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Cherry Clafoutis

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Cherry clafoutis, made famous by Julia Child, is a simple French custard dish, that's easier to make than pancakes! A fuss-free versatile recipe, you can make this year round with frozen or fresh cherries.
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 50 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes
Close up of a pan of cherry clafoutis with a serving missing.

What is it about custard? Whether I’m making a buttermilk quiche, microwave lemon curd, or chocolate peanut butter ice cream, there’s just something about the smooth creaminess of it I can’t get enough of.

I love making cherry clafoutis! The custard takes only minutes to assemble and is a terrific way to showcase fresh cherries in summer or frozen cherries in cooler months. My version of this rustic French treat is lightly sweetened and includes a hint of almond extract.

If you’re not familiar, clafoutis is a classic dessert in which fruit, traditionally cherries, and a flan-like egg batter are baked together. As the clafoutis bakes, the edges puff up around the fruit and turn golden. Essentially an egg custard with flour added to hold its shape, this cherry clafoutis recipe is smooth, creamy, and loaded with fruit!

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💞 Why You’ll Love This Recipe

✔️ It’s easier to make than pancakes.
✔️ Most of the time is spent hands-off.
✔️ You can serve it for breakfast, brunch, snack, or dessert!

📋 Ingredients

Ingredient Notes

  • Cherries—Fresh cherries are great in season, but frozen cherries work fine the rest of the year. Clafoutis with frozen cherries takes longer to bake.

It’s important to note that when making substitutions in recipes, the texture and flavor may be slightly different. However, these substitutes are the best options if you are looking to change the original recipe.

Ingredient Substitutions

  • Cherries—Use any fresh or frozen fruit you like in place of cherries. Blueberries, strawberries, peaches, and rhubarb are all amazing.
  • Almond Extract—If you don’t have almond extract use all vanilla.

Use the JUMP TO RECIPE button at the top of this post, or scroll to the bottom of the post, to see the PRINTABLE recipe card with ingredient measurements and complete instructions.

👩‍🍳 How To Make Cherry Clafoutis

STEP 1—Use your hands to butter a baking dish.

Process shots 1 & 2.

STEP 2—Whisk the flour, sugar, and salt together in a mixing bowl. Add the milk and whisk smooth.

STEP 3—Add the eggs, vanilla, and almond extract to the bowl. Whisk everything together to a smooth batter.

Process shots 3 & 4.

STEP 4—Add ¾ cup of batter to the buttered dish and bake for 8 to 10 minutes. The pre-baked bottom helps the cherries sit in place.

STEP 5—Pour the remaining custard over the pre-baked bottom layer of custard.

Process shots 5 & 6.

STEP 6—Arrange the cherries in the dish and bake for 60 to 65 minutes (frozen cherries) or 45 to 50 minutes (fresh cherries). The clafoutis is done when the edges are puffy and golden and the middle is wobbly but not wet.

🗣 Expert Tips

1. You can use pitted or un-pitted cherries. Let people know if you leave the pits in! Broken teeth are not fun.🦷
2. To easily pit cherries, push the stones out and through using the tip of a metal straw.
3. The custard will deflate almost immediately after you remove it from the oven. This is normal!

📝 Recipe Notes

  • It’s common to add a dusting of powdered sugar to clafoutis for garnish. This is totally optional.
  • Clafoutis is best eaten warm after baking but can be served hot or cold.
  • Once cool, wrap the baking dish tightly with plastic wrap, and store the cherry clafoutis in the fridge for up to two days.
  • To reheat, microwave on half power for 20 to 30 seconds.
A pan of cherry clafoutis with a portion removed.

🙋‍♀️ Recipe FAQ

What does clafoutis mean in French?

The word clafoutis doesn’t have a direct translation to English, however, it refers to a French custard dish baked with fruit.

What does clafoutis taste like?

If you can imagine a pancake, crepe, soufflé, flan, and custard all rolled into one, with vanilla, almond extract, and fruit baked in, then that’s what a clafoutis tastes like.

Can cherry clafoutis be served cold?

Yes absolutely! Because it’s quite an eggy dish, however, it’s commonly served warm to take the chill off.

Did you make this cherry clafoutis? Please rate the recipe and tell me how it went in the comments below. Also, stay in touch with me on Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest to see more delicious food and recipes!

Printable Recipe Card

Close up of a pan of cherry clafoutis with a serving missing.

Cherry Clafoutis

Author: Kelly Neil
Cherry clafoutis, made famous by Julia Child, is a simple French custard dish, that's easier to make than pancakes! A fuss-free versatile recipe, you can make this year round with frozen or fresh cherries.
4.68 from 25 votes
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 50 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 5 minutes
Course Breakfast & Brunch
Cuisine French
Servings 8 servings
Calories 177 kcal

Special Equipment

  • 1 9-inch (23-cm) round or square baking dish
  • Measuring cups and spoons or digital kitchen scale
  • 1 Medium-large mixing bowl
  • 1 Whisk
Need Metric Measurements?Use the button options below to toggle between US cups and Metric grams.

Ingredients
 
 

  • 1 tablespoon butter
  • ½ cup all-purpose flour
  • ½ cup sugar
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup whole milk
  • 3 large eggs
  • 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla
  • ½ teaspoon almond extract
  • 3 cups fresh or frozen cherries , pitted

Instructions
 

  • Preheat the oven to 350ºF (180ºC). Use your hands to grease a 9-inch (23-cm) round or square baking dish with the butter.
  • In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, and salt. Add the milk to the flour and whisk well to combine.
  • Add the eggs, vanilla, and almond extract. Whisk everything together until a smooth batter forms.
  • Pour ¾ cup (190ml) of the batter into the bottom of the buttered dish. Place the dish in the oven and bake it for 8 to 10 minutes or until set.
  • Remove the dish from the oven and carefully pour in the remaining batter. Scatter the cherries evenly around the dish. Return the dish to the oven and bake for 50 to 55 minutes (frozen cherries) or 45 to 50 minutes (fresh cherries). The clafoutis is done when the edges are puffy and golden and the middle is wobbly but not wet.
  • Remove the clafoutis from the oven and transfer to a wire rack to cool for 15 to 20 minutes. Spoon or slice, and serve warm.

Recipe Notes

  • It’s common to add a dusting of powdered sugar to clafoutis for garnish. This is totally optional.
  • Clafoutis is best eaten warm after baking, but can be served hot or cold.
  • Once cool, wrap the baking dish tightly with plastic wrap, and store the cherry clafoutis in the fridge for up to two days.
  • To re-heat, microwave on half power for 20 to 30 seconds.

Nutrition

Serving: 113gCalories: 177kcalCarbohydrates: 30gProtein: 5gFat: 4gSaturated Fat: 2gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0.1gCholesterol: 77mgSodium: 123mgPotassium: 207mgFiber: 1gSugar: 22gVitamin A: 232IUVitamin C: 4mgCalcium: 59mgIron: 1mg
Did you make this recipe?Let me know on Instagram @kellyneildotcom or tag #kellyneil!

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