This is your new favorite Thanksgiving dessert recipe! Learn how to make this easy chocolate pumpkin skillet crisp! Rich chocolate, blended with healthy pumpkin into a warm, soft, cobbler-like cake with a crunchy graham cracker crisp topping. Heavenly! Easily adapted to be gluten free.
The texture of this chocolate pumpkin skillet crisp is more cobbler-y, soft cake-y like with a brown sugar crunchy crisp topping. Basically a crustless pie! And it’s so amazing warm, because it’s soft, warm and plain old wonderful, especially if you serve it with a scoop of vanilla or chocolate ice cream melting slowly on top!
Are you a pumpkin or chocolate fan? Try these seasonal family favorites! Chocolate Silk Mini Pies, Easy Spice Pumpkin Cake, White Chocolate Cheesecake and these delicious tender Pumpkin Maple Scones.
THE BEST PUMPKIN SKILLET CRISP WITH CHOCOLATE!
In our house pumpkin is not a favorite, my hubby and boys are all about chocolate, chocolate and more chocolate.
But Thanksgiving and fall are all about pumpkin, so what’s a girl to do? Inspired by this amazing Triple Chocolate Pumpkin Pie from my blogging friend at Who Needs a Cape?, I set off on creating a smooth and creamy chocolate Pumpkin Skillet Crisp!
INGREDIENTS FOR THIS SKILLET CRISP
- 6 oz semi-sweet chocolate squares, chopped (or chocolate chips may be used)
- 4 tablespoons butter
- 3 large eggs
- ½ cup all natural cane sugar (may be replaced with white sugar)
- ½ cup dark or light brown sugar (I used dark)
- 1 15 oz. can of pumpkin puree, I used organic (not pumpkin pie mix)
- ⅔ cup heavy cream
- 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice (make your own!)
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
GRAHAM CRISP TOPPING INGREDIENTS
- ½ cup all purpose flour (substitute with Gluten Free All Purpose flour if desired, or even oat flour!)
- 1 cup dark brown sugar
- 7-8 graham crackers, about 1 cup graham cracker crumbs (replace with Gluten Free Grahams) <– my favorite brand.
- ¾ cup butter (1 ½ sticks), softened
- 6 oz milk chocolate chips (optional)
- ½ cup chopped pecans (optional)
How to Make a Pumpkin Skillet Crisp
Start by preheating the oven to 375F degrees and lightly spray or grease a 10″ cast iron skillet (you may also make this in a 9×13 inch baking pan).
- Pulse the graham crackers in food process (or baggie and smash using a rolling pin) and pulse until crumbs. Add the flour, brown sugar, salt and softened butter and pulse until combined.
- Toss in chocolate chips, pulsing to break apart slight if desired.
- Place in freezer for 10-30 minutes to firm up while assembling the pumpkin crisp.
Assemble the chocolate pumpkin cobbler
- Using a glass bowl (that doesn’t touch the water), place it over a pot of simmering, but not boiling water. Toss in chocolate and butter, stirring constantly, until melted. Remove and allow to sit while preparing the rest of the mixture. You may also place chocolate and butter in a microwave safe bowl and microwave at 30 second intervals, stirring in between. Stop when there are still a few bits of chocolate still peeking through and keep stirring until melted.
- In a large mixing bowl whisk together, eggs, and sugars to combine.
- Mix in pumpkin puree (mine was organic and tends to be a little more firm), just whisk until smooth!
- Add the pumpkin pie spice, vanilla extract and kosher salt, heavy cream and whisk well.
- Pour a little of the pumpkin mixture into the chocolate and whisk to temper and cool the chocolate.
- Pour cooled chocolate into the balance of the pumpkin mixture. Whisking to combine.
- Pour into prepared cast iron skillet or 9×13 baking dish.
- May be baked at this point if the crisp topping is not desired.
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ADDING CRISP TOPPING
- Remove the graham cracker crisp topping from the freezer, using your hands, break apart and squeeze into medium and larger chunks. See pro tip below if your pumpkin mixture is really runny.
- Carefully place large and medium chunks over the top of the chocolate pumpkin cake mixture.
- If desired, sprinkle with pecan pieces.
- Bake at 375F (sea level) or 400F (3500+ feet, high altitude) and bake for 40-50 minutes until set in middle and top is golden. If it starts browning too quickly, simply place a loose piece of foil over the top.
FRESH TIP | If your pumpkin chocolate mixture is really runny, try adding one piece of the topping, if it stays on top keep going. If it sinks, you might consider baking the chocolate pumpkin cake, 20 minutes, then add the crisp toppings.
HOW TO SERVE THIS SLAM DUNK THANKSGIVING DESSERT
This gooey, cake-y cobbler / crisp is best served warm. Remove from oven and cool 10-15 minutes.
- Spoon into bowls with a scoop of vanilla or even chocolate ice cream.
