Indulge in the warmth and sweetness of an easy plum crumble with oats, a comforting dessert that can be whipped up in just forty minutes. Perfect for a Sunday family dinner, this recipe requires minimal effort and time in the kitchen. It offers a delicious treat that pairs the natural sweetness of plums with the nutty goodness of oats to make a perfect Autumn/ fall dessert.
Plum crumble is an autumn staple in my house. It’s fruity and the oaty crumble topping is perfect with a big helping of warm custard after a day of smashing conkers and carving pumpkins.
Top Questions
Can you use frozen plums for a crumble?
What is the secret to crunchy crumble?
How do you keep crumble from getting soggy?
Can you make a crumble the night before?
Can you freeze plums?
Why you’ll love this plum crumble recipe
One of the reasons why you will love this recipe is its versatility. It can be enjoyed as a warm treat during chilly autumn evenings or served at room temperature for a refreshing dessert on a hot summer day.
The combination of plums and oats creates a delightful contrast of textures, with the tender, juicy plums complemented by the crunchy oat topping.
Another reason to love this recipe is its ease of preparation. With just a few simple steps, you can have a delicious dessert ready to impress family and friends.
You can make it more seasonal by adding cinnamon or apple pie spices to the plums or crumble.
It’s a great way to use up plums that have gone past their best but are still edible.
Plum Crumble Ingredients
For the full recipe and instructions scroll to the bottom of the page for the recipe card.
Oats
Oats have a hearty nature that provides a satisfying crunch that contrasts beautifully with tender plums. Not only do oats enhance the overall taste and mouthfeel, but they also bring a host of health benefits. Packed with fibre, vitamins, and minerals, oats infuse this delectable dessert with a nourishing touch.
Plums
A late summer fruit, plums are rich in flavour and make perfect crumble due to cooking down slowly. You will want to chop your plums into even sections or slices before you bake them.
Frozen Plum Crumble
You can even use frozen plums to make this crumble. We had such a good harvest this year that we managed to put bags and bags in the freezer. What could be better than a really quick frozen plum crumble on a winter’s day.
How to make plum crumble – step by step
For the full recipe and instructions scroll to the bottom of the page for the recipe card.
Combine your flour, sugar and oats
Add your cubed room temperature butter.
Crumble together all the ingredients until they form the classic crumbly texture.
Now your easy healthy crumble topping with oats is ready to top your favourite fruity crumbles with.
To make the plum crumble, add your halved and sugared plums to an oven safe dish.
Top with the oaty crumble and bake until golden brown and crisp on top.
Plum Crumble Top Tips
Choosing the Perfect Plums: When selecting plums for your crumble, look for ones that are ripe. Firm ones will soften when you bake them and softer ones will go extra gooey.
Before assembling your crumble, make sure to wash and dry the plums thoroughly. Remove the pits and slice them into even, bite-sized pieces. Keeping the slices uniform in size will guarantee even cooking and a consistent texture throughout the dessert.
To enhance the flavour profile of your plum crumble, consider adding a hint of warmth with spices like cinnamon or nutmeg. A touch of citrus zest, such as lemon or orange, can also add a refreshing twist to the sweet-tartness of the plums.
To ensure your crumble bakes evenly, place it in the centre of the oven and rotate the dish halfway through cooking. Keep a close eye on the crumble during the last few minutes to prevent the topping from burning.
Golden brown is the perfect colour for the topping. A perfectly baked crumble should have bubbling fruit juices and a golden, crunchy topping.
The Perfect Autumn Dessert
When it comes to autumn desserts, nothing quite hits the spot like the warm, delicious flavours of a homemade crumble. And when you pair the juicy sweetness of plums with the nutty goodness of oats, you have a winning combination that is sure to satisfy even the most discerning sweet tooth.
Serving Suggestions
Custard
Warm custard is one of life’s simple pleasures. It’s thick and warm and goes with pretty much every dessert. Especially plum crumble with oats, I love how the soft custard mixes with the crumbly oat topping.
Ice Cream
One classic way to serve your plum crumble is with a generous scoop of vanilla ice cream. The cool and creamy texture of the ice cream pairs perfectly with the warm and fruity flavours of the crumble.
As the ice cream melts into the crumble, it creates a luscious sauce that adds an extra level of indulgence.
Whipped cream
If you prefer a lighter option, try serving your plum crumble with a dollop of whipped cream.
The light and airy whipped cream adds a touch of sweetness and a hint of richness without overwhelming the natural flavours of the fruit. It’s a perfect choice for those who want to enjoy the crumble without feeling too heavy afterwards.
Equipment
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- Oven proof dish (a pie dish works perfectly)
- Knife
- Chopping board
- Teaspoon
- Mixing bowl
- Kitchen Scales
Substitutions and variations
Gluten Free Plum Crumble
If you’re looking to make this plum crumble gluten-free, you can easily swap out the all-purpose flour for a gluten-free flour blend. There are many options available, such as almond flour, rice flour, or a combination of gluten-free flour. I recommend Dove’s Gluten-free flour in the UK.
