Name: Spiced Plum Crisp (Gluten-Free Option)
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 60 min
Ingredients: 2 tablespoons lightly packed brown sugar; 1 ½ tablespoons cornstarch, tapioca starch, or GF AP flour; ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon; ¼ teaspoon ground ginger; 2 tablespoons finely chopped candied ginger ((optional but delicious)); 1 ¾ pounds plums ((I used 12 Italian prune plums plus 4 elephant heart plums; or use a mix of plums and pluots)); ½ cup + 2 tablespoons granulated sugar; ¾ cup gluten-free oat flour*; ⅓ cup blanched almond flour*; ¼ cup sweet rice flour*; ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon; 1 teaspoon baking powder; ¼ teaspoon kosher salt; 1 large egg, beaten well; 7 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

This ginger-spiced gluten-free plum crisp has an addictively crunchy topping that tastes like a giant oatmeal cookie combined with jammy roasted plums. Equally good served warm or cold with vanilla ice cream or whipped creme fraiche.

This recipe inspired my favorite gluten-free strawberry rhubarb crisp recipe. Find all of my favorite crisp and cobbler recipes here!

Note from Alanna: I first shared this plum crisp recipe back in 2011 and it's still a favorite recipe when plum season rolls around. The topping, which I've adapted to be gluten-free from Marion Burros iconic recipe, uses an unusual technique of rubbing egg into the dry ingredients, crumbling this over the plums, and drizzling the whole thing with melted butter. I'm very grateful for my friend Stephen Texeira for shooting the beautiful process photos in this post! Below is my original text.

This crisp uses a brilliantly unconventional mixing method: Plums are tossed with small amounts of sugar, flour, and candied ginger, then laid in a baking dish. The flour and sugar for the topping get rubbed with egg until sandy, then sprinkled over the plums. The butter is melted separately and then, get this, drizzled over the topping. It doesn't seem like it should work.

But then you pull the crisp from the oven, all bubbly and perfect-crisp-looking, and you use a spoon to crack through the topping. And you bite into the crunchiest crumble you've ever tasted. The topping is crunchy on the outside and soft and chewy where it dips down into the tender fruit, like a big ginger cookie, only rustic and pebbly.

Spicy Goodness

Plums and ginger make a stellar combination here, the spice and heat of the ginger somehow heightening and softening, at the same time, the sweet tang of the plums. The flavors are all at once bright and comforting, new and familiar. The word 'zingy' leaps to mind.

Also unlike most crisps, this one is just as good cold from the fridge; the ginger flavor comes forward, and the topping retains its crunch. It keeps surprisingly well for several days. I find it perfectly sweetened, and not at all inappropriate for breakfast with a big spoonful of plain yogurt.

Ingredients

Fruit

Plums star in this crisp. I used a combination of prune plums, which are small and sweet, and larger juicy tart plums. Any variety will work. You can also make this with pluots, or try other stone fruit such as peaches, nectarines, and/or apricots.
Brown sugar adds sweetness. Granulated will work, or use coconut sugar.
Corn starch thickens the filling. Or use sweet rice flour or AP flour.
Cinnamon, ginger, and candied ginger add warm, spicy flavors. If you don't have any candied ginger, you can feel free to omit it, or sub with a little grated fresh ginger. Or use ground cardamom for a chai vibe.

Topping

Sweet rice flour's sticky, starchy texture helps the crumble clump together. Sub by weight regular white rice flour, or a gluten-free all-purpose blend such as Bob's Red Mill 1 to 1.
Oat flour adds earthy flavor and makes the crisp taste like an oatmeal cookie. Be sure to use oat flour that's certified gluten-free! Sub by weight sorghum flour, light buckwheat flour, or ivory teff flour.
Almond flour helps the topping clump together.
Sugar sweetens the topping. I've tested this with organic granulated sugar and with maple sugar. The maple sugar adds lovely depth of flavor, while granulated sugar tastes more clean and classic.
Egg moistens the dough and makes the topping bake up like a giant oatmeal cookie with crunchy top and chewy underside where it meets the jammy fruit. My egg-free readers can make the topping from my gluten-free rhubarb crisp or almond flour blueberry crisp for an eggless variation.
Butter adds richness. Use plant butter for dairy-free, or try melted coconut oil.
Salt sharpens the flavor while baking powder adds lift.
Cinnamon adds a hint of spice. Feel free to play with other spices such as ginger, cardamom, or nutmeg.

Method

This recipe is easy and foolproof to make with just 15 minutes of active time, plus about 50 minutes to bake. It makes one 10-inch fruit crisp, serving 6-8.

