Cherry Clafoutis

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Clafoutis is a simple French dessert that is part flan, part Dutch baby, and all parts délicieux!

Partially sliced cherry clafoutis in a skillet.

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.

What You’ll Need To Make Cherry Clafoutis

ingredients for 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.

Cherries going through a cherry pitter.

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.)

melting butter in skillet

Swirl the butter so that it coats the sides the pan. Place the cherries in an even layer in the skillet (or baking dish).

cherries in skillet

In a blender, combine the eggs, milk, cream, 1/2 cup of the sugar, the flour, salt, vanilla extract, and almond extract.

clafoutis batter ingredients in blenderMix on medium speed until smooth and well combined.

Blender of clafoutis batter.Pour the batter over the cherries.

batter poured over cherries

Bake for 20 minutes, then remove the clafoutis from the oven and sprinkle evenly with the remaining 2 tablespoons of sugar.

sugar sprinkled on partially baked clafoutis

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.

cherry clafoutis fresh out of the oven

Let cool on a rack for about 30 minutes, then dust with powdered sugar (if using), and serve directly from the pan.

Cherry clafoutis in a skillet.

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Cherry Clafoutis

Clafoutis is a simple French dessert that is part flan, part Dutch baby, and all parts délicieux!

Servings: 8
Prep Time: 30 Minutes
Cook Time: 45 Minutes
Total Time: 1 Hour 15 Minutes

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

  1. Preheat the oven to 375°F and set an oven rack in the middle position.
  2. 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).
  3. 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.
  4. 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.
  5. Leftover clafoutis will keep in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat individual portions in the microwave.

Nutrition Information

Powered by Edamam

  • 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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Comments

  • I like this recipe very much. Thinking of using the dried cherries in my cupboard and just soaking in hot water first. Thoughts?

    • — CG on December 30, 2024
    • Reply
    • I don’t reccommend dried cherries here (even if they are rehydrated) – sorry!

      • — Jenn Segal on December 31, 2024
      • Reply

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