Pumpkin Pecan Streusel Torte
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With a cakey pecan crust, pumpkin pie filling, and crunchy streusel, this pumpkin torte is an easy yet elegant alternative to pumpkin pie.
With a cakey pecan crust, pumpkin pie filling, and a crunchy oat streusel topping, this torte is a simple yet elegant alternative to more time-consuming holiday desserts, like pumpkin pie or pumpkin cheesecake. The recipe comes from one of my readers, Linda Grimes, a restaurateur from South Lake Tahoe—thank you, Linda!
Pumpkin Torte Ingredients
Step-by-Step Instructions
Begin by combining the pecans, flour, brown sugar, butter, and salt in the bowl of a food processor fitted with the steel blade.
Process until the nuts are finely ground.
Transfer the crust mixture to a greased springform pan.
Pat the crumbs into an even layer (I usually use the bottom of a glass or measuring cup to flatten it evenly), then set aside.
In a large bowl, whisk the eggs.
Add the remaining filling ingredients.
Whisk until evenly combined.
Pour the filling over the crust in the pan.
Bake for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, make the streusel topping: Combine the flour, oats, brown sugar, and spices in a medium bowl.
Mix well, then add the butter pieces.
Using your fingers, rub the butter into the other ingredients until the mixture is clumpy.
Stir in the pecans, and then refrigerate until ready to use.
Once the torte has baked for 30 minutes, remove it from the oven.
Sprinkle the streusel topping evenly over top.
Bake for 25 to 30 minutes more, or until the filling is set and the streusel is golden.
Let the torte cool on a rack until completely cool, about 4 hours. To serve, remove the outer ring from the springform pan and transfer the torte to a platter.
Serve with sweetened whipped cream, if desired. Enjoy!
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Pumpkin Pecan Streusel Torte
With a cakey pecan crust, pumpkin pie filling, and crunchy streusel, this pumpkin torte is an easy yet elegant alternative to pumpkin pie.
Ingredients
For the Crust
- 1 cup pecans
- ¾ cup all purpose flour
- 6 tablespoons packed light brown sugar
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
For the Filling
- 2 large eggs
- 1 (15-oz) can pure pumpkin, such as Libby's
- 1 (12 fl-oz) can evaporated milk
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup packed light brown sugar
- 1½ tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1¾ teaspoons ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
- ⅛ teaspoon ground cloves
- ⅛ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon salt
For the Streusel
- ⅓ cup all-purpose flour
- ¼ cup rolled oats
- ½ cup packed light brown sugar
- ¾ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
- 4 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
- ¾ cup chopped pecans
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375°F and set an oven rack in the middle position. Spray a 9-inch springform pan with nonstick cooking spray.
- Make the Crust: Combine the pecans, flour, brown sugar, butter, and salt in the bowl of a food processor fitted with the steel blade. Process until the nuts are finely ground. Transfer the crust mixture to the prepared pan. Using your hands or the bottom of a dry measuring cup, pat into an even layer. Place the pan on a baking sheet for easy handling and set aside.
- Make the Filling: In a large bowl, whisk the eggs. Add the remaining filling ingredients and whisk until smooth. Pour the filling over the crust in the pan. Bake for about 30 minutes, or until the filling is set around the edges but still wobbly in the center.
- Make the Streusel Topping: Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, combine the flour, oats, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt. Mix until well combined. Add the butter pieces and, using your fingers, rub the butter into the other ingredients until the mixture is evenly moistened and clumpy. Stir in the pecans and refrigerate until ready to use.
- Once the torte has baked for 30 minutes, remove it from the oven. Sprinkle the topping evenly over the partially baked filling (don't worry that the filling is still a bit liquid; the topping will not sink). Bake for 25 to 30 minutes more, until the filling is set and the topping is golden brown. Let the torte cool completely on a rack, about 4 hours. To serve, run a thin-bladed knife around the edge of the pan to loosen the torte from the sides, then remove the outer ring from the springform pan and transfer the torte to a platter. Slice into wedges and serve with sweetened whipped cream, if desired.
- This torte is best made on the day of serving. Store leftovers, loosely covered with foil, in the refrigerator. Allow to come to room temperature before serving.
Nutrition Information
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- Per serving (10 servings)
- Calories: 432
- Fat: 24 g
- Saturated fat: 9 g
- Carbohydrates: 50 g
- Sugar: 35 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 7 g
- Sodium: 151 mg
- Cholesterol: 73 mg
This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.
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Jenn,
My daughter is lactose intolerant so I avoid evaporated milk. Do you think I could substitute 1/2 milk, 1/2 heavy cream (I can buy both lactose free locally.)
I do think that would work, Anne. One reader mentioned she made it with half & half and it turned out well. Hope you enjoy it!
The recipe calls for light brown sugar but, in your photos it looks like you used dark brown sugar. What is the correct ingredient? Thank you
Hi Linda, You have a keen eye :). I tried it with both and prefer light, although either will work. You’re correct that dark is pictured. My mistake!
I made this yesterday for my crafting class and it was a huge hit….expect it will end up on some Thanksgiving tables this year. The recipe was easy to follow and baked up just like the recipe said. I should have trusted Jennifer when she said its OK if there is still a little jiggle when it looked done. I baked it an extra 3 minutes and my crust was just slightly overdone, but still delicious and quickly devoured. Thanks for such a delicious pumpkin recipe!
Hi Jen,
I tried this recipe today and it was great! I used half and half instead of evaporated milk and it turned out fine. Thank you! I will make this for Thanksgiving.
Hi Jenn,
I had the same question about pre baking the crust? If I like a crispy crust, do you think substituting a graham cracker crust would be a disaster?
I haven’t made this yet but I am loving your recipes. Thanks so much!
Hi Jennifer, The topping on this torte is crisp and crunchy and the bottom is cakey…but if you’d also like a crispy crust, I think you could use a graham cracker crust (pre-baked for about 10 minutes). If you try it, please let me know how it turns out!
Could you use Evaporated Soy Milk instead of dairy?
Yes Laurie, that should work!
Thanks Jenn for this delicious recipe. I made a gluten free version this last weekend and it was a BIG hit. Its a great alternative to the traditional pumpkin pie. The only change I made was substituting the same amount of King Arthur’s gluten free all purpose flour for the regular flour. Oh and I added an extra 5 minutes to the final cooking time. Just perfect!
Hi Jenn,
This looks absolutely delicious and easy to make. I’m going to try this for Thanksgiving. Just wondering why you used evaporated milk instead of heavy cream or just whole milk. Is there a reason why? Or can I substitute heavy cream or whole milk?
Please advise.
Hi Lucy, This recipe was given to me by a reader. Evaporated milk is often used in pumpkin pie filling but I think it would be fine to replace with cream or half & half. Please let me know how it turns out!
Do you recommend toasting the pecans? Funny story for you…I like to share your recipes on FB and one of my Thanksgiving guests saw this recipe on FB and asked me if I was going to make this??!!!! I don’t think I can resist!!!
That is funny– Sounds like you’ve got a dessert request! You definitely don’t need to toast the pecans. Hope it’s a hit!
Can sweet potatoes be used in place of the pumpkin with a decrease in the sugar?
Hi Suzon, Yes, that should work. And you can reduce the sugar, but I don’t think you’d need to reduce it much. Would love to hear how it turns out with the sweet potatoes!
My Mom made sweet potato pies for the holidays rather than pumpkin, prompting my question. This one amps hers up with the crust and the topping. I’ve added it to my Thanksgiving menu and will let you know the results.