The Best Pumpkin Crisp
This recipe features a perfectly creamy, pumpkin-pie-like filling and a crunchy, buttery streusel topping with a hint of ginger snap spice. It's the ideal fall dessert for any occasion and a foolproof alternative to traditional pumpkin pie.
Equipment
- Baking & Mixing:
- 9x13 inch Baking Dish: A standard glass or ceramic casserole dish is perfect for this recipe.
- Rimmed Baking Sheet: It's a good idea to place your baking dish on a larger sheet pan. This catches any potential drips from the topping and makes it easier to get in and out of the oven.
- Large and Medium Mixing Bowls: You'll need a large one for the pumpkin filling and a medium one for the streusel topping.
- Whisk: Essential for getting the pumpkin custard filling perfectly smooth.
- Wire Cooling Rack: Allows air to circulate underneath the dish, helping the crisp to cool and set properly.
- Utensils & Prep Tools:
- Measuring Cups and Spoons: For accurately measuring all your ingredients.
- Spatula: A rubber or silicone spatula is great for scraping down the sides of the bowl and spreading the filling.
- Pastry Blender (Optional): This is the ideal tool for cutting cold butter into the topping. If you don't have one, you can easily use two knives in a crisscross motion or simply your fingertips.
- Rolling Pin or Food Processor: To crush the ginger snap cookies into crumbs. You can also place them in a zip-top bag and crush them with a rolling pin or the bottom of a heavy pan.
Ingredients
For the Creamy Pumpkin Filling:
- 1 ½ cups pumpkin puree one 15oz can
- 3 large eggs lightly beaten
- 1 cup heavy cream
- ¾ cup packed dark brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon salt
For the Crunchy Streusel Topping:
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 cup crushed ginger snap cookies
- ½ cup old-fashioned rolled oats
- ½ cup packed dark brown sugar
- ½ cup chopped pecans or walnuts optional
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- ½ cup 1 stick unsalted butter, cold and cubed
- ½ cup mixed chocolate chips (or chips of choice), optional
Instructions
- Preheat and Prepare: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 9x13 inch baking dish. For easy cleanup, place the baking dish on a larger, rimmed baking sheet.
- Make the Pumpkin Filling: In a large bowl, whisk together the pumpkin puree, lightly beaten eggs, heavy cream, ¾ cup brown sugar, pumpkin pie spice, vanilla extract, and salt until completely smooth. Pour the mixture evenly into the prepared baking dish.
- Make the Streusel Topping: In a separate medium bowl, combine the flour, crushed ginger snaps, rolled oats, ½ cup brown sugar, chopped pecans (if using), and cinnamon. If using, stir in the chocolate chips Add the cubes of cold butter.
- Cut in the Butter: Using your fingertips, a pastry blender, or two knives, cut the butter into the dry ingredients until the mixture resembles coarse, pea-sized crumbles.
- Assemble and Bake: Sprinkle the streusel topping evenly over the pumpkin filling. Bake for 50-60 minutes. The crisp is done when the topping is deep golden brown and the filling is mostly set. The very center should have a slight jiggle to it (it will finish setting as it cools).
- Cool and Serve: Let the crisp cool on a wire rack for at least 20-30 minutes before serving. This allows the filling to set properly. Serve warm.
Notes
Cold Butter is Key: Using cold butter for the topping is essential for creating a crisp, crumbly texture rather than a greasy one.
Don't Overbake: The biggest mistake is overbaking the filling, which can make it crack. Pull it from the oven when the center still has a slight wobble.
Make-Ahead: You can assemble the entire crisp (without baking) up to 1 day ahead of time. Cover and refrigerate. You may need to add 5-10 minutes to the baking time.
Serving: Delicious with vanilla bean ice cream, whipped cream, or a drizzle of salted caramel sauce.
A Note on Chocolate: For the best texture, we recommend mixing the optional chocolate chips into the streusel topping rather than sprinkling them on top. This prevents them from getting too brown and keeps the topping perfectly crisp.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!