Pumpkin Crisp: Easy Pumpkin Pie Dessert with Cinnamon Streusel

If you love pumpkin pie but aren’t particularly interested in wrestling with pie crust, I have good news: pumpkin crisp exists.

You get the creamy, warmly spiced pumpkin filling that makes pumpkin pie so good, but instead of a traditional crust, the whole thing gets covered with a buttery cinnamon streusel and baked until golden and crisp.

And then you serve it warm with ice cream.

Honestly, I’m not sure we needed to complicate pumpkin dessert any further.

This easy pumpkin crisp is especially good for Thanksgiving because it can be prepared ahead, doesn’t require much hands-on work, and still feels like the kind of dessert people will ask you about after dinner.

Why You’ll Love This Pumpkin Crisp

There are plenty of pumpkin desserts competing for a place on the Thanksgiving table, but this one has a few unfair advantages.

All the Pumpkin Pie Flavor Without the Crust

The base is essentially everything you love about a creamy pumpkin pie filling: pumpkin puree, eggs, sugar, pumpkin pie spice, vanilla, and heavy cream.

The difference is what happens on top.

Instead of pie dough, you get a thick cinnamon streusel that turns golden and crisp in the oven.

So if pie crust isn’t exactly your favorite thing to make, this is a very convenient alternative.

That Cinnamon Streusel Is Something Else

The pumpkin filling is soft and creamy, which makes the crunchy topping even better.

The streusel is made with flour, sugar, cinnamon, salt, and melted butter, then baked directly over the pumpkin layer.

The result is a golden, buttery topping with plenty of cinnamon flavor.

Add a scoop of vanilla ice cream while the pumpkin crisp is still warm and let it melt into the topping.

That’s the move.

It’s an Easy Thanksgiving Dessert

Thanksgiving is already busy enough.

Between the turkey, sides, appetizers, and approximately twelve different things fighting for oven space, the last thing anyone needs is a complicated dessert.

This Thanksgiving dessert takes around 15 minutes to prepare and can even be assembled ahead of time.

That’s exactly the kind of recipe I want when I’m already cooking half the kitchen.

Pumpkin Crisp Ingredients

You don’t need anything unusual for this pumpkin dessert.

Pumpkin puree: Use 100% pumpkin puree rather than pumpkin pie filling. The canned pie filling already contains sugar and spices, so it isn’t interchangeable here.

Heavy cream: This gives the pumpkin layer its rich, creamy texture. Half-and-half can work as a substitute, but heavy cream makes the filling more decadent.

Pumpkin pie spice: This gives the filling its classic warm fall flavor. If you don’t have pumpkin pie spice, you can make your own with spices such as cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves.

Eggs: These help the pumpkin filling set as it bakes.

Flour, sugar, cinnamon, butter: These are the foundation of the crumbly cinnamon streusel topping.

How to Make Pumpkin Crisp

1. Prepare the Baking Dish

Start by preheating the oven to 375°F.

Butter a 12-inch cast iron skillet or a medium casserole dish and set it aside.

A 9×9 baking dish works too, so don’t panic if you don’t own a cast iron skillet.

2. Make the Pumpkin Pie Filling

In a large bowl, whisk together the pumpkin puree, sugar, eggs, pumpkin pie spice, salt, and vanilla extract.

Add the heavy cream and whisk again until the mixture is smooth.

Pour the pumpkin mixture into your prepared baking dish.

3. Make the Cinnamon Streusel

In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, cinnamon, and salt.

Add the melted butter and stir with a fork until the mixture becomes crumbly.

Spread the streusel evenly over the pumpkin filling.

And yes, it is going to look like a lot of topping.

That’s not a problem.

That’s the point.

4. Bake

Bake the pumpkin crisp for about 40 to 45 minutes, until the pumpkin filling is set and the topping is golden brown.

If the topping starts browning too quickly, loosely cover it with foil for the remainder of the baking time.

5. Cool and Serve

Let the pumpkin crisp cool for about 10 minutes before serving.

That short rest gives the pumpkin layer a chance to firm up.

Then serve it warm with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream.

If you happen to find cinnamon ice cream, even better.

Easy Pumpkin Crisp Variations

Once you’ve made the basic recipe, there are plenty of ways to play with it.

Add Pecans or Walnuts

Chopped pecans or walnuts can be added to the streusel for extra crunch. They work particularly well with the pumpkin and cinnamon flavors.

Add Oats

For a more traditional crisp topping, add up to a cup of old-fashioned or quick oats to the crumb mixture.

Add Caramel

A drizzle of salted caramel sauce over the warm pumpkin crisp takes this firmly into “I should probably stop eating this” territory.

Use a Different Baking Dish

You don’t have to use a cast iron skillet.

A 12-inch round casserole dish or 9×9 baking dish works well. If you’re taking the dessert to someone else’s house, you can even bake it in an aluminum foil pan.

Can You Make Pumpkin Crisp Ahead of Time?

Yes, and this is one of the reasons I especially like it for Thanksgiving.

Prepare the pumpkin layer and the streusel separately, then refrigerate both for up to 48 hours.

When you’re ready to bake, take them out while the oven heats, add the streusel to the pumpkin layer, and bake as directed.

You get to do most of the work before the kitchen turns into Thanksgiving chaos.

How to Store Pumpkin Crisp

Store leftover pumpkin crisp in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

When you’re ready for another serving, microwave it for about 20 seconds until warmed through.

You can also eat it cold.

I’m not here to police your leftovers.

What to Serve with Pumpkin Crisp

This pumpkin dessert is at its best when served warm.

A scoop of vanilla ice cream is the obvious choice because the cold, creamy ice cream melting over the warm cinnamon streusel is basically impossible to argue with.

Whipped cream works too.

And if you can find cinnamon ice cream, that’s my personal favorite combination.

The Bottom Line

Pumpkin crisp is basically pumpkin pie’s more relaxed cousin.

You get the creamy pumpkin filling, warm fall spices, and all the cozy Thanksgiving dessert energy, but without having to make a pie crust.

Add the buttery cinnamon streusel, bake until golden, and serve it warm with ice cream.

That’s a pretty good reason to skip the pie this year.