While it might look and sound fancy, an apple galette is really just an easier, more rustic version of an apple pie! Use a store-bought crust and finish with a scoop of vanilla ice cream!
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Love easy apple recipes as much as we do? Be sure to try my mom’s easy apple pie, this “apple dapple” bundt cake, this apple crisp, an easy apple cobbler, these shortcut puff pastry apple turnovers, and our favorite one-bowl applesauce cake recipe, too!
Easy & very pretty with the egg wash and turbinado sugar. I served it with a little creme fraiche. Oh la la!
– Sarah
How to Make an Apple Galette | 1-Minute Video
An apple galette is basically just the lazy gal’s rendition of an apple pie. You get all of the flavor and all of the ingredients that you love in a classic pie…with half of the work. There’s no better way to take advantage of fresh apple season!
What to Know Before You Get Started
- While a galette includes a flaky pastry crust filled with fruit, it differs from a pie mainly in the way that it’s baked. The galette is a French pastry similar to a tart or pie; however, instead of baking a galette in a pie plate, the galette is “free form,” meaning that it’s just baked on a flat sheet pan. It only has a bottom crust. This gives the galette a more rustic look and feel — and it’s virtually impossible to “mess up!”
- Some galette recipes call for puff pastry; however, a more traditional galette uses dough that’s buttery and flaky like a pie crust. You can make your own galette dough recipe from scratch, but I think the Pillsbury refrigerated pie crust dough is a really high-quality shortcut.
- We prefer Granny Smith apples and/or Honey Crisp apples for an apple pie and for this apple galette. These varieties offer a nice balance of sweet and tart flavors, and they have a firm flesh that doesn’t break down in the oven. Other good baking apples include Braeburn, Winesap, Pink Lady, Jonagold, and Gala apples.
How to Make an Apple Galette
You’ll need less than 30 minutes of actual hands-on effort for this free-form pie. The oven does the rest of the work. You can’t beat the ease of this simple dessert!
- Prepare the Apples. You’ll need to peel and core the apples. Yes, you could leave the skin on the fruit; however, we think the texture is best when there aren’t any tough bits of peel to work through. Then cut the apples into ¼-inch thick slices. You don’t want them paper-thin, or they’ll totally fall apart in the oven, and you don’t want them too thick, or they won’t be soft and tender by the time the crust is done.
- Roll Out Dough. Place the pie crust between two pieces of wax paper or parchment paper. Use a rolling pin to roll out the dough into an 11-inch circle. This doesn’t have to be perfect, so don’t stress if it’s slightly uneven! Transfer the dough to a baking sheet, cover with plastic wrap, and chill for 15-30 minutes.
- Prepare Filling. In a large bowl, stir together the apples, sugar, lemon juice, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt, and cornstarch. Adding cornstarch to the filling helps to absorb some of the juices that the apples release in the baking process. It’s a great way to prevent a soggy crust on the bottom, keeping the pastry flaky and crisp!
- Assemble Galette. Arrange the apple mixture in the center of the dough, mounding the fruit slightly and leaving a 2-inch border.
- Fold Edges. Gently fold the edges of the dough over the apples, pleating loosely. Again, we’re going for a rustic look — this doesn’t need to be perfect! Brush the dough with egg wash and sprinkle with sugar.
- Bake. Bake the galette for about 30-40 minutes, or until the crust is golden brown and the apples are tender.
- Brush with Jam. Once the galette is cool, brush the top of the fruit with warm apricot jam. This will add a beautiful shiny finish (and more flavor) to the tart.
Preparation and Storage Tips
- You can make a galette ahead of time, so it’s a very convenient dessert (especially if you’re entertaining). It’s best enjoyed on the same day that it’s baked since the crust will start to get soggy the longer it sits.
- Store the galette covered at room temperature for up to 24 hours, or in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days.
- Freeze leftovers for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight.
- How to Reheat: Place the galette on a baking sheet and warm in a 375°F oven for about 10 minutes. The microwave works for individual slices, but the crust won’t stay as crisp.
Did you make this recipe?
If you enjoyed this recipe, please leave a comment with a 5-star review at the bottom of the post. Thank you!
Watch How to Make It
Apple Galette
Prep: 25 minutes
Cook: 35 minutes
Resting Time 2 hours
Total: 3 hours
While it might look and sound fancy, an apple galette is really just an easier, more rustic version of an apple pie!
Ingredients
- 1 refrigerated pie crust dough (half of a 14.1 ounce package) (I prefer Pillsbury brand)
- 1 ½ – 2 lbs. apples, peeled, cored and cut into ¼-inch slices (I use 4 medium Granny Smith or Honey Crisp apples)
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 1 egg, lightly beaten
- Coarse sugar (or additional granulated sugar), for sprinkling
- ¼ cup apricot jam
- For serving: vanilla ice cream or whipped cream
Instructions
- Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment or a silicone mat and spray with cooking spray. Set aside. Remove the dough from the refrigerator and let stand for 15 minutes. Place the dough between 2 sheets of lightly floured waxed paper and roll out into an 11-inch circle. Brush off the excess flour. Transfer the dough to the prepared baking sheet, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 15-30 minutes.
- Meanwhile, preheat oven to 400°F. In a large bowl, stir together the apples, sugar, lemon juice, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt and cornstarch.
