The Ultimate List of Low Carb Monk Fruit Recipes (2024)

Diabetes |

ByErin Palinski-Wade

Following a low-carb diet doesn’t mean giving up your favorite sweet treats! I’ve found 15 of the best monk fruit recipes to satisfy your sweet tooth without raising your blood sugar.

The Ultimate List of Low Carb Monk Fruit Recipes (1)

Monk fruit is the perfect sugar replacement for baking and cooking as it holds up to heat, dissolves well, and won’t raise your blood sugar.

Each of these recipes using monk fruit will help you manage your blood sugar without giving up your favorite foods.

What is monk fruit?

Monk fruit is a small green melon native to the southern regions of China. It’s a natural, zero-calorie sweetener that is 150-200 times sweeter than sugar. Like other sugar substitutes, monk fruit can help you enjoy your favorite foods without raising your blood sugar.

While some sugar substitutes can cause digestive issues like gas or cramping (looking at you erythritol and xylitol), monk fruit is easy on the stomach.

Monkfruit is heat stable, which makes it a great choice for baking. But, since it’s much sweeter than sugar, it’s not a one-to-one replacement for sugar in recipes. Thankfully, the 15 recipes used below are all tested using monk fruit, so there’s no guesswork on how much to use.

Sweet monk fruit recipes

If you’ve been avoiding or limiting dessert because of your diabetes, it’s about time you stop that silliness! You can have your cake and manage your blood sugars too when you sweeten your recipes with monk fruit. These tried and true sweet treats use monk fruit sweetener to create delicious, satisfying, low-carb desserts that you can enjoy without guilt or worry.

Low Carb Keto Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffins | We Eat at Last

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These fluffy and delicious low-carb pumpkin muffins are great to serve for breakfast or brunch! And they’re so easy to make, you’ll be baking them on repeat!

No-Bake Strawberry Cheesecake | No Sugar No Flour Recipes

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Cheesecake is typically loaded with sugar and is not an ideal treat for someone with diabetes. This no-bake strawberry cheesecake cuts the carbs in half using powdered monk fruit as a sweetener.

Keto Fruit Pizza Sugar Cookies | Simply Low Cal

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Have you ever seen a more delicious way to eat your fruit?! These low-carb sugar cookies are topped with sweet and decadent sugar-free frosting and seasonal fruit for the perfect summer treat.

Keto Brownies | Low Carb Quick

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These thick, rich, fudgy brownies are made with almond flour and sweetened with monk fruit. These gooey brownies are low-carb and absolutely delicious.

Jam Thumbprint Cookies | An Edible Mosaic

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These gluten-free and keto Jam Thumbprint Cookies are soft inside with a crispy nut coating and sweet raspberry jam filling. They’re a lovely addition to a holiday cookie platter and are also perfect for a sweet treat any time of year.

Keto Peanut Butter Cups | The Short Order Cook

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No-bake chocolate & peanut butter cups are the keto treat your sweet tooth craves. The cool and creamy layers make these keto peanut butter cups absolutely irresistible.

No-Bake Keto Cheesecake | Momma Fit Lindsey

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The best no-bake keto cheesecake is right here! Made with no sugar, this monk fruit cheesecake is light, fluffy, and has a delicious toasted almond flour crust that you would swear is graham crackers! Perfect for low-carb eating or if you are looking for an easy dessert recipe that won’t spike your blood sugar.

Almond Flour Shortbread Cookies | Kalyn’s Kitchen

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Almond flour shortbread cookies are the perfect treat when you’re craving cookies and want an easy recipe that’s low in carbs!

Keto Chocolate Donuts | Low Carb Yum

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These keto chocolate donuts are a decadent treat for you to satisfy your chocolate and donut craving. Monk fruit is used to sweeten these donuts, making them the perfect low-carb breakfast or snack.

Easy Low Carb Pumpkin Muffins | Erin Palinski Wade

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These sugar-free, gluten-free, and blood sugar-friendly muffins are perfect for a pumpkin lover! Monk fruit helps sweeten these to make them the perfect breakfast or snack while managing your blood sugars.

Savory monk fruit recipes

Monk fruit isn’t only for desserts and sweet treats! These savory recipes use monk fruit to create a deliciously sticky and sweet glaze for pork and add a subtle sweetness to a keto egg salad. If your favorite savory dish uses sugar or another sweetener, monk fruit could be a great alternative to use for better blood sugar control.

Baked Pork Tenderloin with Glaze | Cooking with Mama C

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This baked pork tenderloin is always a hit! Use monk fruit sweetener in the sweet-and-spicy glaze for a delicious keto dish.

Keto Deviled Egg Salad | We Eat at Last

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This keto-friendly deviled egg salad is the perfect side dish. It is easy to make, goes well with so many dishes, and is gluten-free. Whip up a batch for your next picnic or summer day lunch.

Thirst-quenching drinks sweetened with monk fruit

If you’ve ever heard that you shouldn’t drink your carbs, now you don’t have to. These deliciously sweet drinks use monk fruit instead of sugar for refreshing and satisfying drinks that won’t cause a spike in blood sugar.

Three Ingredient Hot Chocolate| Erin Palinski Wade

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If you think you have to give up sweet decadent drinks like hot chocolate just to manage your blood sugars, think again! This three-ingredient hot chocolate is keto-friendly and has only 3 grams of net carbs.

Monks’ Fruit and Chrysanthemum Tea | Daily Cooking Quest

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Chinese herbal tea (liang cha) is a homemade remedy for sore throat. I love this version with luo han guo (monk fruit), chrysanthemum flowers, and longan.

Homemade Keto Lemonade Concentrate | The Short Order Cook

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Making homemade lemonade concentrate that’s keto-friendly and sweetened with monk fruit is so easy and delicious! Get ready to enjoy sugar-free lemonade all year long!

