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Plum crumble is the cozy, fruity dessert that simmers juicy plums and blueberries into a jammy filling, then piles on a naturally sweetened oat, almond, and date crumble, all without turning on the oven. I made my first no bake version on a hot late summer day when I could not bear to heat the kitchen, and Maddie declared it a keeper. It scratches the same warm, fruity crumble itch as my baked apple and blackberry crumble, just made entirely on the stovetop with no oven required.
Jammy stovetop plum and blueberry filling under a naturally sweetened oat and almond crumble.
Plum Crumble Quick Look
- 🕒 Prep Time: 20 minutes
- 🌡️ Cook Time: 15 minutes
- ⏳ Total Time: 35 minutes
- 🍽️ Serving: 6 servings
- ⚡ Calories: 220kcal
- 🌶️ Flavor Profile: Jammy sweet plum and blueberry with a nutty, cinnamon oat crumble
- ✋ Difficulty: Easy, a no bake stovetop dessert
Quick Answer
Simmer blueberries with lemon, maple syrup, and water until they thicken into a sauce, then simmer sliced plums with cinnamon, nutmeg, and maple until saucy and combine the two with vanilla. For the topping, pulse almonds and salt in a food processor, add dates and vanilla, then pulse in the oats until coarse crumbs form. Spoon the warm fruit into a serving dish, sprinkle the crumble over the top, and serve. No baking required.
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Why This Recipe Works
Click to see the technique science
- The stovetop does all the work. Simmering the fruit into a jammy sauce means you get all the cozy flavor of a baked crumble without ever turning on the oven, which is a lifesaver on hot days.
- Dates sweeten the crumble naturally. Blending soft medjool dates into the oat and almond topping adds sweetness and holds the crumble together, so there is no refined sugar or butter needed.
- Plums and blueberries are a perfect match. Tart plums and sweet blueberries simmer into a deep purple filling that is jammy, bright, and not too sweet.
- Maple syrup keeps it lightly sweet. Just a couple tablespoons of maple syrup in the fruit rounds out the tartness without making it sugary, letting the fruit shine.
- It comes together fast. With no baking and no chilling required, you can go from fresh fruit to a warm, cozy crumble in about 35 minutes.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- It is warm, jammy, and cozy without any oven time, the perfect fruit dessert for a hot summer day.
- It is naturally sweetened with dates and maple, so it feels wholesome enough to enjoy for breakfast too.
- It is as easy as tossing together my peach crumble bars, but even lighter and quicker.
Key Ingredients
A short, wholesome list of mostly fruit, oats, and pantry staples.
- Plums: The star. Ripe, juicy plums simmer down into a jammy, slightly tart filling. Any variety works, so use whatever looks best.
- Blueberries: The sweetness. They add a deep purple color and a burst of sweet flavor that balances the tart plums.
- Medjool dates: The natural sweetener. Blended into the topping, they sweeten and bind the crumble without any refined sugar.
- Oats and almonds: The crumble. Together they give the topping its hearty, nutty crunch, just like a classic baked crumble.
- Maple syrup: The finish. A little in the fruit rounds out the tartness and keeps everything lightly sweet.
See recipe card for exact quantities.
Variations and Substitutions
One easy crumble, plenty of ways to make it your own.
- Swap the blueberries for blackberries or raspberries for a different berry twist.
- Use all plums for a pure plum crumble, or add a peach or two for a stone fruit medley.
- Warm it and bake the topping for a few minutes if you prefer a crispier, toasted crumble.
- Use all stone fruit and lean warm and cozy and you land near my berry cobbler, a completely different but equally fruity dessert.
- Add a pinch of ground ginger or cardamom to the fruit for a warmer, spiced flavor.
How to Make Plum Crumble
- Simmer the blueberries with lemon, maple syrup, and water until thick, then simmer the sliced plums with cinnamon, nutmeg, and maple. Combine the two with vanilla and cook a few minutes more.
- Pulse the almonds and a pinch of salt into coarse pieces, add the dates and vanilla, then pulse in the oats until coarse crumbs form.
- Spoon the warm fruit into a serving dish, sprinkle the oat almond crumble evenly over the top, and serve.
Recipe Tips & Tricks
- Use ripe fruit. Ripe plums and blueberries simmer down faster and sweeter, so pick fruit that gives slightly when pressed.
- Add water as needed. If the fruit starts to stick before it softens, splash in a little more water and lower the heat.