- Arrange the apple filling in the center of the dough, mounding the fruit slightly and leaving a 2-inch border. It will look like you have a lot of apples piled high in the center of the galette before baking, but don't worry! The apples cook down quite a bit in the oven. Gently fold the edges of the dough over the apples, pleating loosely. Brush the dough with the beaten egg (you won’t need all of the egg). Lightly sprinkle sugar over the apples and on the crust.
- Bake the galette on the middle rack in the 400°F oven until the crust is golden and the apples are tender, about 30-40 minutes. Start checking the galette after about 28 minutes in the oven (to make sure that the crust doesn't burn), but it will likely require closer to 40 minutes to really achieve a rich brown crust and tender apples. Transfer the pan to a wire rack and let the galette cool completely, about 1 hour.
- Warm the jam in a small saucepan over low heat until it’s a nice, thin consistency. Brush the apples with the jam.
- Cut the galette into 6-8 triangles. The galette slices most easily if you allow it too cool for about an hour before serving. Top each wedge with whipped cream or a scoop of vanilla ice cream. A drizzle of caramel sauce would also be delicious.
Notes
We prefer Granny Smith apples and/or Honey Crisp apples for an apple pie and for this apple galette. These varieties offer a nice balance of sweet and tart flavors, and they have a firm flesh that doesn’t break down in the oven. Other good baking apples include Braeburn, Winesap, Pink Lady, Jonagold, and Gala apples.
Nutrition
Serving: 1/8 of the galetteCalories: 208kcalCarbohydrates: 38gProtein: 2gFat: 6gSaturated Fat: 2gCholesterol: 10mgSodium: 166mgPotassium: 112mgFiber: 3gSugar: 23gVitamin A: 68IUVitamin C: 5mgCalcium: 13mgIron: 1mg
Recipe Variations
- Instead of a store-bought pie crust, make your own pastry from scratch to use in this recipe. Here’s an easy homemade crust recipe that works well.
- If you don’t have lemon juice, substitute with vanilla extract for added flavor.
- Feel free to add even more spices to the apple filling, such as ginger, cardamom, allspice, or cloves.
- Swap out the apples and use pears instead — or try a combination of both.
More Apple Dessert Recipes to Try
Apple Cranberry Crisp
1 hour hr 10 minutes mins
Easy Apple Cobbler
1 hour hr 10 minutes mins
Easy Apple Strudel Recipe
1 hour hr 30 minutes mins
This recipe was originally published in August, 2020. It was updated in October, 2024.
Looks pretty, easy to make. Serving it tomorrow, so fingers crossed that it tastes as good as it looks!
Thanks, Rhonda! I hope that you enjoy it!
Easy & very pretty with the egg wash and turbinado sugar. I served it with a little creme fraiche. Oh la la!
Thank you, Sarah!
is it possible fo make ahead and reheat?
Yes, ma’am! Here are the instructions:
How to Reheat: Place the galette on a baking sheet and warm in a 375°F oven for about 10 minutes. The microwave will work for individual slices, but the crust won’t stay as crisp.
I’ll be baking this tomorrow.
We hope you enjoy, Bonnie!
I am not a baker but this came out amazing!
I used store bought Pillsbutry pie dough (40 min)
and also made a version w/ puff pastry (28 min)
I used mix of pink lady and Braeburn
Im practicing for Thanksgiving so I made a couple of versions.
I did make a few modifications because I wasnt sure how sweet it would be
iused 1/4 cup light brown sugar/ 1/4 cup granulated sugar
I added 1/4 teaspoon finely grated lemon and 1 1/2 tsp lemon juice.
I used 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon and instead added 1/4 teaspoon cardamom
happy baking
Thanks for your tips! So glad that you enjoyed the recipe!
Hi Blair – I have some frozen peach slices from our trees last year. I would love to do a peach galette. How can I adjust your Apple recipe? Love your recipes! many thanks, Leslie
Hi, Leslie! That sounds great! Here is my peach galette recipe: https://www.theseasonedmom.com/peach-galette/
I worry that frozen peaches might yield a soggy crust, but I haven’t tested it. Just make sure to strain off any excess juices before adding the peaches to the crust, and maybe increase the cornstarch that you use.
Hope you enjoy!
Thank you so much for your quick reply. We have friends coming over in the new year and I will try your peach galette and put up a review. Our peaches were so good last year, I just didn’t want them to die in the freezer!
Hope it’s a hit, Leslie!
I
Love your. pies, but I have a question, pillsbury has been my choice too, but lately the crust has been less than flaky and an odd taste as well. Crust has been dense and heavy. This seems to be all crust , either the roll outs or so call home baked pies at farmers markets. As a baker, do you have a clue what is wrong? Thank you.
PS I’ve trying your recipes, have many favorites. Carol Smith
Hi Carol! We’re so glad you’re enjoying the recipes. Sorry to hear your pie crust isn’t coming out how you want. The most common cause is overworking the dough.
I used the Pillsbury refrigerated crust for the first time and loved the ease but was not crazy about the taste. I LOVED the apple filling and will only use this recipe from now on. I used Honey Crisp apples for the first time. I brushed the crust with the egg wash and generously sprinkled coarse sugar. I did NOT use the jam. I think I baked the galette for about 50 mins. I checked it at 28 and it was much too pale. Thank you for this recipe!
Thank you for the feedback, Deb! We’re so glad you enjoyed the recipe.