This German semolina casserole – known in German as Grießauflauf – is a tasty, simple sweet recipe. We added sour cherries to ours to make it even more delicious, but that’s optional (you can also use other fruit).
Made with semolina, milk, eggs, and a few other common ingredients, it’s so easy to whip together (pun intended) – and the addition of fruit of your choice makes it very customizable.
It’s a classic sweet main course and dessert in Germany, but you can also enjoy it for breakfast or brunch!
Ingredients
Here are the ingredients you will need for this classic sweet casserole:
- Semolina – Preferably fine semolina, but coarser semolina also works. You can also use farina (e.g. Cream of Wheat).
- Sour cherries – We use jarred sour cherries, but fresh or frozen sour cherries also work. If using frozen cherries, thaw them first.
- Butter – We use unsalted butter.
- Sugar – Regular granulated sugar.
- Milk – We use 2% milk, but you can use 1% or 3.5% depending on your preference. If you want it more creamy, you could also substitute a little bit of milk with cream.
- Eggs – Large eggs.
- Vanilla Extract – Or vanilla sugar if you can find it.
- Salt – A pinch of regular table salt.
- Lemon Zest – Optional, but recommended since it adds extra flavor. We recommend using zest from an organic lemon.
Recipe Tips
- Drain and pat the cherries dry so there is no excess moisture in the casserole.
- If you’re using jarred or canned cherries in light syrup, you can capture the liquid to make a sauce for the casserole. Mix a little bit of the liquid with 1-2 tablespoons of corn starch, heat the rest of the syrup in a small pot, add the corn starch mixture, and whisk until it comes to a boil and thickens. You can also add some sugar if you like.
- You can use other fruits in this recipe, such as plums, peaches, or apricots (pitted and chopped). Don’t add too much fruit or the casserole may end up quite watery.
- You can also make it without the addition of fruit. In that case, add a splash more milk.
- Allow the semolina to cool slightly before adding the egg, so that the egg doesn’t accidentally cook. The semolina can be warm, but not hot.
- To ensure egg whites become stiff when beaten, make sure the beaters and the bowl are clean and free of oil. Also, be careful not to accidentally spill egg yolks into the bowl with the egg whites when separating the eggs.
- Grease the baking pan before adding the semolina mixture, this will help it come out later.
- You can add a few small pieces of butter on top before baking if you like (we don’t usually do this though).
How to Make German Semolina Casserole – Step by Step Instructions
In this section, you can follow along with the recipe process photos and see exactly how we made our semolina casserole.
Alternatively, you can find the recipe card with all the detailed steps and measurements at the bottom of this post if you prefer to not look at photos!
First, add the milk, butter, lemon zest, salt, and half of the sugar to a small saucepan.
Heat over medium heat, whisking regularly, until the milk is hot and the butter has melted. Then stir in the semolina.
Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook for about 4-5 minutes, or until the semolina has thickened, whisking constantly.
Remove the saucepan from the heat and set aside to cool.
Once the semolina has cooled slightly, preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
Also separate the eggs and place the yolks and whites in different mixing bowls. Ensure that no egg yolks get into the bowl with the egg whites.
Add the vanilla extract and the rest of the sugar to the bowl with the egg yolks.
Beat with your electric hand or stand mixer for about 2-3 minutes until the mixture turns pale in color.
Then add the egg yolk mixture to the pot with the slightly cooled semolina (it can be warm, but not hot). Mix well.
Next, beat the egg whites with clean beaters until stiff peaks form. Another way to see if the egg whites are stiff enough is to flip over the bowl. If the egg whites don’t move, you’re good.
Then fold the egg whites gently into the semolina mixture using a spatula.
Finally, add the drained sour cherries and gently mix them in as well.
Transfer the mixture to a greased casserole dish, spreading it out evenly.
Then bake it at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for about 50 minutes, or until the Grießaufluaf is set and lightly golden brown on top. The exact cooking time can vary based on your oven.
Remove the cooked semolina casserole from the oven and allow it to rest for about 10 minutes before slicing and serving.
You can serve the casserole with powdered sugar or some cherry syrup sauce on top. Enjoy!
Storage Tips
If you have leftover semolina casserole, allow it to cool, then cover and place in the fridge for up to 2-3 days. You can also cut it into slices and store them in sealed containers.
We recommend eating leftovers sooner rather than later because the moisture in the casserole and cherries will eventually make it somewhat goopy. Still tasty, but not as aesthetically pleasing!
You can rewarm the casserole in the oven (if you kept it in the dish) or in the microwave for a few seconds (if you cut it into slices).
Related Recipes
Here are some other German dessert ideas if you’re looking for something to satisfy that sweet tooth:
- Bavarian Cream
- Semolina Pudding
- Milchreis (German Rice Pudding)
- Dampfnudeln (German Yeast Dumplings)
- Rote Grütze (Red Berry Dessert)
German Semolina Casserole w/ Sour Cherries (Grießauflauf)
Ingredients
- 2 cups milk
- 2 tablespoos butter, unsalted
- 1/2 teaspoon lemon zest, more to taste
- pinch of salt
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar, divided
- 3/4 cup semolina
- 3 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 12 ounces sour cherries, drained and pitted
Instructions
- Add the milk, butter, lemon zest, salt, and half of the sugar to a small saucepan. Heat over medium heat, whisking regularly, until the milk is hot and the butter has melted. Then stir in the semolina.
- Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook for about 4-5 minutes, or until the semolina has thickened, whisking constantly.
- Remove the saucepan from the heat and set aside to cool.
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Separate the eggs and place the yolks and whites in separate mixing bowls.
- Add the vanilla extract and the rest of the sugar to the bowl with the egg yolks. Beat with your electric hand or stand mixer for about 2-3 minutes until the mixture turns pale in color.
- Add the egg yolk mixture to the pot with the slightly cooled semolina (it can be warm, but not hot). Mix well.
- Beat the egg whites with clean beaters until stiff peaks form. Then fold the egg whites gently into the semolina mixture using a spatula.
- Add the drained sour cherries and gently mix.
- Transfer the mixture to a greased casserole dish, spreading it evenly.
- Bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for about 50 minutes, or until the Grießaufluaf is set and lightly golden brown on top. The exact cooking time can vary based on your oven.
- Remove the cooked semolina casserole from the oven and allow it to rest for about 10 minutes before slicing. Optional: You can serve the Grießauflauf with powdered sugar or some cherry syrup sauce on top (see notes).
Notes
- Drain and pat the cherries dry so there is no excess moisture in the casserole.
- If you’re using jarred or canned cherries in light syrup, you can capture the liquid to make a sauce for the casserole. Mix a little bit of the liquid with 1-2 tablespoons of corn starch, heat the rest of the syrup in a small pot, add the corn starch mixture, and whisk until it comes to a boil and thickens. You can also add some sugar if you like.
- You can use other fruits in this recipe, such as plums, peaches, or apricots (pitted and chopped). Don’t add too much fruit or the casserole may end up quite watery.
- You can also make it without the addition of fruit. In that case, add a splash more milk.
- Allow the semolina to cool slightly before adding the egg, so that the egg doesn’t accidentally cook. The semolina can be warm, but not hot.
- To ensure egg whites become stiff when beaten, make sure the beaters and the bowl are clean and free of oil. Also, be careful not to accidentally spill egg yolks into the bowl with the egg whites when separating the eggs.
- You can add a few small pieces of butter on top before baking if you like (we don’t usually do this though).
Nutrition
This nutritional information has been estimated by an online nutrition calculator. It should only be seen as a rough calculation and not a replacement for professional dietary advice.
