Clafoutis Aux Cerises (French Cherry Dessert)

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Some desserts never fail to impress, and some desserts never fail to comfort.
Clafoutis aux cerises sits firmly in both categories - quietly elegant, deeply nostalgic, and always so yummy. It is a dessert that sits between a custard and a pancake, and a very gentle baked pudding. It is very simple to make, unfussy, and always super yummy.

Clafoutis dessert with icing sugar powdered on top in a cast iron skillet.

This traditional French dessert originates from the Limousin region, an area known for its cherry trees and black cherries bursting with juice at the height of cherry season. It is a dessert that's between a custard-like batter, a pancake, and a light flan; this dish proves that good things really don't need much fuss.

If you've ever made a Dutch baby, you'll instantly recognise the method - blend, pour, bake - but clafoutis has its own soul.

This is the best way I've found to make it at home, with good results every single time.

This French dessert was inspired by my Bacon and Eggs Dutch Baby Pancake, or these Dutch Baby Pancakes, and pairs well with this Yogurt, Flaxseeds And Chocolate Ice Cream Bars, oh yum!

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❓What Is Clafoutis Aux Cerises?
✅ Traditional vs Modern Clafoutis
🥧Ingredients You'll Need
🔪How to Make French Cherry Clafoutis
🧪Test
👩‍🍳Substitutions
🤹‍♀️Variations and Creative Ways to Make it Yours
📦Storage
📝Chef's Note
❓Recipe FAQs
Other Recipes You May Like to Try
Related Recipes You May Want to Try
🍒 Clafoutis Aux Cerises (French Cherry Dessert) Recipe

❓What Is Clafoutis Aux Cerises?

Clafoutis aux cerises (pronounced kla-foo-TEE oh seh-REEZ) is a classic French dessert made by baking fresh cherries in a lightly sweetened batter similar to crêpe batter.

Traditionally, it uses unpitted cherries - I did pit mine, I went the modern way- just in case- and the batter is poured in a single layer.

The result?
A soft, custardy centre with juicy cherries suspended throughout - not a cake, not a pie, but something wonderfully in between, and super easy to make, making it an ideal dessert for children to get involved in.

✅ Traditional vs Modern Clafoutis

Traditional Clafoutis

Made with black cherries
Uses unpitted cherries (yes, really!) and I will explain why in a bit
No cream, only whole milk
Very lightly sweetened
Subtle almond flavour from the cherry pits - yes, this is why pits were left in.

Modern Clafoutis (What Most of Us Make)

Pitted cherries (using a cherry pitter)
A splash of vanilla powder or vanilla extract
Sometimes, almond extract for that nostalgic flavour
Can include heavy cream or sour cream
Often baked in individual portions or a cast-iron skillet, just like I did.

Both are as good as heck. I lean modern only because broken teeth are not on today's menu - haha 😄

Traditional recipes leave the cherry pits in for two reasons:

They add a subtle almond flavor.
They prevent too much moisture from leaking into the batter.

🥧Ingredients You'll Need

This cherry clafoutis recipe utilizes simple pantry staples, allowing the fruit to shine.

Fresh cherries (sweet cherries, black cherries, or Bing cherries)
Unsalted butter, melted ( I used my homemade butter)
Unrefined sugar ( I always choose organic unrefined cane sugar - a better option)
Spelt flour - I like the depth and sweetness of spelt flour, and it's definitely a healthier option
Eggs, at room temperature (very important)
Whole milk - use full-fat milk, no question asked
Vanilla extract or vanilla sugar (mainly found in Europe)
Salt - just a pinch for a balanced taste and flavor

Ingredients needed for clafoutis aux cerises, spelt flour, sugar, salt, eggs, vanilla, butter, milk, cherries.

To finish (optional)

A little powdered sugar, for a light dusting
Whipped cream or a scoop of vanilla ice cream

👉 If you're baking during peak cherry season, the flavour will do most of the work for you, but if you do bake out of cherry season, you may add some almond flavouring or extract.

See the recipe card below for all the correct and exact quantities.

🔪How to Make French Cherry Clafoutis

Here are the steps you'll need to take to make this beautiful dessert:

Wash the cherries thoroughly.

