Pumpkin pie meets sweet potato casserole in this Easy Pumpkin Crisp with streusel topping! It involves a rich, warmly-spiced pumpkin filling with an amazing buttery crumble topping for the perfect Thanksgiving side dish or dessert!
Move over, Sweet Potato Casserole, this all-new pumpkin version is here to take the stage!
Light and fluffy warmly-spiced creamy pumpkin pie filling with buttery crunchy topping generates the perfect bite for pumpkin pie lovers. The way I see it, this amazing pumpkin crumble is ideal for those who enjoy pumpkin desserts and can get on board with a mashup of casserole and pie.
Is it a side dish? Yes! Is it dessert? Also yes!
You can look at this like a traditional pumpkin pie in reverse, where the crust is up top, but is 1,000 times better than regular pie crust. Plus, it’s served warm for extra cozy appeal.
The best part? It is made with all wholesome ingredients, yet tastes decadent, making it a great option for those who love traditional Thanksgiving flavors and like to keep it clean.
I make it gluten-free, dairy-free and refined sugar-free, but I have included options using traditional ingredients too!
Let’s discuss the simple ingredients for this easy pumpkin crisp recipe.
Pumpkin Crisp Ingredients:
Pumpkin Filling Ingredients:
Canned Pumpkin Puree: The star of the show here! We need one can of pumpkin puree. Be sure to use pure pumpkin puree (pumpkin only) instead of canned pumpkin pie filling.
If you’re using homemade mashed fresh pumpkin, use 1 ⅔ cups worth and be sure it is cooled to room temperature.
Eggs: A few eggs help fluff up the pumpkin for a light and airy texture.
Pure Maple Syrup: The sweetener here. The pure maple syrup adds a slight maple undertone, which pairs magically with the pumpkin flavor.
Pumpkin Pie Spice: The all-star ingredient that makes a pumpkin dessert taste like a pumpkin dessert! Pumpkin spice is a combination of ground cinnamon, ground nutmeg, ground ginger, and allspice or cloves.
Pure Vanilla Extract: Adds a lovely splash of warm flavor.
Sea Salt: Enhances all of the flavors! Don’t skip it!
Crumble Topping Ingredients:
All-Purpose Flour or Gluten-Free All-Purpose Flour: The base of the crisp topping. I use Bob’s Red Mill Gluten-Free 1-to-1 Baking Flour, but regular flour works great too if you don’t need the recipe to be gluten free.
Quick Oats: Adds that nutty oat flavor and a little texture for an indescribably tasty crisp topping. Be sure to use certified gluten-free oats if you need the recipe to be gluten-free. I use gluten-free sprouted oats.
Coconut Sugar or Brown Sugar: We need some granulated sweetener to make the topping extra delicious. I use coconut sugar because it is lower on the glycemic index, but brown sugar, white sugar, and sugar-free sweetener (such as allulose or monk fruit sweetener) work great too.
Pumpkin Pie Spice: Adds that delicious warmly spiced essence to the topping too so that every bite is packed with cozy flavor.
Avocado Oil: We need fat to bring all of the ingredients for the crisp topping together. I like using avocado oil because it is full of healthy fats and has a neutral flavor.
Recipe Customizations:
- If you prefer using granulated sugar over pure maple syrup, you can use ½ to 1 cup of brown sugar in the pumpkin filling and add ½ cup of heavy cream or full-fat canned coconut milk.
- Replace the avocado oil with melted coconut oil or 12 tablespoons of melted butter.
- Use ground cinnamon instead of pumpkin pie spice if you prefer.
- Replace the oats with crunchy pecans or walnuts for a nutty topping.
- See the FAQ section after the recipe card for a sugar-free low carb version (or a paleo version).
Now that we’ve covered the basic ingredients, let’s make this healthy pumpkin crisp recipe!
How to Make Pumpkin Crisp:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and spray a 10-inch cast iron skillet or baking pan with cooking oil.
Transfer all of the ingredients for the pumpkin pie filling to a large mixing bowl (pumpkin puree, eggs, pure maple syrup, vanilla extract, and sea salt). Mix well until the wet ingredients are combined.
Pour the pumpkin filling into the prepared baking dish and spread it into an even layer.
