Apple Galette Recipe

This easy apple galette is a decadent almond-flour crust folded around cinnamon spiced apples and baked until crisp and golden. It takes only 30 minutes to prep, and I love it because the crust is the star of the dessert. I serve mine warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

Apple Galette

A galette is a free-form pastry. One oversized round of crust gets piled with fruit in the center, then the edges are folded up loosely to hold everything in. The whole thing bakes flat on a sheet tray instead of in a pie dish. If you are wondering, a galette and a crostata are the exact same thing. Galette is the French name, crostata is the Italian one, and that is the only difference between them.

Funny story about that. Back when I was a sous chef at a restaurant called Cardwell’s in Saint Louis, we ran a galette as a special dessert for a couple of days. It barely sold. So we changed one thing: we renamed it a crostata on the menu, and suddenly it sold like crazy. Same dessert, same recipe, different word. I still have no idea what it was about the name. Something about “galette” spooked people and “crostata” did not. Kitchens are full of little lessons like that.

This is a dessert I especially like to make in the fall and winter, mostly because that is when apples are at their best. It is also a bit lighter than a traditional pie since it is not nearly as thick, which I like when I want something sweet but not heavy. It hits just the right amount of sweetness for a sweet tooth without going overboard. My wife and daughter are big fans of this one, same as any galette I make. I think part of the appeal is that it is quick and easy to put together on a weeknight but still looks elegant enough to show off to guests.

Honestly, I like it because it is a little different from the usual pie. When it comes out of the oven, crusty and golden brown, oh… my, it is a beautiful thing to place on the table. You should make one this fall when the apples are at their best. But don’t be surprised when it becomes the dessert your guests ask you to bring back. Sound good? Let’s cook.

Ingredients and Substitutions

To make this delicious apple galette, I use almond flour to complement the apple filling. Here are the basic ingredients I use, along with a few substitutions you can trust.

For the crust:

• Almond flour gives the crust a nutty flavor and a tender crumb, and almonds and apples are a classic pairing. You can swap it out for all-purpose flour, which firms up the structure a little.
• All-purpose flour – The main structure of the crust and what holds it together once it bakes. Bread flour works too if you want a sturdier, slightly chewier crust.
• Ice-cold unsalted butter – Adds the fat, flavor, and flaky layers that make this crust worth it. I only use unsalted so I can control the salt myself.
• Sugar – Just a touch of sweetness in the dough. Light brown sugar works here too.
• Salt – Balances the flavors in the crust. I have been using Diamond Crystal kosher salt for everything lately.
• Ice-cold water brings the dough together as it comes out of the food processor. Cold is the whole point, since it keeps the butter firm right up until it hits the oven.

For the apples:

• Macintosh, Granny Smith, and Gala apples – A mix of sweet, tart, and tangy that plays really well together in a dessert like this. Use all three or just one, whatever you have on hand.
• Lemon juice brightens the filling, adds the acid it needs, and keeps the apples from browning once they are sliced.
• Sugar keeps this at just the right sweetness. Double it if you like your desserts on the sweeter side, and light brown sugar works well too.
• Cinnamon – Name a better pair than cinnamon and apples. Go a little heavier if that is your thing.
• Melted unsalted butter adds fat to the filling and rounds everything out.
• Sugar for garnish – Sprinkled over the crust and filling before baking, it helps the crust brown and crystallizes into a sweet crunchy finish.

How to Make Apple Galette At Home

Make the dough: Add the almond flour, all-purpose flour, sugar, salt, and ice-cold butter to a food processor and pulse until the butter is about the size of rice.

Add the water: Drizzle in the ice-cold water while pulsing, just until the mixture looks like a coarse meal and holds together when you pinch it. Stop there. You may not need all the water, since too much makes the dough wet and sticky.

Roll and chill: Roll the dough out on a floured surface to about an 18-inch round. Move it onto a parchment-lined sheet tray, and chill it in the refrigerator.

Toss the apples: In a large bowl, mix the sliced apples with the lemon juice, sugar, and cinnamon until everything is coated.

Fill: Fan the apples out across the center of the chilled dough, leaving a border around the edge.

Drizzle on some melted butter and then fold up all of the sides.

Fold and sugar: Fold the edges of the dough up and over toward the center until the filling is snugly held in. Then sprinkle sugar over the crust and apples.

Bake: Bake in a preheated 375 F oven for 30 to 40 minutes, until the crust is browned and cooked through and the apples are soft.

Cool and serve: Let it cool to room temperature. Serve it as is or with my favorite toppings, as mentioned in my serving suggestions below.

Serving Suggestions

This is the dessert I love serving during the fall and winter, when apples are everywhere and everyone wants something warm after dinner. I serve it warm from the oven with a scoop of homemade vanilla ice cream melting into the crust, and my daughter is usually first in line with her plate.

When I have people over and want to make more of it, I add a bowl of homemade whipped cream and a little homemade caramel on the side so everyone can finish their own slice however they like. It is just as good cold the next day, which is one of my favorite things about it. A cold slice with coffee the morning after a dinner party is a great reward for hosting, and my wife will tell you the leftover corner piece rarely makes it past breakfast.

Make-Ahead and Storage

Make-Ahead: I make this up to 1 day ahead, and it is good served hot straight from the oven or cold from the fridge.

How to Reheat: You can place the galette covered in foil and bake in the oven at 350° for 6-8 minutes or until warmed.  You can also reheat on a microwave-safe plate in the microwave until warm.

How to Store: Keep covered and place in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. This will also freeze well for up to 3 months.  Thaw in the refrigerator for 1 day before serving.

More Amazing Pie Recipes

• Pumpkin Pie
• Blueberry Pie
• Blueberry Crostada
• Sweet Potato Pie
• French Silk Pie