Showing posts with label ketogenic diet. Show all posts
Showing posts with label ketogenic diet. Show all posts

Wednesday, July 5, 2023

The Best Quick & Easy Low Carb Sausage and Ricotta Calzones

Last month, I was watching an old episode of Chopped on The Food Network and my mouth started watering when I saw one of the chefs in the competition use the crazy basket ingredients for one of the courses to make delicious calzones. Then, my friend Sam Monaco published his easy homemade calzones recipe here on Review This Reviews. I guess I had calzones on the brain, because the next time I reached for my Scotty's Everyday Keto Pizza Crust Mix to make pizza, I decided to try using the zero carb pizza crust mix to make low carb calzones instead. 

I decided to fill the dough with ricotta, mozzarella and Parmigiano Romano cheeses, precooked sausage and herbs and serve the calzones with a good quality jarred pizza sauce as a dipping sauce. They turned out to be a big hit with both my husband and me. They also reheat well and we discovered that the leftovers are even good cold, which is great for a quick and easy hot weather dinner without turning on the oven.

I've provided both the low carb sausage and ricotta calzones recipe and variations for those of you who either don't follow a low carb or keto diet or who may be watching your calories and fat intake. And you can easily use regular pizza dough with wheat flour, if you aren't watching your carbs.

Enjoy!

Low Carb & Keto-Friendly Sausage & Ricotta Calzones -- Quick & Easy
Using Scotty's Everyday Keto Pizza Crust Mix with 0 net carbs makes this low carb sausage and ricotta calzones recipe quick, easy and keto diet friendly!

Just because you're following a low carb or ketogenic diet doesn't mean you can't enjoy delicious pizza or calzones! Check out my product review of Scotty's Everyday Keto Pizza Crust Mix with 0 net carbs, which I use in this low carb calzones recipe.

The Best Quick & Easy Low Carb Sausage and Ricotta Calzones Recipe

Low carb sausage and ricotta calzone

Using my favorite 0 net carbs keto pizza crust mix makes this recipe quick and easy to prepare so you can get this yummy dinner on the table in less than 40 minutes. It's a real treat for carb lovers who are watching their carbs, and it's also easy to adapt to make it lower in calories and fat.

You can also substitute conventional store-bought pizza dough if you aren't counting carbs, so it's a great recipe for everyone at your table.

Buon appetito!

Serves:
4

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Baking Time: 18–20 minutes

Tools, Supplies and Equipment

*When making low carb sausage and ricotta calzones, you can't use wheat or semolina flour (which is high in carbs and can spike insulin levels) to keep the dough from sticking as you roll it out. I have tried substituting almond flour or coconut flour, but it doesn't work well. A lightly oiled silicone pastry mat is the best rolling surface I have found for working with keto dough.

    Ingredients

    Filling:
    • 12 links Applegate Naturals Classic Pork Breakfast Sausage (or other sausage of your choice)
    • 1 cup whole milk (4% fat) ricotta cheese (I recommend Maplebrook Farms brand)
    • 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese
    • 4 ounces finely shredded mozzarella cheese
    • Fresh or dried herbs to taste (I love Penzeys Greek or Italian Herbs for this recipe)
    • 16 pitted black Greek olives (I use Divina organic kalamata olives), coarsely chopped
    Crust:
    Assembly:
    • 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
    • Water
    Dipping Sauce:
    • 1 cup Primal Kitchen unsweetened pizza sauce (Rao's and Yo Mama's are also good low carb, keto friendly brands of pizza sauce)