- Or top with fresh whipped cream with a little fresh grated nutmeg or cinnamon on top.
CAN I MAKE CHOCOLATE PUMPKIN COBBLER AHEAD OF TIME?
Yes, if you make it ahead, cool completely and then refrigerate. When ready to serve, it’s best served warm, pop in a 250-300 degree oven for 10-20 minutes.
CAN I FREEZE PUMPKIN CRISP?
I haven’t actually tried it, but like most crisps and cakes, this should freeze beautifully for up to 3 months well covered. When ready to serve, allow to thaw or place frozen (make sure your pan or dish is safe going from freezer to oven) in 325 oven, lightly covered with foil and heat for 10-20 minutes until warmed through.
HOW TO MAKE GLUTEN-FREE
Hopefully you’ve been around me long enough to know that while I am not gluten free, my brother and his family are along with numerous friends, so I always try and have alternatives to make a dish gluten free if possible. And this pumpkin crisp is totally possible!.
- The cake portion of the crisp is naturally gluten free, you could opt to just not make the topping and call it grand!
- OR….you could swap out the AP flour for GF AP flour or even oat flour, and be sure to purchase gluten free graham crackers, or replace with equal amount of oats (not quick cooking) and of course, make sure they are gluten free.
I hope you enjoyed this trip down chocolate pumpkin lane! If you liked this recipe, pop into the recipe below and leave a 5 star rating!
More fabulous chocolate recipes
- No Bake Chocolate Pie
- Easy Chocolate Loaf Cake
- Amazing Mile High Mud Pie (Easy Ice Cream Cake)
- Nothing Bundt Cake Recipe
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Easy Chocolate Pumpkin Graham Crisp
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Ingredients
- 6 oz semi-sweet chocolate chopped (or chocolate chips may be used)
- 4 tablespoons butter
- 3 large eggs
- ½ cup all natural cane sugar may be replaced with white sugar
- ½ cup dark or light brown sugar I used dark
- 1 15 oz. can pumpkin puree not pumpkin pie mix
- ⅔ cup heavy cream
- 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice make your own
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
TOPPING
- ½ cup all purpose flour substitute with Gluten Free All Purpose flour if desired, or even oat flour!
- 1 cup dark brown sugar
- 7-8 graham crackers about 1 cup graham cracker crumbs (replace with Gluten Free Grahams)
- ¾ cup butter 1 ½ sticks, softened
- 6 oz milk chocolate chips optional
- ½ cup chopped pecans optional
Instructions
- Start by preheating the oven to 375F or 400 (high altitude) degrees and lightly spray or grease a 10" cast iron skillet (you may also make this in a 9×13 inch baking pan).
- Make the Crisp Topping
- Pulse the graham crackers in food process (or baggie and smash using a rolling pin) and pulse until crumbs. Add the flour, brown sugar, salt and softened butter and pulse until combined.
- Toss in chocolate chips, pulsing to break apart slight if desired.
- Place in freezer for 10-30 minutes to firm up while assembling the pumpkin crisp.
Chocolate Pumpkin Crisp Batter - Using a glass bowl (that doesn’t touch the water), place it over a pot of simmering, but not boiling water. Toss in chocolate and butter, stirring constantly, until melted. Remove and allow to sit while preparing the rest of the mixture. You may also place chocolate and butter in a microwave safe bowl and microwave at 30 second intervals, stirring in between. Stop when there are still a few bits of chocolate still peeking through and keep stirring until melted.
- In a large mixing bowl whisk together, eggs, and sugars to combine. Mix in pumpkin puree (mine was organic and tends to be a little more firm), whisk until smooth! Add the pumpkin pie spice, vanilla extract and kosher salt, heavy cream, and whisk well.
- Pour a little of the pumpkin mixture into the chocolate and whisk to temper and cool the chocolate.
- Pour cooled chocolate into the balance of the pumpkin mixture. Whisking to combine. Pour into prepared cast iron skillet or 9×13 baking dish. May be baked at this point if the crisp topping is not desired.
- Remove the graham cracker crisp topping from the freezer, using your hands, break apart and squeeze into medium and larger chunks. See pro tip below if your pumpkin mixture is really runny.
- Carefully place large and medium chunks over the top of the chocolate pumpkin cake mixture. If desired, sprinkle with pecan pieces.
- Bake at 375F (sea level) or 400F (3500+ feet, high altitude) and bake for 40-50 minutes until set in middle and top is golden. If it starts browning too quickly, simply place a loose piece of foil over the top.
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Tasia ~ two sugar bugs
What a smart way to bring chocolate into a Thanksgiving-worthy treat! Sounds delicious!
Thank you Tasia!
Jeff the Chef
What? I’ve never heard of this kind of crisp before. Sign me up!
Thank you Jeff, my own concoction and it was very well received by my friends and family!