Keto mug cake is perfect when you need a delicious dessert in a flash. There’s nothing easier or more comforting than this easy sugar-free snickerdoodle cake. Only 5 minutes, start to finish!
Mug cakes were an absolute revelation for me when I first started food blogging. Wait…what? You mean you can make cake in 5 minutes flat? And you can just do one or two servings? You can have cake any old time?
I could hardly fathom it. In my experience, baking a cake took quite a bit of time and effort. So when I tried making my first keto mug cake, I was totally floored
Done right, it’s just as airy and delicious as cake baked in the oven. And since this Snickerdoodle Mug Cake has long been one of my most popular recipes, I think I’ve done it right!
If you love cookies make sure sure to also check out my Keto Snickerdoodles.
Why you will love this recipe
If you’re a dessert lover who’s short on time, keto mug cake is the way to go. And there are so many great ways to make it, with just about any flavor you want.
You can make keto chocolate mug cakes, peanut butter mug cakes, and even blueberry lemon. I also have a wonderful recipe for a gooey keto mug brownie. The possibilities are endless.
They take a handful of basic ingredients that you likely already have in your keto pantry. You only need a little flour, some sweetener, eggs, oil, and liquid to make them.
They are also easily adapted for any dietary restrictions, such as nut-free or dairy-free. So everyone can enjoy these quick and easy cakes.
Reader testimonials
Outstanding! Just the right amount of sweetness to satisfy that cake craving!The only difference is I used golden monkfruit instead of Swerve granular.I will definitely be making this again, thank you! — Kathy
Best keto mug cake recipe I have ever tried! And I have tried many. I only made one serving and used the whole egg instead of trying to split it. Haha. Was out of cream so I put water in its place. Was still delicious! I am sure it would even be better if I could have followed it to a t. — Sarab
Ingredients you need
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- Almond flour: To make it nut free, swap out almond flour with sunflower seed flour.
- Coconut flour: This helps the consistency of the cake and also reduced the carb count.
- Sweetener: Use your favorite granular sweetener. This recipe works with Swerve, BochaSweet or allulose.
- Ground cinnamon: You can’t have snickerdoodles without plenty of cinnamon!
- Cream of tartar and baking soda: Snickerdoodle cookies are made with baking soda and cream of tartar. They give the cookies a unique tangy flavor, so that’s what I used in this keto mug cake as well. If you don’t have these ingredients, you can use ½ teaspoon of baking powder.
- Kitchen staples: Eggs, butter, cream, vanilla extract, and salt.
Step by step directions
1. Cinnamon “sugar”: Make this first so that you can sprinkle it into the middle of the batter as well as on the top. In a small bowl, whisk together sweetener and cinnamon for the topping. Set aside.
2. Combine the dry ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together the almond flour, coconut flour, sweetener, cinnamon, baking soda, cream of tartar, and salt.
3. Add the wet ingredients: Stir in the egg, butter, whipping cream, and vanilla extract. If your batter is overly thick, add water, 1 teaspoon at a time. It should be just barely pourable.
4. Assemble the mug cake: Divide half the batter between two coffee mugs or ramekins. Sprinkle with half of the cinnamon mixture. Divide the remaining batter between mugs and sprinkle with the remaining cinnamon mixture.
5. Cook: Microwave on high for 1 to 2 minutes, until puffed and just barely cooked through. Remove and let cool 5 minutes.
Expert Tips and FAQ
Mug size: When baked in the microwave, these snickerdoodle keto mug cakes rise very rapidly. Make sure your mugs or ramekins are large enough to accommodate this. You want them to be at least 3/4 cup capacity and you don’t want to fill them more than two-thirds full.
Oven-baking: You can also make them in an oven or toaster oven too, but they will take longer. Bake it at 325ºF for about 15 to 20 minutes.
Dairy-Free Option: Use coconut oil or avocado oil in place of the butter, and coconut milk in place of the heavy cream.
Nut-Free Option: Use sunflower seed flour in place of the almond flour. But remember to add a little lemon juice (1 tablespoon) to offset the funny green reaction.
This keto mug cake recipe has 7.4g of carbohydrate and 3.7g of dietary fiber. Thus it has 3.7g of NET CARBS per serving.
Because they cook so quickly, it’s easy to overcook mug cakes. I like to take mine out when the center still looks a little wet, to ensure that it’s not dried out. For these keto mug cakes, 90 seconds on high works well.
Yes, you can make these cakes in advance. Cover them tightly and store at room temperature for 1 day. You can also store them in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. To reheat, place it in the microwave for 15-20 seconds until just warm.
