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Rustic Apple Galette with Cinnamon Brown Sugar

Rustic apple galette with cinnamon brown sugar features a flaky, free-form crust folded around tender apple slices. The caramelized apple filling bubbles in the oven for a crisp, golden pastry with cozy apple-pie flavor.
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Prep Time 25 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
Chilling 40 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 45 minutes
Servings: 8 servings
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Calories: 420
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Galette Dough
  • 1.25 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 tbsp granulated sugar
  • 0.5 tsp kosher salt
  • 0.5 cup unsalted butter Cold, cut into small cubes
  • 3 tbsp ice water Plus an additional 1 tbsp if needed
Apple Filling
  • 3 apples Medium; about 1 1/4 lb total
  • 0.25 cup light brown sugar Packed
  • 1 tbsp all-purpose flour
  • 1 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 0.25 tsp ground nutmeg
  • 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 tbsp unsalted butter Cut into small pieces
For Finishing
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 tsp water
  • 1 tbsp coarse sugar
Optional for Serving
  • 1 vanilla ice cream Optional
  • 1 caramel sauce Optional

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan

Method
 

Make the dough
  1. Whisk all-purpose flour, granulated sugar, and kosher salt together until evenly combined.
  2. Cut in the cold unsalted butter until the mixture contains pea-size pieces.
  3. Add 3 tablespoons ice water and gently mix; add the remaining 1 tablespoon only if needed so the dough just holds together.
  4. Shape the dough into a disk, wrap it, and refrigerate for 30–45 minutes to chill.
Prepare the apples and filling
  1. Preheat the oven to 400°F (205°C).
  2. Core the apples and slice them about 1/8 inch thick for even cooking.
  3. Toss the apples with light brown sugar, all-purpose flour, ground cinnamon, ground nutmeg, fresh lemon juice, and vanilla extract until well coated.
Roll, assemble, and fold
  1. Roll the chilled dough on a lightly floured surface into an approximately 12-inch circle.
  2. Transfer the dough to a parchment-lined sheet pan and arrange the apples in overlapping concentric circles, leaving about a 2-inch border.
  3. Dot the apple filling with the remaining 1 tablespoon butter cut into small pieces to help caramelize.
  4. Fold the exposed dough over the outer apples, pleating naturally as you work around the galette.
Finish and bake
  1. Whisk the egg with 1 teaspoon water until smooth, then brush it over the crust.
  2. Sprinkle the crust with coarse sugar so it bakes into a crisp finish.
  3. Bake at 400°F (205°C) for 35–40 minutes, until the crust is deeply golden and the apples are tender with bubbling, caramelized juices.
  4. Cool for at least 15 minutes before slicing so the filling sets and slices cleanly.
  5. Serve warm or at room temperature, with optional vanilla ice cream or caramel sauce if desired.

Notes

For the flakiest crust, keep the butter very cold and chill the dough until firm (30–45 minutes). Store covered in the refrigerator up to 3 days; reheat in a 350°F oven for 8–10 minutes to re-crisp. Freezing is yes: freeze baked slices airtight up to 2 months and thaw overnight before reheating. For a dairy-light swap, use a plant-based butter stick in both the crust and butter dots (texture may be slightly less flaky).