RecipesCherry (Sour) › Sour Cherry Clafoutis

Sour Cherry Clafoutis

The French classic baked custard dessert that traditionally uses sour cherries (traditionally left whole with pits). This version pits them for easier eating but preserves the authentic batter — a loose, custardy mixture somewhere between a pancake and a flan that puffs up golden and spectacular in the oven.

50 min (15 min prep, 35 min cook)Serves 6easyPuddingsvegetarian

Ingredients

  • 2½ cups fresh sour cherries, pitted
  • 3 large eggs
  • 1 cup whole milk
  • ¼ cup heavy cream
  • ½ cup granulated sugar
  • ½ cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • ¼ tsp almond extract (optional)
  • 1 tbsp unsalted butter, for greasing the dish
  • 2 tbsp powdered sugar, for dusting

Contains: cereals gluten, eggs, milk, nuts.

Method

  1. Preheat oven to 375°F. Butter a 10-inch ovenproof skillet or baking dish generously.About 5 min
  2. Blend eggs, milk, cream, sugar, flour, vanilla, and almond extract in a blender until completely smooth. Rest batter 5 minutes.About 6 min
  3. Scatter pitted cherries in a single layer in the buttered dish. Pour batter evenly over the cherries.About 3 min
  4. Bake for 35 minutes until puffed, lightly browned on top, and set — it will wobble very slightly in the center. It deflates as it cools — this is normal.About 35 min
  5. Dust generously with powdered sugar and serve warm, directly from the dish.About 1 min

Tips

  • Clafoutis is meant to be custardy, not cake-like — don't worry if the center seems soft.
  • A blender gives a smoother batter than whisking by hand.
  • Serve within 30 minutes of coming out of the oven while still warm and puffed.

Ring the changes

  • Make it with sweet cherries for a more traditional, less tart version.
  • Add 1 tbsp kirsch to the batter for an authentic French touch.

Keeping it

Best eaten warm on the day it's made. Can be refrigerated for up to 2 days; reheat gently.

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Tony C Smith
Tony C Smith

Allotment keeper in the North East of England, the voice behind the Tony C Smith YouTube channel, and the gardener who built GrowMore CookMore. Club numbers on this page update as members log their plots. Last updated 4 April 2026.