• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
My Pure Plants
  • Home
  • Recipes
  • About us
    • Contact us
    • Media & Press
  • Meal Plans
    • FREE 7-day Vegan Meal Plan (Only Easy Recipes!)
    • Quick Vegan Meals
    • Vegan Christmas Dinner
    • Vegan Thanksgiving Dinner
  • Ingredient Guides
    • Eggplant
    • Oyster Mushrooms
    • TVP
menu icon
go to homepage
  • Recipes
  • Entrees
  • Soups
  • About us
  • Subscribe
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • YouTube
  • subscribe
    search icon
    Homepage link
    • Recipes
    • Entrees
    • Soups
    • About us
    • Subscribe
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • YouTube
  • ×

    Home > Vegan Desserts

    Plum Crumble with Walnut Oat Topping

    By My Pure Plants on 04/30/2021 - May contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure.

    Jump to Recipe Print Pin

    This Simple Plum Crumble with Crunchy Walnut and Oat Topping is one of the easiest dessert recipes. You can’t go wrong with a crumble. No kneading, no shaping, no decorating. I usually make the crispy topping with a food processor, which is like 2 minutes tops. And a scoop of vanilla ice cream is a must. Enjoy!

    Little green plate with crumbles and plums and a scoop of vanilla ice cream from above

    If you love quick and easy desserts, making crisps and crumbles will be your favorite. Dare I say the combinations are endless. Check out our Gluten-free Apple Crisp Pie, or our Gluten-free Strawberry Rhubarb Crisp, or our Gluten-free Blueberry Crisp.

    Table of Contents hide
    1. So why Plum Crumble?
    2. Plum filling and Walnut topping fits perfectly
    3. How to make an Oat Topping for Crumble?
    4. Making a cinnamon plum filling
    5. Baking a crunchy Plum Crumble
    6. More reasons to love this plum crumble
    7. FAQs and Substitutions
    8. More fruity gluten-free dessert recipes
    9. Plum Crumble with Crunchy Walnut and Oat Topping

    So why Plum Crumble?

    It all started with a huge basket of Italian Prune Plums aka Empress Plums we received from my mother-in-law. Every year she makes tasty plum jams, plum pies, and plum dumplings, but there are always some extra baskets she has no time to preserve or use. So what should I do with them? Let’s make a crumble or crisp. Is it crisp or crumble or streusel? I never really know what people expect when they hear these names.

    Think of it as a go-to dessert for when you have a sudden wish to eat something sweet. We love our Strawberry Rhubarb Crisp and our Blueberry Crisp, but I thought cinnamon plum crumble sounds quite delicious. You might already be caught up on the fact that I love to use cinnamon. It just makes everything better, isn’t it? If you love it too, be sure to check out all of our cinnamon recipes.

    Plum filling and Walnut topping fits perfectly

    Again, I have to thank the idea to my mother-in-law. A couple of years ago, she made these cute plum and walnut dessert bites. She made a large enough cut on the plum to take the seeds out and to put a larger walnut piece in the hole. After that, she dried them in a dehydrator/fruit dryer. When they were ready, she sprinkled them with cane sugar. Yummm! They were so easy and so delicious. Plum and walnut just fit perfectly together. I was recalling this image and taste when I came up with the idea of this crunchy plum crumble topping with walnuts.

    Small bowls with different ingredients to make plum crumble. One with butter cubes, one with rolled oats, one with walnut halves, one with brown sugar and one with flour. Plums are scattered around

    How to make an Oat Topping for Crumble?

    No kneading, no rolling, no special skill is needed to make it. So what do you need to make a crumble oat topping?

    • rolled oats – Make sure you use certified gluten-free, if you have coeliac. You can use quick oats, but rolled oats look more rustic.
    • rice flour – This is my go-to flour to think of when I am baking something. I know that there are 90+ Gluten-free Flours, but this one is easy, cheap and neutral in taste.
    • walnuts – This gives you the extra crunchiness. If you have walnut meal, then you can skip one step. If you have roasted walnuts that is even better as the taste will be even deeper.
    • coconut sugar – We chose coconut sugar instead of white sugar or brown sugar. And the reason is simple and not at all health-related. 🙂 Coconut sugar has a subtle caramel taste which gives the topping a speculoos kind of flavor. If you haven’t tried it, you should.
    • unsalted butter – Any unsalted butter would do even if you need vegan or dairy-free. Don’t worry the recipe is perfect either way.
    • cinnamon – While it is optional, we highly recommend it as plums and walnuts go great with cinnamon. I am biased probably, but I just L-O-V-E cinnamon on almost everything.

    If you don’t have walnut meal, then place your halves or pieces in the food processor first and pulse until you got a corse texture. Than add all other ingredients and pulse a couple times until you get a breadcrumb-like texture. Just 2 minutes! See the result on the below picture.