Mix the dry ingredients for the crumble topping in a mixing bowl until combined. Mix in the avocado oil. The cobbler topping should be thick and fairly cohesive but also still crumbly.
Spread the crumble topping mixture over the pumpkin layer evenly.
Cover the skillet (or baking dish) with aluminum foil and bake on the center rack of the preheated oven for 30 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for another 15 to 20 minutes, until the topping is golden brown and the pumpkin mixture has set up.
Serve pumpkin crisp fresh out of the oven with a scoop of ice cream, and enjoy! If you want to get real fancy, you can whip up a batch of my Stewed Apples to serve with the pumpkin casserole.
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
And that’s it! An amazing side dish or dessert for your holiday table! The way I see it, this easy recipe is perfect during the fall and winter months when we’re all craving cozy fall flavors and carby winter squash.
I love this pumpkin pie crisp for our family’s Thanksgiving table, as I enjoy it both as a side dish and my chosen dessert. I make it a few days ahead of time and store it in the refrigerator or freezer wrapped in plastic wrap in order to break up some of the holiday prep.
If you’re looking for more holiday side dishes, also try out these gems!
More Thanksgiving Side Dishes:
- Roasted Butternut Squash Lentil Salad
- Ginger Orange Cranberry Relish
- Sweet Potato and Apple Casserole
- Orange Balsamic Maple Roasted Vegetables
- Healthy Green Bean Casserole
For years, I’ve been a sweet potato casserole girl and now I’m all-in on pumpkin crisp!
Pumpkin Crisp Recipe
Ingredients
Pumpkin Filling:
- 1 (15-oz) can pumpkin puree (or 1 ⅔ cup homemade mashed pumpkin)
- 3 large eggs
- ½ cup pure maple syrup*
- 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 1 ½ tsp pumpkin pie spice or ground cinnamon
- ½ tsp sea salt
Streusel Topping:
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour or gluten-free all-purpose flour
- ⅔ cups quick oats
- ⅔ cup coconut sugar or brown sugar
- 1 ½ tsp pumpkin pie spice or ground cinnamon
- 10 Tbsp avocado oil**
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and spray a 10-inch cast iron skillet or baking pan with cooking oil.
- Transfer all of the ingredients for the pumpkin pie filling to a large mixing bowl (pumpkin puree, eggs, pure maple syrup, vanilla extract, and sea salt). Mix well until the wet ingredients are combined. Pour the pumpkin filling into the prepared baking dish and spread it into an even layer.
- Mix the dry ingredients for the crumble topping in a mixing bowl until combined. Mix in the avocado oil. The cobbler topping should be thick and fairly cohesive but also still crumbly.
- Spread the crumble topping mixture over the pumpkin layer evenly.
- Cover the skillet (or baking dish) with aluminum foil and bake on the center rack of the preheated oven for 30 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for another 15 to 20 minutes, until the topping is golden brown and the pumpkin mixture has set up.
- Serve pumpkin crisp fresh out of the oven with a scoop of ice cream, and enjoy!
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Notes
Nutrition
Frequently Asked Questions
Rather than baking the crisp in a cast iron skillet, you can use a 9 or 10-inch round cake pan, or a 9-inch square baking pan. If you have a small casserole dish (smaller than 13 x 9), you can use that as well.
Yes! Feel free to double the recipe and bake it in a 13” x 9” casserole dish.
Replace the eggs with ¾ cup of full-fat canned coconut milk (must be full-fat), or heavy cream, plus 3 tablespoons of tapioca flour or cornstarch.
Either one works great, however, I think it is particularly lovely warm.
Yes! To make the recipe lower carb, use the following recipe for the topping:
1 1/3 cups almond flour
2 Tbsp tapioca flour (optional)
1 cup raw pecans, chopped
6 Tbsp melted coconut oil or 8 Tbsp melted butter
3 to 4 Tbsp sugar-free sweetener (like allulose or monk fruit)
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp sea salt
In addition, you will need to replace the pure maple syrup in the pumpkin filling with a sugar-free sweetener. To do so, use 1/2 cup to 2/3 cup of sugar-free sweetener (depending on how sweet you want it) and add 1/2 cup of heavy cream or full-fat canned coconut milk to the filling.
