Tessa’s Recipe Rundown
Taste: Quintessential dreamy fall flavors.
Texture: The crust is perfectly crisp and flaky (no sogginess whatsoever!) and the filling is soft without being mushy.
Ease: Significantly easier than a whole pie.
Pros: Faster, quicker, and easier than a whole pie with all the same flavors.
Cons: None at all.
Would I make this again? I’ve already made this several times!
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Apple Galette features all the flaky, buttery, fruity goodness of an apple pie – but with half the work!
I can’t believe how long it took me to get on the Galette train. They’re AMAZING.
And you know what? This Apple Galette was a HUGE hit with team Handle the Heat. Everyone raved about it!
Truly the best part is how simple it is to make. And if you always make a double or triple batch of pie dough whenever you’re baking it and keep extra in the freezer, you’ll never be too far off from a beautiful galette coming out of your oven.
I hope you love this apple galette recipe as much as we do! Get your vanilla ice cream ready because I’m answering tons of galette baking questions below.
Sprinkle of Science
How to Make Apple Galette
What is a Galette?
This is a French term to describe what’s essentially a free-form pie. An Apple Galette is a free-form apple pie that is much easier, quicker, and less temperamental than a traditional apple pie. No pie pan, no fluting or crimping, no cooking the filling, no awkwardly cutting that first slice; instead, the pie crust is simply and informally folded up around the edges to form a border and create a rustic appearance. It’s the perfect impressive treat for entertaining, or bakers who are intimidated by pie!
Tips For Rolling Out Pie Dough
Here are my top 3 tips for rolling out pie dough, but there are lots more tips in my Pie Crust post here.
- Make sure to keep everything as cold as possible. If your kitchen is warm, fill freezer bags with ice and a little water and set them on your work surface for 10 minutes to chill it, before rolling out your pie dough.
- Flour your work surface, the dough itself, and your rolling pin throughout the process. I recommend investing in a flour shaker and bench scraper. The flour shaker lets you easily add flour wherever sticking might be happening. The bench scraper allows you to easily keep the dough moving as you roll it out, which is essential to prevent sticking.
- If at any point the butter begins to get melty and sticky, return the dough to the fridge or freezer immediately.
What Type of Apple Should I Use?
- Granny Smith and Golden Delicious both bake up beautifully and have the perfect balance of sweetness to tartness.
- Honeycrisp, Fuji, or Gala apples are other great options.
- Feel free to use a mixture of apples!
Do I Need to Peel the Apples?
It’s really a matter of personal preference, but as I don’t prefer the texture of cooked apple skins, I always opt to peel my apples. If that texture doesn’t bother you, feel free to skip peeling the apples to save time.
The Spices in Apple Galette
Note that older spices carry less flavor and fresh spices will carry a LOT more flavor – so check to make sure your spices have not expired. If they have expired, toss them and purchase new containers.
What Kind of Baking Sheet Do You Need For a Galette?
- A rimmed half-sheet pan, preferably one that’s unlined and light in color, will work best!
- I like to line mine with parchment paper so it won’t stick or make a mess.
- Avoid dark-colored pans which may brown the bottom too much.
- Learn more about baking pans here.
How to Serve Apple Galette
- As with most apple dessert recipes, a scoop of vanilla ice cream is simple perfection.
- If you’re looking for additional indulgence, add a drizzle of my homemade caramel sauce.
- Candied nuts and whipped cream also make for tasty finishing touches.
How to Store Apple Galette
Store any leftover Apple Galette in an airtight container at room temperature for 1 day or in the fridge for up to 3 days. If you like, you can refresh your galette in a 300°F oven for 5 to 10 minutes before serving again.
Can You Freeze Apple Galette?
Yes! There are two ways to freeze a galette.
- Freeze Apple Galette after assembling but before egg washing or baking. Freeze on a sheet pan until solid, then move to an airtight container. Bake from frozen, adding about 5 extra minutes to the baking time.
- Freeze Apple Galette after baking. Let cool completely, then freeze on a sheet pan until solid. Wrap in plastic wrap and store inside an airtight container. Let thaw to room temperature then refresh in a 300°F oven for about 10 minutes or until warmed through.