    Directions

    1. Place the pizza stone in the oven and preheat to 425 ℉. Line the rimless cookie sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
    2. To make the filling, pan fry the sausage links according to directions in a nonstick pan, then halve each link lengthwise and slice. (Alternatively, crumble and brown bulk Italian sausage.) Add to a mixing bowl along with the ricotta, Parmigiano Reggiano, finely shredded mozzarella, herbs and chopped olives and mix to combine. Cover and set aside.
    3. To make the dough, add the keto pizza crust mix, water and 1 tablespoon of the olive oil to the bowl of a stand mixer. Use the paddle attachment to mix at low speed until the dough comes together. Scrape the bowl and the paddle attachment, replace the latter with the dough hook attachment and let the mixer knead the dough for about 3 minutes until it is uniform and smooth.
    4. To assemble, use 1 tablespoon of the oil to grease the silicone pastry mat. Divide the large ball of dough into four pieces and roll each piece into a smooth ball. Roll out each ball thinly. Place 1/4 of the filling mixture along the center of one half of the dough, leaving a margin of dough around the rim. Moisten the rim with water, fold the dough over the filling and press the moistened edges together firmly. Use the extra-wide turner to help you carefully lift and transfer the calzone onto the parchment-lined cookie sheet. Repeat with the three remaining balls of dough and the rest of the filling. Use your fingers to spread the remaining tablespoon of olive oil over the tops of the calzones.
    5. Open the hot oven and, using potholders to protect your hands, carefully slide the parchment paper with the calzones onto the preheated pizza stone. Bake for 18–20 minutes, or until the bottoms are nicely browned and the tops are baked through.
    6. Put 1/4 cup pizza sauce in each ramekin and serve with baked calzones.

    Serving Suggestion

    I enjoy serving these low carb sausage and ricotta calzones with either a side salad of fresh greens or just some micro greens, as shown here. (Check out my Hamama microgreens seed quilts review. These microgreens are SO easy to grow, no green thumb required—just soak in water and let them do their thing!)

    Nutrition Information

    For those of you who are counting calories or carbs or tracking macros on a low carb or ketogenic diet, these generously-sized low carb sausage and ricotta calzones each have 691 calories, 54.3g of total carbs, 46.3g of fiber, 8g of net carbs, 35.1g of protein and 51.1g of fat.

    Recipe nutrition data calculated by Carb Manager app

    Variations for Conventional, Low Calorie or Low Fat Diets

    If you're not worried about calories, carbs or fat, you can easily substitute homemade or ready-to-use pizza dough, your favorite sausages (Italian would be great) and your favorite pizza sauce. You could also roll out your dough on a board sprinkled with semolina and bake on a semolina-sprinkled pizza stone. 

    To reduce fat and calories, you could try substituting low fat ricotta (although the filling might be a bit watery) and substitute Applegate Naturals Chicken & Sage Breakfast Sausage links.

    The Best Quick & Easy Low Carb Sausage and Ricotta Calzones by Margaret Schindel

    Posts About My Keto Diet Journey

    My First Year on The Keto Diet

    Preparing to Succeed on the Keto Diet, Part One

    Preparing to Succeed on the Keto Diet, Part Two

    Low Carb Muffins & Cupcakes: Treats to Enjoy on a Keto Diet

    Low Carb Keto Chocolate Yogurt Granola Chip Pudding Recipe

    Good Dee’s Keto Cookie Low Carb Baking Mix Review

    Hamama Microgreens Growing Kit Review & Success Tips

    My Favorite Hamama Microgreens Seed Quilt Accessories

    Keto Cheddar Cheese Biscuits With Chives Recipe

    The Ultimate Keto Hot Chocolate Recipe

    The Best Low Carb Keto Gift Ideas: Keto Gift Guide

    The Best Low Carb Keto Cinnamon Muffins

    Wholesome Yum Keto Bread Mix and Yeast Bread Recipe

    The Good Chocolate 100% Organic No Sugar Dark Chocolate Review

    The Best Advice to Maintain Your Keto Diet Weight Loss

    My New Irresistibly Delicious Keto Cheese Crackers Recipe

    Luscious Low Carb Keto Triple Peppermint Cheesecake Brownies Recipe

    Quick & Easy Livlo Blueberry Scones Keto Baking Mix Review

    Snack Better With The Best Healthy Keto Cookie Dough Bites

    The Best Quick and Easy Low Carb Keto Pizza Recipe

    The Best Quick and Easy Low Carb Keto Shortcake Cupcakes Recipe

    Comparing the Best Keto-Friendly Chocolate Hazelnut Spreads - No Added Sugars

    The Best Low Carb Keto Sandwich and Burger Buns Mix

    Blueberry Biscuit Scones — New, Easy, Low Carb Keto Recipe

    The Best Keto Pizza Crust Mix With 0 Net Carbs

    An Unusual, Delicious Strawberry Chocolate Tea With 0 Calories

    Delicious Sugar-Free Keto Cookies That OREO Fans Will Love

    Healthy Pistachio Cherry Chocolate Chip Marshmallow Cereal Treats Recipe

    Easy, Decadent, High Protein, Sugar-Free Rocky Road Cottage Cheese Ice Cream

    The Best Quick & Easy Low Carb Sausage and Ricotta Calzones

    How to Make Refreshing Vanilla Italian Soda (With or Without Cream)

