Vegan Pumpkin Crisp
This easy pumpkin crisp recipe features a pumpkin pie filling layer toped with a crumbly cake topping. Add some chopped pecans and drizzle with coconut whipped topping for the ultimate pumpkin dessert!
I personally think eating pumpkins is something I do quite well. We all need to have a calling in life…who knows, that might just be mine! So I’ll begin the pumpkin eating tradition with this recipe for vegan pumpkin crisp.
I tested this vegan pumpkin crisp dessert several times to get it right. I used my vegan apple crisp and my vegan blueberry crumble recipes as inspiration.
It was the easy crumble topping on this one that really set it apart and added the special touch I was looking for.
Because it’s made with a cake mix it’s more like pumpkin crisp dump cake. In fact, it reminds me of this chocolate dump cake recipe. That means it’s easy to make, another added bonus!
Recipe Ingredients
You can find the full printable recipe, including ingredient quantities, below. But first, here are some explanations of ingredients and steps to help you make this recipe perfect every time.
Here are the ingredients you’ll need for this recipe:
- Pumpkin puree — You’ll need 1 15 oz can of plain pumpkin puree
- Full-fat coconut milk — I look for coconut milk with at least 12–15 grams of fat
- Brown sugar — You can use light or dark, or make homemade brown sugar
- Granulated sugar
- Spices — We’ll use both ground cinnamon and pumpkin pie spice in this dessert.
- Cornstarch
- Yellow Cake Mix — Look at the ingredients to make sure the cake mix is made without eggs or dairy (You can also use Spice Cake Mix)
- Vegan butter — My favorite is Earth Balance
- Chopped pecans — This is optional, but adds a great touch.
What Pumpkin is Best for Pumpkin Crisp?
Pumpkin puree is made from the flesh of a squash, typically a smaller pumpkin than those you for jack-o-lanterns. It’s cooked and then mashed into a thick puree. You can make this yourself from scratch or buy it canned in the baking section of most grocery stores. Look for plain pumpkin puree or solid pack pumpkin, rather than pumpkin pie filling which oftentimes has other ingredients in it, like spices and sugar.
Why This Recipe is a Winner
- RICH — Using coconut milk in the pumpkin pie filling keeps this dessert rich and delicious
- FLAVORFUL — Brown sugar adds a rich, caramel-like flavor in every bite
- EASY — Using a yellow cake mix makes this dessert easy to make.
Serving Suggestions
Serve warm slices with a dollop of your favorite non-dairy ice cream, like Vegan No-Churn Ice Cream.
A generous topping of Aquafaba Whipped Cream or this Coconut Whipped Cream is great on top, too!
Frequently-Asked Questions
Does pumpkin crisp need to be refrigerated?
You should refrigerate your pumpkin dessert bars to preserve and keep them fresh. It will keep up to 5 days in the fridge.
What can I substitute for cornstarch?
If you don’t use cornstarch in your recipes, you can substitute arrowroot powder or tapioca starch.
Pumpkin Desserts
If you love these pumpkin crisp bars, you’ll want to try my vegan pumpkin bread or even my vegan pumpkin bars. And here are even more pumpkin desserts to try:
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Vegan Pumpkin Dump Cake
Ingredients
Pumpkin Pie Filling
- 15 oz can pumpkin puree
- 15 oz can full-fat coconut milk
- ½ cup brown sugar
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice
- 4 tablespoons cornstarch
Crumble Topping
- 1 package yellow or spice cake mix (see notes)
- ½ cup vegan butter melted
- ½ cup chopped pecan
Instructions
For the Pumpkin Pie Filling:
- Preheat your oven to 350°F/175°C. Prepare a 9×13 baking pan by giving it a light coating of vegetable spray.
- Combine the pumpkin puree, coconut milk, sugars, cornstarch, and spices in a food processor. Pulse until smooth.
- Pour the pumpkin mixture into the prepared baking dish.
For the Crumble Topping
- Open the box of cake mix and distribute it equally across the top of the pumpkin mixture. (See notes for an alternative to using cake mix)
- Drizzle the top of the cake mix with melted vegan butter.
- Top with chopped pecans.
- Bake for 40 minutes until the center is set and the topping is golden brown.
- Remove the pan from the oven and set it aside to cool for 10 to 20 minutes. Serve while still warm with a dollop of your favorite non-dairy ice cream or vegan whipped cream.
Recommended Equipment
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Notes
Crisp Topping Alternative
If you prefer not to use a cake mix, here is a crisp topping alternative:- 1 cup instant oats
- 1 cup flour (all-purpose, whole wheat pastry, or gluten-free)
- 1/2 teaspoon each baking powder + baking soda
- 1/2 cup vegan butter, cold, cubed
The nutrition information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator and should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
Enjoy!
Hi. I don’t see chickpeas in the recipe above. Did you change it to omit them since the comment above was left? Or, is there a step where a chickpeas are necessary?
Hi Michelle. You have it right! This recipe initially used chickpeas as a thickener for the filler. I since adapted it to be more like a traditional pumpkin pie filling and switched to coconut milk combined with cornstarch. I hope you enjoy this recipe. Happy Thanksgiving!
What would you recommend as a substitute for the chickpeas in this recipe? Chickpeas are NOT my friend, unfortunately! Would the texture be horribly off with a can of pumpkin puree and a can of pumpkin pie mix?
Hi Mandy. I used the chickpeas as a replacement for the milk that you might find in a typical pumpkin pie recipe. So, as a replacement you could substitute a 15oz package of tofu. Just whip it up in a food processor until it’s smooth. That should work just fine!