Pumpkin Crisp
Sometimes it’s fun to break away from tradition and try something new.
Now, I am not, in any way, shape or form knocking pumpkin pie, because I love the stuff. It’s just fun sometimes to experiment with a new recipe and watch your guests be pleasantly surprised as they try a new taste.
In the past on Thanksgiving, we’ve tried several different types of things that involved pumpkin, from my Cream Cheese and Spice Frosted Pumpkin Cookies to Gingersnaps with Cream Pumpkin Dip to a Gingerbread Pumpkin Trifle (Paula Deans).
All were hits, and loved, especially by kids, who may not yet have formed a love for pumpkin pie. And it got me to thinking…
When I was little, I hadn’t yet begun to love traditional pumpkin pie, but I adored my Aunt’s Apple Crisp. I loved the crumbly topping and the soft-baked sugary apples and cinnamon underneath.
Why not try it with pumpkin?
It’s super simple, mix together these seven ingredients with your mixer (or a whisk, if you’ve got a strong forearm) – pumpkin (pure, not pumpkin pie mix), one can of evaporated milk, a cup of sugar, 3 eggs and a heaping tablespoon of pumpkin pie spice. Oh, and a little salt.
Pour it into a sprayed 9 X 9 deep baking dish or even a deep pie dish that’s been sprayed with cooking spray.
Then make your topping. Take 3/4 cup of flour, 3/4 cup packed brown sugar, and 1/2 t. salt. If you’re feeling adventurous, whiz up a 1/2 cup of gingersnaps in your food processor and toss those in as well.
Stir all of this up with a whisk or large spoon to blend it all together. OR, if you wanna keep your hands clean, use the food processor for all of this.
Then add in 8 tablespoons of butter cut into thin slices or small cubes and dump it right into your dry mix.
Using a pastry cutter, two knives or even your fingers, mix this until coarse crumbs form.
Your mixture will look like wet sand.
Then dump in your oats (1 cup).
Mix again with your hands this time – there’s just no way around it. **Optional. Add in 1/2 cup of chopped pecans or walnuts.
Sprinkle it all evenly over the pumpkin mixture.
Bake for 45 minutes at 350 º or until you can stick a knife in the dead center of the mixture and it comes out clean.
Let your crumble cool for a bit to let the pumpkin custard set.
Now, at this point, ice cream is definately in order or you could just serve this up with some fresh homemade whipped cream that’s been spiked with a little cinnamon.
Don’t know how to make whipped cream and still using that stuff in the tub or can? See how easy it is to do by clicking here.
I hope you try this recipe out this Thanksgiving. Especially on a picky kid.
I think they just may like it.
- For the filling:
- 1 (28 oz.) can pumpkin (not pumpkin pie mix)
- 1 lg. can evaporated milk
- 1 c. sugar
- 3 eggs
- 1 T (heaping) pumpkin pie spice
- 1 t. salt3/4 c. flour
- ¾ c. brown sugar (packed)
- ½ t. salt
- 8 T. butter (very cold)
- 1 c. old fashioned oats
- 1 t. cinnamon
- Optional: ½ c. crushed (use the food processor) gingersnap cookies
- Optional: ½ c. chopped pecans or walnuts
- Preheat over to 350º.
- Mix all filling ingredients together until well blended.
- Pour into bottom of 9 X 9 square glass baking dish or deep pie dish.
- Mix together dry ingredients (except oats). Using a pastry cutter or with two knives (can just use hands), cut butter cubes into dry ingredients until coarse crumbs form. Mix in oats with fingers and sprinkle globs over pumpkin mixture. Also mix in gingersnap cookies and/or nuts if using. Bake for 45 minutes or until knife inserted into center comes out clean
