It’s hard to beat a classic pumpkin pie for Thanksgiving, but add crumbly brown sugar streusel on top and you’ve just succeeded in one-upping the original. Pumpkin pie with streusel topping will become your new go-to for fall get-togethers!
Recipe Overview
Why you’ll love it: Crisp, buttery, spiced streusel is absolutely impossible to resist and it takes this Thanksgiving staple to the next level.
How long it takes: 15 minutes of prep time, plus a little over an hour of baking; allow a couple hours to cool
Equipment you’ll need: Pie dish, whisk, mixing bowls
Servings: 8
Pumpkin pie is good. Pumpkin pie with streusel? Even better!
In fact, this pumpkin pie recipe might just become your new Thanksgiving tradition, earning its place at the table alongside other classics like green bean casserole, cranberry sauce, crockpot stuffing, and sweet potato casserole.
This recipe starts with my favorite pumpkin pie filling, made from scratch with all those cozy fall spices, and then the pie is topped with a buttery crumb topping that adds crunchy sweetness to every bite.
The result? The best of both worlds: the creamy pumpkin pie everyone expects for Thanksgiving, with a little extra flavor and a delightfully contrasting texture, thanks to the streusel.
Think of it as a mash-up of coffee cake and pumpkin pie and you’ll get the idea!
About this Pumpkin Pie With Streusel
- Irresistible, buttery brown sugar streusel. I mean, need I say more? No one can resist streusel topping and it’s a natural pairing with pumpkin. (See my pumpkin streusel bread recipe too.)
- Easy to make. Even with the extra step of adding the streusel, this pumpkin pie is a breeze to make. Just 15 minutes of prep time and you’re ready to pop this pie in the oven!
- So much better than store-bought. The pumpkin pies at the grocery store are made to sit at room temperature for days—which means they’re not the same recipe you’d make at home and you can taste the difference. With a recipe this quick and simple, there’s no reason not to make it yourself!
Ingredients You’ll need
For the pie:
- Pie Crust – You can use a good quality refrigerated pie crust or your favorite homemade crust recipe.
- Eggs – Pumpkin pie is a custard pie recipe, which means eggs are key!
- Pure Pumpkin Puree – For the sake of consistency and predictability, I recommend using canned pumpkin puree rather than making your own. Be sure you look for 100% pumpkin puree. Canned pumpkin pie filling looks similar but it contains added ingredients which won’t work well with this recipe.
- Granulated Sugar – While pumpkin is naturally sweet, it’s not sweet enough on its own for a dessert.
- Spices – Ground cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and cloves give this pumpkin pie with streusel that classic cozy flavor. You can substitute pumpkin pie spice, if you have it.
- Salt – Just a bit of salt brings balance to the recipe and enhances its overall flavor.
- Evaporated Milk – Shake the can well before opening it.
For the streusel topping:
- All-Purpose Flour – Flour gives the crumbly streusel its texture.
- Brown Sugar – Either light brown sugar or dark brown sugar will work here. Dark brown sugar has a more pronounced molasses flavor.
- Ground Cinnamon – Rather than duplicating the array of spices in the pie, we’re going for pure cinnamon flavor in our streusel.
- Unsalted Butter – Soften the butter just enough that it’s easy to work with.
- Pepitas – Pepitas are shelled pumpkin seeds, which makes them a fitting addition to the streusel topping for our pumpkin pie!
- Whipped Cream – A dollop of whipped cream is the perfect accompaniment to any pie.
Ingredient Tip
Be sure to grab a can of evaporated milk, not condensed milk. The two are often sold next to each other and the names are easy to confuse, but condensed milk is sweetened, while evaporated milk is not.
How to make Pumpkin Streusel Pie
Preheat your oven to 425°F and let the pie crust come to room temperature while you prepare the filling.
Beat the eggs in a large mixing bowl, then whisk in the pumpkin puree, sugar, spices, and salt. Stir in the evaporated milk until the mixture is completely smooth.
Press the crust into a 9-inch pie dish or pan, then place the pan onto a baking sheet. Carefully pour the filling into the crust.
Bake at 425°F, then after 15 minutes reduce the oven temperature to 350°F and continue baking for another 30 minutes.
While the pie bakes, mix the flour, brown sugar, and cinnamon in a small bowl. Work the butter in with a fork or your fingertips until the mixture holds together when you press it between your fingers.
When the pie has baked for 30 minutes at 350°F, add the streusel topping.
Return the pie to oven and continue baking for 20 to 25 minutes more, or until the filling is set and a knife inserted into the center comes out clean.
Let the pie cool completely on a wire rack, then serve immediately or refrigerate.
