Delicious Cherry Clafoutis

If you ask me, cherry clafoutis is one of those desserts that sounds fancy but is actually super easy to make.

This classic French dessert is like a sweet custard that bakes up around juicy fresh cherries. The batter comes together in minutes with everyday ingredients like eggs, milk, and flour, plus a hint of almond and lemon that makes it taste special.

It puffs up in the oven and gets golden around the edges while staying soft and creamy in the middle. A dusting of powdered sugar on top and you’ve got yourself an impressive dessert that barely required any effort.

It’s perfect for summer when cherries are in season, and it works just as well for breakfast as it does for dessert.

SAVE NOW

What Kind of Cherries Should I Use?

Fresh cherries are ideal for clafoutis, and you can use either sweet or tart varieties depending on what you prefer. Sweet cherries like Bing or Rainier will give you a dessert that’s naturally sweeter, while sour cherries like Montmorency add a nice tangy contrast to the custard. If fresh cherries aren’t in season, frozen cherries work just fine – just make sure to thaw them completely and pat them dry with paper towels to remove excess moisture before using. Some people skip pitting the cherries for a more traditional approach (the pits add a subtle almond flavor), but I recommend pitting them unless you want to warn your guests to watch out for pits.

SAVE NOW

Options for Substitutions

While clafoutis is traditionally made with cherries, there’s room for a few tweaks if you need them:

• Cherries: Fresh cherries are ideal, but frozen cherries work great too – just thaw and drain them well before using. You can also try other stone fruits like plums, apricots, or peaches, cut into bite-sized pieces. Berries like blueberries or raspberries are another option, though they’ll give you a slightly different texture.
• Heavy cream: If you don’t have heavy cream, you can use all milk instead (so 1¼ cups total milk). The texture will be slightly less rich but still tasty.
• Whole milk: 2% milk works fine as listed, or you can use half-and-half for a creamier result. I wouldn’t recommend going lower than 2% though, as the custard needs some fat to set properly.
• Almond extract: This adds a nice depth that pairs well with cherries, but if you don’t have it or don’t like the flavor, just increase the vanilla extract to 1½ teaspoons.
• All-purpose flour: Stick with all-purpose flour for this recipe – it’s essential for getting the right custard-like texture that makes clafoutis what it is.

Watch Out for These Mistakes While Baking

The biggest mistake when making clafoutis is overbaking, which turns the custard rubbery instead of soft and creamy – pull it from the oven when the center still has a slight jiggle, as it will continue to set while cooling.

Another common error is skipping the butter coating step or not greasing the pan well enough, which makes serving a nightmare since the custard will stick to the sides.

To get the smoothest texture, blend your batter for at least 30 seconds and let it rest for 5-10 minutes before pouring over the cherries, which helps the flour fully hydrate and prevents lumps.

Finally, resist the urge to dig in right away – clafoutis needs that full 30-minute cooling period to firm up properly, otherwise you’ll end up with a runny mess on your plate instead of neat slices.

SAVE NOW

What to Serve With Cherry Clafoutis?

Cherry clafoutis is a French dessert that sits somewhere between a custard and a pancake, so it’s perfect for brunch or as a light dessert after dinner. I love serving it warm with a dollop of whipped cream or a scoop of vanilla ice cream, which melts into the custardy texture beautifully. For brunch, pair it with some crispy bacon or breakfast sausage to balance out the sweetness, along with fresh coffee or mimosas. If you’re serving it as dessert, a simple cup of tea or coffee is really all you need alongside this elegant but easy treat.

Storage Instructions

Store: Cherry clafoutis is best enjoyed the day it’s made, but you can keep leftovers covered in the fridge for up to 2 days. The texture will soften a bit as it sits, but it still tastes great for breakfast the next morning with your coffee.

Serve: You can enjoy clafoutis warm, at room temperature, or even cold straight from the fridge. If you want to warm it up, just pop individual slices in the microwave for about 20-30 seconds, or reheat the whole dish in a 300°F oven for 10 minutes until warmed through.

Estimated Nutrition

Estimated nutrition for the whole recipe (without optional ingredients):

• Calories: 1050-1150
• Protein: 24-28 g
• Fat: 39-44 g
• Carbohydrates: 155-170 g

Ingredients

For the fruit base:

• 2 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
• 3 cups fresh cherries, pitted and whole

For the batter:

• 3 large eggs, room temperature
• 1 cup whole milk
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/4 teaspoon almond extract
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly grated lemon zest

For the topping:

• 2 tbsp granulated sugar
• 1/4 cup powdered sugar, sifted

Step 1: Prepare the Baking Dish and Preheat

• 2 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
• 3 cups fresh cherries, pitted and whole

Preheat your oven to 375°F.

