Cherry clafoutis is a classic French dessert that pairs fresh fruit with a light custard-like batter that’s baked until puffy and golden. My version is lightened up and portioned into individual ramekins for the perfect summer dessert!
Easy Cherry Clafoutis Recipe
Clafoutis is a little hard to describe if you’ve never had it before. It’s puffy like a Dutch baby pancake, creamy like custard, and it’s made with fresh fruit like a classic tart. And, like so many French recipes, it’s made with a surprisingly short list of ingredients! Cherry clafoutis is an easy dessert to whip up when you have fresh cherries on hand. (You’ll also love my pumpkin hazelnut custard and flaugnarde of mixed berries, which are similar.)
Why This Cherry Clafoutis Is a Must-Try
Clafoutis can be made with all kinds of fruit, from apples and pears in the fall to raspberries, plums, peaches, and strawberries in the summer. But I think cherry clafoutis is my very favorite version.
The traditional French version of this recipe has you leave the pits in the cherries, but it’s not very elegant to eat that way, so I always remove them first!
- Easy to make: The batter is whisked together in a single bowl, then poured into ramekins.
- Light and fruity: This isn’t an overly rich or decadent dessert, making it perfect for summer when you’re craving something lighter.
- Great for entertaining: Individual ramekins are a much easier way to serve clafoutis for a party!
Ingredients You’ll Need
Below are the ingredients for this cherry clafoutis. See the recipe card for exact measurements.
- Fresh cherries: Pit and halve the cherries before baking. Rainier and Bing cherries both work well here; you want sweet cherries, not tart.
- Eggs are a key ingredient since clafoutis is a custard.
- Raw sugar: Monk fruit sweetener would work fine too.
- All-purpose flour to give the batter structure.
- Salt balances the sweetness.
- Fat-free milk: This is my swap to lighten up the traditional cherry clafoutis recipe.
- Vanilla extract: Or, for a different spin on this recipe, use almond extract instead.
- Powdered sugar for dusting before serving.
- Baking spray to keep the clafoutis from sticking to the ramekins.
How to Make Cherry Clafoutis
This elegant dessert comes together with just a few simple steps.
- Prepare the ramekins: Preheat the oven to 350°F. Coat four 5-ounce ramekins with baking spray and lightly dust with flour.
- Add the cherries: Divide the halved cherries among the prepared ramekins.
- Make the batter: Whisk together the eggs, sugar, flour, and salt until smooth. Add the milk and vanilla, then whisk again until combined.
- Fill the ramekins: Pour the batter evenly over the cherries.
- Bake: Bake for 25 to 28 minutes, or until the tops are lightly golden and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Cool and serve: Let the clafoutis cool slightly or to room temperature. Dust with powdered sugar just before serving.
Cherry Clafoutis
Ingredients
- 1 1/3 cups pitted cherries, sliced in half
- 2 large eggs
- 1/4 cup raw sugar
- 1/4 cup unbleached all-purpose flour, sifted
- pinch salt
- 1/2 cup fat free milk
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- powdered sugar for dusting
- baking spray
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350F°.
- Lightly spray 4 5-oz ramekins with baking spray and dust with a little flour. Toss in the cherries.
- Whisk the eggs, sugar, salt, and flour in a medium bowl together until smooth.
- Add the milk and vanilla extract. Whisk until smooth then pour into the baking dish.
- Bake for 25-28 minutes or until lightly browned and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- When you pull it put of the oven it will wiggle and puffed up and will deflate while cooling.
- Cool on a wire rack.
- When cool, dust with powdered sugar and serve.
Last Step:
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Tips from Gina’s Test Kitchen
- Don’t stress if it deflates: Just like Dutch babies, clafoutis naturally puffs up tall while baking, then settles as it cools.
- Dust with powdered sugar just before serving: If you dust it when it’s fresh out of the oven, the powdered sugar will melt right into the cherry clafoutis.
- Serve slightly warm or at room temperature: I think the texture is best when the clafoutis is just a little bit warm.
Variations
- Substitute fresh blueberries, raspberries, or sliced peaches.
- After assembling, sprinkle sliced or slivered almonds on top for a little crunch. This is especially good if you use almond extract instead of vanilla.
- Serve with a dollop of whipped cream.
Storage Tips
- Refrigerator: Cover the cherry clafoutis and refrigerate leftovers for up to 3 days.
- To serve again: Enjoy chilled, or let the clafoutis come to room temperature before serving. You can also warm it briefly in the microwave for 10 to 15 seconds.
Made half a recipe to try. Will be making again. Made with fresh tart cherries. Instead of the full amount of vanilla, I went with half the amount of vanilla and added the same (half the amount) of almond extract. Not overly sweet, which I like. This is dessert I enjoy without guilt.
Made a half batch to share with my husband, and it was so good! I’ll be making these to save in my fridge from now on!
A family favorite!
Can you use almond milk in place of skim? I don’t see why not? I’m excited to try this!
I made this tonight and it was so good! Already had it mixed up and realized I was out of vanilla, so I substituted rum extract and that worked well, too!
You can sub equal amounts of Splenda Brown Sugar to Raw Sugar. Same goes for regular brown sugar.
Wonderful recipe! I was looking for a lower calorie custard dessert that did not compromise on taste, and this came out splendid! I didn’t have cherries so I used figs and it came out beautiful. Thank you very much
These look great! Do you think the same technique would work with scallops? My husband is allergic to shrimp so I'd love an option we can both enjoy!
I simply must get that cherry pitter! I adore fresh cherries. Thank you!
This was delicious with peaches. Thanks Gina
I have some peaches that need using…could I substitute peaches for the cherries here?
