Cherry Clafoutis
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Clafoutis is a simple French dessert that is part flan, part Dutch baby, and all parts délicieux!
Clafoutis (pronounced kla-foo-TEE) is a simple French dessert consisting of fruit baked in a sweet, custard-like batter. The texture is unique and hard to describe — think of it as a cross between a fruit-filled flan and a Dutch baby. While cherries are the classic choice, clafoutis can also be made with other fruits, such as berries, plums, apricots, or apples. Similar to another French classic, crepes, clafoutis batter is a breeze to whip up in a blender, making pitting the cherries the most time-consuming step. Interestingly, some traditionalists swear by using stone-in cherries, claiming they add a subtle almond flavor. But who wants to spit out cherry pits (or, worse, crack a tooth!) while enjoying a lovely French dessert? As a workaround, I pit the cherries and add a dash of almond extract to capture that almond essence.
The secret to making a good clafoutis, in my opinion, is using a combination of milk and heavy cream for the custard batter. Most recipes call for just milk, but cream adds richness and ensures the clafoutis bakes up creamy rather than rubbery. Clafoutis can be served lukewarm or at room temperature, plain or dusted with powdered sugar.
Table of Contents
What You’ll Need To Make Cherry Clafoutis
Step-by-Step Instructions
Begin by pitting the cherries. I use the Leifheit Cherry Stoner, and it makes quick work of the task.
Preheat the oven to 375°F and set an over rack in the middle position. Melt the butter in a 10-inch cast-iron or nonstick ovenproof skillet over medium heat.(Alternatively, if you don’t have the right skillet, melt the butter in the oven in a 2-quart baking dish.)
Swirl the butter so that it coats the sides the pan. Place the cherries in an even layer in the skillet (or baking dish).
In a blender, combine the eggs, milk, cream, 1/2 cup of the sugar, the flour, salt, vanilla extract, and almond extract.
Mix on medium speed until smooth and well combined.
Pour the batter over the cherries.
Bake for 20 minutes, then remove the clafoutis from the oven and sprinkle evenly with the remaining 2 tablespoons of sugar.
Place back in the oven and continue baking until just set and golden brown, 25 to 30 minutes more. Note that clafoutis will wiggle just a bit when done, but a toothpick or knife inserted into the center should come out clean.
Let cool on a rack for about 30 minutes, then dust with powdered sugar (if using), and serve directly from the pan.
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Cherry Clafoutis
Clafoutis is a simple French dessert that is part flan, part Dutch baby, and all parts délicieux!
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 2½ cups (12 oz) cherries, stemmed and pitted
- 3 large eggs
- 1 cup whole or 2% milk
- ¼ cup heavy cream
- ½ cup plus 2 tablespoons granulated sugar, divided
- ½ cup all-purpose flour, spooned into a measuring cup and leveled off
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ⅛ teaspoon almond extract
- Confectioners’ sugar, for dusting (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375°F and set an oven rack in the middle position.
- Melt the butter in a 10-inch cast-iron or nonstick ovenproof skillet over medium heat. (Alternatively, if you don't have the right skillet, melt the butter in the oven in a 2-quart baking dish.) Swirl the butter so that it coats the sides the pan. Place the cherries in an even layer in the skillet (or baking dish).
- In a blender, combine the eggs, milk, cream, ½ cup of the sugar, the flour, salt, vanilla extract, and almond extract. Mix on medium speed until smooth and well combined. Pour the batter over the cherries.
- Bake for 20 minutes, then remove the clafoutis from the oven and sprinkle evenly with the remaining 2 tablespoons of sugar. Place back in the oven and continue baking until just set and golden brown, 25 to 30 minutes more. Note that clafoutis will wiggle just a bit when done, but a toothpick or knife inserted into the center should come out clean. Let cool on a rack for about 30 minutes, then dust with powdered sugar (if using), and serve directly from the pan.
- Leftover clafoutis will keep in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat individual portions in the microwave.
Nutrition Information
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- Per serving (8 servings)
- Calories: 215
- Fat: 9 g
- Saturated fat: 5 g
- Carbohydrates: 30 g
- Sugar: 23 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 5 g
- Sodium: 116 mg
- Cholesterol: 91 mg
This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.
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Hi Jen! Would I be able to use frozen cherries in this recipe?
Hi Rebecca, as long as they are good quality cherries, they will work. Enjoy!
Can I double this to make it thicker? I’ve made it twice once w raspberries! Maybe not the fruit but the eggs etc.
Sure, that should work. Enjoy!
I made this at my son and daughter-in-law’s house in Tacoma Washington, and was able to use Mount Rainier cherries. It came out very good, and everyone was very pleased. I’d never made it before but the instructions were simple and I followed it as best as I could. They didn’t have a blender and we didn’t have powdered sugar but it turned out great! Thanks for a good recipe
I made this a couple of weeks ago with apples and gluten free flour and all half and half. I kept the almond and vanilla extract.
It was excellent and I am making it again today to take for dessert at a friend’s house!
Thanks for another winner Jenn!!
This is delicious! Made it for the first time last summer (2023). This year cherries are plentiful and so sweet that I’ve made your clafoutis recipe twice. Based on my husband’s request, I added ~1/4 cup of blueberries to the second one with good results. Thanks for introducing me to this French confection!
If using blueberries would I use the same amount as cherries–2 1/2 cups ( 12 ounces) and if using plums use 12 ounces? Would these amounts be too much or not enough fruit?
Thank you
Hi Diane, I’d use 2 cups of blueberries. If you go with plums I’d dice them into cherry-sized pieces and stick with the 2 1/2 cups. I’d love to hear how it turns out!
thank you for asking this. I thought it was blueberries to begin with and then imagined it with lemon and I think I can sub that in for vanilla and almond… OMgoodness..
Would tart, dried Montmorency cherries like the ones sold at Costco work for this recipe? Love your recipes! Thanks!
Hi Sue, unfortunately, dried cherries won’t work here — sorry!
Hi can I use almond milk and silk heavy whip substitute to make this nondairy?
Sure, Shelly, I think that should work. I’d love to hear how it turns out if you try it!