Cherries being pitted and put in a white ceramic bowl.

Prepare the cherries, pit those.

Eggs, sugar, vanilla added to a clear glass bowl.

Add the eggs, vanilla, salt, and sugar to a glass bowl.

Eggs, sugar, and vanilla being mixed with a hand mixer.

Whizz together for approximately 1-2 minutes.

Milk and oil, added to the egg mix in the glass bowl.

Add the melted butter and milk to the mix.

Pitted cherries arranged in greased cast iron pan.

Place the cherries in the greased cast-iron pan.

Clafoutis Batter added to the cherries in a cast iron skillet.

Pour the batter onto the cherries.

Puffed up clafoutis in the oven, nicely browned.

Place in the oven and bake until golden

🙏 I need to apologise - I completely forgot to add a picture for the step where the flour is added, which makes me feel like a bit of a dolt. So add the sifted flour between Steps 4 and 5. After mixing the eggs, add flour, mix again, and then the remaining ingredients as per Step 5. I do hope you will forgive me for this!

Hint: Traditional recipes leave the cherry pits in because they add flavor and prevent the extra moisture from the fruit from leaking into the batter. I dry them with paper towels to reduce moisture.

That said, I have pitted the cherries, I always do, using my cherry pitter. I do cook for people, not for nostalgia injuries 😉.

🧪Test

I have tested and made this delicious French dessert using gluten-free flour for a gluten-free option, and I have to say it worked! It was almost as good. I have also used lentil flour to make a savory option - I will put more details below in the variation section for you to see, maybe you fancy trying a savory option too.

👩‍🍳Substitutions

Milk - swap milk for sour cream (half milk, half sour cream) or use heavy cream (double cream) for a richer French dessert. Dairy- free milk can also be used, but the texture will be a lighter one.
Flour - replace part of the flour with almond flour, or gluten-free flour will work very well too if you are using a fine-milled version.

🤹‍♀️Variations and Creative Ways to Make it Yours

Add different fruit 🍇 - it works with almost any fruit ( apricots, plums, peaches, pears, sour cherries. Dried fruit also works beautifully.
Savory option 🍋‍🟩- add chickpea or lentil flour for a healthy savory option - I have tried this, and it was so good. I added a few crumbs of feta cheese, pepper, and scallions/spring onions, topped with two sunny-side-up fried eggs. OMG - it was delicious. A fusion between a Dutch baby and my Lentil bread recipe.
Slightly Spicy 🌶️, yes, you read it right! Sweet and spicy - crazy, right? I have added a tablespoon of this beautiful Chili Jam. Out of this world!!
Boozy twist - add 1 tablespoon of cherry brandy, kirsch, or amaretto- it will enhance the almond notes beautifully.

📦Storage

Store the wet ingredients (lettuce, tomato, onion) separately from the dry ingredients (buns) in the fridge, and recombine when ready. Good for 2-3 days.

These ingredients do/don't stand up well to freezing for X days/weeks/months.

📝Chef's Note

This French cherry clafoutis isn't about perfection; it's about seasonal fruit, a warm kitchen, and the joy of simple desserts done well and easily. It's the kind of recipe that survives generations because it doesn't try too hard.

Make it once, and you will come back to making it every cherry season 🍒.

❓Recipe FAQs

Can I make clafoutis ahead of time?

Yes, it's actually lovely at room temperature and can be kept for 2 days in the fridge.

Do I have to pit the cherries?

No - traditional clafoutis uses unpitted cherries, but for safety, I recommend pitting.

Can I freeze clafoutis?

You can, but texture suffers. It's best enjoyed fresh.

Why did mine sink?

This is totally normal. Clafoutis puffs then settles - that's part of its charm 😇.

Is clafoutis supposed to be custardy?

Absolutely. If it slices like cake, something went wrong.

Can I make individual portions?

Yes - bake in small ramekins for 25-30 minutes.

Can you reheat this dessert?

Yes! You could easily reheat it in the oven at 150 °C/300 °F for about 7 minutes, or in the microwave for about 15 seconds, just until it's warm.

Other Recipes You May Like to Try

Looking for other dessert recipes? Try these:

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