Carrot Pie With Cinnamon Streusel

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This carrot pie is topped with a buttery cinnamon streusel. It is a fabulous combination that will make you wonder where carrot pie has been your whole life.  It’s perfect for Easter, Thanksgiving or just because.

Whether you are looking for a new way to enjoy carrots, or you just want to surprise you guests with an unexpected pie, you are in the right place. This carrot pie recipe features a spiced filling and buttery crumb topping that combine to make it something fabulous.

The flavor will remind you a bit of a sweet potato or pumpkin pie, but it is uniquely its own thing too. And the texture is a little different as well.

Using Carrots to Make a Pie

Carrots aren’t just for side dishes and soups, they make great desserts as well. It doesn’t have to all be cakes and cupcakes.

Carrots make a wonderful pie filling as well. I know it is unbelievable, but it is true.

Start by cleaning and peeling the carrots. Then chop them into chunks and boil them until they are soft.

Then puree them until smooth. I like using a food processor to make it easy, but you could also use a blender or try mashing them with a potato masher.

Obviously for a smooth filling, you are going to want to get the carrots pretty smooth. Though, a little texture in the pie isn’t necessarily a bad thing.

We originally started making this recipe back in 2018. Our garden produced a bumper crop of oversized carrots that year and we needed a way to get them all eaten before they went bad.

It has been a hit ever since. Of course it works well with store bought carrots as well.

You can even toss some baby carrots into a pot of water if you don’t want to mess with having to peel the carrots. Do whatever works best for you.

The Crumb Topping

There is just something about a streusel or crumb topping that takes a recipe to the next level. That is the case with cranberry crumb pie, dutch apple pie, and of course this crumb topped carrot pie.

Luckily it is easy to make. Just stir together a little bit of flour and brown sugar.

Usually I used all-purpose flour, but today I used some white whole wheat to add a little whole grain goodness to the mix. Sprinkle in a little ground cinnamon and we are on our way.

Add some butter and cut it in. I usually use a pastry cutter or fork to get it start, but inevitably I end up using my fingers at some point to get the butter worked in.

There are just some jobs that go easiest when you use your hands and that seems to be one of them for me. Do whatever you like best.

Sprinkle the crumbs over the partially baked pie and bake it the rest of the way. They will get golden and toasty in the oven, making a perfect topping.

The Crust

There is no shame in picking up some refrigerated pie crust at the grocery store. I do that quite a bit myself.

However, if you want to make your pie extra special, making your own crust takes it to the next level and it is easier to do than you might think. Here are a couple of our favorite recipes.

My great-grandma was known for her tender pie crusts. My mom was looking for her recipe for years, and we finally got her lard pie crust recipe.

If you don’t want to use lard, MiMi also has a super flaky pie crust recipe that uses butter and a splash of apple cider vinegar. Either recipe will make a fabulous base for your pie.

No matter the crust recipe that you decide to use, if you are using a glass or ceramic pie plate, you will want to be sure to bake it on the bottom rack in your oven. That will help to get maximum heat transfer to the crust.

It is less necessary in a metal pie plate, but won’t hurt anything. Getting a golden bottom crust will make the final pie that much better.

You want to avoid the dreaded soggy bottom!

Serving Carrot Pie

You will want to let your pie cool for a while, then refrigerate it before you serve it. That will help it to set up and get the pretties pieces.

You can enjoy it cold, or at room temperature. It is also great warmed up a bit.

Of course a little maple whipped cream or cream cheese whipped cream would be perfect on top. Or serve a warmed slice topped with a scoop of homemade vanilla ice cream.

The spices in the filling and the deep orange color remind me of pumpkin pie, so I tend to think of it as something that would be perfect served at Thanksgiving. The carrots also make the think of the Easter bunny, so it is also wonderful at Easter.

However, really it is good enough to make any time. If you have an occasion that requires an interesting dessert, this carrot pie should be a frontrunner.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is carrot pie made of?

Carrot pie has a filling made of pureed carrots, eggs, milk, sugar, and spices like cinnamon and ginger. This recipe includes a butter crumb topping that makes it extra tasty.

How do you store carrot pie?

Carrot pie should be stored in the refrigerator. Just cover it and keep it in the fridge for up to 4 days.

You can also freeze carrot pie if you want longer storage. It will keep in the freezer for about 3 months.

Do I have to make the streusel?

No, this carrot pie is also great without the crumb topping. However, we really like the texture and flavor the streusel adds.

Now I need to know, have you ever had a carrot pie?  What are your favorite kinds of pie?

Crumb Topped Carrot Pie

Carlee

This carrot pie is topped with a buttery cinnamon streusel. It is a fabulous combination that will make you wonder where carrot pie has been your whole life!  It’s perfect for Easter, Thanksgiving or just because!

5 from 9 ratings

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 20 minutes mins

Cook Time 50 minutes mins

Total Time 1 hour hr 10 minutes mins

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Servings 12 Servings

Calories 266 kcal

Equipment

• Hamilton Beach 12-Cup Food Processor
• 2 X Pyrex Bakeware 9-1/2-Inch Scalloped Pie Plate, Clear
• Pie Shield

Ingredients

 

US CustomaryMetric

.5x1x2x

Pie

• 1 pie crust
• 1½ pounds carrots
• 2 Tablespoons butter
• ½ cup granulated sugar
• ½ cup light brown sugar packed
• 2 eggs
• 1½ teaspoons cinnamon
• ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• ¾ cups milk
• 1 Tablespoon all purpose flour

Cinnamon Streusel

• ½ cup all purpose flour
• ¼ cup light brown sugar packed
• ¼ cup butter
• ½ teaspoon cinnamon

Cook ModePrevent your screen from going dark

Instructions

 

• Preheat oven to 375 °F.
• Prepare pie crust and place in 9-inch deep dish pie plate. Refrigerate until ready to use.
• Clean and peel carrots. Cut into slices or small chunks
  1½ pounds carrots
• Put the carrots in a saucepan with a cup of water. Cover and boil for about 10-12 minutes or until soft. Drain the water from the carrots.
• Puree carrots until smooth. Add in some milk if necessary to achieve a smooth consistency.
• Stir the butter into the carrots until melted.
  2 Tablespoons butter
• Add remaining filling ingredients and mix until combined.
  ½ cup granulated sugar, ½ cup light brown sugar, 2 eggs, 1½ teaspoons cinnamon, ¼ teaspoon ground ginger, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, ¾ cups milk, 1 Tablespoon all purpose flour
• Put the filling in the prepared crust and bake for 25 minutes.
• While the pie is baking, stir together the flour, brown sugar and cinnamon. Cut in the butter until the mixture is crumbly.
  ½ cup all purpose flour, ¼ cup light brown sugar, ¼ cup butter, ½ teaspoon cinnamon
• After the first 25 minutes of baking are done, remove the pie from the oven and reduce the heat to 350°F. Sprinkle streusel mix over the pie and bake for an additional 25-35 minutes. Cover the crust if it starts to get a little bit dark.

Nutrition

Serving: 1ServingCalories: 266kcalCarbohydrates: 40gProtein: 4gFat: 11gSaturated Fat: 5gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 4gTrans Fat: 0.2gCholesterol: 44mgSodium: 163mgPotassium: 257mgFiber: 2gSugar: 25gVitamin A: 9714IUVitamin C: 3mgCalcium: 62mgIron: 1mg

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