Plum crumble is a timeless dessert that brings together juicy, oven-softened plums and a golden, buttery topping with a nutty crunch. It’s the perfect balance of tart fruit and sweet, caramelised crumble — rustic enough for a cosy night in, yet elegant enough to serve at a dinner party.
Plum crumble is one of those desserts that quietly steals the spotlight — juicy fruit baked to perfection under a golden, buttery layer of almond-studded crumbs. It’s simple, homely, and undeniably delicious.
This plum crumble recipe is my go-to when I want something comforting, but still a little refined. It’s wonderfully easy to throw together and has that balance of tart and sweet that makes your spoon go back in for more — again and again. Serve it hot with a scoop of ice cream, that melts onto plums, creating the wonderful sauce, and then the crunchy almonds kick in - and that is true decadence.
Jump to:
Why Plum Crumble Is More Than Just a Sunday Dessert
Plum crumble is the kind of pudding that never really goes out of style. It’s deeply nostalgic for many — think cosy autumn evenings, but truth be told, this dessert works brilliantly from late summer through early winter. When plums are in season, this is a fabulous way to showcase them.
You can serve this up after a roast dinner, take it along to a potluck, or even prepare it in advance for a dinner party. I like to call this an elegant plum crumble, especially when you use beautifully ripened plums and scatter a few toasted almonds on top just before serving. It’s rustic, but it has grace.
Ingredients
Just 6 ingredients, that's it. Here they are:
- Plums - I use about 8 to 10 ripe plums — Once baked, they turn soft and juicy, almost jammy. The best way to get the best plums is to visit farmer market. If no farmer markets can be found around, then grocery store is our friend to come. When in season, many grocery chains have plums on promotion and sales, so keep an eye!
- Plain Flour - the base for the crumble topping. It’s neutral, allowing the buttery, nutty notes to shine through. Just usual plain flour is fine, no fancy one is required here.
- Chilled Butter - unsalted butter, full fat, to bind the ingredients together and create those beautiful crumbs.
- Light Brown Sugar - adds warmth and a hint of caramel. It melts beautifully into the crumble topping as it bakes.
- Muscovado Sugar - this one is my favourite. Deep, molasses-like richness, perfect for pairing with roasted or baked fruit. It brings that dark, roasted edge.
- Almond Flakes - they toast in the oven, adding texture and a subtle nutty crunch that plays perfectly against the soft fruit.
How to Make Plum Crumble
It is absolutely easy recipe to prepare, with just simple instructions. All what you should do - cut the plums, prepare the crumble (either in food processor, or by hand - I prefer by hand), and then send this goodness to the oven.
- Step 1: Freeze your butter briefly, then preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F). Wash, pit, and quarter your plums. Spread them out evenly in a baking dish.
- Step 2: Make your crumble topping using either a food processor or your fingers. In a bowl, combine the flour, light brown sugar, and muscovado sugar. Cut your chilled butter into cubes and add it in. Pulse gently (or rub in by hand) until you get a breadcrumb-like texture — not doughy!
- Step 3: Once you’ve got crumbly perfection, stir in the almond flakes. This adds an extra crunch and delicate flavour.
- Step 4: Scatter the crumble evenly over the plums. Sprinkle with more almonds if you like. Cover the dish loosely with foil. Bake for 25 minutes, then uncover and bake for another 10–15 minutes until the top turns golden and crisp.
Cooking Tips:
- We need the chilled butter for this recipe. We need nice crumbs, not the cookie dough, that is why we need to keep the butter for some time in the freezer. If the butter is softened, we will have the soft cookie dough — and that's not what we’re after here.
- When covering the dish with the foil, we make sure that top would not burn too fast. I love when the plums are soft and baked to the point of “angel tenderness”, but it might require more time and the crumble topping might burn at that point — that is why I am using the foil. To get that nice golden brown touch — just remove the foil after 25–30 minutes of baking.
How to Serve and Store Plum Crumble
Plum Crumble begs for a scoop of vanilla ice cream or a dollop of crème fraîche. You could also go traditional with custard or double cream. If you are watching for calories, then try it with low fat Greek yogurt.
To store it: Let the crumble cool completely, then cover the dish and refrigerate. It’ll keep well for up to 4 days. To reheat, pop it in the oven at 160°C (320°F) until warmed through. It also reheats greatly in microwave oven - just heat for 1 minute. You can also freeze it in portions, then reheat straight from frozen.
FAQ
Can I use frozen plums in this recipe?
Yes, you can use frozen plums, but they need a little prep. Thaw them fully before baking and be sure to drain off any excess juice to avoid watering down the crumble. This helps keep the fruit layer rich and flavourful, not overly soggy. To avoid "sogginess", sprinkle some cornstarch on top of plums and mix all well.
How do I stop the topping from going soggy?
The key is to use properly chilled butter and not to overwork it into the flour. You want to see those small clumps in your crumble, not a soft dough. Also, remember to uncover the foil part-way through baking — this helps the topping crisp up beautifully.
Why are there two types of sugar in this recipe?
Each sugar brings its own character. The light brown sugar adds a mellow, caramel flavour, while the muscovado sugar brings depth with its dark, roasted, almost molasses-like richness. Together, they create a more layered and indulgent crumble.
Is there a gluten-free version of this plum crumble?
You can substitute the plain flour with a good-quality gluten-free flour blend. The texture may be slightly different, but it will still give you a lovely, crumbly topping that pairs beautifully with the soft baked plums.
Can I leave out the almonds if I have a nut allergy?
Yes, the almonds can be omitted entirely. For a bit of added texture, you might try using rolled oats or a seed mix instead — they’ll still give you that crunch without the nuts.
Related
Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:
- Baked Apples with Oats Recipe
- Cottage Cheese Cookies (with Oatmeal) Recipe
- French Toast Croissant Casserole Recipe
- Apricot Oatmeal Cookies Recipe
Pairing
Plum Crumble is for dessert, but what about the bowl of good soup for starter?
Plum Crumble Recipe
This classic plum crumble features juicy baked plums under a golden, buttery almond topping. Comforting, crunchy, and deeply flavourful.
Ingredients
- 8–10 plums (approx. 2 × 400g punnets / about 1.75–2 lbs or 4 cups sliced)
- 100–120g (7–8½ tbsp) chilled butter
- 180g (1½ cups) plain flour
- 50g (¼ cup packed) light brown sugar
- 50g (¼ cup packed) muscovado sugar
- 100g (1 cup) almond flakes
Instructions
- Place the butter in the freezer for 15–20 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat your oven to 180°C (350°F). Wash and pit the plums, then cut each into quarters. Arrange them evenly in a baking dish.
- In a bowl or food processor, combine the plain flour, muscovado sugar, and light brown sugar. Take the chilled butter out and cut it into small cubes. Add it to the flour mixture and either pulse or rub in by hand until you achieve a crumbly texture — like breadcrumbs, not dough.
- Stir in the almond flakes gently.
- Spread the crumble evenly over the plums. Sprinkle extra almonds on top. Cover the dish with foil and bake for 25 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for an additional 10–15 minutes until the top is golden and crisp.
Leave a Reply