Just as a helpful hint- I happened upon using the end of a medium-large funnel to pit the cherries! Worked like a charm 🙂
Absolutely delicious and healthy! Going to try this! Thank you so much!
I like this recipe a lot….I would like to try soaking the cherries in some kind of liquor…just a touch for flavouring but I'm not much of a drinker and am not familiar with the flavours of a lot of alcohol…something inexpensive and that I can buy in small portions…I know this ups the point count but wanna try it…suggestions?
I LOVED seeing you today. Thank you for a fabulous morning at the farmers market; I miss you already.
Have a great afternoon; I NEED to make this great dessert for my clients.
xox
I've never seen a cherry pitter like that before. So neat. And I love your deep purple dishes!
These look so good! And that cherry pitter looks amazing!
This is so fun! And that cherry pitter is incredibly cool. I just added it to my Amazon wishlist.
Can you use egg beaters instead of eggs?
Can you replace the raw sugar with Stevia?
Hi,
Do you have a method for making it gluten free?
Thanks for all your great recipes
Lisa
I would sub in a gluten-free flour that doesn't contain xanthan gum. Personally, I have a favorite home blend…sweet white sorghum flour, white rice (fine-grind) flour, and tapioca starch that I will always try first. In this instance, 2 T., 1 T, and 1 T. I hasn't let me down yet! (Chris in Indiana)
Chris, I am wondering why no on the xantham gum? I am wondering why Cup4Cup flour wouldn’t work? That lists xantham gum as the last ingredient.
What's the best way to reheat these, if you have leftovers?
Clearly I need to invest in some ramekins — I've been putting it off, and keep seeing great recipes like this that convince me to buy them all over again. I may have to try this anyway (in a single dish), perhaps with berries instead.
Do you serve these at room temperature or chilled?
If I wanted to substitute splenda for the sugar would it still be 1/4 cup?
You can sub equal amounts of Splenda Brown Sugar to Raw Sugar. Same goes for regular brown sugar.
I have a similar recipe using mixed berries made in one larger dish made for 8 servings, you can follow this recipe and replace the berries with cherries. https://www.skinnytaste.com/2011/08/flaugnarde-of-mixed-berries-clafoutis.html
look amazing!
Looks wonderful! I love cherries! I need to pick up more today!!!
Yummy! Thanks for always sharing delicious recipes. I use your site as reference if I like to try something new and healthy.
I have a whole bunch of cherries and some lovely ramekins I bought on impulse that my fiance has been begging me to use. This is perfect!
That cherry pitter looks so easy! And cherries have been everywhere this summer! Definitely makes me want to make some cherry cobbler or custard! 🙂
I do not have ramekins. Wil try making in my 8×8 square.
ok, made this tonight in a pie plate with no water bath. Came out great. Took about 5 extra minutes to cook. Thanks for another wonderful recipe!!
I made this tonight to use up excess cherries. My husband and I both loved it. It took me a little longer to have the toothpick come out clean, but otherwise everything went as directed. The hubby recommends a scoop of butter pecan Haagen-Dasz to round it out! Thanks so much for sharing your recipes, Gina! They are awesome!
Curious about the ramekin vs other pan issue AND whether or not you used a water bath with the ramekins (I couldn't really tell from the photo and didn't know if you left it out of the instructions b/c you assumed we would know to do that?). Thanks for another great one, Gina. I'm going to try this on Sunday. Mmmm.
I didn't use a water bath, if you want to use a large pan, I would double the recipe for 8.
So quick and easy! I made this on my lunch break for tonights dessert, can't wait to try it!
LOVE THAT CHERRY PITTER!!!!!
I don't have ramekins, do you think I could do this in a pie plate?
Do you have to use ramekins or can this be made in a small pan? Thank you for all the delicious/healthy recipes!
I use a straw to pit my cherries – but yours looks much nicer! Also – what size pan could I use if I don't have ramekins?
This looks amazing, I have a huge container of cherries in my fridge that I need to use – going to try this out tonight. Do you think I could use almond milk?
Yum-I think almond milk sounds great with it! I think I'll try that just to see!
Could you use Rainer cherries instead?!
Try it-I bet it would be delicious!
You are so amazing it blows my mind how do you do it?? You are so inspiring!
Wow! I think this is the best cherry pitter I've seen to date. The cherry custard looks amazing!
Can't wait to try this recipe! I, too, just got a new cherry pitter! Mine does four cherries at a time so now I'm looking for more cherry recipes just to "oooh" and "awww" at how fast I can pit cherries now! Thanks for all your wonderful recipes – I've tried many and they have all been a success!
I love that cherry pitter, it looks so easy. I still have to buy one and have therefore been using raspberries in substitute of cherries. And that whisk looks so colorful–my guess is Sur La Table??
This looks sooo good! Can I put this in another dish? What size do you suggest? 8 x 8 or a pie pan maybe?
LOVE the color of your ramekins…mine are boring white. where do they sell colored ones? this looks yummy cannot wait to try these.
Diane
I found some ramekins at Target… Look in the generic target section with all the coffee cups and other ceramics. They sell individually, not in sets. I got larger ramekins in yellow and blue.
Home Goods! Also you can get lucky at TJ Maxx
I found some inexpensive sets at World Market in multiple pretty colors.
This looks delicious Gina! I might have to make one for myself! 🙂
🙂
I've always been kind of intimidated by custards but this looks easier than I thought!
It's easy!
Yummy! Can cherries be substituted for other fruits in the same amount?
Sure, you can use berries too.
Thanks for posting this! I was literally just searching for a dessert recipe to use up a bunch of fresh cherries I have for tonight. I'll definitely give this one a try!
I love when that happens!