A Pie Even Dads Can Make (Clafoutis)

There comes a point in every dad’s life where you’re just going to have to make dessert. We don’t mean scooping some ice cream onto a disposable plate or tossing cookies in the general direction of children; we mean actually cooking something with the intention to please/appease your child (and possibly yourself). You know, baking.

When that moment arrives, here’s the move: a sorta pie, sorta pudding, sorta fruit thing that hits that holy trinity of ease, deliciousness, and nutrition (relative to, you know, other treats). It makes a great dessert; it may even be better at breakfast. Your child will lap it up; you and/or your spouse will like it even more. It’s all good. 

But what is it, exactly? You could call it a clafoutis–essentially, a pancake with aspirations of being a fruit tart. In France, there would be no crust; but this is America, dammit, and we pie everything. Our touch, this clafoutis pie, is subtle: a simple “slab” of graham cracker crust underneath the filling and fruit; this baby got no back. 

More importantly, though, what isn’t it? The template is endlessly adaptable: change up the fruits, change up the flavors, change up the crust; change up the size of the pie–all of which we show below. Want to use a different berry (or many berries)? Go right ahead! Only have agave or honey and not maple syrup? Make the substitution and keep the ratios! Want more butter (or flour or eggs) or different seasonings (i.e., cinnamon)? The choice is yours. Heck, we even have versions of this as a pancake or as a souffle. 

(Note: the “Ingredients” section provides two different sizes/rations for how–and how much–you could make and present the pie: a larger version for deep pre-made crusts and/or a quarter sheet-sized tray; a smaller version for pie pans and muffins.)

What Is a Clafoutis Pie? 🥧

A classic French clafoutis is a crustless, fruit-filled baked pancake. This version adds an American twist: a buttery graham cracker crust under the custardy filling and juicy berries. Think pancake meets tart meets pie slab—ready to slice, serve, and enjoy.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe 💛

• Simple ingredients – Mostly pantry staples and fresh fruit.
• Flexible format – Works in a sheet pan, pie pan, or muffin tin.
• Kid-friendly – Soft enough for toddlers, easy to adapt for infants.
• Flavor options – Swap berries, change spices, use different sweeteners or dairy.

Ingredients Overview 🛒

This recipe is adaptable in both size and presentation:

• Base: Graham cracker crust—homemade or pre-made.
• Custard: Eggs, milk, yogurt or other creamy dairy, maple syrup, almond extract, warm spices.
• Fruit: Cherries, raspberries, or any berries/stone fruits.
• Bright finish: Lime zest, lemon juice, optional powdered sugar topping.

Steps Overview 👨‍🍳

1. Prep the crust: Make your own with graham crackers and butter, or pre-bake a store-bought crust.
2. Mix the filling: Whisk eggs with extract, dairy, melted butter, maple syrup, zest, spices, salt, and flour until smooth.
3. Assemble: Scatter fruit over crust, then pour in the custard mixture.
4. Bake: 30–40 minutes, depending on desired texture.
5. Finish & serve: Add lemon juice and powdered sugar; enjoy warm or chilled.

FAQ ❓

Can I use different fruits?
Yes! Any berry or stone fruit—like plums, nectarines, or apricots—works beautifully.

Do I need a crust?
Traditionally, clafoutis is crustless, but this recipe uses a crust for extra flavor and structure. You can omit it if you prefer.

Can I make this ahead of time?
Yes. Bake, cool, and refrigerate. Serve chilled or re-warmed.

Can I make it baby-friendly?
Yes—make the muffin version without salt and with soft fruit pieces.

A Pie Even Dads Can Make (Clafoutis)

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Author: Brad Cooking Method: Baking Cuisine: American, French Meal(s): Breakfast, Treats and Snacks Recipe Keys: Easy to Make Good for Infants High Protein

Prep Time 30 mins Cook Time 30 mins Rest Time 15 mins Total Time 1 hr 15 mins Difficulty: Beginner Servings: 8

Description

A simple fruit tart--a clafoutis by any other name--for the fathers who want to bake something delicious with and/or for their child but don't want to be, you know, seriously baking.

