I’ve refined an Apple Galette Recipe that pares apple pie down to half the effort, and I’ll reveal the one clever step that makes it so simple.

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I always joke that this Easy Peazy Cinnamon Apple Galette is proof shortcuts can taste like tradition. It’s all the flavor of apple pie but in a messy, charming freeform tart that practically makes itself.

I love using Granny Smith or Honeycrisp for that snap and bright bite, and a few cubes of cold unsalted butter make the crust flake just right. If you’re curious about quick Apple Pie Variations or want something between rustic and elegant, this Cinnamon Apple Tart is worth a try.

I screw up the folding sometimes, and that’s part of why people come back for seconds.

Ingredients

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Apples give tart sweetness, fiber for digestion, vitamin C, and keeps filling from getting soggy.
Butter adds rich flavor and flakiness, lots of fat, not much else nutritionally.
All purpose flour gives structure and carbs, little protein, can make crust tender.
Sugars supply sweetness and caramel notes, quick energy, no fiber or vitamins.
Cinnamon brings warm flavor, aroma and antioxidants, tiny calories and lots of charm.
Cornstarch thickens juices, makes filling glossy, pure starch so adds carbs.
Egg wash gives golden color, shine and browning, small protein boost.
Lemon juice adds brightness, balances sweetness and helps prevent fruit browning.

Ingredient Quantities

1 1/4 cups all purpose flour

1 tablespoon granulated sugar (for crust)

1/4 teaspoon fine salt (for crust)

1 stick (8 tablespoons) cold unsalted butter, cubed

3 to 4 tablespoons ice water as needed

3 medium apples (about 1 pound) Granny Smith or Honeycrisp

1/4 cup granulated sugar (for filling)

2 tablespoons light brown sugar, packed

2 tablespoons cornstarch

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1/8 teaspoon fine salt (for filling)

1 large egg (for egg wash)

1 tablespoon water (for egg wash)

2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cold

1 to 2 tablespoons coarse sugar or turbinado sugar for sprinkling

How to Make this

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1. Make the crust: whisk 1 1/4 cups flour, 1 tablespoon sugar and 1/4 teaspoon salt in a bowl, toss in 1 stick cold unsalted butter cut into cubes and use a pastry cutter or your fingers to rub it in until the mixture looks like coarse crumbs with some pea sized bits left.

2. Add 3 to 4 tablespoons ice water a tablespoon at a time, mixing gently until the dough just comes together; press into a disc, wrap and chill at least 30 minutes while you prep the apples.

3. Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper; you can roll the dough on a lightly floured surface or between two sheets of parchment for less mess.

4. Make the filling: peel, core and thinly slice 3 medium apples (Granny Smith or Honeycrisp), then toss them with 1/4 cup granulated sugar, 2 tablespoons packed light brown sugar, 2 tablespoons cornstarch, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg, 1 tablespoon lemon juice and 1/8 teaspoon salt until evenly coated.

5. Roll the chilled dough into about a 12 inch circle on the parchment, transfer the parchment with dough to the baking sheet, leaving a 2 inch border all around for folding.

6. Pile the apple filling into the center, mounding it slightly but leaving the 2 inch rim free; dot the apples with the 2 tablespoons cold unsalted butter cut into small bits.

7. Fold the edges of the dough up and over the apples in pleats, pinching as needed to keep it together; brush the crust with a simple egg wash made from 1 large egg beaten with 1 tablespoon water and sprinkle 1 to 2 tablespoons coarse or turbinado sugar over the crust.

8. Bake on the middle rack for about 40 to 45 minutes or until the crust is golden and the filling is bubbly; if the edges brown too fast, loosely tent them with foil for the last 10 minutes.

9. Let the galette cool at least 15 to 20 minutes on the baking sheet before slicing so the filling sets a bit. Serve warm with ice cream or whipped cream if you want.