    Reviews of the Keto Diet by Barbara C. (aka Brite-Ideas)

    My Personal Keto Testimonial

    How I Stayed Committed to the Ketogenic Way of Eating

    Read More Recipes reviewed by Our Review This Reviews Contributors

    Read More Product Reviews by Our Review This Reviews Contributors

    Read More Reviews About Health and Wellness by Our Review This Reviews Contributors





    Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN) and/or Esty (Awin) Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”


    Wednesday, February 1, 2023

    Delicious Sugar-Free Keto Cookies That OREO Fans Will Love

    If you are following a sugar-free, low carb or ketogenic diet or just trying to cut down on sugar and empty carbs, either for overall health and wellness or for weight loss, there are certain comfort foods from childhood that you may crave but try to avoid in favor of healthier options. 

    Fortunately, there are now several brands of low carb chocolate sandwich cookies available to OREO lovers who want to eat healthier. Today, I'll be reviewing HighKey Sugar-Free Sandwich Cookies, which have the best clean ingredients for someone on a low carb, gluten-free, sugar-free or keto diet.

    Gluten-Free HighKey Sugar-Free Sandwich Cookies 2 Net Carbs Per Serving!
    My husband no longer misses his OREO cookies as much, now that I found these delicious low carb, gluten-free, sugar-free keto sandwich cookies for him. 

    Who Loves OREO Cookies?

    Before we switched to a low carb way of eating for health reasons, one of my husband's favorite treats were OREO cookies. In fact, "Double Stuf" OREO cookies (filled with twice the amount of vanilla creme filling) and mint Oreos were extra-special treats for him. But two Double Stuf OREOs have not only 140 calories but also 21g of carbohydrates (my entire daily carb allowance when I was following a keto diet for weight loss!), including 13g of added sugars. Even two classic OREO cookies have 110 calories and 16g of carbs, including 9g of added sugars. So, both Double Stufs and classic OREO cookies were no longer an option as a sweet treat for both my husband and me.

    So the answer to "Who Loves OREO Cookies?" is our taste buds and our emotions but, sadly, not our bodies or our health.

    What's a Health-Conscious OREO Cookie Lover to Do?

    In order for our low carb lifestyle to be sustainable, we look for alternatives to our favorite treats that support our health and nutrition goals or, in the case of treats, at least don't sabotage them. That's why I got so excited when I started seeing low carb and sugar-free cookies similar to my husband's beloved OREOs. Then I started reading the ingredients and nutrition labels...and I got less excited. 

    Thanks to the popularity of the keto diet, the term "keto" sells. Unfortunately, since there is no universally agreed-upon definition of a "keto diet" or a "keto" food (my post on Preparing to Succeed on the Keto Diet discusses this topic in more detail), marketers slap the "keto" label on anything that is low in net carbs, regardless of the quality or nutritional value of the ingredients. So, for those of us who are looking to make healthier food choices, it's up to us to educate ourselves about ingredients and nutrition and read packaged food labels carefully, and to experiment to find out which low-carb ingredients spike our insulin levels, cause gastric distress, etc., since each of us has a different metabolism and a different reaction to the same foods.

    Three Low-Carb OREO Cookie Alternatives

    I found three vanilla-filled chocolate sandwich cookies that looked similar to OREOs and claimed to be "keto" or "keto-friendly" and started reading and comparing the ingredients and nutrition labels. The three contenders were:

    Here's how they compare vs. each other and vs. classic OREO cookies:

    Chocolate Vanilla Sandwich Cookie Ingredients and Nutrition Comparison*
    * Ingredients and nutrition data obtained from Amazon product pages on 01/30/23

