Plum and Nectarine Crisp
on Jun 27, 2020, Updated May 26, 2025
This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.
Lucious stone fruits are sweet and juicy, nestled under a crunchy streusel topping with a touch of cinnamon. Don't forget the ice cream!
When stone fruits are in season (that’s peaches, plums, nectarines, apricots, pluots, etc.), we must make as many crisps and cobblers as we can. Plums and nectarines are beautiful partners and make for an incredibly lush and delicious crisp. Perfect for late summer and beyond, it’s easy to pull together. What I love about crisps is that there is no dough involved, just a crumbly topping to strew over the top with abandon. It will crisp up (as the name promises) and make a divine dessert out of a few pounds of nectarines and plums. Use any combination of stone fruit here; it’s all good.
This recipe makes a lot of streusel. A LOT. You will pile it quite high (Is it the best part of the crisp? You decide!). This is also the part where I would be remiss not to mention that vanilla ice cream or whipped cream are a kind of moral imperative here. Consider serving this as a dessert at a barbecue following Barbecued Chicken or Grilled Swordfish with some Grilled Vegetables.
By signing up, you agree to our Privacy Policy.
What's In This Post?
Nectarine and Plum Crisp: Summertime fruit nestled under a buttery crunchy topping — the best dessert ever for those late summer nights.
Ingredients
- Nectarines and plums – You can use any ratio of nectarines to plums, or just use one fruit, or swap in another. The only thing you shouldn’t change is the amount of fruit.
- Lemon juice – Balances out the sweetness of the fruit.
- Cinnamon – Bring a bit of warmth.
- All-purpose flour – You can swap out the flour for whole wheat if you’d like — it brings a delicious nuttiness.
- Brown sugar – Brown sugar keeps the streusel topping from drying out and gives it a more complex flavor.
- Kosher salt – Salt is always necessary in sweet dishes for balance.
- Unsalted butter – The cold butter gets cut into the flour mixture to keep it short and crumbly.
- Old-fashioned oats – Add great crunch and chew to the topping.
Peeling Fruit for Crisps
Whether or not you should peel fruit before it goes into a crisp is an ongoing existential question. I say with nectarines and plums, not. Not worth the bother. For peaches, usually yes, because of the fuzz.
How to Make Plum and Nectarine Crisp
- Make the filling: You can mix everything together right in the baking pan, saving you a bowl to wash.
- Make the topping: Make sure your butter is cold, so you can cut it into the other ingredients to make the streusel topping. You can use your fingers or a pastry cutter. Turn the mixture into a bowl, and stir in the oats (so they don’t get all chopped up — yes, this dirties more things. You decide). Sprinkle the topping over the fruit in the pan.
Kitchen Smarts
A food processor to make streusel…that’s another option for sure. Just combine the flour, brown sugar, and salt in the food processor, and pulse in the bits of cold butter until you have a pebbly consistency.
- Bake: Place the baking pan on top of a rimmed baking sheet to catch any drips as the crisp bakes. Cool (at least a bit) before serving.
Pin this now to find it later
Pin It
Plum and Nectarine Crisp
Ingredients
- 6 cups sliced nectarines and plums (any combination)
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¾ cup all-purpose flour
- ¾ cup brown sugar
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter (cold and cut into small pieces)
- 1 cup old-fashioned oats
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 F. Butter a deep dish 9-inch pie pan or a baking dish large enough to hold the fruit, or spray with nonstick cooking spray
- Place the nectarines and plums in the pie pan and sprinkle over the lemon juice and the cinnamon. Toss to combine.
- In a medium bowl, combine the flour, brown sugar, and salt. Use your fingers, two knives, or a pastry cutter to blend in the butter so that the mixture has a lightly bumpy consistency. Stir in the oats. Distribute the topping over the fruit. Place a foil or parchment paper-lined rimmed baking sheet on the lower rack of an oven, then place the pie on a rack in the middle of the oven.
- Bake for about 40 minutes until the fruit is bubbling and the top is browned. A knife should slide easily into the plums (cover the crisp with foil if the top is browning too much before the fruit is cooked). Cool for 15 to 30 minutes on a wire rack, and serve warm with vanilla ice cream or sweetened whipped cream.
Notes
- If the top is browning too quickly, tent it with foil.
- If you prefer to use a food processor to make the streusel, that’s an option for sure. Just combine the flour, brown sugar, and salt in the food processor, and pulse in the bits of cold butter until you have a pebbly consistency. Turn the mixture into a bowl, and stir in the oats (so they don’t get all chopped up–yes, this dirties more bowls. You decide).
- The crisp will keep covered with plastic wrap in the fridge for up to 5 days. To reheat the crisp, heat it in a preheated 300-degree oven until hot. Tent the top with foil if it’s getting too browned. Avoid reheating crisp in the microwave, which will make the top soggy.
Nutrition
What to Serve With Plum and Nectarine Crisp
I just made this and it’s very tasty! I did have to cook it a little longer for the topping to brown well.
I thought this would thicken on its own but it did not. The juice is runny but still delicious. I may have to try some cornstarch to thicken it.
I love this recipe, but after baking there is still uncooked white flour on top… can you tell why? I’m following recipe
Perhaps your oven ir running a little low? You could always broil the top for 1-2 minutes at the end – but keep a very close eye on it, lest it start to burn!
I’m a little late to finding this recipe, but am so excited to try it! I got an ‘ugly fruit bag’ from the supermarket today and it was packed with nectarines and plums! Is it possible to sub lime juice for the lemon juice or will that throw off the flavor?
sub away!
Do you peel the fruit?
you don’t have to! with peaches I like to peel, because of the fuzziness, but it’s really not necessary with these thin skinned fruits (unless you determine that the skin seems thick or tough).
This is one of the VERY BEST deserts I have ever made! I have made it twice in the past 2 weeks! My husband and friends LOVE IT!!! Some say it reminds them of rhubarb. It is SO lovely…the oats, brown sugar topping with cinnamon, the fruit is not cloyingly sweet…just fresh…with the fruits’ natural flavor shining through! The first time I made it, I followed the recipe proportions and made it in a pie plate. The second time, it increased it by 1/2 in a glass rectangular baking dish ( for leftovers). It was PERFECT!!! Whether you serve it warm with vanilla ice cream or cold with a little yogurt or creme fresh, it is WONDERFUL!!!! Thank you SO MUCH for sharing this amazing recipe!!!
This is the most AMAZING desert! I love the oatmeal topping and the fact you do not sugar the fruit. It allows the fruit to stand on its own. My husband went absolutely crazy for this and it is now a summertime fav. THANK YOU!!!
so thrilled to hear!