I Swaped Pumpkin Pie for This Egyptian Classic, and It Might Be Even Better

Kar’assali is a delicately spiced and slightly sweet Egyptian dessert consisting of sweet, caramelized pumpkin, flavored with cloves and cinnamon, covered with toasted nuts and coconut, and topped with a sweet béchamel sauce. It’s a luxuriously creamy and comforting dish that holds a special place in my heart: every time I make kar’assali, I remember my mother’s beloved cousin, Aunt Ragaa, who introduced me to this dessert.

Aunt watched me carefully when I moved from Alexandria to Cairo, first as a student and then as a young professional. With no family nearby, she made room for me at her table, including me in intimate family dinners and holiday celebrations. Her hospitality grounded me during those early years and her cooking became a source of warmth and comfort. Kar’assali is her signature dessert, a delight that she always prepares with love, precision and a touch of flair.

What I love most about Tante Ragaa’s version – and I’ve tried to recreate it in mine – is that it’s not too sweet and has just the right balance of creamy and crunchy, with a slight wobble that makes it deliciously fun to eat. Over the years, kar’assali has replaced pumpkin pie at my Thanksgiving table, saving me the task of preparing a crust while still offering the same fall flavors of cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg. It’s easy to make in advance, it’s a crowd-pleaser, and it’s always the first dessert to disappear. Here’s how I do it.

The Best Pumpkin to Use and How to Cook It

Naturally sweet varieties, like sweet pumpkin or kabocha squash, work wonderfully, providing both sweetness and firm texture. I start by peeling, dicing, then tossing the cubed pumpkin with sugar to extract excess liquid—an old trick that keeps the dessert from becoming soggy while still concentrating the pumpkin’s flavor. After the pumpkin has marinated for at least an hour, I cook it in a Dutch oven over low heat until tender, then mash it until smooth. The resulting puree is thick, starchy and sweet, with a caramel-like richness that just isn’t found in canned puree.

Flavoring the Béchamel

Instead of throwing away the water extracted from the pumpkin, I incorporate it into the béchamel, which gives the sauce an earthy, vegetal note that ties the whole dish together. It’s a great way to use up almost all of the pumpkin, while still amplifying its natural flavor. A splash of orange blossom water adds a floral note, while vanilla and nutmeg give the dish the warm aromas characteristic of many Egyptian desserts. Cream cheese adds extra richness and a silky, smooth texture to the sauce.

Assembling the dish

Once the pumpkin has been crushed and the béchamel has been made, all that remains is to assemble. It’s as simple as it gets: just spread the pumpkin evenly across the bottom of a baking dish, top with coconut, walnuts and raisins, then cover with béchamel sauce. Baked until fragrant and piping hot, then toasted until golden, kar’ assali is a warm, comforting dessert that works just as well at the end of a weekday dinner as it does for a festive occasion.