Plum Graham Cracker Crumble Golden & Done in 40 Minutes
As plums bake, their tartness mellows and their juices jelly — just a couple reasons why they do so well in this crumble, which is essentially an upside-down graham cracker-crusted pie.
This crumble flips the script on the classic fruit crisp: instead of a loose, oat-heavy topping, you get a pressed, cookie-like crust built from crushed graham crackers, brown sugar, and melted butter. Beneath it, black plums break down into something deeply jammy and just tart enough to cut through the richness above. It's the kind of dessert that looks humble and tastes extraordinary — equally at home warm from the oven with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or sliced cold the next morning with coffee.
Ingredients
Directions
Prep the Plum BaseHeat the oven to 350°F. To an 8-inch square or round baking dish, add the chopped plums, 3 tablespoons of the brown sugar, 1 tablespoon of the flour, and ¼ teaspoon of the salt. Toss everything together until the plums are evenly coated, then set the dish aside.
Mix the CrumbleIn a medium mixing bowl, combine the graham cracker crumbs with the remaining ¼ cup flour, the remaining 2 tablespoons brown sugar, and the remaining ¼ teaspoon salt. Stir together until evenly distributed.
Build the CrustIn a small bowl, stir together the melted butter and vanilla extract. Pour it into the graham cracker mixture and mix with a spoon until all the crumbs are evenly moistened. Spread the crumb mixture over the plums in an even layer, then press down firmly with your palms to form a compact, uniform crust.
Bake & ServeBake for about 30 minutes, until the crust is golden brown and hardened and plum juice is visibly bubbling up around the edges of the pan. Remove from the oven and let cool for at least 5 minutes before serving. Serve warm or at room temperature.
✦ Cook's Note
Black plums are ideal here — their deep color and balanced tartness hold up beautifully under heat. If you can only find red or yellow plums, they'll work too, though the filling will be a touch sweeter. To crush the graham crackers, a food processor gives you the finest, most even crumbs; a resealable bag and rolling pin works just as well. The pressed crust is what makes this special, so don't skip the palming-down step.