This easy, healthy Pumpkin Pudding with Pecan Crumble Topping is a delicious fall dessert that tastes just like creamy pumpkin pie without a crust. Perfect for a light and flavorful treat, this no-cook, no-bake recipe is quick to make. The pecan crumble topping, made with pecans and dates, adds a nice crunch to this vegan, gluten-free pumpkin dessert.
Jump to:
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
This easy canned pumpkin dessert is perfect for Thanksgiving and Holiday season! This light, creamy, and not-too-sweet treat is a great recipe after a heavy dinner. Make this ahead and share it with your family and friends!
This pumpkin pudding recipe is:
- It tastes just like a pumpkin pie filling, but healthier!
- No cooking, no baking required.
- Beautiful golden color reflecting fall harvest.
- Healthy pecan crumble topping made super easy.
- Vegan, dairy-free, and refined sugar-free.
If you’re looking for more Holiday dessert ideas, also try Marshmallow Flower Cookies and Vegan Chocolate Salami.
Ingredients
For the pumpkin pudding
- Cashews – make a creamy base for this dessert. Soak them in water before use to soften the nuts for easy blending. Raw and roasted cashews both work in this recipe. Soaking is especially beneficial for raw cashews.
- Pumpkin Puree – I use canned pure pumpkin puree but homemade one also works. Do not use the pumpkin pie filling.
- Maple Syrup – adds natural sweetness to this dessert.
- Coconut Cream – coconut cream is usually separated in a can into liquid and solid layers. Use only the solid white part of the coconut cream. If you only have coconut milk, refrigerate the can and just scoop out the solid white part. There is less solid part in the coconut milk but still works.
- Vanilla Extract, Pumpkin Pie Spice, and Sea Salt – create pumpkin pie flavor.
- Yogurt or Whipped Cream – This is optional but some extra creamy elements elevate this luscious dessert experience. If you want to keep it healthy and a little bit tangy, top the pudding with Greek yogurt or coconut yogurt. If you want some indulgence, use regular or coconut whipped cream.
For the pecan crumble topping
- Medjool Dates – remove the pit before use. Medjool dates are sticky and naturally sweet, create a crumbly texture, and add caramel flavor.
- Pecans – Natural caramel flavor perfectly complements the pumpkin pie flavor! It’s an extra step, but toasting them until golden before use intensifies the flavor and improves the crunchy texture.
- Cinnamon and Sea Salt – enhance the flavor.
Instructions
1) Make the Pumpkin Pudding
- Soak the cashews in water for 2-4 hours or up to overnight, in the refrigerator. Rinse and drain well. If you don’t have time, boil cashews for 15 minutes. Then rinse and drain as well.
- In a high-speed blender, add cashews, pumpkin puree, maple syrup, coconut cream, vanilla extract, pumpkin pie spice, and salt.
Blend until creamy and smooth.
- Divide the pudding into dessert glasses or jars. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours to chill and set.
2) Make the Pecan Crumble Topping
- In a small blender, add dates, pecans, cinnamon, and salt.
- Pulse several times until the mixture is crumbly consistency.
Tip: To elevate the flavor, take an extra step to toast pecans before making the crumble. Toast the pecans in a dry skillet on the stovetop over medium heat for a few minutes until fragrant.
3) Assembly
Top the chilled pudding with yogurt or whipped cream. Sprinkle pecan crumble topping and enjoy!
Equipment
- High-speed blender – I love my Vitamix blender but any high-powered blender works. If you only have a regular blender, blend the pudding mixture longer until completely creamy. Scrape the sides from time to time to get all the small bits of cashews.
- Personal size blender – When making the crumble, a small size blender comes in handy. I used my Beast blender.
- Bowls
- Dessert glasses or jars
Storage
You can make this pumpkin dessert a day ahead! Prepare the day before the Thanksgiving dinner party and assemble on the day of.
When making ahead, after dividing the pudding in glasses, cover and store in the fridge. Store the crumble and other toppings separately in the fridge. Then assemble the chilled pumpkin pudding, cream/yogurt, and the crumble topping just before serving.
FAQ
If you top the pudding with vegan/vegetarian yogurt or whipped cream, this recipe is vegan and vegetarian.
All the ingredients in this recipe are naturally gluten-free. But there is always a chance for cross-contamination. So if you’re serious about avoiding gluten, make sure to use all the products with gluten-free labels.
If you top the pudding with dairy-free yogurt or whipped cream, this recipe is dairy-free.
Related
Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:
For more recipes and updates, follow me on Instagram or TikTok!
If you enjoy the recipe, please leave a comment and ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️! I’d love to know what you think!
Pumpkin Pudding With Pecan Crumble Topping(Vegan And Dairy Free)
Ingredients
For the pumpkin pudding
- 2 cups cashews
- 1 cup pumpkin puree
- 6 Tablespoons maple syrup
- ½ cup coconut cream use only the solid white part
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
- A pinch sea salt
- Greek yogurt, coconut yogurt, or coconut whipped cream for topping(optional)
For the pecan crumble topping
- 2 Medjool dates pitted
- ½ cup pecans toasted
- Dash ground cinnamon
- A pinch sea salt
Instructions
- Make the Pudding: Soak the cashews in water for 2-4 hours or up to overnight, in the refrigerator. Rinse and drain well. If you don’t have time, boil cashews for 15 minutes. Then rinse and drain as well.
- In a high-speed blender, add cashews, pumpkin puree, maple syrup, coconut cream, vanilla extract, pumpkin pie spice, and salt. Blend until creamy and smooth.
- Divide the pudding into dessert glasses or jars. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours to chill and set.
- Make the Crumble: In a blender, add dates, pecans, cinnamon, and salt. Pulse several times until the mixture is crumbly consistency.
- Top the chilled pudding with yogurt or whipped cream. Sprinkle pecan crumble topping and enjoy.
Leave a Reply