Plum Bars with Crumble Topping

These plum bars are layered with a soft and buttery shortbread crust and spiced plum jam! This recipe uses simple ingredients and is super easy to prepare. You are going to love these soft and gooey plum bars!

I love making these plum bars at the end of the summer and fall seasons.

They have a buttery shortbread base, a layer of homemade plum jam, and are topped with more shortbread crumbs.

These bars are so delicious, every bite literally melts in your mouth with gooey plum goodness!

Even with making the homemade jam, the prep time is very minimal, making this simple recipe one of my favorites to throw together.

Serve these bars with vanilla ice cream or eat them as is for any occasion!

For more bar recipes, try Bourbon Pecan Pie Brownies, Blueberry Crumble Blondies, Strawberry Lemon Blondies, Banana Pudding Brownies, and Brown Butter Nutella Bars.

Jump to:

• why these plum bars are the best
• ingredient notes
• recipe instructions
• expert tips
• variations
• storage & freezing
• faq's
• more bar recipes to try
• Recipe 📖
• Reviews

why these plum bars are the best

• Easy recipe: With simple ingredients and minimal prep time, this recipe is easy to prepare and even easier to eat!
• Buttery crust: These crumb bars are made with a delicious buttery shortbread crust and more shortbread crumbs on top. They remind you of plum cobbler when you eat them!
• Versatile: You can easily substitute your favorite fruit and can switch up the spices as well!

ingredient notes

Find the full ingredient measurements and instructions in the recipe card below!

• Unsalted butter: This recipe is best with unsalted butter, but if you only have salted on hand leave out the ½ teaspoon of salt from the shortbread dough.
• Flour: All-purpose flour is best for this recipe and should not be substituted.
• Fresh plums: You can use any variety of plums; like red, black or yellow!
• Chai spice: The chai spice elevates the jam with warm fall spices. You can make your own blend or buy a store-bought blend. Substitute it with ground cardamom or cinnamon instead.

recipe instructions

Here is how to make these plum crumble bars! You will need a stand mixer or electric hand mixer to make the shortbread dough. Before you start, line a square 8x8 baking pan with parchment paper and preheat the oven to 350 F.

STEP ONE: Make the jam. In a small pot, add the diced plums, brown sugar, granulated sugar, and chai spice. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally until plums release all their juices, about 10-12 minutes. Use a masher to mash the plums. Continue cooking for another 8-10 minutes or until the jam is pretty thick.

STEP TWO: Cool the jam. Whisk the cornstarch and water together and add it to the pot. Cook for 4-5 minutes longer until the jam is even thicker and paste-like. Transfer it to a small bowl and let it cool completely before using.

STEP THREE: Combine the dry ingredients. In a large stand mixing bowl or in a large bowl (for a hand mixer) add the cold butter, all-purpose flour, brown sugar, granulated sugar, vanilla extract, and salt.

STEP FOUR: Mix the shortbread dough. Mix with the paddle attachment for 3-4 minutes until the butter is the size of small peas and the dough sticks together with squeezed in your hand.

STEP FIVE: Layer the shortbread. Reserve ½ cup of the shortbread crumb for the topping, then press the rest of it evenly into the prepared pan.

STEP SIX: Layer the jam. Use an offset spatula to spread the cooled plum filling in an even layer on top of the shortbread layer.

STEP SEVEN: Top with extra shortbread. Crumble the remaining shortbread pieces on top of the plum layer. Bake for 33-40 minutes, or until the crumble topping is starting to turn golden brown. Let the bars cool completely on a wire rack. When they are cool, chill the pan in the freezer for 15-20 minutes before removing them, and then cut them with a sharp knife. Dust with powdered sugar if desired and enjoy!

expert tips

• Use a kitchen scale. Baking with a scale is highly recommended because it is much more accurate than cup measurements.
• Let the plum jam cool. If you spread it on the shortbread while it's still warm, it will melt the butter in the shortbread.
• Make the jam REALLY thick. It should look very similar to a paste. If the jam is too thin, it will not set properly and will pool out when cut.
• Freeze them for clean cuts. For easy cutting, freeze the bars first for 15-20 minutes. Then use a sharp knife to cut them into bars.
• Baking times may vary. All ovens are different and your bars may bake quicker or take longer than the indicated baking time. Look for the crumb topping to be a golden brown to know when they are done baking.

variations

• Fruit: A few readers have made this recipe with other fruits like strawberries and blueberries!
• Spices: Add any of your favorite spices to the jam instead of chai, like cardamom, cinnamon, or vanilla bean.

storage & freezing

• Room temperature: Store the bars in the square baking pan wrapped in plastic wrap, or in an airtight container for 3-4 days.
• Freezer: Wrap the bars tightly with plastic wrap or store them in an airtight container for up to one month in the freezer.

faq's

more bar recipes to try

If you make this recipe, let me know how it went in the comments below, I'd love to hear from you! You can also tag me on Instagram or Facebook so I can check it out!

Recipe 📖

The calorie information provided for the recipe is an estimate. The accuracy of the calories listed is not guaranteed.

This recipe was originally published in October 2021 and has been updated with new photos and content.