17 plum recipes

A seasonal stone fruit, plums come in many different flavours and colours. When looking for ripeness, give them a gentle squeeze – they should have a little give and not be too hard.

Varieties of plums

Plums are a seasonal British fruit and there hundreds of varieties grown across the country. Ignore cheap imports and look for varieties such as Victoria (classic plum colour and widely grown), Marjorie’s Seedling (blue/black late season fruit) and Warwickshire Drooper (small, golden-yellow fruit).

When are plums in season?

UK plum season starts in August and ends in October. Plums are at their best between August and September.

How to cook plums

Plums are a really versatile fruit to cook with. Use to add a tart sweetness in classic puds like plum crumbles, tarts or cakes.

For a simple plum dessert fruit can be drizzled with honey and baked in the oven until soft or alternatively you can stew plums gently on top of the stove with a little sugar and water. The cooked plums can then be kept in then fridge and served with yoghurt for breakfast or ice cream for dessert.

Plums also goes really well in savoury dishes and especially with Asian spices and rich meats like duck, lamb and pork belly. The tart flavour of the fruit cuts through the richness of the meat.

Best plum recipes

Plum jam

Plums are at their best from August until October – use up a glut to make this easy jam, great for using in sweet bakes or slathering on toast.

Plum and pistachio frangipane tart

Squidgy plums are paired with crunchy pistachios in this impressive sweet tart. If you don’t fancy making your own, use a shop-bought block of shortcrust pastry.

Plum upside-down cake

If you haven’t tried adding couscous to a cake, now’s your chance. Similar to polenta, it adds a gentle bite and is a great addition to this vibrant plum cake.

Easy plum crumble

Simple, yes. But delicious, too! Cover your cinnamon-spiced plums with a topping made from porridge oats, hazelnuts, butter and flour, then serve with clotted cream.

Plum chutney

A classic spiced chutney to serve with cheese or cold cuts. The flavour gets mellower and deeper the longer it’s left, so give it at least a week before diving in.

Make the most of seasonal produce with our chutney recipes.

Plum cake

This plum and earl grey pound cake makes for the perfect afternoon treat with a cup of tea (earl grey, naturally). It's an easy recipe to make but it looks really good and tastes even better.

Roasted plums with balsamic blueberries

Turn the humble plum into something special in just 20 minutes with this sweet, syrupy sauce.

Sloe gin layer cake with plum filling

The best use of sloe gin. Team with plums and make a layer cake with wow factor. It's sure to impress your friends, and best of all it's an easy recipe too.

Quince and plum crumble

Serve six with this unbeatable homemade crumble featuring plums and quince. These mouth-watering crumbles are cooked slowly for nearly 4 hours. Serve it with lashings of good, vanilla-y custard.

Marsala-baked plums with chantilly cream

Check out our simple recipe for juicy plums with sweet marsala wine and star anise. Topped with velvety Chantilly cream, make this easy recipe for a midweek sweet treat.

Dutch baby with spiced plums

Ice cream for breakfast? Yes please! A Dutch baby is like a giant, sweet Yorkshire pudding and we've served this one with spiced plums.

Sloe gin and plum crumble

Our sloe gin and plum crumble is a twist on a classic and much-loved British dessert. Pair with a scoop of good-quality vanilla ice cream to really take advantage of the cinnamon and mixed spice notes.

Plum tart

This tart is an easy treat for teatime and even pudding if there’s any left. Plums stay naturally juicy and sweet when cooked, and give a lovely tang against the almonds.

Overnight plum and almond oats

Prep your oats the night before to make this quick and easy vegan breakfast for two. It may be low calorie but it'll leave you feeling satisfied and full until lunchtime.

Roast duck with plums and star anise

With crispy skin and melt-in-the-mouth duck served with rich plums, this recipe with star anise makes for a perfect Sunday roast.

Pulled lamb with plum sriracha

Check out our pulled lamb recipe with a sweet plum-sriracha marinade. This lamb is slow cooked for six hours for the ultimate melt in the mouth meat, serve in the middle of the table for perfect sharing food.

Plum and sesame lamb cutlets

Rosie Birkett's plum and sesame lamb cutlets are so good we put them on our cover. The delicious, sweet, sticky glaze with a kick of spicy sriracha works so well with lamb and the spring onions add a crunch of freshness. They look fantastic, and are sure to be a hit at your next barbecue.

Seared sriracha chicken with pickled plum slaw

BBQ season might be over but that doesn't stop you recreating the chargrilled taste of the charcoals in your kitchen with this seared sriracha chicken.