    HighKey

    Catalina
    Crunch

    Rip Van

    LEOs

    OREO

    Serving: 2 cookies

    Calories

    60

    90

    100

    110

    Total Fat

    4g

    6g

    6g

    4.5g

    Saturated Fat

    1g

    3g

    3g

    1.5g

    Trans Fat

    0g

    0g

    0g

    0g

    Cholesterol

    0g

    0g

    0g

    0g

    Sodium

    130mg

    95mg

    80mg

    85mg

    Total Carbohydrate

    17g

    12g

    13g

    16g

    Dietary Fiber

    7g

    3g

    6g

    0g

    Total Sugars

    0g

    2g

    3g

    9g

    Added Sugars

    0g

    2g

    2g

    9g

    Sugar Alcohols

    4g

    0g

    0g

    0g

    Allulose

    4g

    2g

    2g

    0g

    Net Carbs

    2g

    5g

    5g

    16g

    Protein

    <1g

    4g

    3g

    <1g

    Ingredients

    Resistant Cassava Fiber, Erythritol, Allulose, White Rice Flour, RSPO Palm Oil, Non-GMO Canola Oil, Cocoa Powder (Processed with Alkali), Egg Whites, Natural Flavors, Sunflower Lecithin, Oligofructose, Baking Soda, Salt, Xanthan Gum, Psyllium Husk, Water, Stevia Extract, Monk Fruit Extract.

    Palm Fruit Oil, Allulose, Pea Protein, Cane Sugar, Cassava Flour, Tapioca Flour, Inulin, Cocoa Powder, Cocoa Powder (Processed with Alkali), Xanthan Gum, Natural Flavor, Sunflower Lecithin, Baking Soda, Sea Salt, Stevia Extract.

    Palm fruit oil, Vegetable fiber, sugar, milk protein, wheat flour, allulose, sugar cane fiber, cocoa processed with alkali, wheat starch, oat fiber, sea salt, baking soda, chocolate extract, sunflower lecithin, vanilla extract, stevia leaf extract.

    Unbleached enriched flour (wheat flour, niacin, reduced iron, thiamine mononitrate {vitamin B1}, riboflavin {vitamin B2}, folic acid), sugar, palm and/or canola oil, cocoa (processed with alkali), high fructose corn syrup, leavening (baking soda and/or calcium phosphate), salt, soy lecithin, chocolate, artificial flavor. Contains: wheat, soy.

    Plate of HighKey Suger-Free Sandwich Cookies
    This plate of HighKey Sugar-Free Sandwich Cookies makes my husband miss his OREO cookies much less, now that we follow a more health conscious, low carb but still delicious approach to eating.

    Why I Chose HighKey Sugar-Free Sandwich Cookies

    Here are a few of the reasons I decided to order HighKey keto sandwich cookies as a healthier alternative to OREO cookies.

    Only 2g of Net Carbs

    As you can see, the HighKey Sugar-Free Sandwich Cookies have only 2g of net carbs, compared to 5g each for the Catalina Crunch Keto Friendly Chocolate Vanilla Sandwich Cookies and Rip Van LEOs Sandwich Creme Cookies.

    Lower in Calories

    Two of the HighKey Sugar-Free Sandwich Cookies have 60 calories, compared to 90 calories for two Catalina Crunch keto sandwich cookies and 100 for the Rip Van LEOs. 

    No Added Sugars, Gluten-Free

    The HighKey sandwich cookies use low glycemic sweeteners that don't spike blood glucose. Other than the white rice flour, which is gluten-free but can spike blood sugar levels, the ingredients are surprisingly clean for this type of low carb sweet treat.

    By contrast, cane sugar is the fourth ingredient in the Catalina Crunch sandwich cookies. Since cane sugar spikes insulin and is something my husband and I try to avoid completely, that pretty much knocks these out of contention for us.

    Similarly, the Rip Van LEOs sandwich cookies contain not only (cane) sugar but also wheat flour, neither of which ingredients are considered keto-friendly, although people who follow a "dirty keto" diet may not be bothered by this.

    Not a Perfect OREOs Dupe, But a Good, Healthier Option

    HighKey Sugar-Free Sandwich Cookies taste good, especially to those of us who have kicked our food addiction to cane sugar and wheat flour. However, they are by no means an exact dupe of classic, sugar-laden OREO cookies. 

    The chocolate cookies are harder and don't soften as readily when dipped in regular or dairy-free milk. They are also more brittle and the filling is firmer, so you can't twist to separate the two chocolate cookies and lick off the creme filling, a favorite part of the experience of eating classic OREO cookies.

    For us, and probably for many people who must eat gluten-free or sugar-free, the trade-offs are well worth it.

