Paleo Pumpkin Custard with Pecan Crumble

A smooth and sweet paleo pumpkin custard topped with a crunchy pecan topping. A perfect gluten free, dairy free treat for fall days!

What is it about fall that makes us want to eat all things pumpkin? There's always a smorgasborg of recipes that hit the internet and Pinterest right when the weather starts to cool off that are pumpkin centered, or, more importantly, pumpkin spice centered.

I'm guilty too - I have 25 Perfectly Paleo Pumpkin Recipes, 16 Healthy Pumpkin Recipes (including savory dishes, so you're not just always eating pumpkin dessert!), as well as pumpkin pancakes, pumpkin cupcakes, and even pumpkin dog treats. But this paleo pumpkin custard is my favorite of all.

These do have to bake for awhile to set, but I can tell you it's worth it. Your house will be filled with the smell of pumpkin and maple, and once you add the topping it will be filled with the smell of pecans and sugar, and also pumpkin and maple. It's delicious and warm and everything cozy about fall.

You'll know they're done when a knife or toothpick comes out clean. They'll be a little soft when they come out, which is not a bad thing. You can serve them warm if you like! You can also put them in the fridge and chill them - I enjoy them cold as well; served cold they have more of a chilled pudding consistency to them.

Now, when warm, the topping gets all caramelized and crunchy and is the perfect contrast to the smooth custard. Can you not just taste those crunchy sweet pecans right now?

I think my favorite part about this dessert was that it made four servings, and I gave two of them to my parents to taste test. I told them I needed their honest opinion, and not to just tell me that it was good because I'm their daughter and they were trying to be nice. When I went back over later, my dad gave me this, and said "here's our comment card."

Um, ya'll. My parents made me a dessert comment card. Is that not the cutest?!

Anyway, my mom says to add something crunchy to the custard. I prefer a smooth custard, but you could definitely smash up some pecans and mix them in if you wanted to add additional texture to it.

My dad says it's good with white wine, so there's that if you're a wine drinker!

If you're looking for a dairy free, gluten free, healthier fall dessert option, this paleo pumpkin custard is what you've been waiting for. They're perfect for a dinner party - pop them in the oven before you start cooking and they'll be finished baking by the time you're done.

Add crunch, drink white wine, or just eat them as-is, but whatever you do, make sure you make them! I promise you won't regret it.

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