A classic French dessert, cherry clafoutis is easy to make and looks beautiful on the table. Just whisk together a simple custard batter, pour over the fruit and bake!
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Cherry clafoutis sounds fancy, but it is one of the easiest French desserts to learn how to make. The simple batter bakes up into a custard-like cross between a flan and a crêpe that gets golden brown around the edges.
Clafoutis batter is not overly sweet, so the cherry flavor really shines through. A bit of lemon juice and lemon zest add a tart contrast and floral aroma to the creamy custard.
Jump to:
- Cherry clafoutis is a classic French dessert with simple ingredients that's easy to make!
- What is a clafoutis?
- Ingredients you'll need
- Recommended tools and equipment
- How to make cherry clafoutis
- Tips for cherry clafoutis
- Make ahead and storage instructions
- How to serve cherry clafoutis
- Variations
- FAQ
- More French dessert recipes
- Recipe
Cherry clafoutis is a classic French dessert with simple ingredients that's easy to make!
- Gained popularity in the 19th century! That's classic!
- Made from everyday, ordinary ingredients like milk, flour, and fruit.
- Easy prep: Just zip the batter in the blender.
- Made in one bowl for quick cleanup.
- Serve warm, at room temp, or cold.
- Clafoutis doesn't have to be cherry! Change up the fruit if you like.
What is a clafoutis?
Clafoutis is a French dessert that originated in the Limousin region. A light, crêpe-like batter is poured over fresh fruit in a buttered dish, then baked until golden.
The cherry variety is most well-known but it can be made with almost any stone fruit or berry. The texture is similar to custard crossed with a Dutch Baby and it can be served warm or cold.
The word clafoutis is derived from the old French word, clafir which means "to fill", since you're filling the pan with batter and filling the batter with cherries.
Ingredients you'll need
- Pitted cherries: They can be fresh, frozen or canned. Be sure to thaw and drain the frozen and canned varieties. In French kitchens, clafoutis are often made with sour cherries called griottes. But since sour cherry season is fleeting or non-existent in many other places, use sweet cherries.
- Whole milk: You must use whole milk because you need the fat in it to form the custard. Low-fat or skim milk do not work.
- Flour
- Sugar
- Lemon juice: This will provide tartness to complement the sweet cherries. See tips below.
- Lemon zest
- Vanilla
- Salt
- Unsalted butter: Just for the baking dish.
- Powdered sugar: To sprinkle on top once baked.
Recommended tools and equipment
- Two-quart baking dish: The shape doesn't really matter, but clafoutis are often made in oval or round baking dishes.
- Cherry pitter: A cherry pitter is optional, but it does make things a LOT easier. Of course this is not needed if using canned or frozen cherries.
- Immersion blender or standard blender: I love my immersion blender for this recipe. Super easy cleanup.
- Microplane grater: For the lemon zest. It's a little thing that adds a lot of flavor.
How to make cherry clafoutis
Adapted from a variety of sources including David Lebovitz and Pardon Your French.
Step 1: Pit the cherries, prep the lemon
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
Pit the cherries. I adore my OXO Multi Cherry Pitter. It really works! If you don't have a cherry pitter, see tips below for some other methods.
PREP TIP: If using frozen or canned cherries, just be the fruit is thawed and drain off any excess liquid.
Use a microplane grater to zest the lemon, then juice it.
Butter the bottom and sides of a 2-quart baking dish, and dump the cherries into it.
Step 2: Make the clafoutis batter
Use a blender, or an immersion blender and mixing bowl, to mix the milk, flour, eggs, ½ cup of the sugar, salt, vanilla, lemon juice and lemon zest until smooth. Be sure all ingredients are completely incorporated and make sure there are no lumps of flour remaining.
Step 3: Bake!
Pour the batter over the cherries in the baking dish. Gently and evenly sprinkle the remaining 3 tablespoons of sugar over the top. Bake for 45-55 minutes until the edges are deeply golden and a knife inserted into the center comes out mostly clean.
Allow to cool slightly, then dust with powdered sugar if you like.
Tips for cherry clafoutis
- Traditionally, or so they say, a cherry clafoutis is made with cherries that have the pits still in them! Ow! Some say that the pits lend a subtle almond-like flavor that is signature to the dish. But many people do not detect any difference and don't want to risk a broken tooth. If you want that flavor, you can add ⅛ teaspoon of almond extract if you happen to have it in the cupboard.
