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. 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. Serve with whipped cream (optional).