Plum Cobbler

Easy to put together, this classic plum cobbler topped with a biscuity topping is best with Santa Rosa plums, but other varieties work, too. It's fresh, tart, and absolutely delicious.

By
Elise Bauer
Elise Bauer
Elise Bauer
Elise founded Simply Recipes in 2003 and led the site until 2019. She has an MA in Food Research from Stanford University.
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Updated April 07, 2022
Elise Bauer
Santa Rosa Plum Cobbler
Elise Bauer

My parents are blessed with several plum trees whose fruit all seem to ripen within a couple week period in the summer. When that happens? We're raining plums. Every spare counter is filled with shallow trays and plums arranged in a single layer.

So naturally, we're always looking to make good use of these plums! We have Elephant Heart, Santa Rosa, various pluots, and any interesting variety that my father has attempted to graft to one of the trees the previous winter.

The Best Plums for Plum Cobbler

For baking? The best plum is the Santa Rosa. That's the one that's red and sweet right under the skin, but yellow and tart as you get closer to the seed. It's mostly a tart plum, which is perfect for baking because the tartness intensifies the flavor.

Fresh Santa Rosa Plum Cobbler
Elise Bauer

This is one of our favorite recipes for making use of plums. It's adapted from one we clipped from the Sacramento Bee years ago. It's easy to put together, the hardest part is prepping the plums (you have to slice around the seeds, helps to use a paring knife).

How Much Sugar To Use in Plum Cobbler

The recipe calls for 3/4 cup of sugar to go with about 4 cups of sliced plums. I've cut it back to 1/2 a cup at times, which you can do if you like your cobbler rather tart.

More Desserts Using Summer Fruit

From the Editors Of Simply Recipes

Plum Cobbler

Prep Time 20 mins
Cook Time 40 mins
Total Time 60 mins
Servings 6 servings

Ingredients

  • 3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons (170g plus 30g) sugar (can reduce to 1/2 cup for a more tart cobbler)

  • 4 cups seeded and sliced fresh plums (Santa Rosa plums work best), 10-18 plums, depending on size

  • 2 tablespoons instant tapioca (or cornstarch)

  • 1 teaspoon grated orange zest

  • 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

  • 1 cup (110g) all-purpose flour

  • 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

  • 1/4 teaspoon salt

  • 1/4 cup (50g) butter

  • 1/4 cup (60ml) milk

  • 1 egg, lightly beaten

Method

  1. Preheat the oven:

    Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C).

  2. Combine the plums with sugar, tapioca, orange zest, and cinnamon:

    In a large bowl, combine 3/4 cup white sugar, plums, instant tapioca, orange zest, and cinnamon. Place the fruit mixture in a 2-quart casserole.

    Plum cobbler filling
    Elise Bauer
    Baking dish with plum cobber
    Elise Bauer
  3. Mix the topping ingredients:

    In a medium bowl, combine the remaining 2 tablespoons of sugar, flour, baking powder and salt. Cut the butter in with a fork, pastry blender, or your (clean) hands until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in the milk and egg until just moistened (do not overmix).

    how to make cobbler topping
    Elise Bauer
    consistency of cobbler topping
    Elise Bauer
  4. Top the fruit mixture with the topping:

    Drop the batter in large spoonfuls onto the fruit mixture. Bake for 35 minutes, until the cobbler topping is nicely browned and the filling is bubbly.

    how to drop topping on plum cobbler
    Elise Bauer
    Baked plum cobbler
    Elise Bauer

    Serve with whipped cream (optional).

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
345 Calories
8g Fat
66g Carbs
4g Protein
Show Full Nutrition Label Hide Full Nutrition Label
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 6
Amount per serving
Calories 345
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 8g 11%
Saturated Fat 5g 23%
Cholesterol 49mg 16%
Sodium 281mg 12%
Total Carbohydrate 66g 24%
Dietary Fiber 3g 9%
Total Sugars 48g
Protein 4g
Vitamin C 14mg 68%
Calcium 101mg 8%
Iron 1mg 8%
Potassium 267mg 6%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate. In cases where multiple ingredient alternatives are given, the first listed is calculated for nutrition. Garnishes and optional ingredients are not included.