    Healthier Packaged Foods With Clean Ingredients Cost More Than Their Conventional Counterparts

    I compared the Amazon prices on January 30, 2023for classic OREO cookies, HighKey Sugar-Free Sandwich Cookies, Catalina Crunch Keto Friendly Chocolate Vanilla Sandwich Cookies and Rip Van LEOs Sandwich Creme Cookies (Cookies & Creme flavor). Here are the price comparisons per package and per cookie.

    Chocolate Vanilla Sandwich Cookie Amazon Price Comparison*
    * Prices on Amazon on 01/30/23

    HighKey Catalina Crunch Rip Van LEOs OREO
    Quantity 3 packs (4.27 oz packs), 10 cookies each = 30 cookies 2 pack (6.8 oz boxes), 16 cookies each = 32 cookies 2 pack (6.77oz), 16 cookies each = 32 cookies 60 Snack Packs (2 Cookies Per Pack) = 120 cookies
    Item Price $17.99 $17.63 $14.39 $29.40
    Price per Cookie $0.60 $0.55 $0.45 $0.25

    My Recommended Sugar-Free, Gluten-Free Alternative to OREO Cookies

    If you or someone you know is on a sugar-free, gluten-free, low carb or ketogenic diet, these keto friendly HighKey Sugar-Free Sandwich cookies would make a great gift or something to keep on hand for when they visit. They're a sweet treat both kids and adults will appreciate!

    Delicious Sugar-Free Keto Cookies That OREO Fans Will Love by Margaret Schindel

    Posts About My Keto Diet Journey

    My First Year on The Keto Diet

    Preparing to Succeed on the Keto Diet, Part One

    Preparing to Succeed on the Keto Diet, Part Two

    Low Carb Muffins & Cupcakes: Treats to Enjoy on a Keto Diet

    Low Carb Keto Chocolate Yogurt Granola Chip Pudding Recipe

    Good Dee’s Keto Cookie Low Carb Baking Mix Review

    Hamama Microgreens Growing Kit Review & Success Tips

    My Favorite Hamama Microgreens Seed Quilt Accessories

    Keto Cheddar Cheese Biscuits With Chives Recipe

    The Ultimate Keto Hot Chocolate Recipe

    The Best Low Carb Keto Gift Ideas: Keto Gift Guide

    The Best Low Carb Keto Cinnamon Muffins

    Wholesome Yum Keto Bread Mix and Yeast Bread Recipe

    The Good Chocolate 100% Organic No Sugar Dark Chocolate Review

    The Best Advice to Maintain Your Keto Diet Weight Loss

    My New Irresistibly Delicious Keto Cheese Crackers Recipe

    Luscious Low Carb Keto Triple Peppermint Cheesecake Brownies Recipe

    Quick & Easy Livlo Blueberry Scones Keto Baking Mix Review

    Snack Better With The Best Healthy Keto Cookie Dough Bites

    The Best Quick and Easy Low Carb Keto Pizza Recipe

    The Best Quick and Easy Low Carb Keto Shortcake Cupcakes Recipe

    Comparing the Best Keto-Friendly Chocolate Hazelnut Spreads - No Added Sugars

    The Best Low Carb Keto Sandwich and Burger Buns Mix

    Blueberry Biscuit Scones — New, Easy, Low Carb Keto Recipe

    The Best Keto Pizza Crust Mix With 0 Net Carbs

    An Unusual, Delicious Strawberry Chocolate Tea With 0 Calories

    Delicious Sugar-Free Keto Cookies That OREO Fans Will Love

    Healthy Pistachio Cherry Chocolate Chip Marshmallow Cereal Treats Recipe

    Easy, Decadent, High Protein, Sugar-Free Rocky Road Cottage Cheese Ice Cream

    The Best Quick & Easy Low Carb Sausage and Ricotta Calzones

    How to Make Refreshing Vanilla Italian Soda (With or Without Cream)


    Reviews of the Keto Diet by Barbara C. (aka Brite-Ideas)

    My Personal Keto Testimonial

    How I Stayed Committed to the Ketogenic Way of Eating

    Read More Food Reviews by Our Review This Reviews Contributors

    Read More Product Reviews by Our Review This Reviews Contributors

    Read More Reviews About Health and Wellness by Our Review This Reviews Contributors




    Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN) and/or Esty (Awin) Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”


    Wednesday, June 22, 2022

    The Best Quick & Easy Low Carb Keto Shortcake Cupcakes Recipe

    In the heat of summer, most of us enjoy eating lighter desserts featuring sweet, fresh summer fruit and would rather spend as little time as possible cooking or baking in a hot kitchen. Some of us also may be trying to get or stay slim to look our best in lightweight, more revealing summer clothing. 

