°F for 40 minutes until golden and bubbling. Serve warm with sugar-free vanilla ice cream.
4. Chocolate Mousse
Elegant, rich, and shockingly easy.
- 8 oz cream cheese, softened
- 1/2 cup allulose (powdered in a blender)
- 1/3 cup cocoa powder
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Beat cream cheese and allulose until smooth. Add cocoa and vanilla, beat again. In a separate bowl, whip heavy cream to stiff peaks. Fold whipped cream into the chocolate mixture in two additions. Divide into serving glasses and chill for at least 2 hours.
5. Cranberry Orange Sauce (Dessert Topping)
- 12 oz fresh cranberries
- 1/2 cup allulose
- 1/2 cup water
- Zest and juice of 1 orange
- 1 cinnamon stick
Combine everything in a saucepan. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes until cranberries burst and sauce thickens. Remove cinnamon stick. Serve over cheesecake, ice cream, or on its own.
6. Mini Cheesecakes
- 2 packages (16 oz total) cream cheese, softened
- 1/2 cup allulose
- 2 large eggs
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 1/4 cup sour cream
Line a muffin tin with liners. Beat cream cheese and allulose until fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, then vanilla and sour cream. Fill liners 3/4 full. Bake at 300°F for 22–25 minutes. Centers will look slightly underset — they firm up as they cool. Top with cranberry sauce from recipe #5.
7. Whipped Cream Pumpkin Trifle
Layer in clear glasses or a trifle dish:
- Cubed almond flour pound cake (bake any sugar-free pound cake recipe)
- Pumpkin mousse (mix pumpkin puree, allulose, cream cheese, and pumpkin spice)
- Whipped cream (sweetened with a bit of allulose and vanilla)
- Chopped pecans
Repeat layers. Chill for at least 2 hours. The flavors meld beautifully overnight.
8. Sugar-Free Caramel Sauce
This is liquid gold. Drizzle it on everything.
- 1/2 cup allulose
- 3 tbsp butter
- 1/3 cup heavy cream
- 1/2 tsp vanilla
- Pinch of flaky salt
Heat allulose in a saucepan over medium heat until it melts and turns amber (watch carefully — allulose caramelizes faster than sugar). Remove from heat, add butter (it will bubble vigorously), then slowly whisk in cream. Add vanilla and salt. Store in a jar in the fridge. Reheat gently before serving.
9. Gingerbread Cookies
- 2 cups almond flour
- 1/3 cup allulose
- 1 egg
- 3 tbsp melted butter
- 2 tsp ground ginger
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp cloves
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- Pinch of salt
Mix dry ingredients, then add wet. Chill dough for 1 hour. Roll between parchment sheets to 1/4 inch thickness. Cut into shapes and bake at 325°F for 12–14 minutes. These spread less than sugar cookies, so you can place them closer together.
10. Maple Walnut Fudge
- 2 cups sugar-free dark chocolate chips
- 1 can (14 oz) coconut cream
- 2 tbsp allulose
- 1 tsp maple extract
- 1 cup chopped walnuts
- Flaky salt for topping
Heat coconut cream and allulose until simmering. Pour over chocolate chips and let sit for 2 minutes. Stir until completely smooth. Fold in walnuts. Pour into a parchment-lined 8x8 pan. Sprinkle with flaky salt. Refrigerate for 3 hours until firm. Cut into small squares.
Hosting Tips
- Don't announce they're sugar-free. Let people taste first, then tell them. You'll get genuine reactions instead of preconceived bias.
- Make things ahead. Every single dessert on this list can be made 1–2 days in advance.
- Offer variety. Having multiple options means everyone finds something they love.
- Keep portions reasonable. These desserts are rich. Small servings satisfy.
Happy Thanksgiving — no sugar crash required.