Easy Plum & Pecan Crumble Recipe

Here's an easy plum crumble recipe that I love to make for dinner parties! Soft and juicy baked plums meet a crunchy pecan topping so that every bite has a warm and intense fruity flavor coupled with the texture and taste of a nutty fruit crumble.

Plums are in season from late summer through October but are usually available in winter, too. So, I have made this simple plum crumble recipe for Christmas and enjoyed it just as much as I do in warmer months! It pairs beautifully with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

Jump to:

• ❓Why you'll love this plum crumble
• 📖 Ingredients List
• 👩🏼‍🍳 How To Make Plum & Pecan Crumble
• 👩🏼‍🍳 Chef's Notes & Serving Suggestions
• 🍷Wine Pairing For Plum Crumble
• ❄️ Storage & Freezing
• 🥣 Equipment
• ❓FAQ
• 🍽 Other dessert recipes
• 📖 Recipe
• 💬 Comments

❓Why you'll love this plum crumble

1. It's so simple - This easy dinner party dessert recipe comes together so quickly and has no complex ingredients or equipment, so it's the perfect dessert recipe for a busy host. It's one of my favorite plum recipes!
2. It's nutty - the addition of chopped pecans to the easy crumble topping gives an earthy dimension as well as delicious crunch and texture to this simple dessert. It also tames the sweetness, so it's perfectly balanced whilst also being ideal for those with a sweet tooth.
3. It can be made ahead - The main reason this is such a great recipe is how easy it is to make ahead and freeze or store. You can assemble this plum and pecan crumble the day before and refrigerate it, or bake it and then reheat it. You can freeze it whole and bake from frozen. You can just freeze the crumbly topping in a bag. It's a dream.

📖 Ingredients List

Everything in this easy plum crumble is super simple; here is what you will need.

For the baked plums

1. Fresh plums - Fresh, ripe plums are the star of this plum crumble. Make sure they are not too firm; you can tell when plums are ripe as they are tender when you gently press them. We need to take the stones out, but it's very simple.
2. Demerara sugar - Raw sugars like demerara have more of their natural molasses content, so they have a rich taste and more caramel undertones. You could also use turbinado sugar.
3. Vanilla bean paste - To get the best flavor in the fruit filling, use vanilla bean paste. At a push, you can use vanilla extract, but avoid vanilla essence as it can taste very synthetic.

For the pecan crumble topping

1. Pecans - I like to chop the whole pecans to get them into small but chunky enough pieces to still have some crunch and bite.
2. Light Muscovado sugar - This soft and sticky brown sugar also still has its molasses content that is refined out of white sugar during processing. Using these special sugars makes the most delicious crumble. It makes the dessert richer, with more depth of flavor. If you cannot find them, use regular light brown sugar (sometimes called golden caster sugar).
3. Butter - I only ever use unsalted butter to remain in control of the quality and quantity of salt in my food. I personally like Irish butter from grass-fed cattle. Cut it into 1-inch cubes and make sure it is very cold.
4. Wholemeal flour - I prefer to use wholemeal flour in this recipe as it has more bite to it, giving a better texture to the crumble. If you cannot find it, just use plain flour or all purpose flour. Don't use pastry flour or 00 flour; they are ground too finely. You can use self-raising flour, but if you do, leave out the baking powder.
5. Baking powder - This rising agent helps to bulk out the pecan crisp topping.
6. Salt - A little bit of salt enhances all the flavors in this dessert as well as balances the sweetness, so don't skip it!

👩🏼‍🍳 How To Make Plum & Pecan Crumble

👩🏼‍🍳 Chef's Notes & Serving Suggestions

1. Always weigh ingredients using a digital scale for best results, especially when it comes to baking.
2. The butter needs to be very cold; I cube it and put it in the freezer whilst prepping the other ingredients. Don't use soft butter or melted butter.
3. If you don't have pecans, you can substitute for the same quantity of almonds or walnuts. I also like to swap out the pecans for oats sometimes (same weight).
4. Similarly, you can swap the plums for other stone fruits like apricots, peaches, or greengages if you can find them in the grocery store or local farmer's market.
5. The pecan crisp topping also tastes great with fall fruits, like on top of an apple crumble! It's one of those perfect crumbles that is just so versatile.
6. If serving this dessert in winter, I like to add a pinch of ground cinnamon to the pecan crumble mix. You could add other spices, too, like star anise or even some grated orange zest.
7. Serve juicy fruit desserts warm with a slosh of cream or a scoop of ice cream. It is nice with crème fraîche, too, for a bit more freshness and acidity.

🍷Wine Pairing For Plum Crumble

The honeyed stone fruit undertones of a classic Sauternes are the best wine pairing for plum crumble. Serve the dessert wine ice cold. Keep it in the fridge, and then place it in the freezer for 20 minutes before you open it.

Read my easy food and wine pairing tips to elevate all your dinner parties with the correct pairings. Serving the right wine with a meal really does make a difference!

❄️ Storage & Freezing

The best part about this recipe is how easy it is to make ahead. Make this plum crumble the day before (or even two!), and keep it in the fridge covered with plastic food wrap before baking as needed.

You can make the crumble topping ahead of time and store it in a freezer bag in the fridge for 2-3 days before use. You can also make extra and freeze crumble topping to use on all fruit crumbles. Use within 1 month.

You can also freeze fruit crumbles and bake from frozen. You'll need to up the cooking time by 10-15 minutes, keep an eye on it. The sticky plums bubbling around the edges is the telltale sign it's ready.

Once baked, store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge and consume within 2-3 days.

🥣 Equipment

You will need an oven-proof baking dish measuring 10x10 inches or 25/25cm to make this plum crumble recipe for 8 people. Use one that isn't too shallow, as we like a decent depth of juicy plums and crumble topping!

I mix up the butter, flour, and pecan topping in a large mixing bowl. You can also make crumble topping in a food processor; pulse the butter and flour together a few times, and don't overwork it.

❓FAQ

🍽 Other dessert recipes

Looking for other simple yet elegant dinner party recipes like this plum dessert? Try these:

📖 Recipe