    In this review, I'm sharing my yummy, quick & easy low carb keto shortcake cupcakes recipe, which can be whipped up fast thanks to a keto baking mix, is bursting with sweet, ripe berries and topped with a luscious sugar-free buttercream frosting.

    Quick & Easy Low Carb Mixed-Berry Shortcake Cupcakes - Keto-Friendly, Sugar-Free, Gluten-Free, Nut-Free

    A Fun Cupcake Twist on Traditional Biscuit-Based Berry Shortcake

    I have made delicious keto-friendly strawberry shortcake with biscuits from a low carb baking mix topped with fresh whipped cream and berries. However, since there are only two of us in our household, that means whipping just a few tablespoons of heavy cream and assembling two shortcakes after dinner every time I want to serve them.

    Recently, I got the idea to try making shortcake cupcakes, substituting cupcakes for the biscuits and low carb buttercream frosting for the whipped cream, which would let me assemble and refrigerate them in advance. While I'm making dinner, I can just take out two of the refrigerated shortcake cupcakes and set them on the counter so they will be at room temperature when we are ready for dessert.

    A Delicious, Quick & Easy, Sugar-Free, Gluten-Free, Nut-Free* Summer Dessert

    The cake portion of these cupcakes is made with Scotty's Everyday Keto Cupcake & Cake Mix. This healthy, sugar-free, gluten-free and nut-free boxed keto cupcake mix is a real time-saver that minimizes time in a hot kitchen during the summer months.

    The baked cupcakes are paired with juicy, fresh berries, keto berry jam and a super simple sugar-free buttercream that takes just a few minutes.

    Scotty's Keto Cupcake Mix + Low Carb Buttercream Frosting + Sugar-Free Berry Jam + Fresh Berries = The Best Quick & Easy Low Carb Keto Shortcake Cupcakes

    *Important food allergy note: Although Scotty's Everyday baking mixes are made with no nut flours, their website does not state that their mixes are made in a nut-free processing facility. It is important to contact the company to find out that information if you are thinking about serving these treats to anyone who has a severe nut allergy.

    low carb keto shortcake cupcakes batter in silicone muffin pan liners
    Just add melted butter, eggs, water and vanilla extract to Scotty's Everyday Keto Cupcake & Cake Mix for the base of these quick & easy low carb shortcake cupcakes, then split, fill, frost and decorate them with sugar-free jam, keto buttercream frosting and fresh berries.

    Scotty's Everyday Keto Cupcake & Cake Mix Makes an Ideal Biscuit Alternative for This Low Carb Shortcake Cupcakes Recipe

    I have used several keto baking mixes from Scotty's Everyday and like them a lot. Scotty's Everyday Keto Cupcake & Cake Mix is sweetened very lightly, and the baked cupcakes taste a bit like the drop biscuits I sometimes make for shortcake. They are also less crumbly than traditional cupcakes using sugar and wheat flour, which makes them perfect for this recipe.

    In addition to the biscuit-like flavor and sturdy structure, each cupcake prepared according to the directions on the Scotty's Everyday Keto Cupcake & Cake Mix package have several other benefits:

    • 0 net carbs (22g total carbs - 14g dietary fiber - 8g erythritol = 0 net carbs)
    • No added sugars
    • Sweetened with erythritol and monk fruit extract
    • 14g dietary fiber
    • 90 calories

    This sugar-free, gluten-free, nut-free, low carb keto baking mix is also a cinch to prepare. Just add melted butter, eggs, water and vanilla extract. My product review rating for Scotty's Everyday Keto Cupcake & Cake Mix is 5 stars!

    My Favorite Keto Buttercream Frosting Recipes

    The Best Quick & Easy Low Carb Keto Shortcake Cupcakes Recipe needs a fast, simple frosting to live up to its name. I recommend the Keto Buttercream Frosting Recipe from Wholesome Yum, which has 205 calories, 16.4g of fat and 0g net carbs per serving (3 tablespoons).

