If you’ve never made clafoutis, you’re in for a simple, elegant dessert that’s halfway between a custard and a pancake. The texture is soft and dense with a chewy, lightly sweet finish. Like a Dutch baby, clafoutis puffs dramatically in the oven and then settles into a tender, custardy pancake. It’s an easy way to make an impressive fall dessert.
This Brown Butter Pear Clafoutis highlights the nutty depth of browned butter combined with sweet pears and warm spices. Browning the butter adds a toasty, caramel-like note that complements the fruit and spices, making this recipe perfect for autumn. It’s versatile and straightforward: serve it warm, at room temperature, or chilled.
Recipe highlights
- Simple but striking. The clafoutis looks refined while being as easy to make as pancake batter.
- Versatile serving options. Serve as a dessert with whipped cream, or as a cozy brunch dish with maple syrup.
- Brown butter flavor. Browning the butter deepens the overall flavor with a warm, nutty aroma.
- Seasonal flexibility. Pears are lovely here, but you can substitute other fruits in season.
Recipe overview
⏱️ Prep: ~40 min • Bake: 25–30 min • Total: ~1 hr 10 min
🍴Serves: About 4
💪Skill level: Beginner. Browning butter is straightforward and quick. The batter comes together easily in a blender.
How to make brown butter pear clafoutis
Quick overview of the steps (see full recipe below):
- Brown the butter. Cook butter until it turns golden and smells nutty, then cool slightly.
- Prepare the pears. Peel and thinly slice the pears, then sauté them briefly with some of the brown butter, vanilla, and spices.
- Blend the batter. Combine eggs, sugar, milk or half & half, flour, vanilla, and salt in a blender until smooth and frothy. Melt a bit of the brown butter in your baking pan.
- Assemble and bake. Pour the batter into the hot pan, arrange the pears on top, and bake until puffed and golden.
Serve: Dust with powdered sugar and enjoy warm with maple syrup, or cool to room temperature for a different texture.
Top tips for success
Choose ripe but firm pears. Overripe fruit can release excess liquid and make the clafoutis soggy.
Arrange the pears in a single layer. Spread the slices evenly so the batter bakes through without clumping.
Blend for a smooth batter. A blender or immersion blender ensures a lump-free, frothy batter.
Don’t skip browning the butter. It only takes a few minutes but adds significant flavor.
Serve hot for drama. Clafoutis looks most impressive right out of the oven when it’s puffed; it will settle as it cools. Leftovers are still tasty chilled or gently rewarmed.
Variations & substitutions
Clafoutis is adaptable. Traditionally made with cherries, it works with almost any fruit.
Fruit ideas: Thinly sliced apples, fresh raspberries, peaches, nectarines, plums, or cherries are all great choices.
Flavor tweaks: Swap or add spices like lemon zest, almond extract, or a splash of pear brandy, amaretto, or bourbon for extra depth.
Dairy-free option: Use plant-based milk and vegan butter. Note that browning vegan butter can behave differently, so adjust as needed.
Serving & storage
Clafoutis is best enjoyed soon after baking once it’s cool enough to serve. Store leftovers in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Serve chilled, at room temperature, or gently rewarm in a low oven. For breakfast or brunch, dust with powdered sugar and offer maple syrup. For dessert, serve with whipped cream.
More delicious brown butter desserts:
- Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Blondies
- Brown Butter Pecan Galette
- Grapefruit Curd Tarts with Brown Butter Crust
- Strawberry Rhubarb Brown Butter Cake
If you make this Brown Butter Pear Clafoutis, please leave a star rating and share your thoughts in the comments.
Brown Butter Pear Clafoutis
Equipment
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10 inch cast iron skillet
Ingredients
Brown Butter
- 5 tablespoons unsalted butter
Brown Butter Spiced Pears
- 2 ripe pears, peeled and sliced thin
- 1/2 vanilla bean
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
Clafoutis
- 3 eggs
- 1 cup half & half or whole milk
- 1/3 cup coconut sugar or brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup all purpose flour
- powdered sugar, optional
Instructions
Brown the butter:
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Add butter to a heavy-bottomed saucepan and cook over medium-low heat until it smells toasty and turns a caramel color, about 3–5 minutes.
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Pour into a clean bowl and let cool to room temperature.
For the pears:
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Peel, core, and thinly slice the pears.
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Melt 2 tablespoons of the brown butter in a clean saucepan. Add pears, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Split the vanilla bean, scrape the seeds into the pan, and toss in the pod for extra flavor. Sauté until the pears are lightly softened, about 5 minutes.
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Let the pears cool while you prepare the clafoutis batter.
For the clafoutis:
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Preheat the oven to 350°F. Add the remaining brown butter (about 2 tablespoons) to a 10-inch cast iron skillet and place the skillet in the oven to melt the butter.
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Meanwhile, combine the eggs, half & half (or milk), sugar, salt, and flour in a blender. Blend on medium until fully combined and frothy, 2–3 minutes.
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Pour the batter into the hot skillet over the melted butter.
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Quickly arrange the sautéed pears in an even layer on top of the batter.
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Bake until the center is set, the top is golden, and the edges have puffed, about 25–30 minutes.
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Cool at least 10 minutes, then dust with powdered sugar if desired. Serve warm with any leftover sautéed pears, maple syrup, or whipped cream.
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