Simple, cozy, and not-too-sweet, this Pumpkin Crumble is a lovely alternative to pie. Chai lovers, this one’s for you. Oh, and pumpkin lovers, of course. The spices in a classic Indian masala chai (which is tea) pair so wonderfully with pumpkin, toasted nuts, and AUTUMN – that this just seems like a meant-to-be sort of thing. Note, this is not a cobbler. It is not a crisp, nor is it a buckle, a betty, a slump, or a clafoutis. I’m calling it a crumble, because it does not fit into any of the aforementioned categories and because, well, it’s topped with sugar and nuts that you crumble all over. So, there we have it.

Table of Contents

Pumpkin Crumble with Chai and Toasted Pecans

What is a Crumble?

Okay so. I’ve tested several versions of this dessert – this old-fashioned pumpkin bake – and this is the favorite in my house. Despite how the ingredient list may read, it actually doesn’t eat as sweet as you think it will. It’s really nice. The filling separates into two layers that make for a more interesting eating experience for sure. There’s the denser, more cakey bottom layer topped with an almost pudding-like layer that looks sort of caramel-esque. These are not technical terms.

Anyway. This is a crumble in that, there is a fruit filling (in this case, a pumpkin) topped with a mixture that is “crumbled” all over top. We’re not making a streusel type crumble here as you would in say, a crisp. But rather, we’re literally crumbling nuts all over the top, just busting and breaking them up as you sprinkle them all over.

I’ve seen desserts like this one mid-labeled as cobblers, and guys? That ain’t it. There’s nothing cobbler about this sweet treat, though a pumpkin cobbler would be an interesting thing to explore. A cobbler, as opposed to this crumble, needs to have a biscuit dough dolloped and “cobbled” all over the top, creating a distinct crust. That’s not at all what we’ve got going on here. This is actually a lot like a pudding – British style, not like, Jello style.

What You’ll Need to Make this Pumpkin Chai Crumble

To me, Indian masala chai tea (which is like saying “tea tea,” it’s redundant) is the perfect flavor friend for pumpkin. The warm spices – the cloves, cardamom, ginger, cinnamon, and black pepper – all complement the squash so incredibly well. So, I’m thrilled to be pairing the two together in a humble, simple crumble format.

This one is more than meets the eye, y’all. And it’s all thanks to the ingredients that go into it.

INGREDIENTS

1 ¼ cup all purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

½ teaspoon salt

3/4 cup granulated sugar

2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice

½ teaspoon cardamom (optional)

¾ cup pumpkin puree

¼ cup melted butter

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

¼ cup coconut milk or any milk you have/like

For the crumble topping

¼ cup granulated sugar

¼ cup brown sugar

¾ cup chopped hazelnuts, walnuts, or pecans

2 masala chai tea bags

How to make this Pumpkin Crumble

We’ll whisk together the dry ingredients in one bowl, and the wet in another. Then, we’ll pour the wet mixture into the dry one, combining them into one cohesive bowl of delightfully orange goo. Then! Into the prepared baking dish they go. The topping feels off when you’re making it, but just trust the process. It is actually an old-fashioned way to make crumbles that works like a charm let me tell you.

We’ll just sprinkle some white and brown sugars all over the surface of our cobbler, followed by a scattering of nuts. You can really use whatever nut you like – I just go with whatever sounds good on the day. I love hazelnuts, but they’re harder to find. If I can’t then walnuts are my jam, as are pecans. But if you happen to have a bunch of sliced almonds just hanging around, that would be great.

The wacky part comes when we pour warm, freshly steeped masala chai tea all over the crumble. It’d honestly going to look and feel like a mistake, like it couldn’t possibly be what you’re supposed to do.

But, it is. Again, just trust it and watch the magic happen in the oven. It will bake for 40 happy minutes and come out looking golden, puffed, and totally, exactly as it should.

DIRECTIONS

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Adjust the oven rack to the middle position. Lightly spray a tall-sided medium baking or casserole dish with cooking spray.

Begin by steeping the two chai tea bags in 1.5 cups of boiling water. Set aside while you prepare the rest of the recipe.

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, granulated sugar, pumpkin pie spice, and (if using) the cardamom. In a second bowl, whisk together the pumpkin, melted butter, vanilla, and milk of your choosing. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredient bowl and mix to combine. Transfer the filling to the prepared dish. And place the dish on a baking sheet (helps catch any spillage)

For the topping, sprinkle the two sugars evenly over the filing, followed by the chopped nuts. Carefully pour the prepared tea over top, and resist the urge to mix. Bake for 40 to 45 minutes, or until set and golden brown. Cool for 10 minutes before serving. Vanilla or butter pecan ice cream is strongly recommended. Enjoy!