Prune Plum Pie with Almond Thyme Crust
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What is cozier than a prune pie to warmly welcome fall? Sweet and tart prune plums are encased in an easy-to-make, buttery, and flaky crust that’s gently infused with almond and thyme and then baked until golden. It’s a comforting, delicious, and warming way to usher in the season!
Prune plums always make me a little nostalgic, bringing back that back-to-school feeling and the subtle shift as summer starts giving way to fall. There’s something about their sweetness and deep color that feels like the season changing right in front of you.
My favorite way to enjoy them is baked into a pie. I add almond and thyme to the crust for a bit of savory depth, which pairs beautifully with the filling. The plums bake up sweet with just a hint of tartness, creating a pie that tastes like the very end of summer — cozy, familiar, and just a little bit wistful.
Ingredients needed
There are two elements to this homemade pie: the perfectly flaky and buttery crust spiked with thyme, and the prune plum filling.
Prune pie filling:
- Prune plums: The star of the pie filling. Look for plums that are slightly soft to the touch but not mushy.
- Sugar: To add a little sweetness to enhance the natural flavor of the plums.
- All-purpose flour: Thickens the fillings a little to provide texture.
- Vanilla: For a warming aroma and subtle undertone that melds with the plums.
The crust:
- All-purpose flour and almond flour: Forms the base structure of the crust.
- Sugar: Sweetens the crust slightly to balance it out.
- Sea salt: To balance the flavors and give contrast to the sweet fruit filling.
- Cold butter: Adds richness.
- Shortening: For the flaky and melt-in-your-mouth texture.
- Fresh thyme leaves: Infuses the crust with a herbal and aromatic note.
Tips for making your pie crust
A pie is only as good as it’s crust – if you’ve not made pie crust before, it may sound a bit intimidating, but it’s actually straightforward if you have the right tips! For an extended read on pie crust, check out our butter and shortening pie crust post. Otherwise, here are a few quick tricks:
- Temperature: Try to have as little heat transfer as possible.
- Ingredients: The same goes for the ingredients. Use both cold butter and cold shortening. Adding the ingredients while they’re cold helps to create air pockets in the crust while the butter and shortening melt in the oven, enhancing the divine flaky texture.
- Fridge: Once the pie crust is formed, let it rest in the fridge to keep it cold, giving the gluten a chance to relax. This makes sure it doesn’t get tough.
- Shield: Use a pie shield or make one with aluminum foil to cover the edges of the pie, protecting it from browning too quickly.
What to serve with prune pie
Serve this with coconut whipped cream, or a scoop of vanilla coconut ice cream. If you’re making a dessert buffet, serve it beside some chocolate rhubarb brownies or a side of almond butter thumbprint cookies.
Recipe FAQs
How can I store leftovers?
Keep any leftover pie wrapped and on your counter for up to three days. You can also freeze it for up to six months.
Can I make extra pie dough and freeze it?
Yes! If you make extra pie dough, you can freeze it for up to six months and use it to make another pie recipe.
Can I use dried thyme in the crust?
Dried thyme from the store can sometimes taste a bit musty or moldy, so we prefer fresh thyme for this recipe. As long as your dried thyme smells appetizing, go ahead and use it.
Can I use store-bought or another crust?
While we are particularly attached to the delicious crust in this recipe, we understand that you may wish to save some time. If you’d prefer, a store-bought crust will work just fine. Or try our delicious butter and shortening pie crust as an alternative!
Prune Plum Pie Recipe
Ingredients
The Pie Filling
- 2 lb prune plums
- ¾ cup sugar
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons vanilla
The Crust
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup almond flour
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- ¾ cup cold butter (cut into chunks)
- 2 tablespoons shortening
- 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves (chopped)
Instructions
- Begin by making the crust. Place the flour, almond flour, sugar, and sea salt in your food processor and pulse to mix. Add the butter, shortening, and thyme leaves and whizz until a grainy dough forms. Transfer the dough to a large bowl and add a tablespoon of cold water. Quickly work this into the dough using your fingertips. Note: the dough will seem too wet at this point. Divide the dough into two pieces, about ¾ of the dough for the crust and the other ¼ for the cut-out top. Roll into disks, wrap with parchment paper, and place the dough into your fridge. Let it rest for a half hour.1 ½ cups all-purpose flour, 1 cup almond flour, 2 tablespoons sugar, 1 teaspoon sea salt, ¾ cup cold butter, 2 tablespoons shortening, 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
- Cut 2 pieces of parchment paper, slightly bigger than you'll want your pie crust. Sprinkle a little flour on one piece and set the larger ball of dough on top. Press the ball down with your hands, shape it into a circle, and sprinkle with a bit of flour. Lay the second piece of parchment paper on top. Roll the dough into a circle about 1 ½ inches larger than your pie pan. Remove the top parchment piece of paper and use the bottom one to transfer the dough to the pie pan, placing it into the pan with the parchment paper up. Peel off the paper, press the dough into the pan, and crimp the edges with your fingers. Place the pie into your fridge.
- Again using the same 2 pieces of parchment paper, roll out the smaller ball to about ¼ inch thick. Use a cookie stamp to cut out the dough. Place the cut-outs on parchment paper on a plate or baking sheet and put them into your fridge.
- Preheat your oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Pit and quarter your plums and add them to a large bowl. Toss with the sugar, flour, and vanilla.2 lb prune plums, ¾ cup sugar, 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour, 2 teaspoons vanilla
- Check the pie crust in your fridge. Once it has hardened (from the cold) add the prunes and top with the cut-outs. Place the pie on a baking sheet (to catch any drips) and immediately place it into your oven.
- Bake the pie for 45 minutes, or until the crust is golden and the pie is bubbling at the sides. If the crust starts to brown too much, tent loosely with aluminum foil. Let the pie cool for at least a half hour before eating.
Nutrition
We have thoroughly tested this recipe for accuracy. However, individual results may vary. See our full recipe disclosure here.
Always wanting to make different dishes from the ordinary usual every year recipes. Think I will get some great ideas from this site, The Endless Meal.
I’ve done my fair share of baking and this was the best pie I’ve ever made. Adding thyme and almond flour to the crust is genius. I never would have thought of that yet the savory flavor made the pie. Thank you so much for the recipe!
I made this recipe and we all loved it, hoping the crust part can be use universally
Oh yes … the crust would be a great base for many pie fillings!
Would this be a good piecrust for pumpkin pie as well?
I’m not entirely sure that the thyme would work well flavor-wise, but the rest of the crust recipe would be great!
Can’t wait to try this— thank you for sharing! Two questions: salted or unsalted butter for the crust? And can this be frozen before baking? Thinking about making today but baking on thanksgiving.
I always buy salted butter. It just tastes better! But the crust will work with unsalted butter, too.
And yes it can be frozen! Prepare the pie (but don’t bake it) then freeze it. Once it’s frozen wrap it well to prevent freezer burn. You can bake it from frozen, adding 10-15 mins of time to baking. 🙂
Thanks, Brenda!!