- Soak firm dates. If your medjool dates are dry, soak them in warm water for a few minutes so they blend smooth into the crumble.
- Do not over process the topping. Pulse just until you have coarse crumbs, so the crumble stays craggy and textured instead of turning into paste.
- Serve it warm. This crumble is best enjoyed warm, when the fruit is jammy and the topping is fresh and crunchy.
- Make it a parfait. Layer the fruit and crumble with yogurt in a glass for a pretty breakfast or dessert.
Serving Ideas and Suggestions
Spoon it warm over yogurt or ice cream for breakfast or dessert, the way you might crumble my oatmeal blueberry cookies on top.
For a summer fruit spread, serve it next to my strawberry dump cake so there is a warm option and a baked one.
If you love blueberries, put a bowl out beside my lemon blueberry trifle for a berry lovers dessert table.
Building a lighter dessert lineup, my no bake lemon cheesecake bars round out the make ahead options beautifully.
Plum Crumble FAQs
A no bake plum crumble is a fruit dessert where the plums and blueberries are simmered on the stovetop into a jammy filling and topped with a crumble made from oats, almonds, and dates that needs no baking. It has all the cozy flavor of a classic baked crumble without turning on the oven.
No, this version is entirely no bake. The fruit is cooked down in a saucepan and the crumble topping is pulsed together in a food processor, so nothing goes in the oven. If you prefer a toasted, crispier topping, you can optionally bake just the crumble for a few minutes.
Any ripe, juicy plum works well, from sweet black plums to tart red ones. Choose plums that give slightly when pressed for the best flavor and easiest cooking. A mix of varieties adds nice depth to the filling.
It is a wholesome dessert, naturally sweetened with dates and maple syrup instead of refined sugar, with no butter in the topping. The oats, almonds, and fruit make it filling and nutritious enough that many people enjoy it for breakfast layered with yogurt.
Store the fruit and crumble separately in airtight containers in the fridge for up to 4 days, then combine when serving so the topping stays crunchy. You can gently warm the fruit on the stovetop or in the microwave before adding the crumble.
Yes. Frozen blueberries work great and frozen sliced plums are fine too. There is no need to thaw them first, just add them straight to the pan and simmer a few minutes longer to cook off the extra liquid until the filling is nice and thick.
Made this plum crumble? Leave a comment and a star rating below, and tell me what fruit you used!
No Bake Blueberry Plum Crumble
Ingredients
Blueberry Sauce
- 3 cups fresh cups of blueberries you can use frozen
- juice and zest from one medium lemon
- 1/4 cup maple syrup
- 1 cup filtered water
Plum Sauce
- 8 to 10 plums sliced skin on
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 2 tablespoons maple syrup
- pinch of sea salt
- 2/3 to 1 cup filtered water
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Date Topping
- 1 cup sliced almonds
- dash of sea salt
- 1 cup pitted soft Medjool dates
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup oats
Instructions
- Place blueberries, lemon juice, zest, maple syrup and water in a medium saucepan over medium high heat, simmer until sauce thickens, stirring occasionally.
- In a large skillet over medium high heat, place the sliced plums, sprinkle the cinnamon and nutmeg over the plums, add in the maple syrup and 1/2 cup of water. Allow to simmer, stirring occasionally adding in more of the water as needed to prevent the plums from sticking.
- When plums have formed a sauce and starts to thicken add in the blueberry sauce and vanilla, reduce to a low simmer and allow to cook an additional 5 to 7 minutes.
- While the sauce is simmering, place almonds and sea salt in bowl of food processor, pulse into course pieces.
- Add in the dates and vanilla and pulse until combined.
- Add the oats to the mixture and pulse until coarse crumbs are formed.
- Transfer sauce to a serving dish and sprinkle crumble over sauce using your fingers.
- Serve, have Fun and Enjoy!!!
Nutrition
Love This Recipe?
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This is so underrated – you will be shocked how well this turns out.
Thanks Alayna, I’m glad you like it, I’ll have to stop by your party.
Enjoy!
Looks fantastic! I just spent a day canning apple pie filling with a friend and was thinking it would be awesome if I could find some sort of crumble recipe to put over the top of it. Problem solved! My daughter is insisting that we try this recipe NOW 😉
I am co-hosting the #HomeMattersParty linky party this month and would love to have you stop by for a visit. The door is open for the current party through Monday night. http://alaynascreations.co/2015/09/11/home-matters-linky-party-54/