Step 1: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Lightly grease a 9x9-inch baking dish or a 12-inch cast iron skillet with butter or a non-stick cooking spray.
Step 2: In a spacious mixing bowl, combine the pumpkin puree, granulated sugar, eggs, pumpkin pie spice, salt, and vanilla extract. Whisk vigorously until the mixture is smooth and thoroughly combined.
Step 3: Pour in the heavy cream and continue whisking until it’s fully incorporated into the pumpkin mixture. Carefully transfer this creamy filling into your prepared baking dish, spreading it evenly.
Step 4: In a separate medium bowl, prepare the streusel topping. Combine the all-purpose flour, granulated sugar, cinnamon, and salt. Stir these dry ingredients together with a fork.
Step 5: Add the melted unsalted butter to the dry streusel mixture. Use a fork to mix until coarse, crumbly pieces form. Avoid overmixing to maintain the desired crumbly texture.
Step 6: Evenly distribute the streusel topping over the pumpkin filling in the baking dish, ensuring it covers the entire surface.
Step 7: Place the dish into your preheated oven and bake for 40-45 minutes. The crisp is done when the pumpkin filling is mostly set (it will have a slight jiggle in the center) and the streusel topping is beautifully golden brown. If the topping browns too quickly, you can loosely tent the dish with aluminum foil.
Step 8: Once baked, remove the pumpkin crisp from the oven and let it cool for about 10 minutes. This allows the filling to firm up a bit. Serve warm with your favorite additions.