Plum Crisp with Pistachio, Oat and Almond Meal Topping
This simple plum crisp recipe features honey-sweetened summer plums and a gluten-free oat and almond meal topping!
Updated by Kathryne Taylor on August 29, 2024
These gorgeous little ruby red plums are extra sweet because they were hand-picked by friends. Jordan and her husband have an enormous plum tree in their front yard, which hasn’t yielded much fruit in years’ past, but this year is different.
This year, the tree’s limbs are drooping under the weight of ripening plums. Walking along the sidewalk to their front porch is like walking through a purple polka-dotted candy land.
I wasn’t sure what to do with my plums once I picked them up. Obviously, I had to make something beautiful out of them, something worthy of my friends’ plum-picking efforts. I really have the sweetest friends.
I thought the plums would make a beautiful plum upside-down cake (I think you could make one out of this honey-sweetened almond cake recipe) or sorbet (which reminded me of this peach and raspberry sorbet from two summers ago). I thought about making chia jam, too, but I’ve doing a lot of those lately. I’ve since found out that Tessa turned her plums into a gorgeous clafoutis. Brilliant!
I finally settled on my default fruity dessert: a crisp. One can never go wrong with a fuss-free fruit crisp. I topped my fuchsia, honey-sweetened plum crisp with a layer of pistachio, oat and almond meal crumble. I opted for a gluten-free topping so I could share it with friends, buuuuut I ended up eating it all by myself.
By the way, reheated crisp makes a fantastic breakfast. Just add plain yogurt.
A couple of notes before you start baking. My plums were super juicy, and I made the mistake of transferring all of their juice to the baking dish. That’s why some of the topping sunk down into the crisp. If your plums are super juicy, too, just scoop up the sliced plums with your hands and plop them into the dish, rather than scraping all of the juice in there with them.
Check the recipe notes for suggestions on how to make this crisp vegan and/or nut free. If you don’t have almond meal on hand, check the nut-free notes for an alternative topping that uses regular flour.
You can substitute any nuts for the pistachios. I buy shelled pistachios at Whole Foods, but they are pretty pricy. Slivered almonds would be a more affordable alternative. You really can’t go wrong with a crisp, so don’t hesitate to play with the recipe.
Gluten-Free Plum Crisp with Pistachio, Oat and Almond Meal Topping
This simple plum crisp recipe features honey-sweetened summer plums and a gluten-free oat and almond meal topping! Ginger and pistachios send it over the top (but feel free to substitute another nut for the pistachios).
Ingredients
Plum filling
- 2 pounds plums
- ⅓ cup honey or maple syrup
- 3 tablespoons arrowroot starch or cornstarch
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
Gluten-free topping
- 1 cup old-fashioned oats (certified gluten free if necessary)
- ½ cup packed almond almond flour
- ⅓ cup chopped pistachios, almonds or walnuts
- ⅓ cup lightly packed coconut sugar or brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- ¼ teaspoon fine salt
- 4 tablespoons butter, melted
- 3 tablespoons plain yogurt (regular or Greek)
For serving
- Vanilla ice cream or plain yogurt
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. To prepare the plums, you don’t need to peel them. Cut them in half, discard the pits, and slice the flesh into ½-inch wide wedges.
- In a 9-inch square baking dish, mix together the sliced plums (leave the excess juice on the cutting board), honey, starch and cinnamon.
- In a medium mixing bowl, stir together the oats, almond flour, pistachios, sugar, ginger and salt. Mix in the melted butter and yogurt. Stir until the mixture is moistened throughout.
- Dollop spoonfuls of the oat mixture over the filling and use your fingers to break up the mixture until it is evenly distributed (no need to pack it down).
- Bake for 40 to 50 minutes, or until the filling is bubbling around the edges and the top is lightly golden. Let the crisp rest for 5 to 10 minutes before serving. Serve with vanilla ice cream or plain yogurt, I insist.
Notes
Recipe adapted from my pear and cranberry crisp and spiced peach and pistachio crisp (developed for Fitness Magazine).
Make it vegan: I believe you could use melted coconut oil or olive oil in place of the butter and yogurt (use 4 tablespoons oil and add up to 3 more, until the topping mixture is moistened throughout) and maple syrup instead of the honey. I haven’t tried these substitutions, though.
Make it nut free: Omit the chopped nuts and use ¾ cup whole wheat flour and ¾ cup oats instead of the almond meal and oats specified above. It will no longer be gluten free. If you want to keep it gluten free, I suspect that you could replace the almond meal with oat flour or more oats (haven’t tried that, please comment if you do!).
Storage suggestions: Store this crisp in the refrigerator, covered. It will be good for 4 days or so.
Change it up: Substitute any variety of stone fruit for the plums!
Products used to create this recipe: Bob’s Red Mill arrowroot starch and Crate and Barrel Everyday Square Baker
If you love this recipe: You’ll also love my strawberry rhubarb crisp, balsamic stone fruit sundae, individual peach crisps and honey almond cake.
Nutrition
The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice. See our full nutrition disclosure here.
I loved the recipe. Thank you very much❤️
Can I substitute white or whole wheat flour for the almond flour? If yes, how much should I use?
Hi, I haven’t tried it here so I can’t say for sure.
Many thanks for the great idea. We picked many Damson plums from a neighbor’s tree and used some in this recipe, which I modified to make it super-celiac safe (no oats) as well as vegan (cashew yogurt, maple syrup, olive oil). I also added coconut flakes. It tastes fantastic!
I don’t usually eat vegan or gluten-free, but there is definitely nothing missing in this version either. Again, thank you for the base recipe. I’ll be making it again in different forms, I’m sure.
I’m glad you liked it, Plisca! I appreciate your review.
Yes, made this and it was delicious. I believe I put too much corn flour in relation to the plums I used.
I will be using the recipe again and will be sharing it with my friends.
Thank you Cookie and Kate
After making your scrumptious gluten free peach crisp adding some blueberries( with requests for the recipe), I’m on to your other crisps. Easy and yet elegant dessert for company and gets my husband to eat more fruit! I made it with maple syrup in place of the honey and sugar and coconut oil in place of the butter and YUM!
I’m delighted you enjoyed it, Jeanne! I appreciate your review.
I made this recipe with the following modifications: turbinado sugar in place of brown sugar, slivered almonds, added fresh lemon juice to the plum mixture baked for only 35 minutes instead of 55. LOVED, LOVED, LOVED this! This is the BEST gluten free crumb topping I have ever made–a definite keeper! I top many of my baked goods with crumb topping, and now I have your wonderful gluten free crumb topping to replace my whole wheat one permanently! My 19-year-old does not like almonds and even he said, “Mom, you make almonds taste good,” and he enjoyed a couple of servings. Thank you so much for sharing this with the world
Thank you for sharing, Rosa! I appreciate your review.
At the risk of asking a ridiculous question. I am guessing you weigh the plums after cutting and slicing them? Thanks!
Hi Divya, not a ridiculous question at all! I specify two pounds before slicing them. Since plums come in many sizes the weight is helpful when deciding how many to purchase.
Kate, This sounds great! Thank You!
I currently have a fig tree that is bountiful.
Could this be used for figs, do you think?
I haven’t tried it. Could be nice. Let me know what you think!
Any suggestions for good yogurt substitute? I presently don’t have any in my fridge
Sometimes sour cream can work. However, I haven’t tried it for this recipe.
Never mind, just bought some sheep yogurt!
I only had a pound of plums, so I added a half pound each of blueberries and raspberries. Perfection!! Love the recipe.