More Recipes You’ll Love:
- Caramel Apple Streusel Pie
- Peach Galette
- Apple Crisp
- Caramel Apple Coffee Cake
- Brown Butter Peach Cobbler
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Apple Galette
Ingredients
- 1 (single crust)
Best Ever Pie Crust - 1 1/2 pounds (680 grams) baking apples (about 3 large apples), peeled and cut into 1/4-inch thick slices
- 5 tablespoons (63 grams) lightly packed light brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 2 teaspoons cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/8 teaspoon fine salt
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 large egg, beaten
- 1 1/2 teaspoons water, divided
- Coarse sugar, for sprinkling
- 1 tablespoon apricot jam or jelly
- Vanilla ice cream, for serving if desired
Instructions
- Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Remove the pie crust from the fridge to soften slightly while you prepare the filling.
- Gently toss apples, sugar, lemon juice, cornstarch, cinnamon, ginger, salt, and vanilla together in bowl.
- Roll out the prepared dough into a 13-inch circle on lightly floured counter, then transfer to prepared pan.
- Using a slotted spoon, pick up the apples from the bowl leaving the excess juices behind, and arrange them in center of dough, leaving 2-inch border around edge. Carefully grasp 1 edge of dough and fold up 2 inches over apples. Repeat around circumference of tart, overlapping dough every 2 inches; gently pinch pleated dough to secure, but do not press dough into fruit.
- Place in the fridge and chill while you preheat the oven. Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and heat oven to 375 degrees. If you have a baking stone, place on the rack to preheat with the oven.
- Once preheated, beat the egg with 1/2 teaspoon of water. Brush all over the unbaked crust. If desired, brush about 1 tablespoon of the remaining apple juices over the apples. Sprinkle the crust with coarse sugar. Bake until crust is deep golden brown and fruit is bubbling, 50 minutes to 1 hour.
- Using two spatulas, carefully transfer the baked galette (still on parchment) to a wire rack and let tart cool for 10 minutes.
- While the galette cools, combine the apricot jam and 1 teaspoon of water in a small glass bowl. Microwave for 15 to 20 seconds or until bubbling. Brush over the apples.
- Loosen tart from parchment and carefully slide onto wire rack using two spatulas; let cool until warm, about 30 minutes. Cut into wedges and serve with vanilla ice cream, if desired.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature for 1 day or in the fridge for up to 3 days. Refresh in a 300°F oven for 5 to 10 minutes before serving if desired.
First of all, the pie crust recipe was divine! It’s so buttery and flaky and a perfect crust to make the Apple Galette!
A fool-proof recipe with a delectable result. I had fun making it & was able to customize the flavor according to my kids’ preferences. Decided to split the dough, giving me 5 mini galettes. One apple galette for my youngest, with just a pinch of cinnamon. 4 other minis with stronger cinnamon flavor & a few pieces of grapes. Can’t wait for the next baking challenge.
Delicious! I love anything apple and this did not disappoint! I sliced my apples a bit thinner because I like them well cooked and it was just perfect. The crust baked up crisp and flaky but still tender. A keeper for sure!
This Apple Galette did not disappoint, the crust was delicious and easy to make. This was a delicious, sweet taste that reminded us of Fall.
I made 2 smaller galettes and they were very easy to put together! The crust technique was new to me but very easy to work with! They taste excellent!
Both hubby & I are not big fruit pie eaters, but we genuinely loved this!! I honestly think the li’l bit of apricot jam put on right out of the oven was the difference-maker! I personally REALLY liked the texture of the dough with the chunky sugar on it 🙂 A great recipe all around! 5 stars for sure!
So tasty and easy to make. Loved the pie crust! I usually don’t have a lot of success with pie dough, but followed Tessa’s instructions and trusted the process and it turned out great. I didn’t have the apricot preserves so I cooked the leftover “apple juice” and created a thick jam that I used instead. That really seemed to amp up the flavor.
a beautiful dessert that is great for family functions. tastes great and recipe was perfect.
Fantastic Apple galette. I made apple/blueberry.
loved it! so simple and delicious
Basically a free-form apple pie—delicious!
Loved this one! Better than apple pie