- I swear by my OXO Multi Cherry Pitter. It pits 6 cherries at a time making short work of what is usually a terrible chore. If you don't have one or don't want to purchase something that won't get used too often, you can remove the pits with a paper clip (but I gave myself a temporary case of carpal tunnel doing this), by poking it through with a chopstick, or various other methods.
- If you are using sour cherries, you probably won't need the lemon juice because the overall flavor will have enough tartness. The lemon zest will still add a nice floral quality so go ahead and leave that in.
Make ahead and storage instructions
The batter can be made one day ahead and stored in the refrigerator. Be sure to whisk it because it may settle a bit, then pour over the fruit and bake.
To store leftover cherry clafoutis, cover the baking dish or transfer to an airtight container and store in the refrigerator for 2-3 days. Once it's been in the fridge, serve it cold or allow to come to room temperature for 10-15 minutes.
How to serve cherry clafoutis
You can serve cherry clafoutis as a dessert, or it makes a great brunch dish because it can be served at room temp. Kind of like a cross between pie and French toast!!
- Cherry clafoutis is most often dusted with powdered sugar before serving.
- Try it with whipped cream, or my favorite—créme fraîche.
- Go big and top it with some vanilla ice cream.
Variations
Clafoutis does not have to be cherry. You can swap out almost any kind of fruit, fresh or frozen. Just be sure the fruit is thawed cut into small pieces (not necessary for small berries) so the batter can still puff up. Try these ideas:
- Blueberries, blackberries or raspberries
- Strawberries
- Pears
- Grapes
- Plums or peaches
FAQ
Cherry clafoutis can be served warm, at room temperature or cold.
You can reheat it in a 350 degree oven for a few minutes until just warm. Do NOT microwave it. This will make it rubbery. Not everyone agrees with me, but I don't recommend reheating cherry clafoutis. I find it changes the texture of the custard. I quite enjoy it cold from the fridge, or allow it to come to room temperature for about 15 minutes.
More French dessert recipes
Impress your friends with these classic French desserts!
- Earl Grey Madeleines are the cutest, puffiest little cookie cakes you've ever laid eyes on!
- This Mixed Berry Cake is based on a French yogurt cake batter.
- Chocolate Mousse is about the French-iest thing there is, and you won't believe how simple it is to make! (I won't tell if you don't!)
Recipe
Easy Cherry Clafoutis
Equipment
- cherry pitter optional
- blender or immersion blender
Ingredients
- 1 pound cherries fresh, frozen or canned
- 3 large eggs
- ½ cup flour
- ½ cup + 3 tablespoons sugar divided
- 1 ¼ cup whole milk
- 1 ½ tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- zest of one lemon
- unsalted butter for the baking dish
- powdered sugar to sprinkle on top
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
- Pit the cherries.
- Use a microplane grater to zest the lemon, then juice it.
- Butter the bottom and sides of a deep 2-quart baking dish, and dump the cherries into it.
- Use a blender or immersion blender to mix the milk, flour, eggs, ½ cup of the sugar, salt, vanilla, lemon juice and lemon zest until smooth. Make sure all ingredients are completely incorporated and be sure there are no lumps of flour remaining.
- Pour the batter over the cherries in the baking dish. Gently and evenly sprinkle the remaining 3 tablespoons of sugar over the top. Bake for 45-55 minutes until the edges are deeply golden and a knife inserted into the center comes out mostly clean. Allow to cool slightly, then dust with powdered sugar.
- Serve warm, at room temperature, or cold. Store in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.
Notes
- You can make this up to one day ahead. Store in the refrigerator.
- Traditionally, or so they say, a cherry clafoutis is made with cherries that have the pits still in them! Ow! Some say that the pits lend a subtle almond-like flavor that is signature to the dish. But many people do not detect any difference and don't want to risk a broken tooth. If you want that flavor, you can add ⅛ teaspoon of almond extract if you happen to have it in the cupboard.
- I swear by my OXO Multi Cherry Pitter. It pits 6 cherries at a time making short work of what is usually a terrible chore. If you don't have one or don't want to purchase something that won't get used too often, you can remove the pits with a paper clip (but I gave myself a temporary case of carpal tunnel doing this), or by poking it through with a chopstick.
- If you are using sour cherries, you probably won't need the lemon juice because the overall flavor will have enough tartness. The lemon zest will still add a nice floral quality so go ahead and leave that in.
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