Crumble (or crumb topping) and streusel are made with the same ingredients, but streusel has a higher proportion of flour and crumble has more sugar. That said, the two terms are often used interchangeably!
Blind baking (or pre-baking) the crust can help prevent the bottom from getting soggy, as can brushing an egg wash over the crust before adding the filling.
Canned pumpkin is simply canned pureed pumpkin. It contains no added sugar or spices. Pie filling, on the other hand, is sweetened and spiced, which means using it in this recipe would result in a pie that’s too sweet and too heavily spiced.
Tips and Tricks
- Use a good crust. With both a creamy pumpkin custard and the cinnamon streusel, the crust definitely isn’t the centerpiece of this recipe, but you still want to choose a high-quality pastry that’s buttery and flaky. If you’re using store-bought, I’ve had success with the crusts from Immaculate Baking Company and Pillsbury.
- Let it cool completely before cutting. The pie will continue to set as it cools, which means if you cut it before it’s finished cooling, it will ooze and fall apart—which isn’t what you want if you’re serving this pie for a Thanksgiving celebration!
- Keep an eye on the crust as it bakes. If the edges are browning too much, you can cover the crust with a pie shield or strips of foil.
Ways to Change This Pumpkin Pie Recipe
- Use nuts. Swap out the pepitas in the streusel topping for pecans or walnuts.
- Make it crustless. Did you know you don’t really need a crust for pumpkin pie?! You can make it without a crust and after cooling, it will still be sliceable—just a little less sturdy.
- Make it without streusel. If you’re looking for classic pumpkin pie without a streusel topping, the recipe card has instructions for how you can easily adapt this recipe.
- Take it over the top. Serve slices of pumpkin pie with streusel topped with a generous drizzle of homemade caramel sauce and a big dollop of whipped cream.
- Looking for a different pumpkin dessert? Try pumpkin poke cake, mini pumpkin pie tarts, or easy pumpkin pudding.
You can make pumpkin pie with streusel topping up to two days in advance. Bake the pie, let it cool completely, and store it covered or in an airtight container in the refrigerator until ready to serve.
Leftover pumpkin pie with streusel can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days. You can also freeze it for up to 3 months; let it thaw in the refrigerator before serving.
More Pie Recipes
Pumpkin Pie with Streusel Topping
Ingredients
- 1 refrigerated pie crust, frozen deep dish pie shell, or homemade crust (see note)
- 2 large eggs
- 1 can (15 ounces) pure pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie mix)
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon (see note)
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 can (12 ounces) evaporated milk (shake well before opening)
Streusel Topping:
- ⅓ cup all purpose flour
- ⅓ cup brown sugar, packed
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
- 2 tablespoons pepitas, roughly chopped (can substitute pecans or walnuts)
- whipped cream, for serving (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425°F.
- If using a purchased refrigerated pie crust, let it come to room temperature for a few minutes while you prepare the filling.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk eggs until blended. Add the pumpkin puree, sugar, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cloves, and salt. Whisk until blended. Stir in evaporated milk until all the ingredients are thoroughly combined and the mixture is smooth.
- Place the pie crust in a 9 inch pie dish or pan, pressing it gently against the bottom and sides of the pie dish.
- Place the pie dish on a baking sheet. Carefully pour the pumpkin filling into the prepared pie crust. If there is too much filling for your pie shell, discard the excess.
- Bake at 425°F for 15 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 350°F and continue baking for another 30 minutes.
- Meanwhile, prepare streusel topping. Mix flour, brown sugar, and cinnamon in a small bowl. Using a fork or your fingertips, blend in butter until combined. Mixture should hold together when pressed with fingertips. Set aside.
- When pie has baked for 30 minutes at 350°F, carefully remove pie from oven and evenly spoon streusel mixture on top of the pie. Return pie to oven and continue baking for 20 to 25 minutes, or until the filling is set and a knife inserted into the center of the pie comes out clean.
- Remove the pie from the oven and let it cool completely (at least 2 hours) on a wire rack. The pie will continue to set as it cools. After pie has come to room temperature, serve immediately or refrigerate until ready to serve.
- Serve with whipped cream, if desired.
Notes
- If you choose frozen pie shells, it should be a deep dish pie shell.
- If desired, substitute 2 teaspoons of pumpkin pie spice for the cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and cloves.
- If you prefer, make the pie without streusel topping. Bake for 15 minutes at 425°F, turn oven down to 350°F and bake 45 to 55 minutes or until pie is set in the center. Serve with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.
- Leftover pie will keep for 3 to 4 days in the refrigerator, covered with foil or plastic wrap.
Video
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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