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You can thank the French for coming up with Cherry Clafoutis: the easiest, most delicious fruit dessert you’ll ever make. Even if you’ve never been a great baker, this foolproof recipe is so simple and forgiving, you may surprise yourself.
A good Cherry Clafoutis recipe should be simple to execute and delicious to taste. Some recipes call for roasting the cherries first, but that completely misses the whole point of a Clafoutis! Simplicity is the name of the game.
This Cherry Clafoutis recipe has a soft, almost custard-like base from an easy, one-bowl batter, and all the fresh cherries you are looking for.
Cherry Clafoutis is the perfect dessert to make for a dinner party with close friends because it comes together quickly and gives you time to catch up. Place a Cherry Clafoutis out on the table, piping hot and fresh out of the oven, and watch it disappear, slice by marvelous slice.
Table of Contents
Recipe ingredients
At a Glance: Here is a quick snapshot of what ingredients are in this recipe.
Please see the recipe card below for specific quantities.
Ingredient notes
- Cherries: I like to use a cherry pitter to remove pits, but you can also use a pairing knife. This recipe calls for fresh cherries, but you can substitute frozen or even canned cherries. Thaw and/or drain the cherries in advance, then make the recipe as directed.
Step-by-step instructions
- Adjust oven racks to upper and lower-middle positions. Place a 12-inch oven-safe skillet on the upper rack. Line a rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil for easy cleanup and place on lower rack. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. In a medium bowl, add cherries, 2 teaspoons flour, lemon juice, and cinnamon. Toss until evenly coated.
- In a large bowl, whisk together eggs, sugar, vanilla, and salt until pale and smooth, about 1 minute. Whisk in remaining ½ cup flour until smooth. Whisk in cream and milk until combined.
- Carefully remove skillet from oven (handle will be very hot). Add butter and swirl to coat bottom and sides of skillet (butter will melt and brown quickly).
- Immediately pour batter into skillet and top evenly with cherries (it’s okay if some sink into the batter). Transfer skillet to upper rack.
- Bake until puffy and golden brown, about 18 to 22 minutes, rotating skillet halfway through baking time. The center of the clafouti should reach 195 degrees on an instant-read thermometer and the edges will be dark brown.
- Transfer to a wire rack and cool 25 minutes. Dust with powdered sugar.
- Slice in to wedges to serve (or use a spoon and scoop).
Recipe tips and variations
- Yield: This recipe makes 1 Cherry Clafoutis with 6 slices (or more depending on how you cut them).
- Storage: Store leftover Clafoutis covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. For better leftovers, reheat extra Clafoutis before digging in (the microwave is fine).
Recipe FAQs
This French word is pronounced “klah-foo-TEE.”
Technically, clafoutis is a baked custard that is studded with fresh fruit, traditionally cherries. It is made with a batter pudding with a light, slightly eggy texture that firms as it cools. Because of its high egg and cream content, it bakes up rather flat and should be enjoyed right away.
Clafoutis is from rural south central France; it takes its name from clafir, a word meaning “to fill.”
Although it’s made traditionally made with cherries, you can use whatever fruit your heart desires. Stone fruits work particularly well: peaches, apricots, plums, or prunes. Berries are good, too.
Don’t let a shortage of fresh fruit stop you from making clafoutis. Frozen or canned fruit is perfectly fine; just make sure the fruit is thawed and/or drained beforehand.
More fresh fruit desserts
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Cherry Clafoutis
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 pounds fresh sweet cherries pitted and halved (see note 1)
- 1/2 cup + 2 teaspoons all-purpose flour divided
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- 1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 4 large eggs
- 2/3 cup granulated sugar
- 2 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1/4 teaspoon Salt
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 2/3 cup whole milk
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 2 teaspoons powdered sugar for dusting
Instructions
- Adjust oven racks to upper and lower-middle positions. Place a 12-inch oven-safe skillet on the upper rack. Line a rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil for easy cleanup and place on lower rack. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.
- In a medium bowl, add cherries, 2 teaspoons flour, lemon juice, and cinnamon. Toss until evenly coated.
- In a large bowl, whisk together eggs, sugar, vanilla, and salt until pale and smooth, about 1 minute. Whisk in remaining ½ cup flour until smooth. Whisk in cream and milk until combined.
- Carefully remove skillet from oven (handle will be very hot). Add butter and swirl to coat bottom and sides of skillet (butter will melt and brown quickly).
- Immediately pour batter into skillet and top evenly with cherries (it's okay if some sink into the batter). Transfer skillet to upper rack.
- Bake until puffy and golden brown, about 18 to 22 minutes, rotating skillet halfway through baking time. The center of the clafouti should reach 195 degrees on an instant-read thermometer and the edges will be dark brown.
- Transfer to a wire rack and cool 25 minutes. Dust with powdered sugar. Slice into wedges to serve.
Notes
- Cherries: I like to use a cherry pitter to remove pits, but you can also use a pairing knife. This recipe calls for fresh cherries, but you can substitute frozen or even canned cherries. Thaw and/or drain the cherries in advance, then make the recipe as directed.
- Yield: This recipe makes 1 Cherry Clafoutis with 6 slices (or more depending on how you cut them).
- Storage: Store leftover Clafoutis covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. For better leftovers, reheat extra Clafoutis before digging in (the microwave is fine).
Nutrition
Meggan Hill is a classically-trained chef and professional writer. Her meticulously-tested recipes and detailed tutorials bring confidence and success to home cooks everywhere. Meggan has been featured on NPR, HuffPost, FoxNews, LA Times, and more.
I have made this several times & it is wonderful! I suggest anyone try this. I have tried others & they are not as good as this one. I have been to Paris & this recipe is great. Thank You 🙂
Thanks Kimberly, so glad you love it! – Meggan
This recipe is simply the best. I know it’s a bit past cherry season, but frozen cherries are what I use so it really doesn’t matter. There’s a ton of versions out there but this one nails it. It’s very French and so so so good.
I’m glad you think it’s so so so good! Thank you Clare! 😀