    If you want to significantly cut the calories and fat and are willing to spend a bit more time and effort, I highly recommend the luscious Sugar-Free Swiss Meringue Buttercream Frosting recipe from All Day I Dream About Food, which lends itself beautifully to piping and tastes out of this world. A 1/4-cup serving (4 tablespoons) has only 109 calories, 10.7g of fat and and almost zero (0.1g) net carbs.

    Use Your Favorite Keto Friendly Berries

    Berries are the only fruits low enough in carbohydrates to fit a ketogenic diet. The berries with the fewest net carbs are raspberries, blackberries and strawberries. Blueberries have more than twice the net carbs and half the dietary fiber of raspberries or blackberries, but are still low enough in carbs for you to enjoy a few on one of these keto shortcake cupcakes.

    For the keto shortcake cupcakes I photographed for this post, I used fresh raspberries and blueberries. I also added a taste of strawberries by pairing my favorite sugar-free strawberry jam with the buttercream frosting for the filling.

    cupcakes being split, filled, frosted and decorated
    ChocZero Keto Strawberry Jam is delicious, spreads easily and, like the buttercream frosting, helps hold the fresh rasbperries and blueberries in place while reassembling the filled shortcake cupcakes.

    The Best Low Carb Keto Strawberry Jam

    I have tried several brands and flavors of sugar-free jams. Most were fairly disappointing. Some were sweetened with artificial sweeteners, which I try to avoid for health reasons. Some were too thin and loose or had big chunks of berries that made them hard to spread in a thin layer.

    ChocZero is one of my favorite brands of low carb and keto-friendly products. Recently, they launched a keto strawberry jam, which I ordered immediately. Based on my experience with other sugar-free jam products, I was only cautiously optimistic. (I didn't want to get my hopes up only to be disappointed again.)

    I was pleasantly surprised by the new ChocZero Keto Strawberry Jam. It has a thick, "jammy" consistency, spreads easily in as thick or thin a layer as you wish, is sweetened with monk fruit, has no added sugars, and has a delicious flavor from real strawberries. Each serving (1 tablespoon) provides a whopping 10g of dietary fiber and has just 15 calories and 1 net carb.

    Unlike the other low carb, sugar-free jams and preserves I have tried, ChocZero Keto Strawberry Jam is also sticky enough to help keep the raspberries, blackberries, strawberries or blueberries in place when sandwiching them between the halves of the split shortcake cupcakes.

    Five filled, frosted and decorated low carb keto shortcake cupcakes
    Don't these keto-friendly shortcake cupcakes filled with jam, frosting and fresh berries look yummy, despite my messy piping of my melting buttercream? They're one of the best keto desserts to make for summer holiday gatherings including the 4th of July (especially if you use red and blue berries!).

    How to Make the Best Quick & Easy Low Carb Keto Shortcake Cupcakes

    Recommended Kitchen Tools and Supplies for This Recipe

    • Silicone Muffin or Cupcake Liners
      The Scotty's Everyday Keto Cupcake & Cake Mix package instructions say to "Line one 12-cup standard muffin tin" without specifying the type of cupcake liners to use, I highly recommend Pantry Elements Silicone Baking Muffin Cups. They are made from BPA-, PVC- and phthalate-free, food grade platinum silicone and sturdy enough to use on their own on top of a flat baking sheet, if desired, or you can use them as liners for cupcake or muffin tins. They also come in a clear, reusable screw-top container for storage, which keeps them clean and dust-free and lets you enjoy the rainbow of bright, happy colors even when these nonstick silicone baking cups are not in use. I have used mine frequently for several years for both muffins and cupcakes and can attest to their high quality and durability.

    • Stainless Steel Scoop With Trigger or Spring Action Handle
      I have a large assortment of these stainless steel scoops in different sizes and found that my Norpro 50mm stainless steel scoop (3 Tablespoons) was a bit too small and my Norpro 56mm stainless steel scoop (4 Tablespoons) was a bit too large. You can use a rounded 3 Tablespoon scoop of cupcake batter or, if you make a lot of cupcakes or muffins, you might want to get the Solula 18/8 Stainless Steel Ice Cream Cupcake Muffin Scoop (3.4 Tablespoons), which is just the right size and capacity to portion out nicely rounded scoops of batter into standard size muffin or cupcake pans.

