These juicy, nutty, and rich Brown Butter, Hazelnut, and Cherry Clafoutis Bars are a celebration of all the best parts of summer, made portable and easy to share.
It’s cherry season and I’ve been totally obsessed. My son has been devouring bag after bag, which pushed me from casual fan to all-in. Cherries vanish from our kitchen in a blink, so I started reserving a few cups right after returning from the market to experiment in the oven. What I love most about cherries is how well they hold their shape when baked and how their deep burgundy color turns even simple desserts into something stunning.
One of my long-time favorites is clafoutis. This elegant, rustic French dessert is deceptively simple—cherries baked in a light custard—and it’s always a crowd-pleaser. This year I wanted a portable version: something I could pack for a picnic or bring to a friend’s house. So I asked myself—can clafoutis be transformed into a bar?
Yes—I turned clafoutis into a bar. I also snuck brown butter into the filling for a deep, nutty note. Cherries and hazelnuts are a natural pairing: the crust contains ground hazelnuts and the filling gets its warm aroma from beurre noisette—French for brown butter, literally “hazelnut butter” because of the toasty scent it develops when cooked slowly.
I originally planned to use brown butter in the crust but wanted a bolder flavor in the filling. To make the filling hold up like a proper bar, I adjusted the classic clafoutis ratio—less cream, more flour—and added brown butter. The result is a texture close to a blondie, studded with juicy cherries and a delicate hazelnut crunch. It’s a summer dessert that’s both refined and approachable.
I know what you’re thinking: pitting cherries is tedious. It can be, but I finally gave in and bought a cherry pitter—and it’s been a game changer. If you make cherries often, a good pitter is sturdy, simple to use, and saves time. If you prefer to pit by hand, that works just as well; the recipe is flexible.
If you can save a few cherries from the snackers in your household, try these clafoutis bars. They’re a celebration of summer—juicy cherries, toasty hazelnuts, and rich brown butter—served in a convenient, shareable form.
VIDEO: How to make brown butter
Learn how to make brown butter step by step. The technique is simple and the flavor transforms both sweet and savory dishes.
Brown Butter, Hazelnut, and Cherry Clafoutis Bars
25 mins
55 mins
1 hr 20 mins
16 bars
Marie Asselin (FoodNouveau.com)
Ingredients
Crust
- 1/2 cup (125 ml) ground hazelnuts (50 g)
- 1/2 cup (125 ml) all-purpose flour
- 1/4 cup (60 ml) sugar
- Pinch of salt (omit if using salted butter)
- 1/4 cup (60 ml) butter, melted
Filling
- 20 oz (560 g) fresh cherries, pitted
- 1/2 cup (125 ml) salted butter (or unsalted + 1/4 tsp kosher salt)
- 1/2 cup (125 ml) sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1/2 cup (125 ml) all-purpose flour, sifted
- 1/4 cup (60 ml) heavy cream
- 1 tsp (5 ml) finely grated lemon zest (about 1/2 lemon)
- 1 tsp (5 ml) pure vanilla extract
- 1/4 cup (60 ml) crushed roasted, peeled hazelnuts
Instructions
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For the crust: Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease an 8 x 8-inch baking pan and line it with parchment paper, letting two sides overhang for easy removal.
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In a medium bowl, whisk together the ground hazelnuts, flour, sugar, and salt. Drizzle in the melted butter and mix until the dry ingredients are moistened. Press the mixture evenly into the prepared pan, reaching the edges. Bake until the crust is golden around the edges, about 20 minutes. Remove and set on a cooling rack while you prepare the filling. Keep the oven on.
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For the filling: Pit the cherries with a pitter or by hand and set aside. Melt the butter in a small stainless steel saucepan over medium heat, simmering and swirling the pan occasionally. Watch carefully: when the milk solids at the bottom turn light brown and the butter smells nutty, remove it from the heat and pour into a small bowl. Let cool for 10 minutes—this is brown butter.
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In a mixing bowl, whisk the sugar and eggs together until combined. Gradually whisk in the sifted flour to avoid lumps. Add the heavy cream, lemon zest, vanilla, and the cooled brown butter, whisking until smooth.
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Arrange the pitted cherries over the baked crust. Pour the clafoutis mixture over the cherries and spread gently with a spatula. Sprinkle with crushed hazelnuts. Bake at 350°F (175°C) for about 35 minutes, until puffed, set in the center, and golden at the edges. Transfer to a cooling rack and cool completely.
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Run a sharp knife along the two sides not covered by parchment paper, then lift the bars from the pan using the parchment overhang. Using a very sharp knife and a gentle sawing motion, cut into squares, taking care not to crush the cherries. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a day or refrigerated for up to 3 days.
Notes
- Use a stainless steel saucepan for browning butter so you can monitor the color change more easily. If using a non-stick pan, dip a spoon down to the bottom occasionally to check the milk solids.
- How to toast and peel hazelnuts: Spread hazelnuts on a baking sheet and toast at 350°F (170°C) for 10–15 minutes, shaking the tray every 5 minutes. When the skins look shiny and crackled, transfer the nuts to a clean dish towel, close it into a bundle, and rub vigorously to remove the skins. A few flecks of skin are fine. Store peeled hazelnuts in an airtight container in the fridge until ready to use.
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