Add nuts for extra crunch
If you’re not a fan of oats, you can substitute them with crushed nuts like almonds, pecans, or walnuts. This will add a delightful crunch and a new layer of flavour to your crumble.
Simply pulse the nuts in a food processor until they reach a coarse texture, and then use them as you would the oats in the recipe.
Alternatively, if you’re not a fan of nuts, you could use a combination of shredded coconut and seeds like chia, flax, or sunflower seeds. This will give your crumble a nutty flavour and a satisfying texture without the actual nuts.
Using frozen plums
Frozen plums work just as well and can be a convenient option if you’re craving this crumble outside of plum season. Simply remove the frozen plums from the freezer and proceed with the recipe as directed. Add 4-5 minutes to the cooking time.
A Delightful Pairing: Plums and Oats
When it comes to creating a truly delightful autumn dessert, it’s all about finding the perfect pairing of flavours. In this case, we turn to the mouthwatering combination of plums and oats.
These two ingredients come together in a harmonious dance, each bringing its own unique qualities to the table.
Plums, with their juicy sweetness, provide a burst of natural flavour that perfectly complements the richness of oats. The tartness of the plums adds a refreshing twist, balancing out the sweetness and preventing the dish from becoming overwhelmingly sugary.
Storing plum crumble / Making ahead of time options
Both the plums and crumble topping can be made in advance and frozen until you need them. An extra bonus to this is that you can cook it straight from frozen in the oven or air fryer.
If you have any extra crumble topping leftover you can put it into a freezer proof bag and store it for later. I love having a bag of crumble topping in the freezer for when I fancy a crumble.
Plum Crumble FAQS
Can you use frozen plums for a crumble?
Yes, using frozen plums is a great way to use up the plums you have in the freezer. You Simply follow the recipe as normal but add a few minutes to your normal cooking time to ensure the frozen plums are fully cooked.
What is the secret to crunchy crumble?
The secret to a crunchy crumble is in using oats in your crumble topping. You also want to pop your crumble under the grill or broiler for a few minutes at the end of cooking to help it get crunchy and golden brown.
How do you keep crumble from getting soggy?
Your crumble may go soggy if you overload the pan with fruit or you use too much frozen fruit. The excess moisture in your crumble filling can make it go soggy. To stop it going soggy you need to follow a recipe and adjust the cooking time to best fit your oven,
Can you make a crumble the night before?
Yes, making a crumble the night before is a great way to free up time when you need to serve your crumble. You just need to pop it in the microwave in 20 second bursts until its piping hot all the way through.
Can you freeze plums?
Yes, freezing plums is a great way to keep your plums even when they are nearer the end of their life. You can still use frozen plums to make a plum crumble too.
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Plum Crumble Recipe
Plum Crumble
Equipment
- Oven proof dish (a pie dish works perfectly)
Ingredients
Crumble Ingredients
- 150 g (1 ⅕ cups) plain flour / all purpose flour
- 150 g (5 2/7 oz) unsalted butter (cut into cubes)
- 75 g (2 ⅔ oz) golden caster sugar (or normal caster sugar)
- 100 g (1 ¼ cups) oats
Fruit Layer
- 300 g (1 cups) plums (fresh or frozen)
Optional Extras
- 1 tsp cinnamon (add it to the crumble ingredients)
- 100 g flaked almonds (or ground. Mixed into the crumble layer)
Instructions
Making the crumble
- Measure and add the plain flour, caster sugar and oats into a mixing bowl.150 g (1 ⅕ cups) plain flour / all purpose flour, 75 g (2 ⅔ oz) golden caster sugar, 100 g (1 ¼ cups) oats
- Add 150g cubed unsalted butter into the dried ingredients.150 g (5 2/7 oz) unsalted butter
- Rub the ingredients together with your fingers and thumbs to create a crumble texture. Set aside until you're ready to cook.
Preparing the plums
- Chop the plums, remove the stones and add them to the oven-proof dish.300 g (1 cups) plums
- Sprinkle over the crumble topping to add a nice layer to the plums. If you have any extra crumble leftover you can place it into a freezer proof bag and save for later.
Baking the plum crumble
- Preheat the oven to 180ºC fan/ 356ºF/ Gas mark 4.
- Pour over the crumble topping and put it in the oven for 30-40 minutes until golden brown.
Notes
Nutrition
Please note that the nutrition information provided above is approximate and meant as a guideline only.
I definitely do not bake with plums nearly often enough! 🙂 What a great dessert idea for fall.
This easy crumble is a fantastic way to enjoy plums and give my family a fresh and new dessert. Yum!
Ah, I love a crumble! It’s the perfect fall dessert. I always think of berries when I think of a crumble so plum will be a welcome change for my family. Thanks for sharing!
Outstanding recipe thanks so much! tasted so much good!
I have to make this recipe! I eat plums all the time, but I haven’t baked with them very much.
Plum is my all time favourite crumble and this was a corker!
Such a wonderful combination of flavours and perfect for these colder days. We all loved your delicious plum crumble.
So comforting and cosy! The oats were so delicious in the crumble.
I love a crumble and baked this at the weekend. I added the extra cinnamon and flakes almonds for flavour and crunch and it was delicious.