Easy Cinnamon Vanilla Apple Galette
Anybody can master this beautiful apple galette recipe! With a buttery, flaky crust and a cinnamon spiced apple filling it’s a stunning dessert for any occasion (and it can be made gluten free, but nobody will know!). You’ll need to start with a half batch of this foolproof pie crust recipe (see the Tips below). You can use any apple variety you like in this galette (I prefer a sweet-tart apple, such as Pink Lady, Fuji, Honeycrisp and/or Granny Smith - go for a mix!). Slice the apples ⅛- to ¼-inch thick (the thicker you slice them the more texture they'll have in the galette - it's a preference thing). The tips of some of the apples will brown as the galette cooks; if you feel as though they're getting too dark you can tent the center of the galette with a piece of foil. Brushing the apples with apricot jam after the galette comes out of the oven gives them a shiny appearance, like a French pastry. Be sure to check out my video above!
Servings: 1 9-inch galette
Ingredients
Filling
- 3 apples (about 1 ¼ pounds), peeled, cored, and thinly sliced
- 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
- 3 tablespoons sugar
- ¼ teaspoon cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground cardamom
- Pinch salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla paste, vanilla extract or the seeds from ½ vanilla bean (cut the bean in half lengthwise then scrape out the seeds with the back of a knife)
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch
Assembly
- Cup 4 Cup gluten free flour or regular all-purpose flour, for dusting
- ½ batch Easy Pie Crust (see the Tips below!)
- 1 egg
- 1 teaspoon water
- 2 teaspoons turbinado sugar
- 1 tablespoon cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
- 1 ½ tablespoons apricot jam
For Serving
- Vanilla ice cream or whipped cream (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375˚F (190˚C). (If needed, take the pie dough out of the fridge to soften.)
Make the filling
- In a large bowl, combine the apples and lemon juice and toss to coat. Add the sugar, cinnamon, cardamom, salt, vanilla and cornstarch. Toss to combine.
Roll out the crust and form the galette
- Sprinkle a large sheet of parchment paper lightly with flour. Roll out the dough on the parchment, lifting the dough and lightly flouring the parchment as needed to prevent sticking. You're aiming for a 10- to 11-inch round (it should be about ⅛-inch thick). If the dough cracks, just patch it up as needed. Brush off any excess flour from the parchment paper, then slide the sheet of parchment (with the dough) onto a baking sheet.
- Pile the apple filling onto the center of the dough, then spread the apples in an even layer, leaving a 1- to 2-inch border. Fold the dough up over the apples, overlapping it and pinching it together (patch up any tears as needed). Refrigerate the galette for 5-10 minutes.
- Beat the egg in a small bowl with the water. Brush the crust lightly with the egg wash (you won’t need it all), and sprinkle the crust with turbinado sugar. Dot the butter over the apples. If your kitchen is warm, pop the galette back into the fridge for a few minutes to chill (you want the dough to feel cool to the touch).
Bake
- Bake the galette, rotating once, until the crust is a deep golden brown and the juices are bubbling, about 50-60 minutes. Let cool 5 minutes.
- Heat the apricot jam in the microwave or on the stovetop until warm and runny (if needed, add a splash of water). Brush the jam over the warm apples. Let the galette cool.
Serve
- Serve the galette warm or at room temperature with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or a dollop of whipped cream, if you'd like (yes, please!).
Notes
Do Ahead: The galette can sit at room temperature for up to 1 day (if you prefer, warm it slightly in a 375˚F-400˚F oven for a few minutes before serving). Refrigerate any leftovers.
Tips:
- You'll need a half batch of this easy pie crust for this galette (it's best to make the full batch and freeze the other half for another pie down the line). Take note that the pie crust dough needs to rest for 30 minutes before rolling out. Be sure to check out the video above to see how I roll it!
- To make this galette gluten free, use Cup 4 Cup gluten free flour in the crust dough (I've tested several other gluten free flours, and Cup 4 Cup is by far easiest to work with and has the best flavor).
- Vanilla paste is one of my favorite "superpower" ingredients, lending this galette (and all of my baked goods!) a rich vanilla flavor at a fraction of the cost of fresh vanilla beans (plus, it lasts forever in the pantry!). That said, you can use vanilla extract or fresh vanilla bean seeds instead.
- If your apricot jam is chunky, strain it before brushing it over the apples.
- A rimless baking sheet is perfect for cooking galettes and cookies, although you can use a rimmed sheet if that's all you have.
- Be sure to try my Strawberry Galette Recipe and my Savory Spinach Galette!