    • Cake Decorating Set or Piping Bags With Decorating Tips
      These low carb keto shortcake cupcakes will be just as delicious if you use a small offset spatula to spread the frosting on the tops, but piping the buttercream into decorative swirls makes for a more festive presentation. As you can see in the photos, I had a hard time piping the frosting onto my cupcakes, partly because I'm decades out of practice and partly because my kitchen was so hot that the buttercream quickly softened too much. Even so, I like the look of the buttercream swirls, messy though they turned out! If you are new to cake decorating and would like to give it a try, I recommend starting with a small, inexpensive, basic set, such as the Wilton Beginning Buttercream 20-Piece Cake Decorating Kit to see whether you enjoy using a piping bag and decorative tips.

    Ingredients

    For the Cupcakes:

    • 1 package Scotty's Everyday Keto Cupcake & Cake Mix
    • 1 Tablespoon melted butter or ghee (clarified butter)
    • 3 large eggs
    • 1/3 cup water
    • 1 Tablespoon vanilla extract
    • Optional but recommended: Avocado oil, clarified butter or coconut oil for greasing the cupcake liners

    For the Keto Buttercream Frosting (Wholesome Yum recipe):

    • 1 1/2 cups unsalted butter, room temperature (Wholesome Yum's recipe recommends Danish Creamery European Style Unsalted Butter, which isn't available where I live; I use Kerrygold Unsalted Butter, a high-quality Irish butter made from the milk of grass-fed cows that are free of growth hormones)
    • 1 cup Wholesome Yum Besti Keto Monk Fruit Sweetener With Allulose 1:1 Natural Powdered Sugar Replacement
    • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
    • 1/8 tsp fine sea salt
    • 1 Tablespoon heavy cream (approximately)

    For the Filling:

    Instructions

    1. Preheat the oven to 350 ℉ / 180 ℃. Line a standard 12-cup muffin tin with paper, foil or silicone cupcake liners or place 12 sturdy silicone baking cups on a baking sheet. Although not specified on the cupcake mix package directions, I recommend greasing the liners lightly with a thin film of avocado oil, clarified butter or coconut oil.
    2. Prepare the Scotty's Everyday Keto Cupcake & Cake Mix batter according to the package directions. Use a trigger or spring action scoop to portion the batter evenly among the 12 lined muffin tin wells or silicone baking cups, using approximately 3.5 tablespoons of batter for each cupcake.
    3. Bake for 20–22 minutes, just until they test done according to the standard "toothpick test" (i.e., insert a clean, dry toothpick into to center of one of the cupcakes and pull it back out; if it remains clean and dry, the baked goods are done). Do not overbake! Cool them on a baking rack for 20 minutes, then remove the cupcakes from the muffin pan or silicone baking cups.
    4. While the cupcakes are cooling, prepare the buttercream according to the Keto Buttercream Frosting Recipe on the Wholesome Yum website.
    5. Rinse the berries and lay them on two thicknesses of paper towel to dry. Set aside the best looking ones to decorate the tops of the cakes.
    6. Slice the cooled keto shorctcake cupcakes in half horizontally and turn the halves cut side up. Spread a layer of ChocZero Keto Strawberry Jam on one half and a thin layer of the prepared buttercream frosting on the other half. Arrange the berries on the bottom half of the cupcake and cover them with the top half.
    7. Frost the tops of the cupcakes with the remaining buttercream frosting. You can either spread it on with an offset spatula or put it into a piping bag fitted with a star tip (or your favorite cake decorating tip) and piping it on in swirls or rosettes. Top each frosted shortcake cupcake with one of the reserved fresh berries.
    8. Serve on dessert plates with knives and forks, like traditional berry shortcakes. (These towering, berry-filled cupcakes are too tall to bite into directly!)

    A Perfect 4th of July Dessert

    Make these shortcakes with fresh raspberries (or sliced or diced strawberries) and blueberries for a festive red, white and blue 4th of July dessert that everyone at your holiday gathering can enjoy, even if they are on a gluten-free, sugar-free, nut-free, low carb or ketogenic diet.

    The Best Quick & Easy Low Carb Keto Shortcake Cupcakes Recipe by Margaret Schindel

    Posts About My Keto Diet Journey

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