While the oven heats, use the melted butter to thoroughly coat the bottom and sides of a 9-inch pie dish or 8×8 inch square baking dish.

This creates a golden, flavorful crust as the clafoutis bakes.

Place the pitted cherries evenly across the bottom of the prepared dish.

Step 2: Make the Custard Batter

• 3 large eggs, room temperature
• 1 cup whole milk
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/4 teaspoon almond extract
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly grated lemon zest

In a blender, combine the room-temperature eggs, whole milk, heavy cream, granulated sugar, all-purpose flour, kosher salt, vanilla extract, almond extract, and lemon zest.

Blend on medium speed for about 30-45 seconds until completely smooth—the batter should have no lumps and a consistency like thin pancake batter.

I like to let the batter rest for a minute after blending so any air bubbles release slightly, which helps the clafoutis bake more evenly.

Step 3: Combine and Initial Bake

• custard batter from Step 2
• cherries from Step 1

Gently pour the custard batter from Step 2 over the cherries in the prepared dish, distributing it evenly.

The cherries will float slightly as you pour.

Bake at 375°F for 20 minutes until the custard begins to set around the edges but the center still jiggles slightly when you gently shake the dish.

Step 4: Add Sugar and Final Bake

• 2 tbsp granulated sugar

Remove the clafoutis from the oven and sprinkle the 2 tablespoons of granulated sugar evenly over the top.

This sugar will caramelize during baking and create a lovely sweet crust.

Return to the oven and bake for an additional 25-30 minutes until the top is golden brown and a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean or with just a few moist crumbs.

I find that checking at 25 minutes helps prevent over-baking, as clafoutis can go from perfectly baked to dry quickly.

Step 5: Cool and Finish

• 1/4 cup powdered sugar, sifted

Transfer the clafoutis to a wire rack and let it cool for at least 30 minutes at room temperature.

This resting period allows the custard to set properly and makes it easier to slice cleanly.

Just before serving, dust the top generously with sifted powdered sugar for an elegant finish and a touch of sweetness.

Delicious Cherry Clafoutis

Delicious Delicious Cherry Clafoutis recipe with step-by-step instructions.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 20 minutes mins

Cook Time 45 minutes mins

Total Time 1 hour hr 5 minutes mins

Servings 8 slices

Calories 1100 kcal

Ingredients

  

For the fruit base:

• 2 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
• 3 cups fresh cherries, pitted and whole

For the batter:

• 3 large eggs, room temperature
• 1 cup whole milk
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/4 teaspoon almond extract
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly grated lemon zest

For the topping:

• 2 tbsp granulated sugar
• 1/4 cup powdered sugar, sifted

Instructions

 

• Preheat your oven to 375°F. While the oven heats, use the melted butter to thoroughly coat the bottom and sides of a 9-inch pie dish or 8x8 inch square baking dish. This creates a golden, flavorful crust as the clafoutis bakes. Place the pitted cherries evenly across the bottom of the prepared dish.
• In a blender, combine the room-temperature eggs, whole milk, heavy cream, granulated sugar, all-purpose flour, kosher salt, vanilla extract, almond extract, and lemon zest. Blend on medium speed for about 30-45 seconds until completely smooth—the batter should have no lumps and a consistency like thin pancake batter. I like to let the batter rest for a minute after blending so any air bubbles release slightly, which helps the clafoutis bake more evenly.
• Gently pour the custard batter from Step 2 over the cherries in the prepared dish, distributing it evenly. The cherries will float slightly as you pour. Bake at 375°F for 20 minutes until the custard begins to set around the edges but the center still jiggles slightly when you gently shake the dish.
• Remove the clafoutis from the oven and sprinkle the 2 tablespoons of granulated sugar evenly over the top. This sugar will caramelize during baking and create a lovely sweet crust. Return to the oven and bake for an additional 25-30 minutes until the top is golden brown and a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean or with just a few moist crumbs. I find that checking at 25 minutes helps prevent over-baking, as clafoutis can go from perfectly baked to dry quickly.
• Transfer the clafoutis to a wire rack and let it cool for at least 30 minutes at room temperature. This resting period allows the custard to set properly and makes it easier to slice cleanly. Just before serving, dust the top generously with sifted powdered sugar for an elegant finish and a touch of sweetness.