The unconventional mixing method turns out a sturdy topping that stands up to the juicy baked plums.

fruit being pitted — Halve small plums and quarter larger ones, removing the pits.

crumbs on chopping board — Chop candied ginger to add to the filling, if using.

fruit stirred in a bowl — Toss the plums with the brown sugar, spices, candied ginger, and cornstarch.

fruit scraped into a dish — Scrape the fruit into a 10-inch baking dish.

crumbs in a bowl — To make the topping, combine the flours, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt in a large bowl. Add the egg and toss with your hands until the mixture looks like damp sand.

crumbs being sprinkled on crumble — Crumble this mixture over the fruit.

crumble on work counter — Drizzle the melted butter all over the topping.

plum crumble in baking dish — Bake the crisp at 375ºF until the topping is golden and the fruit is bubbling, about 40 minutes.

plum crumble in a bowl with ice cream — Let cool slightly, then serve warm topped with vanilla ice cream.

plum crumble in a baking dish — Store at room temperature for up to 1 day. Leftovers keep well in the fridge for up to 4 days.

Serving Suggestions

Top this crunchy crisp with something cool and creamy. Here are some favorites:

Mascarpone whipped cream or whipped creme fraiche
Homemade vanilla ice cream or creme fraiche ice cream
Whipped coconut cream or thick coconut yogurt such as Culina, for dairy-free
Greek yogurt or homemade creme fraiche

Variations

You can use this crisp topping with any other fruits. Feel free to mix and match with these other crisp and cobbler recipes:

Bojon appétit! For more Bojon Gourmet in your life, follow along on Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, or Pinterest, purchase my award-winning gluten-free baking cookbook Alternative Baker, or subscribe to receive new posts via email. And if you make this plum crumble, I’d love to know. Leave a comment and rating below, and tag your Instagram snaps @The_Bojon_Gourmet and #bojongourmet.

5 from 2 reviews

Spiced Plum Crisp (Gluten-Free Option)

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Alanna Taylor-Tobin

Prep Time: 15

Cook Time: 45

Total: 1

Servings: 8 servings

Ingredients

The plum filling:

2 tablespoons lightly packed brown sugar
1 ½ tablespoons cornstarch, tapioca starch, or GF AP flour
¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon ground ginger
2 tablespoons finely chopped candied ginger (optional but delicious)
1 ¾ pounds plums (I used 12 Italian prune plums plus 4 elephant heart plums; or use a mix of plums and pluots)

The crunchy topping:

½ cup + 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
¾ cup gluten-free oat flour*
⅓ cup blanched almond flour*
¼ cup sweet rice flour*
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon kosher salt
1 large egg, beaten well
7 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

Instructions

Position a rack in the center of your oven, and preheat the oven to 375°F.

Filling

In a large bowl, whisk together the flavorings for the plums: brown sugar, flour, cinnamon, powdered ginger, and candied ginger, if using.
Cut the plums in half and remove the pits. If the plums are large, cut them in half again for quarters
Add the plums to the bowl, and gently stir to coat. Arrange the plums in an ungreased, deep 9-inch pie plate or 10-inch solid tart pan (shown here).

Topping

In another medium bowl (or the same one, scraped fairly clean), combine the dry ingredients for the topping: the granulated sugar, oat, sweet rice, and almond flours, cinnamon, baking powder, and salt. Whisk to blend well.
Add the egg. Using your hands, mix thoroughly, squeezing and tossing and pinching handfuls of the mixture, to produce moist little particles. Sprinkle evenly over the plums.
Use a spoon to drizzle the butter evenly all over the topping. Place the pan on a rimmed baking sheet to catch any wayward juices.

Bake

Place the crumble in the oven and bake for 35 - 45 minutes, until the top is golden-brown and the juices from the plums are bubbling. Cool slightly.
Serve the crumble warm, at room temperature, or even cold, with ice cream, crème fraîche, thick yogurt, or unsweetened whipped cream.
The crisp will keep in the fridge for a few days. Eat it cold, or re-warmed in a 300º oven before serving.

Notes

Adapted from Marion Burros via The Wednesday Chef and Orangette. You can double or triple the recipe and bake the crisp in a 9x13-inch pan to feed a crowd.

*If gluten isn't an issue, make this recipe using 1.5 tablespoons all-purpose flour in the filling, and 1 cup all-purpose flour in the topping instead of the oat, rice, and almond flours. Increase the sugar in the topping to 3/4 cup.

Nutritional values are based on one of eight servings.

Nutrition

Calories: 296kcalCarbohydrates: 48gProtein: 3gFat: 11gSaturated Fat: 7gCholesterol: 47mgSodium: 84mgPotassium: 231mgFiber: 2gSugar: 33gVitamin A: 680IUVitamin C: 9.4mgCalcium: 38mgIron: 1.1mg

Making this? I'd love to see!Tag your snaps @The_Bojon_Gourmet and #bojongourmet!

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Comments

5 from 2 votes

Spiced Plum Crisp (Gluten-Free Option)

Spicy Goodness