Cherry Clafoutis
Cherry Clafoutis might just be the easiest summer dessert ever! Sweet, custardy and studded with fresh cherries, it’s absolute bliss.
When cherries are in season, I can’t think of a better way to use them than this simple cherry clafoutis. It’s wonderful addition to any summer party or barbecue, but still casual enough for a sweet family treat during the week.
And did I mention that it’s easy? SO easy. The batter comes together in just about a minute with the help of your blender. Everything into the pitcher and a few pulses to combine. Pour the batter into a pan or baking dish then top with cherries. Bake until golden and voila, the perfect summer dessert!
It’s quite literally the best thing you can make with summer cherries that isn’t a Cherry Pie.
What Is Clafoutis?
Clafoutis is a classic French dessert made by combining fresh fruit with a simple batter made from eggs, milk, flour, and sugar. The batter is kind of like a cross between custard and Dutch baby batter—once baked, it’s golden brown and puffy, then it deflates a bit and you’re left with a soft, airy custard and jammy baked fruit. Perfection!
Ingredients for Cherry Clafoutis
Here’s a quick rundown of what you’ll need for this recipe. For the full measurements, scroll down to the recipe card.
- Unsalted Butter – Softened this before you get started.
- Milk – Whole milk yields the richest cherry clafoutis, but you can use whatever you keep on hand.
- Heavy Cream – Accept no substitutes! We’re making dessert, after all. Heavy cream gives clafoutis its fabulous texture.
- Granulated Sugar – AKA white sugar.
- Vanilla Extract – If you’re feelin’ fancy, you can use vanilla bean paste or scrape the inside of a vanilla bean right into the custard for some nice vanilla flecks throughout.
- Eggs – The key ingredient that makes clafoutis custard-y and puffy.
- Kosher Salt – Just a bit for balance.
- Flour – You don’t need all that much since this is more custard than cake.
- Cherries – Some traditional cherry clafoutis recipes have you leave the pits in the cherries; the thought is that the cherry pits release flavor into the clafoutis as it bakes. To me, this would be a nightmare to eat, so I always pit the cherries first.
- Confectioners’ Sugar – For garnish.
How to Make Cherry Clafoutis
The full instructions are in the recipe card below, but here’s a quick overview.
- Prepare. Preheat your oven to 425° and butter a cast-iron skillet or baking dish.
- Blend. Add the milk, cream, sugar, vanilla, eggs, and salt to a blender. Blend, then add the flour and blend again just until smooth.
- Assemble. Pour the batter into the skillet and scatter the cherries over the top.
- Bake. Place in the oven and bake for 30 to 35 minutes.
- Serve. Dust with confectioners’ sugar and serve warm or at room temperature.
Tips for Making Cherry Clafoutis
This cherry clafoutis recipe is easy, but these simple tips will help you make sure it turns out perfect!
- Don’t over-blend. Once you add the flour to the blender, it’s important not to over-mix. Just turn it on until the flour is incorporated.
- Don’t panic if it deflates. When the cherry clafoutis is done, it should puff up and take on a golden color. Then, it will un-puff and deflate a little. Don’t worry about this, that’s what it’s supposed to do!
- Top it. You can keep it simple with powdered sugar, or add a scoop of vanilla ice cream, which is amaaaazing over warm clafoutis. Whipped cream and creme anglaise are excellent too.
More Ways to Make Clafoutis
This recipe is fabulous as-is, but if you want to put your own spin on it, here are some ideas to try.
- Use almond extract. You can use almond extract instead of the vanilla extract or use a combination of both. It’s delicious with stone fruit! (Try my Cherry Almond Clafoutis too.)
- Swap in other fruit. Any type of berries, peaches, nectarines, plums, apricots, pears—it’s all good in a clafoutis! This is the perfect recipe to use whatever is in season.
- Add a crisp-sweet topping. Sometimes I sprinkle Demerara sugar over the top of clafoutis before it bakes. I love the crisp caramelized element it adds, even though it’s definitely not a traditional choice.
More Recipes With Cherries
- Mini Cherry Cheesecakes
- Homemade Cherry Pie Filling
- Cherry Chocolate Chunk Ice Cream
- Chicken Salad with Dried Cherries and Sunflower Seeds
- Chocolate Covered Cherry Cookies
- Cherry Pistachio Ricotta Bowl with Honey and Cacao Nibs
- Cherries Jubilee
- Homemade Cherry Pie
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Get the Recipe: Cherry Clafoutis
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, softened
- ¾ cup milk
- ¾ cup heavy cream
- ⅓ cup granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 6 eggs
- ⅛ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¾ cup flour
- 3 cups cherries, pitted
- confectioners’ sugar, for dusting
Equipment
- baking dish
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425°. Butter a 9" cast-iron skillet or baking dish. Set aside.
- Combine milk, cream, sugar, vanilla, eggs, and salt in a blender. Blend for a few seconds to mix ingredients.
- Now add the flour and blend until smooth, about 1 minute.
- Pour the batter into the buttered skillet, then distribute cherries evenly on top.
- Bake until a skewer inserted into batter comes out clean and a golden brown crust has formed on top, approximately 30 – 35 minutes.
- Dust with confectioners’ sugar and serve. Can be served warm or at room temperature.
10 Comments on “Cherry Clafoutis”
This is an awesome recipe! Easy to make . My version is with apples which technically is a Flaugnarde.
Most importantly the dish is delectible.
I will be making this again and again..
FYI I did not use a blender just hand wisked seemed to work.
I’m happy you enjoyed it! We love it with apples, too.
Loving all the process pics, especially the one of you pitting cherries while your kiddo grabs them straight from the bowl! Cherries alllllllllllll summer long!!!
Fresh summer cherries are my weakness! Love this delicious clafoutis 🙂
Cherry season is one of my favorite times of the year, just so I can bake and enjoy them! What a great recipe to make with the kids!
The dreaded task of pitting and cutting cherries. I wish there was a better way. I always end up with a mess when I’m done. Lol! This cherry clafoutis looks so beautiful.
I get so excited when I see cherries showing up at the store and the farmer’s market! Perfect dessert to use them in too!
I love cherry season! Cherries end up mostly in my tummy, but this clafoutis is perfect for the cherries I don’t end up eating!
Heading over for the recipe now! I have a cherry tree so I have so many that I don’t even know what to do with them all …. until now 🙂
OH yum! I am a huge cherry fan (and H&D fan) what a delicious use of them !