    Food processor from above showing a brown crunchy crumble mixture.

    Making a cinnamon plum filling

    The most time-consuming part of this recipe is to wash the plums and cut them in half to take the seeds out. To reduce the number of dishes you need to wash at the end of the day, add the seeded plum halves directly to the baking dish. Sprinkle it with coconut sugar and cinnamon. Stir until combined. That’s it! 1 minute tops!

    Top tips to make the perfect filling

    • sugar – I prefer to use coconut sugar as it has a nice caramel flavor which goes great with any fruit. But you can certainly add any other sweetener (granulated white sugar, brown sugar, maple syrup, other alternatives).
    • water – No need to add any.
    • lemon juice – No need to add any. Lemon juice is supposed to bring the sweetness out. I would omit it completely as plums are rather tart fruits compared to syrupy sweet peaches or strawberries.
    • starch – Plums are not juicy, so you don’t need any starch to thicken anything.
    • spices and herbs – I love using cinnamon, but you can make this plum crumble recipe equally delicious by adding a bit of vanilla extract (1 tsp) instead. If you are super adventurous, try star anise or orange zest.

    Baking a crunchy Plum Crumble

    You have your filling already in the baking dish. I use a ceramic oven-safe dish in the size of (see below picture). Spread the crumbs using your fingers on top of the fruit filling. Pre-heat the oven to 350 Fahrenheit (180 degrees Celsius) and bake your plum crumble for at least 20-30 minutes. You know it is ready when the oat crumble topping is brown and the plums soften but not completely mush. And what to serve with it? It is easy. VANILLA ICE CREAM or whipped cream! Enjoy!

    A baking dish with brown crunchy crumble topping nicely flattened into the dish on one layer.

    More reasons to love this plum crumble

    Plums are such underrated fruits. The first thing that came up usually is that eating too many plums will have laxative effects.

    However, plums are just extremely nutritious with high in Vitamin A, C and K and rich in antioxidants. If you’re interested to learn more, be sure to check out the seven evidence-based health benefits of plums.

    Pair them with walnuts and you will get also an Omega-3 and Omega-6 rich dessert. Walnuts are exceptionally nutritious and not only rich in healthy fats, but fiber, minerals and vitamins as well. If your’re interested, you can read more about their health benefits.

    FAQs and Substitutions

    What kind of fruits you can substitute plums for?

    You can add peaches, any berries, apples. This crunchy cinnamon oat topping pairs great with lots of different fruit. Let us know if you try any combination. We have similar recipes for you to try like our Gluten-free Apple Crisp Pie, or our Gluten-free Strawberry Rhubarb Crisp, or our Gluten-free Blueberry Crisp.

    Can you use frozen plums?

    You can absolutely use frozen plums. You need to thaw them though as their flesh is hard enough as it is. And you want them to soften during baking.

    Can you use different sweeteners to make it low-carb?

    Sure you can, although I only tested this recipe with cane sugar and coconut sugar (the same amount is needed). Therefore, I am not familiar with the measurements for other sweeteners like stevia or erythritol. If you do, please let us know in the comments.

    Small green plate with a serving of brown crumble, plum and a scoop of vanilla ice. The baking dish is in the background

    This Plum Crumble with Walnut Oat Topping recipe is vegan, so dairy-free, and egg-free. It is also suitable for vegetarian, soy-free, and gluten-free diets (if you use certified GF oats). It is not WFPB-friendly (whole foods, plant-based) as dairy-free butter is not compliant due to its oil content.

    More fruity gluten-free dessert recipes

    You can browse through our Vegan and Gluten-free Dessert Recipes or check out

    • Gluten-free Chocolate Peach Galette
    • Gluten-free Pop Tarts
    • The Quickest Cranberry Jelly

    Small green plate with a serving of brown crumble, plum and a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

    Plum Crumble with Crunchy Walnut and Oat Topping

    Emese Maczko
    Ripe plums sprinkled with cinnamon sugar and topped with crunchy walnut and oat crumbs. 2 mins to mix. 20 mins to bake. And your plum crumble is ready!
    5 from 2 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 10 mins
    Cook Time 20 mins
    Total Time 30 mins
    Course Dessert
    Servings 6 servings
    Calories 433kcal

    Ingredients
      

    Simple Plum Crumble Filling

    • 1 pound Plum 5-600g
    • 1 Tbsp Coconut sugar
    • 1 tsp Cinnamon

    Crunchy Walnut Oat Crumble Topping

    • 1 cup Walnut 110g
    • 1 cup Rolled oats 90g
    • ½ cup Coconut sugar 50g
    • ½ cup Dairy-free butter 110g
    • ½ cup Brown rice flour 70g
    Prevent your screen from going dark
    EXCLUSIVE 5-ingredient recipes for busy home cooks that are ready in 15 minutes!Check out our Express Vegan Cookbook!

