Apple Galette is more than a lazy person’s apple pie. It’s bursting with apple flavor, pleasantly sweet without being cloying, and framed in a flaky, buttery, golden brown pastry crust. But what sets this Apple Galette recipe apart is how ridiculously easy it is to make.
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The crust is a simple butter-based short pastry crust that’s easy to work with. It’s rolled out in a rough round and the fruit is piled on top. Then the edges are folded over and the whole thing is brushed with egg to help it turn that beautiful golden brown color.
It’s rustic! Which means the edges don’t have to be precise. There’s no need to crimp or pleat or decorate beyond sprinkling some coarse sugar. Easy peasy.
From electric mixers to rolling pins, baking pans, cookie scoops, and more, these are our favorite baking tools.
I first made this galette when I had too many apples from a day of apple picking near Portland, Maine. But you can make this simple galette with other fruits, too, making it perfect not just in the Fall, but any time of year. Peach Galette is one of my favorites! Or try nectarines, berries, apricots, pears, or persimmons!
I love to top this simple Apple Galette with Pumpkin Cinnamon Ice Cream. Vanilla bean ice cream is a great alternative. Or use a dollop of lightly sweetened whipped cream. Caramel Sauce is amazing here, too.
Ingredients you need
For the complete list of ingredients with quantities and detailed prep and cooking instructions, please see the recipe card that appears at the end of this post.
The ingredients for this rustic Apple Galette are so basic. You probably already have everything you need to make it. Here’s what you need:
- Butter: Use very cold, unsalted butter. You can cut the butter into cubes and then pop it into the freezer until you’re ready to cut it into the flour.
- Sour cream: Use a good full-fat sour cream (or substitute crème frâiche).
- Flour: Use all-purpose flour.
- Sugar: Granulated sugar goes into the crust and you’ll want a coarse sugar like demerara or turbinado sugar for sprinkling on top.
- Apples: I like to use royal gala, golden delicious, or jona gold apples here.
- Cornstarch: A sprinkling of cornstarch over the crust helps to soak up any excess liquid released by the apples as they cook. This prevents the crust from getting soggy.
- Cinnamon: The perfect spice for this fall treat!
- Egg yolk: You’ll brush it over the crust to help it turn that beautiful golden brown color.
How to make it
For the complete list of ingredients with quantities and detailed prep and cooking instructions, please see the recipe card that appears at the end of this post.
For the complete list of ingredients with quantities and detailed prep and cooking instructions, please see the recipe card that appears at the end of this post.
Even if you’ve never made pastry crust before, this dessert is a cinch. Use a food processor and it will truly be a breeze. Here’s how to do it:
- In a large bowl combine the flour, sugar, and salt.
- Make the dough for the crust by cutting the butter into the flour, either by hand or in a food processor. Add the sour cream and mix until the dough comes together in a ball.
- Divide the dough into two balls and wrap each tightly in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for at least 45 minutes.
- Preheat the oven and then roll the dough out into flat rounds on sheets of parchment paper.
- Slide the parchment paper onto baking sheets.
- Sprinkle cornstarch over the center of the crust and then layer the apple slices on top.
- Arrange apple slices in the middle of the galette leaving a couple of inches around the edge for you to fold over.
- Dust the apples with cinnamon and top with a few ice cubes. Fold in the edges and generously brush with the beaten egg yolk.
- Sprinkle the coarse sugar over the top of the galette.
- Bake until deep golden brown around the edges.
- Let cool and serve topped with ice cream, caramel sauce, or whipped cream.
More fall dessert recipes you’ll love
If you love rustic, apple desserts, you have to try this French Apple Cake or Apple Crumble Cheesecake. Still have apples to use up? Don’t miss my Apple Cider Donut Cake.
For other seasonal fall and winter themed desserts, try Eggnog Bundt Cake, Chocolate Orange Babka, Pumpkin Spiced Latte Cake, and Pumpkin Ice Cream. Or try this pomegranate Panna Cotta Recipe Gordon Ramsay.
If you’re in the mood for baking some festive holiday cookies, try my Caramel Whoopie Pies, Quaker Oatmeal Cookies, Black Sesame Cookies, Salted Toffee Cookie Bars, Dulce de Leche Cookies, or Rugelach.
Apple Galette
Ingredients
For the crust
- ½ cup 1 stick very cold unsalted butter, cut into small cubes
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup sour cream
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
For the filling
- 4 medium apples royal gala, golden delicious, jona gold, sliced into thin wedges
- 2 teaspoons cornstarch
- ¼ cup coarse sugar like demerara
- 2 tablespoons cold unsalted butter
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon
- 1 egg yolk beaten
- Ice cubes
Instructions
- In a large bowl combine the flour, sugar,
and salt. - Cut the butter into the flour with a pastry cutter (or you can pulse in a food processor) until the mixture is crumbly.
- Add the sour cream and stir until the batter comes together into a ball (again, you can use a food processor if you like).
- Divide the dough ball into 2 equal pieces and roll them into balls. Wrap each ball tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 45 minutes.
- Slice the apples (about ⅛-inch thick ), drizzle them with lemon juice to keep them from browning too much. Cover the sliced apples with wet kitchen towel while you prepare the crust.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- Remove the dough from the refrigerator (you can cook both at the same time or store one dough ball in the fridge for up to 4 days).
- Unwrap the dough ball and place it on a sheet of parchment paper.
- Roll the dough out into a flat circle, about 10 inches across. Sprinkle little flour on top if needed to prevent sticking. Don’t worry about making a perfect circle—this galette is meant to have a rustic look, so uneven edges are fine. If the dough becomes sticky and hard to work with, put it back in the refrigerator for a bit.
- Transfer the dough ball on the parchment paper onto a baking sheet. Sprinkle cornstarch all over the center of the dough (where you’re going to layer the apples), 1 teaspoon per 1 galette.
- Arrange apple slices in the middle of the galette leaving about 1 ½ to 2 inches on the outer edges (those will be folded over the apples to form the edges.)
- Dust the apples with cinnamon, about 1 teaspoon per galette.
- Top with a few cold ice cubes.
- Fold in the edges and generously brush with beaten egg yolk.
- Sprinkle the coarse over the top of the galette.
- Bake for 40 to 50 minutes, until the edges become beautifully golden brown.
- Remove from the oven, let cool, and enjoy as is or top with caramel sauce and/or vanilla bean ice cream if you like!
Notes
- Best to consume right away while still warm, but can be refrigerated for a maximum of 2 days. Reheat in a warm oven until softened.
- The dough – after refrigerating it should not be sticky, if it is, refrigerate more. I have baked this galette with slightly sticky dough too and honestly, the difference was very minimal. It’s just easier to work with the dough when it’s not sticky.