The Bottom Line

Monk fruit can be used in a variety of dishes from sweet treats, to dinner, or refreshing drinks. By enjoying any one of these recipes, you can eat satisfying and enjoyable food while managing your blood sugar. A diabetes-friendly diet never tasted so good!

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The Ultimate List of Low Carb Monk Fruit Recipes (2024)

FAQs

Can you use monk fruit on a low carb diet? ›

Monk fruit is a healthy addition to a low-carb diet. In one study, taking monk fruit didn't raise blood sugar levels in healthy participants. Sugar, on the other hand, increased fasting blood sugar by 70% within 15 minutes.

Are there any side effects from monk fruit sweetener? ›

And some artificial sweeteners like Equal and Splenda are controversial. In the case of monk fruit sweeteners, there are no known side effects. The Food and Drug Administration has deemed monk fruit “generally recognized as safe (GRAS)” for everyone, including pregnant women and children.

Does monk fruit kick you out of ketosis? ›

People have used monk fruit for centuries in China, but the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) only generally recognized it as safe in 2010. A monk fruit sweetener has no calories or carbs , so it will not raise a person's blood sugar levels. This means it is suitable for those following a keto diet.

What is the best keto sweetener for baking without aftertaste? ›

A natural sweetener like Sweet Like Sugar blend incorporates erythritol and stevia to provide a clean, sweet taste without the aftertaste associated with many other sugar substitutes. We at GOOD GOOD recommend it as the best tasting sugar substitute for your recipes.

Does monk fruit spike blood sugar? ›

Because monk fruit sugar is metabolized differently than regular sugar, you can reduce your caloric intake by using it. It doesn't affect blood sugar. Monk fruit sugar doesn't affect your blood sugar levels and can improve your glycemic control. It's anti-inflammatory.

Which is better for keto stevia or monk fruit? ›

They are low in carbohydrates and have minimal impact on blood sugar levels, making them suitable alternatives to sugar. Whether you prefer monk fruit or stevia comes down to personal preference and taste, as they both provide a sweet solution without derailing your keto goals.

Why avoid monk fruit? ›

The sweeteners can also leave an aftertaste. Other ingredients. Some manufacturers balance the taste of monk fruit by mixing it with other sugars, such as maltodextrin or dextrose. This can change the sweetener's nutritional profile and make it unsafe or undesirable for some people.

Is monk fruit sweetener hard on the liver? ›

Studies have shown that monk fruit can help lower blood pressure, improve cholesterol levels, and reduce fatty liver disease risk factors – all without increasing blood glucose levels like regular sugar does.

Does all monk fruit have erythritol? ›

Do all monk fruit sweeteners have erythritol? No, but most do. I've found about 50 monk fruit erythritol blends and list them here. Erythritol (Ah-REETH-ra-tall) is currently one of the most popular sweeteners.

Why was stevia banned? ›

Though stevia was initially banned in the U.S. because some studies suggested it may be linked to cancer, it's no longer prohibited. In fact, in 2008, stevia was granted GRAS status by the FDA - which stands for "Generally Recognized As Safe."

Can monk fruit stall weight loss? ›

“Replacing sugar with monk fruit is a good way to cut those empty calories.” But sugar alternatives are not the fast track to weight loss. In fact, some studies have found that artificial sweeteners can contribute to weight gain by building sugar craving and dependence.

Does monk fruit cause weight loss? ›

May promote weight loss

Because monk fruit contains no calories, carbohydrates, or fat, people who want to lose weight may find monk fruit a useful addition to their diet. A person who uses sugar can reduce their calorie intake by substituting monk fruit sweeteners where they would typically use sugar.

Is co*ke Zero good for keto? ›

You can drink zero-calorie sodas while on keto. These include Diet co*ke, co*ke Zero, Diet Pepsi, and other no-carb options. You can even make homemade soda with carbonated water, fresh fruits, and plant-based sugar additives.

What taste sweet but has no sugar? ›

Mashed bananas, pureed dates, unsweetened applesauce and canned pumpkin can add sweetness while retaining moisture and lowering fat content in quick breads, pancakes, cookies, muffins and more. Cookbooks, baking websites and blogs frequently include substitution information.

Is popcorn okay for keto? ›

Net carbs are calculated by taking the total grams of carbohydrate in a food and subtracting the amount of fiber. In this case, popcorn contains 6 grams of carbs per 1 cup serving and 1.2 grams of fiber, bringing the net carbs per serving to 4.8 grams. Yes friends, popcorn is indeed a keto food.

Does monk fruit count as carbs? ›

Monk fruit extract is 150 to 200 times sweeter than sugar. The extract contains zero calories, zero carbohydrates, zero sodium, and zero fat. This makes it a popular sweetener alternative for manufacturers who make low-calorie products and for the consumers who eat them.

What is the best non carb sugar substitute? ›

Stevia. Stevia is a natural sweetener derived from the Stevia rebaudiana plant. It's considered a nonnutritive sweetener, which means that it contains little to no calories or carbs ( 2 ). Unlike regular sugar, animal and human studies have shown that stevia may help lower blood sugar levels ( 3 ).

Is monk fruit sweetener bad for weight loss? ›

“Replacing sugar with monk fruit is a good way to cut those empty calories.” But sugar alternatives are not the fast track to weight loss. In fact, some studies have found that artificial sweeteners can contribute to weight gain by building sugar craving and dependence.

How much monk fruit can you have on keto? ›

One teaspoon of monk fruit sweetener has only 0.4 grams of carbohydrates. It would take up to 80 teaspoons of monk fruit sweetener just to consume 30 grams of carbs (a common daily allotment on keto).

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