    Instructions
     

    Simple Plum Crumble Filling

    • Wash the plums. Cut them in half and take the seeds out. (You can cut them in quarters or smaller pieces to have them more tender and mushy after baking.)
    • Scatter the plum pieces in a shallow ovenproof dish and sprinkle them with cinnamon and coconut sugar. 

    Crunchy Walnut Oat Crumble Topping

    • Pre-heat oven for 350 F (180 degrees).
    • If you have whole walnuts, chop them finely in a food processor.
    • When walnuts are finely chopped, add all other ingredients to the food processor: rolled oats, coconut sugar, butter (should be fridge cold, not room temperature), and brown rice flour. Mix thoroughly to get a breadcrumb-like texture. 
    • Scatter the crumble topping evenly over the plums. 
    • Bake for 20 minutes or until the crumble topping turns golden brown. Serve it warm with vanilla ice cream that melts all over it. 
    Tried this recipe? Can we see it?Please share a picture with us by uploading an image to Pinterest below ours.

    Video

    Nutrition

    Nutrition Facts
    Plum Crumble with Crunchy Walnut and Oat Topping
    Amount Per Serving (1 serving)
    Calories 433 Calories from Fat 225
    % Daily Value*
    Fat 25g38%
    Saturated Fat 5g31%
    Polyunsaturated Fat 11.5g
    Monounsaturated Fat 6.5g
    Sodium 66mg3%
    Potassium 250mg7%
    Carbohydrates 49g16%
    Fiber 4g17%
    Sugar 27g30%
    Protein 6g12%
    Vitamin A 1600IU32%
    Vitamin C 2.5mg3%
    Calcium 35mg4%
    Iron 1.6mg9%
    * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

    UPDATED: This recipe was originally posted in October 2018, but was rewritten and republished with new photos, instructions, and serving tips in Jan 2021. 

    100 shares

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

      Leave a comment Cancel reply

      Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

      Recipe Rating




      This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

    1. Tracy Gregory

      September 07, 2021 at 7:25 pm

      5 stars
      I made this on Sunday and everybody who tried it loved it, even my fussy hubbie. It’s a keeper for sure and I will be making it again…..
      Thank you for sharing.

      Reply
      • My Pure Plants

        September 08, 2021 at 4:23 pm

        Thank you so much for trying out recipe. We are so glad you and your family loved it.

        Reply
    2. Ailsa lena

      November 26, 2018 at 11:18 am

      Delicious and Yummy recipe. I will also try this recipe.

      Reply
      • My Pure Plants

        November 26, 2018 at 1:44 pm

        Great to hear. Let us know how you like it.

        Reply
    3. Agi

      October 28, 2018 at 6:24 pm

      5 stars
      I’ve just tried your recipe as I found it irresistible 😉
      I prepaired it from apples and pears – and had to use simple coconut milk instead of butter as I didn’t realised I didn’t have that – but it is still EXCELLEEEEEEEENT!!!!!!

      Reply
      • My Pure Plants

        November 25, 2018 at 9:10 pm

        Great to hear! Apple and plum together sounds lovely.

        Reply

    Primary Sidebar

    Portrait of Emese and Nandi My Pure Plants

    Hi, we are Emese Maczkó and Nándor Barta, the founders and recipe creators behind My Pure Plants. We are sharing our knowledge and expertise in vegan recipes and encourage you to try home-cooked meals using locally-sourced, organic, whole foods.

    More about us →

    Reader Favorites

    • Crispy Vegan Orange Chicken (Copycat Panda Express)
    • Crispy Rice Paper Spring Rolls
    • Meaty Vegan TVP Burger (Big Mac Style)
    • Copycat IKEA Veggie Balls

    Winter Recipes

    • Portobello Pot Roast (Vegan)
    • Jackfruit Stew (Vegan Beef Stew)
    • Vegan Cabbage Soup with Sausages (Hungarian)
    • Baked Vegan Butternut Squash Risotto

    More vegan winter recipes →

    Footer

    ^ back to top

    About

    • Contact
    • About
    • Media & Press
    • Privacy Policy
    • Terms & Conditions
    • Nutritional disclaimer
    • General Disclaimer

    Categories

    • Vegan Main Dishes
    • Vegan Soups
    • Vegan Desserts
    • Vegan Pasta Sauces
    • Vegan Sides

    Seasonal

    • Vegan Lentil Loaf
    • Vegan Shredded Chicken
    • Chickpea Mushroom Curry
    • Hokkaido Pumpkin Soup
    • Vegan Bechamel

    Quick links

    • TVP Recipes
    • Quick Vegan Meals
    • Creamy Vegan Soups
    • Rice Paper Recipes
    • Oyster Mushroom Recipes

    This website is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.

    Copyright © 2018-2022

    100 shares