Ingredients

Cook Mode Cooking Mode Disabled

Scale

1/2x 1x 2x 3x

QUARTER SHEET OR PRE-MADE PIE CRUST VERSION

• 4 eggs
• ¹⁄₂ cup Milk
• 1.5 cup Graham Cracker Crumbs (if making your own crust; otherwise use a frozen par-baked deep dish pie crust*)
• 1 stick Butter (use if making your own crust)
• ¹⁄₃ cup All-Purpose Flour
• ¹⁄₂ cup Yogurt (or creme fraiche, ricotta, or cream cheese)
• 8 oz Berries (cherries or raspberries are best, but pretty much any berry or stone fruit–plums, apricots, nectarines, etc.--will work just fine here)
• 1.5 tsp Almond Extract (can sub vanilla extract)
• 1.5 tsp Ginger Powder
• 1.5 tsp Cardamom Powder
• 1 Lime (lemon also works here)
• 2 tbsp Maple Syrup
• 3 tbsp Butter
• Powdered Sugar (optional but helpful)

PIE PAN (OR MUFFIN) VERSION

• 3 Eggs
• ¹⁄₄ cup Milk
• 1 cup Graham Cracker Crumbs
• 1 stick Butter
• ¹⁄₄ cup All-Purpose Flour
• ¹⁄₄ cup Milk
• ¹⁄₃ cup Yogurt (or creme fraiche, ricotta, or cream cheese)
• 1 pint Berries (of your choosing)
• 1 tsp Almond Extract (or vanilla extract)
• 1 tsp Ginger Powder
• 1 tsp Cardamom Powder
• 1 Lime (or lemon)
• 2 tbsp Maple Syrup (if you are using sweetened yogurt, reduce to 1 tbsp)
• Powdered Sugar (optional but helpful)

Instructions

Prep

1. Preheat oven to 350. Allow eggs and milk to reach room temperature.

2. Prep your crust:

   • If making your own: melt your butter–4 tbsp for a quarter sheet pie; 3 tbsp if making in a pie pan–and pour all over graham cracker crumbs; dredge and combine until the texture of wet sand and clumping together. Spread the graham cracker-butter mixture across the bottom of your baking pan or tray until the bottom is fully covered and the mixture is (loosely) sticking together. Heat for 10 minutes, then remove pan from oven and allow to cool.
   • If using a pre-made pie crust*: heat in oven until rim is golden brown, roughly 10-15 minutes. Allow to cool.

3. Melt 2 tbsp of butter if making a three-egg pie or 3 tbsp if making a four-egg pie; allow melted butter to cool. In a bowl, beat the eggs and extract until mixed and frothy; add in the milk, yogurt (or whatever dairy you are using), melted butter, and maple syrup; mix until blended. Zest skin of lime/lemon into bowl, then add ginger, cardamom, a pinch of salt, and flour; mix until fully blended.

4. Place berries all around the bottom of the crust/pan, then pour egg batter over the top until it covers and fills the bottom crust and berries. If using a pie pan or muffin tray, place on top of a flat baking pan to catch any spills.

Cook

1. For a custardy center, cook until the filling is just slightly jiggly at center, 30 minutes; for a firmer texture, cook for 35-40 minutes. To caramelize the top—as shown in the recipe photo—sprinkle powdered sugar all over the pie and stick the cooked pie under your broiler for 1-2 minutes.
2. Let the pie rest on a counter for fifteen minutes, then squeeze lemon all over the top and sprinkle with powdered sugar. Refrigerate if not using immediately.

Serve

1. The pie is both firm enough to hold its shape and soft enough that a toddler–or even an infant–could easily pick it up and smash it into their face. Feel free to top with whipped cream or a bit of yogurt–or even mash up in a bowl with that–but if you give them a slice or slab and spoon/fork your child will be just fine.

Adapt

1. Make this recipe as muffins and even infants can partake. Here’s how: make the three-egg batter as described, leaving out the salt; coat each muffin well with cooking spray, then toss in 3-4 cut-up pieces of fruit per well, followed by enough batter to fill the well. Bake at 350 until center is set, roughly 20 minutes.

Nutrition Facts

Servings 8

Serving Size 1 slice

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Amount Per Serving

Calories 200kcal

% Daily Value *

Total Fat 10g16%

Cholesterol 80mg27%

Potassium 200mg6%

Total Carbohydrate 15g5%

Dietary Fiber 2g8%

Sugars 6g

Protein 6g12%

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Calcium 80 mg

Iron 1 mg

Phosphorus 100 mg

Zinc 0.8 mg

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily value may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.

Note

If you're wondering why you should go through the trouble of making a graham cracker crust when an off-the-shelf, pre-baked crust is waiting for you in the baking aisle of your local grocery store, the reason is simple: if you cook that thing a second time, it will turn everything to sugar mush. That's why we recommend using a par- or un-baked frozen crust if choosing to use something pre-made: it'll cook as you do and not mess up the texture of your filling.

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