Equipment Needed

1. Large mixing bowl, for whisking flour and tossing apples
2. Whisk and measuring spoons/cups, to get sugar, salt and spices exact
3. Pastry cutter or fork (or your fingers), to rub in the cold butter
4. Rolling pin and a lightly floured surface or extra parchment paper
5. Parchment paper, to roll on and to line the baking sheet
6. Baking sheet, for baking the galette on the middle rack
7. Sharp knife and vegetable peeler/corer, to peel, core and slice the apples
8. Pastry brush, for the egg wash
9. Small bowl, to beat the egg and mix the wash
10. Oven mitts and a cooling rack or a safe surface to cool the galette

FAQ

Q: Can I use other apples besides Granny Smith or Honeycrisp? A: Yep, any firm baking apple works, like Braeburn, Fuji, or Pink Lady. Mixing a tart apple with a sweet one gives better flavor, just keep slices about 1/4 inch thick so they cook evenly.

Q: How do I stop the crust from getting soggy? A: Keep everything cold, chill the dough before you roll it, and don’t overwork it. The cornstarch in the filling helps soak up juices, and brushing a thin layer of egg wash on the dough before you add the apples creates a little barrier. Also bake on a preheated sheet pan so the bottom starts crisping right away.

Q: No cornstarch on hand, what can I use instead? A: Use 3 tablespoons all purpose flour or 2 tablespoons tapioca starch. Flour thickens less so use a bit more. Arrowroot works too, same amount as cornstarch.

Q: Can I make the dough or whole galette ahead and freeze it? A: Yes. Dough can be wrapped and frozen up to 2 months, thaw overnight in the fridge. You can also assemble the galette and freeze it unbaked, covered tightly. Bake from frozen but add 5 to 10 minutes to the time, until crust is golden and juices are bubbling.

Q: What’s a good egg wash substitute if I want it egg free or vegan? A: Use milk, cream, or a mix of maple syrup and water for shine, or non dairy milk mixed with a little oil. It won't brown quite the same but still looks nice and gives a bit of glaze.

Q: How do I know when the galette is done and how to reheat leftovers? A: Done when crust is deep golden and apple juices are bubbling in the center, usually about 35 to 45 minutes at 375 F depending on your oven. To reheat, warm slices in a 350 F oven for 8 to 12 minutes, or pop a single slice in the toaster oven so the crust gets crisp again.

Easy Peazy Cinnamon Apple Galette Recipe Substitutions and Variations

All purpose flour: Use pastry flour for a lighter, flakier crust, same amount works; or try a 1 to 1 gluten free flour blend with xanthan gum. The dough might be more crumbly so chill it longer and add about 1 tbsp extra ice water if needed, dont overwork the dough.
Cold unsalted butter, cubed: Swap with cold solid coconut oil or cold vegetable shortening. Use the same amount and keep pieces very cold; coconut oil will give a faint coconut note, shortening gives extra flake but less buttery flavor.
Cornstarch: Replace with arrowroot powder or tapioca starch, generally used 1 to 1. Arrowroot makes a clear, silky filling, tapioca is fine but can get a bit gluey if boiled too long.
Egg for egg wash: Use milk or cream beaten with a little water for a softer brown, or use about 3 tbsp aquafaba per egg for a vegan option. Milk gives a gentle color, cream gives more shine, aquafaba browns nicely without eggs.

Pro Tips

1. Keep the butter as cold as you can, seriously. If the mix gets warm at any point, stick the bowl in the freezer for 10 minutes and finish up after that. Cold butter makes those little flaky pockets, warm butter just makes a greasy, sad crust.

2. Use two kinds of apples if you can, one tart and one sweet, and slice them all about the same thickness so they cook evenly. Toss them with the sugar and cornstarch and let them sit for like 5 to 10 minutes before you pile them on the dough so the cornstarch starts working and you dont end up with a soupy center.

3. Roll the dough on parchment not a lot of flour, that keeps it tender and makes transfer way easier. When folding the rim, dont fight the dough too much; pleat it loosely so steam can escape, and if the edges brown too fast, loosely cover them with foil toward the end of baking.

