High Protein Pumpkin Roll – Easy, Healthy, And Sugar Free!

Indulge in a guilt-free treat with this high protein pumpkin roll recipe. It's easy to make, healthy, and sugar-free, making it the perfect dessert to please a crowd.

Not kidding, I thought this pumpkin cake roll would be quite hard, and the only reason I made it was because my husband asked for it. Turned out that it really is an easy recipe. All you need to do is work fast and it comes together really well.

My first attempt was a bit of a fail though, since the cake just cracked into two, but round 2 worked out for sure.

Ingredients for Protein Pumpkin Roll

This protein pumpkin roll cake is a healthy, low sugar and low fat recipe made with whole wheat pastry flour, only a little butter, and sweetened with protein powder!

• Pumpkin Puree
• Whole Wheat Pastry Flour
• Vanilla Protein Powder: For a pumpkin cake roll with no sugar; I used Quest Vanilla
• Unflavored Protein Powder to replace some of the flour in the original recipe, drop the carbs, and make this a high protein pumpkin roll. I use Quest Nutrition's Multi-purpose Mix Whey-Casein protein powder.
• Pumpkin Cheesecake flavored Peanut Butter Powder (peanut powder), or regular
  I used Pumpkin Cheesecake Flavored PB Co peanut powder.
  For a regular version I'd recommend Lakanto (code HAYLSKITCHEN gives you a discount) or PbFit or PB2 too.

• Pumpkin Pie Spice
• Melted Butter
• Lemon Juice
• Hot Water
• Baking Soda

What is Pumpkin Roll filling made of?

The filling for this low fat and no sugar added pumpkin roll has just 3 simple ingredients:

• Non Fat Greek Yogurt for an extra high protein frosting recipe, but any other yogurt will also work
• Reduced Fat Cream Cheese
• Vanilla Protein Powder - this is what replaces the sugar here. I used Quest Vanilla again.

Step By Step Instructions For Making The Pumpkin Roll

Ready to get rolling? This pumpkin roll is surprisingly simple! Here's how to whip up this healthy, high-protein treat without the fuss.

1. First, preheat your oven to 350°F and line a 9x13" baking pan with parchment paper. This is key for easy removal later!
2. Next, in one bowl, whisk together all your dry ingredients: the flours, both protein powders, pumpkin spice, and baking soda.
3. In a separate, larger bowl, whisk together your wet ingredients: hot water, pumpkin puree, butter, and lemon juice.
4. Now, pour your dry mix into the wet ingredients and whisk just until they're combined. DO NOT OVER-MIX! Overworking the protein powder will make your cake dense, and we want it light and fluffy.
5. Immediately pour the batter into your prepared pan, spread it evenly, and pop it in the oven. Don't let the batter sit out before baking.
6. Bake for about 8-10 minutes. The cake is done when a toothpick comes out dry. While it bakes, lay a tea towel on a cooling rack and sprinkle it with zero-calorie powdered sugar.
7. Once the cake is out of the oven, lift it out using the parchment paper and immediately invert it onto your powdered-sugar-dusted tea towel. Gently peel off the parchment paper.
8. While it's still hot, roll the cake up tightly (starting from the short end). Let it cool completely in the towel.
9. For the filling, grab a bowl and combine your softened cream cheese, Greek yogurt, and vanilla protein powder. Beat it until it's super smooth and creamy.
10. Unroll the cooled cake, spread your frosting evenly over the top, and roll it back up. Wrap it in plastic wrap and let it chill in the fridge for at least an hour to set.
11. Finally, take it out, sift some powdered sugar on top, slice it into 12 pieces, and enjoy!

Tips for Protein Powder Pumpkin Roll Recipe

This protein powder pumpkin roll recipe is an easy one, but here's some tips to get it just right!

• Use room temperature pumpkin puree;
  This is so the wet ingredients and dry ingredients can mix well to give the perfect homemade pumpkin roll cake.

• Use melted butter so that it mixes well into the healthy pumpkin roll batter.

• Don't over-mix the batter!
  Make sure you gently fold the dry mix into the wet to combine them.
  If you over-mix it, the protein powder will make the low calorie pumpkin roll cake tough, dense and gummy.

• Taste the batter and see if you need some extra sweetener. I'd recommend using stevia powder to maintain the consistency of the batter and have a no sugar added pumpkin roll.

• Don't let the batter sit out too long; Pour immediately into baking pan and bake.
  This is to avoid any reactions between the ingredients.

• Use softened cream cheese for frosting so it mixes smoothly with the yogurt and protein powder.

What is the secret to rolling a pumpkin roll?
How to prevent protein pumpkin roll from cracking?

It might seem tricky, but here's how you prevent that cracking!

• Roll cake onto towel as soon as it comes out of oven to prevent cracking since the hot air will make sure it holds shape.

• Roll the cake tightly so it holds shape and gets those pretty spirals.

How long to cool pumpkin roll before filling?

• Let cake protein pumpkin cake cool completely before filling or the cream cheese filling will melt away.

How to store Homemade Pumpkin Roll?

These high protein pumpkin pie cake pops keep well for a meal prep dessert or post workout snack; Freezer friendly too!

Store healthy pumpkin protein powder cake pops at room temperature in an airtight container for 1-2 days or in the fridge for a week.

To freeze the pumpkin cake bites, individually wrap in plastic wrap and place in freezer-safe zipper bags or air tight container; They should keep for 2-3 months.

Alternatives for Healthy Pumpkin Roll Cake Recipe

For the perfect low fat, low calorie and healthy pumpkin roll cake recipe, I would highly suggest using the ingredients and brands I recommended; I do have some alternatives you can try. I haven't testing them all, so I can't say how yourpumpkin roll recipe might turn out.

• Whole Wheat Pastry Flour: All purpose flour or 1:1 Gluten Free Baking Flour in the same amount by weight not cups
• Flavored Peanut Butter Powder: Regular Peanut Butter Powder + ½ teaspoon Extra Pumpkin Pie Spice
  Or 2 tablespoon Flour + ½ teaspoon Extra Pumpkin Pie Spice  + Stevia/Sugar-free sweetener (taste batter to know how much)
• Melted Butter: Melted Coconut Oil
• Lemon Juice: Apple Cider Vinegar or White Vinegar

Options for the Low Sugar Cream Cheese Filling for Pumpkin Roll

• Greek Yogurt: Coconut Yogurt
• Reduced Fat Cream Cheese: Regular or Vegan Cream Cheese

To make Easy Pumpkin Roll Vegan

This easy pumpkin roll recipe has no eggs or milk and can be made Vegan with a plant-based protein powder and dairy free butter or coconut oil.
Also be sure to use dairy-free cream cheese and coconut yogurt for the filling.

I haven't tried pea protein or other plant based ones, so I can't say how those would work.

More Healthy Pumpkin Protein Recipes:

• Pumpkin Protein Scones
• Chocolate Lava Pumpkin Protein Cookie for One
• Protein Pumpkin French Toast Bake
• Pumpkin Protein Cinnamon Rolls
• Chocolate Pumpkin Protein Cupcakes
• Pumpkin Protein Cookies
• Fat-Free Protein Pumpkin Bread