This recipe for plum cobbler bars is made with a homemade plum filling instead of canned pie filling for a fresh and delicious treat.
For some reason, I equal the end of summer or early fall with plums. Spring is berry season, summer is peaches and cherries and late summer or early fall is all about plums. So I pulled out this old plum bars recipe and updated it with a fresh plum filling that's full of flavor.
P.S. You can make this with a can of pie filling if you are in a pinch but it won't taste as good.
How to Make Plum Bars (Cobbler, Crisp, or Crumble)
I call these plum cobbler bars but they could be plum crumble bars or plum crisp bars. They are all pretty much the same.
Ingredients
Plum Filling
- Fresh plums
- Sugar
- Lemon Juice
- Ginger
- Cornstarch
- Water
Crust
- White Cake Mix
- Oats (old fashioned)
- Butter
- Egg
Cobbler Topping
- Crust mix
- Oats
- Light Brown Sugar
- Butter
Make the Plum Filling
Step 1. - Wash, remove the pits, and cut up about 5 cups of fresh plums. Leave the skins on to keep the beautiful plum color.
Step 2. - Cook the plums with sugar, ginger, and lemon juice. Stir until the sugar dissolves and then let it simmer on medium-low heat.
Step 3. - Stir and mash up the fruit as it simmers for about 10 minutes.
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Step 4. - Mix 2 teaspoons of warm water with 2 tablespoons of cornstarch and then stir that into the plum filling mixture. Simmer for another 10 minutes or until the filling thickens and looks like plum jam. Then remove the pan from the heat to cool.
Make the Crust
Step 1. - Make the crust by mixing a box of white cake mix with 1 cup of rolled oats and 1/2 cup of melted butter. (reserve 1 cup of this mixture for the topping)
Step 2. - Add an egg to the mix and stir until it comes together like cookie dough.
Step 3. - Then place dollops of the crust on a sprayed 9 x 13 inch baking dish.
Step 4. - Use the backs of your fingers to press out the crust evenly in the pan.
Make the Crumble Topping
In a small bowl combine 1/2 cup oats with the reserved 1 cup of the crust mix, 1/4 cup of light brown sugar, and 2 tablespoons of melted butter.
Put It All Together
Spoon the juicy plum filling evenly over the entire crust.
Sprinkle over the crumble topping and bake for 25 minutes in a 350 degree oven. Allow the pan to cool for a while before cutting the bars.
Cut the bars and allow them to further set up on a wire rack before serving or storing in an airtight container.
More Plum Recipes
Plum Cobbler Recipe
Ingredients
Plum Filling
- 2 pounds chopped fresh plums Approx. 5 cups
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 2 teaspoons warm water
Crust
- 1 box white cake mix
- 1 cup rolled oats (old fashioned)
- 1/2 cup melted butter
- 1 egg
Cobbler Topping
- 1 cup crust mix without the egg
- 1/2 cup rolled oats
- 1/4 cup light brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons melted butter
Instructions
Making the Plum Filling
- Make the filling by cooking the chopped and seeded plums in a heavy bottomed saucepan with 1 cup sugar, 1 teaspoon ground ginger, and 1 tablespoon lemon juice.
- Stir fruit until the sugar is dissolved and then let simmer on low heat for about 10 minutes stirring and mashing the fruit occasionally.
- Mix 2 teaspoons of warm water with 2 tablespoons of cornstarch and add it to the plum mixture.
- Continue simmering and stirring occasionally for 10 more minutes until the fruit thickens and starts to look like jam.
- Remove the pan from the heat and let cool.
Making the Crust
- In a large bowl combine the cake mix with 1 cup of rolled oats and 1/2 cup melted butter. Stir until combined.
- Reserve 1 cup of this mixture for the crumble topping.
- Next, add one egg to the cake mix and mix until it is well combined.
- Place drops of the mixture evenly into a sprayed 9 x 13 baking pan.
- Use the backs of your fingers to press the crust evenly on the entire bottom of the pan.
- Spoon the cooled plum filling over the crust.
- In another bowl mix together the reserved 1 cup of the crust mix with 1/4 cup of brown sugar, 1/2 cup of rolled oats, and 2 tablespoons of melted butter.
- Sprinkle the topping in an even layer over the plum filling.
- Bake in a 350 degree oven for 25 minutes.
- Remove from the oven and allow the baking pan to cool for 15 minutes or more before cutting into 20 even bars.
- Place the bars on a cooling rack to continue to cool and set.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional information is provided as a courtesy and is an estimate only. This information comes from online calculators. Although attempts have been made to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures are only estimates.
Paula
Patti, I finally got around to making this yesterday. Loved it. My guys loved it also. My son even had it for breakfast this morning. I followed the recipe just as written. Next time, per request from the guys, they would like me to use regular oats. Also, we talked about other fruits, as in blueberry and cherry. This one is a keeper. Thanks for sharing. You are so appreciated for all you post.
Patti Estep
Paula, thank you so much for letting me know that you like the recipe. Yes, I agree, blueberry and cherry would be wonderful for these bars. And, I could see using regular oats too as they have a finer texture.