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If you can make pancake batter, you can make this Peach Clafoutis. I love serving it to guests – it always impresses, yet takes less effort than whipping up a batch of muffins. The name might sound fancy (it’s pronounced kla-foo-tee), but this French classic is all about simplicity and letting summer’s star fruit shine.
Imagine biting into a slice of custardy, pillowy perfection studded with juicy, sun-ripened peaches. The batter, a silky blend of milk, eggs, and flour with just a touch of sweetness, puffs up around the fruit as it bakes, creating a dessert that’s both rustic and elegant. With just eight everyday ingredients plus fresh peaches, this clafoutis comes together in minutes. Whether you serve it warm from the oven with a dusting of powdered sugar or chilled with a dollop of softly whipped cream, it’s a dessert that epitomizes effortless summer entertaining.
“Just cooked Peach Clafoutis – picked beautifully ripe peaches and used your recipe. Brilliant! Have used another recipe that I’ve been happy with for years but yours adding the thin layer of batter first gives a different product. Thank you.”
teena
Table of Contents
Peach Clafoutis Ingredients
- Butter: I use unsalted butter to control the salt content, but salted works too. Just be sure it’s room temperature for easy greasing of the baking dish.
- Milk: Whole milk is my go-to for its richness, but 2% will work in a pinch. The higher fat content contributes to that luxurious, custardy texture we’re after.
- Granulated Sugar: Regular granulated sugar works perfectly here. If you have superfine sugar on hand, it’ll dissolve even more readily into the batter.
- Eggs: I always opt for large eggs in my baking. They provide the perfect amount of structure and richness to the clafoutis.
- Vanilla: Pure vanilla extract is a must for me. Its floral notes complement the peaches beautifully. If you’re feeling fancy, try scraping a vanilla bean instead.
- Kosher Salt: A pinch of kosher salt enhances all the flavors. If you’re using fine sea salt, remember to use about half the amount.
- Flour: All-purpose flour is your best bet here. No need for anything fancy – this simple ingredient helps create that perfect, tender texture.
- Peaches: The stars of the show! Look for ripe, fragrant peaches that yield slightly to gentle pressure. Local, in-season peaches will give you the best flavor.
- Powdered Sugar: This is for dusting just before serving. It adds a touch of sweetness and makes the clafoutis look absolutely irresistible.
What is clafoutis?
Clafoutis is a classic French dessert that dates back to 19th-century Limousin, France. The first version featured the region’s black cherries, pits and all! But here’s what I love about clafoutis – it’s incredibly versatile. While cherry was the original, I’ve found this recipe works well for most any seasonal fruit you have on hand. You can easily swap half the peaches for other stone fruits like apricots or plums. Or try it with blueberries (I like to add a pinch of lemon zest), fresh raspberries, or blackberries. In the fall, I love making it with apples or pears, adding a warm note of cinnamon.
6 Recipe Tips
- Base layer: For the perfect clafoutis, make sure you first cook a thin dough layer in the oven or on the stovetop (if using a flame proof dish) before assembling the rest of the dessert. It will serve as a base and will prevent the fruit from sticking to the bottom. (I’ve called for using the oven to simplify the recipe and avoid any stovetop mishaps.)
- Timing is key: Clafoutis should be served warm, meaning timing is everything in this recipe. I like to put it in the oven just before I serve dinner. The heavenly aroma as you eat promises dessert!
- Fresh is best: Use fresh peaches, not canned. Canned peaches are too sweet and could end in a soggy dessert. Frozen peaches are an option, but you should measure them while frozen, then thaw and drain the slices before arranging in the baking dish.
- Fruit placement: Don’t overcrowd the clafoutis with fruit. You want to spread the fruit evenly leaving a little space between the peach slices (though some overlapping is okay).
- Sugar adjustment: Adjust the amount of sugar depending on how ripe and sweet your peaches are.
- Serving suggestions: Serve as is or with whipped cream or a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
How to Peel Fresh Peaches
The easiest way to peel ripe peaches is to blanch them in boiling water for 30 seconds, then transfer immediately to an ice bath. When they’ve had a few minutes to cool, lift them out and, with a sharp paring knife, slice an X across the top only deep enough to cut through the peel. The peel should slide off easily.
If the peel doesn’t slide off easily, it likely means that your peaches weren’t ripe. Don’t worry, you can still use the peaches for this dish. Use the paring knife to carefully peel and slice the peaches and proceed with the recipe. (Also great for making this easy Peach Bellini recipe!)
More Must-Try Desserts
How to Make Peach Clafoutis
In a blender, combine milk, ⅓ cup of the sugar, eggs, vanilla, salt and flour and blend until smooth. Pour ¼-inch layer into a buttered baking dish and place in an oven preheated to 350˚F for 5 minutes.
Spread peach slices evenly over set batter and sprinkle with remaining sugar. Pour over remaining batter and bake in the center of the oven until puffed and golden brown, 50-55 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool slightly. Serve warm, sprinkled with powdered sugar.
Peach Clafoutis
Ingredients
- butter for baking dish
- 1 1/4 cups whole milk
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar divided
- 3 large eggs
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 3 cups sliced ripe peaches about 4 medium peaches
- powdered sugar for sprinkling at the end
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350˚F.
- Butter a medium baking dish, ~2-quart and at least 1 1/2-inches deep. (see recipe note)
- Combine milk, 1/3 cup of the sugar, eggs, vanilla, salt and flour in a blender pitcher; blend until smooth and foamy, about 1 minute. Pour 1/4-inch layer in to prepared baking dish and place in oven for 5 minutes, or until batter has set. Remove from oven.
- Spread peach slices evenly over set batter. Sprinkle remaining sugar (~2 tablespoons) over peach slices. Pour on remaining batter. Bake in the center of the oven for 50-55 minutes, until the clafoutis is puffed and golden brown and a sharp knife or cake tester inserted into the center comes out clean. Remove from oven and let cool slightly.
- Just before serving, spoon powdered sugar into a fine sieve or shaker and sprinkle over the clafoutis. Serve warm.
Notes
- 11×7 inch or 8×8 inch baking dishes work well
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Just cooked Peach Clafoutis – picked beautifully ripe peaches and used your recipe. Brilliant! Have used another recipe that I’ve been happy with for years but yours adding the thin layer of batter first gives a different product. Thank you
I love this, Teena! Thank you for your kind comment and cooking notes.
Made this for a pot luck and gluten free. Was wonderful. Not too sweet and kinda tastes like a thick crepe.
That’s wonderful, Eileen! I’m so glad you enjoyed it and made it your own.
Question: Can I make the batter ahead of time & refrigerate until it’s ready to use? Would love to make this for a dinner party at a friend’s house; I figured I could make the batter at home then assemble & bake it at the party so that it’s warm when we eat it. Thanks!
Hi Paris! Yes, you can absolutely make the batter in advance. If you’re cutting the peaches in advance, be sure to take some measure to keep them from turning brown. You’ve probably read common methods for this, like tossing with a citrus juice like lemon, but I recently came across this unusual method. I haven’t tried it yet, but I’m intrigued. 🙂