This Plum and Apple Crumble is the perfect way to celebrate Fall with a warm and cozy dessert!
This recipe uses fresh plums and apples flavored with cinnamon and topped with a buttery, crunchy crumble! It's a great recipe for Thanksgiving, a cool Autumn evening, or as an easy alternative to homemade pie.
This warm dessert is a fabulous option for this time of year and makes for a delicious treat that the whole family will love! Try it with a scoop of our Old Fashioned Vanilla Bean Ice Cream!
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Ingredients For This Crumble Recipe:
This cozy comfort food is so easy to make! For the best results, bake the Apple Plum Crumble recipe using fresh, seasonal fruit.
- Apples: Tart orchard apples are key for this recipe! We recommend using a baking apple that is tart and not too sweet. Honeycrisp, Cortland and Macintosh apples are all great varietal choices. If your apples are very sweet, consider reducing the amount of sugar in this recipe, or balance the sweetness by adding some super-tart Granny Smith or Bramley apples into this bake.
- Plums: Plums add such a delicious flavor and color to this easy fruit crumble. Any type of plum can work well in the fruit filling for this recipe so use your favorite! Red plums, black plums and even pluots taste delicious!
- Brown Sugar: Feel free to adjust the amount of sugar based on the sweetness of your fresh fruit! Personally, we prefer a lightly-sweetened crumble where the different fruits flavor can shine through!
- Vanilla & Spices: We kept it classic with vanilla and just a hint of ground cinnamon and ginger in this recipe. Feel free to experiment with other baking spices such as nutmeg, allspice or cardamom for a slightly different flavor.
- Orange Juice: We love the way a splash of OJ compliments the flavors of this fruit mixture! Feel free to substitute a splash of lemon juice instead.
- Cornstarch: This starch helps to bind all the fruit juices and liquids together and create an apple and plum mixture that holds well and isn't runny.
- Crumble Ingredients: We make this buttery streusel topping with all-purpose flour, brown sugar, cold unsalted butter, salt and spices. It's easy, classic, delicious and can be made ahead of time and kept in the fridge or freezer until ready to use.
How To Make Plum Apple Crumble: Easy as 1, 2, 3!
1. Crumble Topping:
This simple Apple and Plum Crumble recipe requires only 10 to 15 minutes of preparation time. First, make your crumble mixture. Add flour, brown sugar, spices, and salt to a large mixing bowl (or food processor fitted with the blade attachment). Then, add cold butter. With your hands, pastry blender (or in a food processor), incorporate the butter into the flour mixture until a cohesive, crumbly dough forms. Refrigerate the crumble topping while you prepare the delicious plum and apple filling.
2. Fruit Filling:
Dice plums and apples into bite-sized cubes. We like to leave the fruit skins on but you can peel yours, if preferred. In a large bowl , toss the diced fruit with sugar, spices, vanilla, orange juice and cornstarch. Add the fruit to a prepared skillet, baking dish or deep pie dish. Tap the baking dish on a towel-lined work surface to help compress the fruit and avoid air pockets. Crumble the refrigerated dough on top of the fruit in an even layer. For this Plum and Apple Crisp recipe, we like a lot of crumble that adds a cookie-like crunch to every bite. You can use a little less of the crumble for a more fruit-forward dessert, if you would like.
3. Bake & Serve:
Bake the crumble in a preheated oven for 45 minutes to 1 hour or until the crumble is golden brown and the fruit is tender and bubbling around the edges. The exact bake time will depend on your baking vessel, exact amount of fruit and the precise temperature of your oven. Allow the Plum and Apple Crumble to cool slightly or cool to room temperature and reheat before serving. (Reheating instructions included below!)
Variations For This Crumble Recipe:
This Apple Plum Crumble recipe is great just the way it is. That being said, feel free to put your own spin on this recipe. Here are a few ideas:
- Use a different type of fruit. Try this recipe with different varietals of apples and plums to find your favorite combination! You could also try adding a few berries to the mix, as well!
- Make it a crisp! What is the difference between a crumble and a crisp? Rolled oats! To make a plum and apple crisp, simply mix in a ⅓ Cup (50 grams) rolled oats to the crumble topping.
- Add nuts! For additional crunch and flavor, add some nuts to the crumble topping! Try adding a small handful of almond flour, chopped walnuts or pecans for a yummy, nutty flavor!
