Cherry Clafoutis is a simple French dessert that’s made by baking fresh cherries into a thick custard-like batter. It’s one of my favorite easy desserts to throw together in the summer using in-season sweet cherries! You can serve clafoutis warm, room temperature, or chilled — but the whipped cream is non-negotiable!
“Absolute new FAVORITE!!! The recipe was so easy to follow, with details and pictures to assist a rookie baker like myself. Many times you try a new recipe and it does not taste as good as it looks but this one definitely hit all the marks! I am SO impressed and cannot wait to try something else by Jenny!” – Monique, So Much Food reader
Table of contents
What Is Clafoutis Anyway?
Clafoutis is a French dessert made with fresh fruit that’s baked into a thick custard-like batter. (Think: somewhere between creme brûlée and angel food cake.) It’s much sturdier than a normal custard thanks to a bit of flour, but somehow still manages to be light and creamy.
This cherry almond clafoutis recipe takes just 5 minutes to assemble since the custard mixture is whizzed up in a blender. It’s the perfect recipe for using up those sweet summer cherries you bought on sale! There’s half a pound of cherries split between the four ramekins, so the flavor of the fruit really shines.
Clafoutis is generally served lukewarm and dusted with powdered sugar, but I like to add some hand-whipped cream for a little something extra!
Tools Needed
The Main Ingredients
You can find the full list of ingredients, quantities, and method in the recipe card at the end of the page.
- Cherries. Sweet cherries are traditional, but I love this dessert with sweet or tart. Whatever your preference is!
- Half and half. You could make this recipe with whole milk, but the half and half takes it to the next level.
- Vanilla yogurt. Using yogurt isn’t strictly traditional, but I love the bit of tang and extra creaminess that the vanilla yogurt provides. If you don’t have regular yogurt, you could also swap in vanilla skyr or Greek yogurt.
- Eggs. Eggs make the custard light and puffy.
- Flour. You don’t need much, but the little bit really makes a difference and gives the cherry clafoutis structure.
- Granulated sugar. This is a recipe where you can adjust the sugar down slightly if you want to. I think it’s the perfect level of sweetness though.
- Vanilla + almond extracts. The combo of vanilla and almond really brings out the flavor of the cherries.
- Melted unsalted butter. Butter makes everything better!
- Sea salt. A bit of sea salt helps balance the sweetness.
- Liqueur. I usually opt for a touch of amaretto or Grand Marnier. Totally optional, but it really adds an amazing depth of flavor.
Want to Make This Recipe with Frozen Cherries? Here’s How
If using frozen cherries, be sure to thoroughly thaw them and then place them on a paper towel-lined baking sheet. Pat the cherries dry with more paper towels to prevent any excess moisture from seeping into the custard.
How to Make French-Style Cherry Clafoutis
- Prep your cherries. Start by pitting your cherries and then cutting them in half. A cherry pitter makes quick work of this, but you can also use a paring knife.
- Prep the ramekins. You’ll want to butter each ramekin really well before placing roughly 1/3 cup of the halved cherries in each ramekin. I like to set the ramekins on a rimmed baking sheet at this point so I can easily slide them in and out of the oven.
- Make the custard. This step takes no time at all since the ingredients are just blitzed in a blender until smooth and poured into the ramekins. So easy!
- Bake just until the clafoutis is barely set. You want the centers to have a little jiggle to them. Let the clafoutis cool for 15 minutes before serving (this gives the custard time to firm up slightly).
Jenny’s Tip: You can serve clafoutis slightly warm, at room temperature, or even chilled! It totally depends on your preference. I actually liked them even better the next day chilled because the flavor really had time to come through. Whatever you do, always serve them dusted with powdered sugar and whipped cream.
Adapting This Recipe for Different Pan Sizes
I love making clafoutis as an individual dessert! I used 10 oz ramekins here, but you could use smaller ramekins like 6 or 8 oz. Adjust the baking time down accordingly and start checking around 15 minutes or so. The clafoutis should just barely jiggle in the center.
If you don’t have access to ramekins, you can also bake this is a deep 10-inch pie pan. I would opt for a ceramic pie dish vs metal. You’ll have to adjust the bake time to about 35 minutes or so.
If you do give it a try, be sure to let me know! Leave a comment with a star rating below. Be sure to subscribe to my weekly newsletter and never miss a new recipe! You can also snap a photo & tag @JENNYGOYCOCHEA on Instagram. I LOVE hearing about & seeing your SMF creations!
More Summer Desserts to Make with Fresh Fruit
- Wild Blueberry Cobbler
- Key Lime Pie Bars
- Strawberry Lemon Shortcake
- Small Batch Strawberry Crisp
- Bourbon Peach Crisp
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Cherry Clafoutis Recipe
Ingredients
- 1/2 lb cherries, stems removed, pitted, and cut in half
- 1 1/2 cups half and half
- 1/2 cup vanilla skyr or full-fat yogurt
- 3 eggs
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1/3 cup all purpose flour
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted (1/2 stick)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste or extract
- 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
- 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
- 1 tablespoon amaretto or Grand Marnier, optional
- powdered sugar, for dusting
- whipped cream, for serving
Instructions
- Prep the ramekins and preheat the oven. Grease the ramekins really well with room temperature unsalted butter. Place 1/3 cup of halved cherries in each ramekin. Place the ramekins on a baking sheet and preheat an oven to 350ºF.
- Make the custard. Combine the remaining ingredients in a blender and blend until very smooth. Evenly divide the batter among the ramekins and top with a couple more cherries.
- Bake. Bake for 22-24 minutes, until the center of the clafoutis is just barely set. It should still jiggle slightly in the center.
- Cool before serving. Remove from the oven and cool for 15 minutes. Dust with powdered sugar and serve lukewarm topped with whipped cream and more cherries.
Storage Instructions
- To store: If you have leftovers, wrap them tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate for up to 5 days. You can pop it in the microwave for 20-30 seconds to warm it slightly, if desired.
Rate & Review This Recipe
Absolute new FAVORITE!!! The recipe was so easy to follow, with details and pictures to assist a rookie baker like myself. Many times you try a new recipe and it does not taste as good as it looks but this one definitely hit all the marks! I am SO impressed and cannot wait to try something else by Jenny!
Monique,
So happy you loved the recipe!
I’m confused. Your recipe says, ” bake for 22-24 minutes — remove from oven and cook for 15 minutes.”
Where do you cook it for 15 more minutes? Do you return it to the oven for 15 more minutes? HELP!!
Hi Janet,
That’s simply a typo–thank you for bringing it to my attention. It should say ‘cool’ for 15 minutes before serving. Hope that helps!