Easy Plum Crumble!

Today, I am sharing the first of my favorite recipes for Thanksgiving and I'm starting with dessert, of course!  Truth be told, this is one of the recipe that I make year-round, no matter the season because it's so quick and easy to throw together.  Plums are obviously more available during the summer and fall months, but I also use peaches, apples, pears, and mixed berries throughout the year.

I just happen to love fruit crumbles even more during the fall season when we still have access to the last of the summer fruit, but a nice warm crumble hits the spot on a chilly night.  Don't get me wrong because having all of these sweet fruit topped with a yummy scoop of vanilla ice cream is perfect during the summer months!

Well, back to this crumble in particular.  I used plums, which are a fantastic fruit to use in a crumble.  They can be slightly tart along with their incredible sweetness, which is really delicious!  Also, I love the purple color of the flesh along with the colorful juices that are released while it bakes.  The topping itself is really simple, but gives that extra oomph to becoming a "real dessert."  It's a bit crunchy, chewy, and definitely a sweet contrast to the plums.

Dig in!

Easy Plum Crumble
A Vintage Zest original

Ingredients

2 pounds ripe plums (about 12), in small chunks

2 - 4 Tbsp. sugar (depends on tartness of plums)

2 Tbsp. all-purpose flour

1 Tbsp. cinnamon

1 cup old-fashioned oats

1/4 cup  flour
1/3 cup white sugar
1 Tbsp. ground cinnamon
Pinch salt
1/4 cup canola oil

Whipped cream or vanilla ice cream, to serve (optional)


Directions

1.  Mix the first four ingredients together (plums, sugar, flour, cinnamon).

2.  Mix the topping ingredients together (oats, flour, sugar, cinnamon, salt and canola oil) until just moistened.  You may need to add a bit more oil.

3. Scatter over the fruit filling.

4. Bake at 350 for about 35 minutes until the plums become tender and the topping is golden brown.

The crumble is best served warm, and according to my family, with a nice big scoop of vanilla ice cream!  I ate this myself right after the photos, so I ate it as is.  :)

Make Ahead: You can refrigerate the prepared filling and prepare the topping beforehand.  On the day of, simply sprinkle the topping over and bake as directed.


This is such a quick dessert that I find myself making this when my fruit starts ripening too quickly.  Thus, we have this a lot around here.  Still, it is pretty enough to be made for company and for the holidays, especially since it is such a crowd pleaser around here.  :)

Bon appetit!