- Use individual ramekins. For a special dinner party, bake this recipe in individual ramekins for a special, personalized treat. Individual Plum and Apple Crumbles will bake much faster, so keep an eye on the desserts and expect them to be ready in about 20 - 25 minutes.
How To Serve This Plum and Apple Crumble Recipe
This Plum and Apple Crumble recipe is best when served warm from the oven! Make this crumble recipe during dinnertime or reheat when ready to serve! We recommend serving this warm dessert with a scoop of vanilla ice cream, whipped cream or vanilla custard. This dessert is perfect for potluck dinners, family-style holidays or easy dinner parties!
Storing & Reheating This Recipe
Plum and Apple Crumble can be made ahead of time and refrigerated before baking for up to 24 hours. Make this recipe the day before and pop it in the oven to bake the next day! It's a great way to make dessert easy and eliminate some stress for busy holiday meals! (Keep in mind, fully chilled Plum and Apple Crumble may require a little additional baking time.) Once baked, this recipe can stay covered at room temperature for 2 - 3 days or be frozen in an airtight container for 1 - 2 months.
To reheat this Plum Apple Crumble recipe you can use the oven or a microwave. For the microwave, reheat individual portions on a microwave safe plate in 30 second increments until warmed through. For the oven method, preheat the oven to 350° Fahrenheit (175° celsius). Cover the crumble in aluminum foil and bake until heated through, about 25 - 30 minutes. Allow to cool slightly before serving.
More Apple Recipes!
Recipe
Plum and Apple Crumble
ADJUST SERVINGS
Special Equipment
- Deep Dish Pie Plate, Skillet or Baking Dish
- Pastry Blender or Food Processor Fitted with the Blade Attachment (Optional)
Ingredients
Crumble Topping
- Extra butter or non-stick cooking spray for preparing a baking dish
- 3 Cups all-purpose flour
- ½ Cup light brown sugar
- 2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1½ teaspoon fine kosher salt*
- 1½ Cups (3 sticks) unsalted butter cubed, cold
Plum and Apple Filling
- 4 Cups apples (About 4-5 medium apples) diced, (We recommend Honeycrisp, Macintosh or Cortland apples), (See Note: a.)
- 4 Cups plums (About 6-8 medium plums) diced
- ¼ Cup light brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- 2 Tablespoons cornstarch
- 1 Tablespoon orange juice
- 1 Tablespoon vanilla extract
- 1 pinch fine kosher salt*
- 2 Tablespoons unsalted butter cubed
Instructions
- Gather, measure and prepare the Plum and Apple Crumble ingredients as listed. To view metric measurements, toggle the US Customary/Metric switch at the top of this recipe card.
- Arrange a rack in the center third of the oven and preheat to 375° Fahrenheit (135° celsius). Meanwhile, grease a deep dish pie plate, skillet or baking dish with a little additional butter or non-stick cooking spray. Set aside.
- For the Crumble Topping: In a medium mixing bowl (or a food processor fitted with the blade attachment), combine all-purpose flour, ½ Cup (100 grams) brown sugar, 2 teaspoons cinnamon and 1½ teaspoon salt.Whisk (or pulse) to combine.
- Add 1½ Cup (340 grams) of cold, cubed butter. With your hands, pastry blender (or food processor), rub or cut the butter into the flour mixture until well combined. When finished, the crumble should resemble a dry, crumbly cookie dough. Refrigerate the crumble until ready to use.
- For the Plum and Apple Filling: In a medium mixing bowl, combine apples, plums, ¼ Cup (4 Tablespoons) brown sugar, 2 teaspoons cinnamon, ground ginger, corn starch, vanilla, orange juice and a pinch of salt. Toss well to combine and transfer fruit mixture into your prepared baking dish. Lightly tamp the baking dish on a towel-lined countertop to settle the fruit and avoid air pockets.
- Top fruit mixture with remaining 2 Tablespoons of cubed butter. Remove crumble mixture from fridge and use your hands to crumble the topping generously over the fruit. (See Note: b.)
- Bake the Plum and Apple Crumble for 45 - 60 minutes or until the crumble topping is golden brown and the fruit mixture is bubbling around the edges. (The exact baking time will vary slightly based on your baking vessel and oven.) Allow the Crumble to cool slightly before serving warm with whipped cream, custard or ice cream! Enjoy!
Notes
* A Note About Salt
Unless otherwise noted, all recipes on The Sage Apron are developed using Diamond Crystal Kosher salt. It is a great all-purpose salt for cooking and baking. If using table salt, reduce quantities by about half.
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