Fresh Plum Crisp with Oats

This plum crisp recipe is one of the best fresh fruit desserts for summer, while plums are in season! Juicy plums are sliced and topped with a buttery oat crisp that gets perfectly crunchy when baked. Everyone will love this easy plum crisp, especially served warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

I’ve never met a crisp recipe that I didn’t like. Some of my favorites are my peach blueberry crisp, apple pear crisp, and mixed berry crisp. I just adore the warm, sweet fruit and crunchy oat topping – especially with the cold contrast of vanilla ice cream. And as a Registered Dietitian, I love to feature nutritious and seasonal fruit in a dessert!

This fresh plum crisp is the best way to utilize a bounty of plums. The plums are sweet with just a hint of tartness that tastes amazing with the oat crisp topping. Don’t worry, this crisp recipe has plenty of topping so you get some with each bite you take.

Crisps are much easier to make than pies or even cobblers, so this recipe is great if you are a beginner baker. You need just a handful of simple ingredients to make this easy summer dessert. This plant-based dessert recipe serves four to six people and is vegetarian, nut free, and soy free.

Ingredients in fresh plum crisp

Here is everything you need for this recipe. Many of the ingredients are pantry staples you probably already have!

• Fresh plums
• Old fashioned rolled oats
• All purpose flour
• Dark brown sugar
• White sugar
• Butter
• Vanilla extract
• Cinnamon
• Ginger
• Kosher salt
• Vanilla ice cream, for serving

Ingredient and dietary restriction substitution suggestions

• Make it vegan by swapping in vegan butter for regular butter. Serve with vegan ice cream.
• Make it gluten free by using your favorite gluten free flour blend instead of all purpose flour. You can also try it with almond flour.
• No plums available? Try this crisp with an equal amount of apricots, peaches, nectarines, or apples.
• You can use quick oats instead of old fashioned rolled oats in a pinch.

Kitchen tools needed

You need a 10.5 x 7.5 inch or 8 x 8 inch glass or ceramic baking dish, a good knife (I like an 8 inch chef’s knife), a cutting board, and a medium-large mixing bowl.

What’s the difference? Cobbler vs crisp vs crumble

These three desserts are fairly similar. They all feature a base of fruit that is baked with a topping and no bottom crust.

A cobbler topping is usually a biscuit topping that is dropped on the fresh fruit. Crisp topping is made of oats, flour, sugar, and butter that completely covers the fruit in a layer. Crumble topping is similar to crisp, but it usually does not include oats. Crumble topping is a streusel-like topping made of flour, butter, and sugar.

How to make fresh plum crisp

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Cut plums in half and remove and discard of the pit. Cut into thin slices. There is no need to remove the skin on plums because it is thin and edible.
3. Place plum slices in the baking dish and add white sugar. Toss them up to coat each piece in sugar. Set aside.
4. Add the oats, flour, brown sugar, vanilla extract, cinnamon, ginger, and kosher salt in a mixing bowl. Stir to combine.
5. Cut room temperature butter into small squares. Add the butter to the dry ingredients and use your hands to incorporate it until small clumps form.
6. Pour the crumble over the plums in the baking dish in an even layer.
7. Bake for about 30 minutes, until crisp layer is golden brown and the edges are bubbling with plum juices.
8. Serve warm with scoops of vanilla ice cream.

Recipe tip: Avoid cooking fruit crisps in cast iron skillets. The acidity from the fruit will strip the cast iron pan of seasoning, which can cause discoloration and a metallic flavor in your dish.

Can I make plum crisp in advance?

Yes! This dessert can be prepared a day in advance. Reheat it whole in the oven set to 300 degrees for 20 minutes, or until warmed through. You can reheat individual portions in the microwave for 30 seconds to a minute.

Storing leftovers

If you have leftover crisp, you can cover the dish with tin foil or plastic wrap and put it in the fridge. Enjoy leftovers within 3-5 days.

Serving suggestions

You can eat this plum crisp plain, but it really shines with the addition of vanilla ice cream. You can also serve with whipped cream if you prefer.

Leftover plum crisp is DELICIOUS for breakfast served with your favorite Greek yogurt.

Let me know if you love this post by leaving a comment or star rating below, and check out Instagram and Pinterest for more healthy lifestyle inspiration. Thanks for stopping by!

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