4. Let the galette cool longer than you think, at least 15 to 20 minutes, it really helps the filling set so slices hold together. Leftovers get way better reheated in a 350 oven for 8 to 12 minutes instead of the microwave so the crust goes crisp again.

Easy Peazy Cinnamon Apple Galette Recipe

Recipe by Francis Mead

0.0 from 0 votes

I’ve refined an Apple Galette Recipe that pares apple pie down to half the effort, and I’ll reveal the one clever step that makes it so simple.

Servings

servings

Calories

296

kcal

Equipment: 1. Large mixing bowl, for whisking flour and tossing apples
2. Whisk and measuring spoons/cups, to get sugar, salt and spices exact
3. Pastry cutter or fork (or your fingers), to rub in the cold butter
4. Rolling pin and a lightly floured surface or extra parchment paper
5. Parchment paper, to roll on and to line the baking sheet
6. Baking sheet, for baking the galette on the middle rack
7. Sharp knife and vegetable peeler/corer, to peel, core and slice the apples
8. Pastry brush, for the egg wash
9. Small bowl, to beat the egg and mix the wash
10. Oven mitts and a cooling rack or a safe surface to cool the galette

Ingredients

1 1/4 cups all purpose flour
1 tablespoon granulated sugar (for crust)
1/4 teaspoon fine salt (for crust)
1 stick (8 tablespoons) cold unsalted butter, cubed
3 to 4 tablespoons ice water as needed
3 medium apples (about 1 pound) Granny Smith or Honeycrisp
1/4 cup granulated sugar (for filling)
2 tablespoons light brown sugar, packed
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/8 teaspoon fine salt (for filling)
1 large egg (for egg wash)
1 tablespoon water (for egg wash)
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cold
1 to 2 tablespoons coarse sugar or turbinado sugar for sprinkling

Directions

Make the crust: whisk 1 1/4 cups flour, 1 tablespoon sugar and 1/4 teaspoon salt in a bowl, toss in 1 stick cold unsalted butter cut into cubes and use a pastry cutter or your fingers to rub it in until the mixture looks like coarse crumbs with some pea sized bits left.
Add 3 to 4 tablespoons ice water a tablespoon at a time, mixing gently until the dough just comes together; press into a disc, wrap and chill at least 30 minutes while you prep the apples.
Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper; you can roll the dough on a lightly floured surface or between two sheets of parchment for less mess.
Make the filling: peel, core and thinly slice 3 medium apples (Granny Smith or Honeycrisp), then toss them with 1/4 cup granulated sugar, 2 tablespoons packed light brown sugar, 2 tablespoons cornstarch, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg, 1 tablespoon lemon juice and 1/8 teaspoon salt until evenly coated.
Roll the chilled dough into about a 12 inch circle on the parchment, transfer the parchment with dough to the baking sheet, leaving a 2 inch border all around for folding.
Pile the apple filling into the center, mounding it slightly but leaving the 2 inch rim free; dot the apples with the 2 tablespoons cold unsalted butter cut into small bits.
Fold the edges of the dough up and over the apples in pleats, pinching as needed to keep it together; brush the crust with a simple egg wash made from 1 large egg beaten with 1 tablespoon water and sprinkle 1 to 2 tablespoons coarse or turbinado sugar over the crust.
Bake on the middle rack for about 40 to 45 minutes or until the crust is golden and the filling is bubbly; if the edges brown too fast, loosely tent them with foil for the last 10 minutes.
Let the galette cool at least 15 to 20 minutes on the baking sheet before slicing so the filling sets a bit. Serve warm with ice cream or whipped cream if you want.

Notes

Below you’ll find my best estimate of this recipe’s nutrition facts. Treat the numbers as a guide rather than a rule—great food should nourish both body and spirit. Figures are approximate, and the website owner assumes no liability for any inaccuracies in this recipe.