4 damson recipes

Janine Ratcliffe

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Make the most of plump seasonal damsons with our best recipes, from homemade jam to comforting bakes like hearty cobbler or flaky pie

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Looking for the best damson recipes? Preserve the seasonal fruity flavour with our best jam recipes. Or, try one of our easy bakes, like cobbler or a puff pastry slice.

Celebrate a bountiful harvest with more seasonal recipes, from strawberries to raspberries and blackberries.

When are damsons in season?

Damsons are in season in the UK from August to October.

Why we love damsons

A smaller alternative to plums, damsons are a seasonal highlight of late summer and early autumn. You can use them in much the same way you would plums – in jam or infused into gin, or baked into classic autumnal treats likes crumbles, pies and cobblers.

Best damson recipes

Damson slice

This simple bake is an easy way to use up a glut of damsons. Use ready-made puff pastry and fill with marzipan, stewed damsons and a sprinkle of ground almonds. Bake for 40 minutes and serve with a generous dollop of custard.

Damson jam

These little autumnal fruits with deep blue skins are juicy and tart – so tart, in fact, that they can't really be eaten raw. They make wonderful jam though, so get your hands on them while they're in season. See more of our jam recipes.

Damson cobbler

Cooking releases the tangy flavours of the damson plum, making it the perfect candidate for a heavenly cobbler. Delicious with a dollop of crème fraîche. If you love a cobbler, save our rhubarb cobbler or peach cobbler recipes to make at other times of year too.

Salad of wood pigeon with soft poached eggs and damsons

This salad of wood pigeon with soft poached eggs and damsons comes from Trinity in Clapham Old Town. If you can't get hold of fresh damsons, you can use plums – just cut them in half when poaching.