There’s something magical about this rustic apple galette.
Featuring crisp apples, warm spices, and buttery pastry, it’s a wonderful way to showcase the season’s bounty without the fuss of a traditional pie.
Its beautiful imperfections make it all the more inviting, don’t you think?
Serve it at a cozy family dinner, or bring it to a potluck. Either way, this apple galette is guaranteed to impress.
Why You’ll Love This Apple Galette
Crisp & Juicy Texture: The open-faced design allows for optimal caramelization of the apples, resulting in a delightful contrast between the crisp crust and tender, juicy filling.
Versatile Serving Options: You can serve it warm or at room temperature for dessert, brunch, or as a decadent breakfast.
Balanced Sweetness: The combination of tart apples, cinnamon, and nutmeg provides a delightful balance of sweetness and spice.
Effortless Preparation: The apple galette is easier than traditional pies, requiring fewer steps and less precision. In fact, the rougher the edges, the better it looks!
Ingredients
- Pastry: You can, of course, use pre-made pastry. But this blend of flour, sugar, salt, and butter comes together in minutes!
- Apples: For the best balance of sweetness and acidity, use tart, crisp varieties, such as Granny Smith or Honeycrisp. They also hold up well to baking.
- Brown Sugar: To sweeten the filling and help the fruit caramelize slightly.
- Ground Cinnamon & Ground Nutmeg: Warm spices that complement the apples and fill your kitchen with an irresistible aroma.
- Lemon Juice: A bright pop of acidity that also prevents the apples from browning.
- Cornstarch: Ensures your filling is perfectly gooey, not watery.
- Egg: Brush it on the crust to create a golden, glossy sheen.
- Coarse Sugar (optional): Sprinkle it on top for a delightful crunch and a little sparkle to your galette.
- Apricot Jam: Brused over the finished galette to make it glossy.
How to Make Apple Galette
Whether you serve it for a cozy family dinner or bring it to a potluck, this dessert is sure to impress.
And let’s be honest, who can resist the aroma of cinnamon and apples wafting through the house?
Here’s how to make it:
1. PULSE the flour, sugar, and salt in a food processor to combine.
2. ADD the cold butter and pulse until coarse crumbs form. Pulse in the ice water, a tablespoon at a time, just until the dough comes together.
3. PRESS the dough into a disc, wrap, and refrigerate for 1 hour.
4. WHISK the brown sugar, cornstarch, cinnamon, and nutmeg in a bowl. Peel and slice the apples, then toss them with lemon juice in the bowl.
5. ROLL out the dough into a 12-inch circle and transfer it to a baking sheet. Arrange the apples in the center, fold the edges, and brush the crust with beaten egg.
6. SPRINKLE coarse sugar, if using, over the galette and refrigerate for 20-30 minutes.
7. PREHEAT the oven to 400°F, and then bake for 40-45 minutes until golden brown and apples are tender.
8. MICROWAVE the apricot jam, brush it over the galette and serve warm. Enjoy!
Tips For the Best Apple Galette
I love how galettes have that effortlessly chic look, like you just threw it together without even trying (even though we all know the truth).
It’s my go-to dessert for impressing guests or treating myself on a crisp fall evening. Trust me, one slice is never enough!
And with these tips, it’ll be flawless every time.
- Choose firm apples. I use a mixture of Granny Smith and Honeycrisp. If you don’t like those, I recommend looking for baking apples, such as Braeburn or Pink Lady, as they won’t turn to mush in the oven.
- Cold butter for flakiness. Ensure the butter is cold when making the crust to achieve a flaky texture.
- No food processor? No worries! Grate frozen butter and mix it into the dry ingredients. Add the water slowly, mixing gently by hand, just until it comes together.
- Don’t be precise. Embrace the rustic look; the galette doesn’t need a perfect shape.
- Chill the pre-baked galette. Refrigerate the assembled galette for 20-30 minutes before baking so the pastry comes out as flaky as possible.
- Check the oven early. Start checking the galette at around 30 minutes to prevent over-browning, though it may need up to 45 minutes.
- Variations. Add salted caramel sauce to the filling for extra decadence, or experiment with different spice blends in the filling.
How to Store
Want to make this ahead for the holidays? Here’s how:
To Store: Place the cooled galette in an airtight container and refrigerate for 3 days. Cover loosely with foil to prevent the crust from becoming soggy.
To Freeze: Freeze the assembled, unbaked galette on a tray until solid, then cover with plastic and foil. Freeze for 2-3 months. Bake from frozen with an extra 5 minutes in the oven.
To Reheat: Warm leftovers in the microwave or at 350°Fahrenheit for 5-10 minutes. Covered with foil in the oven so it doesn’t burn.
More Apple Desserts You Have to Try
Apple Pie Egg Rolls
Caramel Apple Taquitos
Caramelized Apples
Skillet Apple Crisp
Apple Galette
8
servings30
minutes45
minutes221
kcalThis rustic apple galette features flaky pastry, spiced apples, and a golden crust. Finished with a sweet apricot glaze, it’s a simple yet elegant dessert.
Ingredients
- For the Crust
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup unsalted butter, cold and cubed
1/4 cup ice water, as needed
- For the Filling
1/4 cup brown sugar, packed
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
3-4 medium apples (about 1 1/2 pounds)
1 tablespoon lemon juice
- For Finishing
1 egg, beaten
coarse sugar, optional
1 tablespoon apricot jam, optional
Instructions
- Make the pastry: In a food processor, pulse the flour, sugar, and salt to combine. Add the cold butter and pulse until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Then, gradually add the ice water, a tablespoon at a time, pulsing just until the dough comes together.
- Turn the pastry onto a clean surface and gently press it into a thick disc. Wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
- Assemble the galette: In a large bowl, whisk the brown sugar, cornstarch, cinnamon, and nutmeg until well combined. Set aside.
- Peel, core, and thinly slice the apples (1/8 to 1/4-inch thick). Add them to the bowl, along with the lemon juice, and gently toss until all of the slices are evenly coated. Set aside.
- Roll out the chilled dough on a floured surface into a rough 12-inch circle. Transfer to a parchment line baking sheet.
- Arrange the apple slices in the center of the dough, leaving a 2-inch border. Drizzle over any juices, too. Then, carefully fold the edges of the dough over the apples and brush the edges with the beaten egg. If using, sprinkle the coarse sugar over the top.
- Refrigerate the galette for 20-30 minutes, then preheat the oven to 400°F.
- Bake and finish: Bake for 40-45 minutes until the crust is golden brown and the apples are tender. Let the galette cool on the baking sheet for 10 minutes before moving to a wire rack.
- While the galette cools, microwave the apricot jam for 20-30 seconds until runny. If needed, add a teaspoon of water to loosen it up. Brush the jam over the galette, then serve warm and enjoy!
Notes
- Choose firm apples that hold their shape during baking. A mix of tart and sweet varieties (like Granny Smith and Honeycrisp) adds depth of flavor.
- Keep the butter cold to achieve a flaky crust.
- Don’t stress over the shape. The beauty of a galette is in its rustic imperfection!