Serving suggestions:
- I eat keto mug cake right out of the mug, but you can also flip them out onto a dish. Make sure you grease the ramekin or mug very well if you plan on doing this.
- Take your cakes to the next level with a little whipped cream or keto ice cream.
- The Mini Snickerdoodle Cookies from High Key looks so adorable on top.
- If you really want to gild the lily, try drizzling it with some of my keto caramel sauce!
Keto Mug Cake Recipe
Ingredients
Cinnamon Filling/Topping:
- 2 tsp Swerve Sweetener
- 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
Mug Cakes:
- 5 tbsp almond flour
- 1 tbsp coconut flour
- 2 tbsp Swerve Sweetener
- 1/4 tsp cinnamon
- 1/8 tsp baking soda
- 1/8 tsp cream of tartar
- Pinch salt
- 1 large egg
- 2 tbsp melted butter, (try avocado oil for dairy-free)
- 1 tbsp heavy whipping cream
- 1/4 tsp vanilla extract
- Water to thin batter, if necessary
Instructions
Filling/Topping:
- In a small bowl, whisk together the sweetener and cinnamon. Set aside.
Mug Cakes:
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the almond flour, coconut flour, sweetener, cinnamon, baking soda, cream of tartar, and salt.
- Add the egg, butter, whipping cream, and vanilla extract and stir until well combined. If your batter is overly thick, add water, 1 tsp at a time. It should be just barely pourable.
- Divide half the batter between two coffee mugs or ramekins. Sprinkle with half of the topping mixture. Divide the remaining batter between mugs and sprinkle with the remaining topping mixture.
- Cook on high in microwave for 1 to 2 minutes, until puffed and just barely cooked through.
- Remove and let cool 5 minutes. Serve warm with lightly sweetened whipped cream, if desired.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
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Size of cups or ramekins please?
Please read the Expert Tips as I gave sizes and suggestions! 🙂
What if you don’t have crème of tartar?
You can skip it but it’s not quite the same.
This was delicious! Honestly not far off from a real treat, like a banana bread or zucchini bread.
Only tip, start with just one minute and go from there. I overcooked mine, but still delicious!
Thank You!
I made this tonight and it was absolutely perfect!! Just right if you have no control when it comes to yummy desserts🤦🏻♀️. It has the sweet that you crave and just the right size.
Loved it!
yum…and easy
Absolutely perfect. Used coconut milk and coconut oil for dairy free and it was delightful. Perfect for a quick date night dessert after the kids are in bed!
this was easy and very delicious 😋 turned out light and fluffy. thank you!
Served this in fancy cocottes to non-keto lunch guests today. They loved it! Hubby loved it so much he asked to have it again with his dinner. It’s so quick and easy to make, I whipped up a second batch.
I made these last night for a quick snack. My husband loves anything cinnamon and I thought I would make it for him. The only thing I did differently was instead of water to get the consistency I wanted I just added more cream. I served with whipped cream, and my husband says this recipe is a keeper. I have not done much Keto baking but this will definitely be on our quick snack list.
Glad to hear it!
OMG! My husband was craving something sweet, so I whipped up this amazing snickerdoodle mug cake in a ramekin, served it to him warm with a cold cup of almond milk- I could hear him exclaiming all over the house how delicious it was!!- I had the other one with my coffee this morning, and I’m making more this afternoon! I baked mine in the oven at 325° for 20 min.-as per your notes,😋 perfection!! thankyou Carolyn, and my husband thanks you too!
I totally enjoyed this mug cake. I did want to point out that in the photo of ingredients it states that baking powder is to be used. Once I began reading the full recipe I realized that you actually were calling for baking soda. Please don’t take this as criticism. Your recipes are always my”go to”.
Thanks for all you do to help us all stay keto.
Not offended but I can’t change the photo now! 🙂
Will 90 seconds cook both mug cakes or should they be done one at a time?
You can do them at the same time.. just keep your eye on them!
Made it and love it!!! Thank you!
Wondering if this could be briefly baked in the oven? I don’t have a microwave.
Thanks.
Probably! 🙂 350F for 15 minutes, maybe? Keep your eye on it.
came out fabulous!!!!!
Can this be cooked in an oven? I don’t own a microwave, but I would love to try. If this can be cooked in an oven, what are the directions?
You will need to experiment!
Can’t wait to try. You are defiantly the Low carb cooking queen. Thanks so much. Also is there a link to purchase the ramekins you have pictured?
This recipe made everyone in my household smile and ask for more. Winner!
So delicious! Only modification I made was using cake batter extract instead of vanilla. I put it in two ramekin dishes for a total of 1.5 minutes. Eating it warm is an added bonus! Recipes like this make it much easier to follow a keto/low carb diet!