Our Fresh Peach Galette is a rustic, freeform approach to peach pie made with juicy, ripe peaches and a flaky, all-butter crust. You don’t even need to peel the peaches first!
Our family goes through bushels and bushels of peaches every summer. We eat most of them out of hand, but I always try to make some of our favorite peach desserts and try a few new ones each peach season. This peach galette has been on my list for a long time and it did not disappoint.
A galette is like a laid-back pie: it’s a simple pastry with a free-form crust that you fold over your favorite sweet or savory filling to partially enclose the filling. They are super easy to make and perfect for any occasion!
It’s based on my classic southern peach pie, but pared down with just one crust that is open on top to expose the peaches which roast and slightly caramelize in the oven. A galette is sort of a cross between a pie and a tart and it’s rustic and simple and wonderful.
Don’t feel like you have pie crust skills? No worries because there’s no transferring the crust to a pie plate (affiliate link) and risking it tearing or fancy crimping or lattice skills necessary. You literally just roll out the crust in a big circle, add the filling to the center of the crust, then fold the edges over and bake. Tears or imperfections just add to the rustic charm of a galette.
What You’ll Need
- Pie Crust – If you already have a pie crust in the freezer (or just want to use a storebought pie crust) you can use that. Otherwise, my all-butter pie crust recipe that I share below is just flour, sugar, salt, butter, and water and it comes together in 5 minutes. The flavor and texture beats anything form the store.
- Peaches – You’ll need about 5 fresh, large peaches. They should be ripe but firm – not super soft but not crunchy either. When you squeeze them they should have just a little give rather than being rock hard but they shouldn’t be mushy or bruised.
- Sugar – You need granulated sugar to sweeten the peaches a bit, and some coarse sanding sugar for the edges of the galette to give them just a little sweetness and crunch.
- Cinnamon – Peaches and cinnamon are a perfect combo, like chocolate and strawberries.
- Cornstarch – This helps thicken the peach filling just enough so that it is still juicy but helps thicken up some of the liquid from the peaches.
- Vanilla Extract – Even a small amount of vanilla helps round out and balance the other flavors in most baked goods.
- Egg – This is used for an egg wash to brush the edges of the galette crust for a golden brown crust and to help the coarse sugar stick.
How to Make a Peach Galette
- Make the crust. Combine the flour, sugar, and salt in a large mixing bowl. Use a pastry cutter to cut the cold butter into the dry ingredients until the chunks of butter are about the size of peas. Add the ice water a little at a time, stirring it in with a fork to evenly moisten the crust just until it starts to clump together. Gather it up into a ball and flatten it into a disc on a piece of plastic wrap. Wrap it up and stick it in the fridge or freezer for 20 to 30 minutes so the butter stays cold while working on the peach filling.
- Prep the filling. Wash and slice the peaches into 1/2-inch slices. Add them to a bowl with the sugar, cornstarch, cinnamon, and vanilla, gently tossing to evenly coat the peach slices. The sugar will start to draw out the juices from the peaches a bit.
- Roll out crust. On a lightly floured surface, roll out the pie crust into a large 12-inch circle. Transfer to a baking sheet lined with a piece of parchment paper. You want it to hang over the edges a bit so you have crust to fold over the edges of the galette.
- Add filling. Arrange the peach slices in an overlapping circular pattern in the center of the crust, leaving about 1 ½ to 2 inches border around the edges. I like to drizzle the sugary juices that came off the peaches over the filling unless there is a lot of it, in which case you might just want to discard it so the galette isn’t overly runny.
- Finish. Fold the edges of the crust over the peach filling, leaving the center open. Beat an egg with a little water and brush it over the edges of the crust, then sprinkle with coarse sanding sugar to finish.
- Bake. Bake the galette in a 375 degree F oven for about 45 to 55 minutes. The galette is done with the crust is a nice golden brown and the peach filling is bubbling. Let cool for at least 15 minutes before slicing and serving warm or room temperature.
Recipe Tips
- Layer the peaches close together. As the peaches bake down they will shrink slightly so for a generous filling you want the peach slices to be overlapping a bit.
- Don’t skip the sanding sugar and egg wash. An egg wash doesn’t add flavor to a galette, but without it the crust won’t turn that beautiful shade of golden brown and instead have a slightly pale, anemic look. And the sanding sugar is a must both for sparkle, flavor, and crunch.
- Make sure to bake the galette long enough. Even if the crust looks done on top, it might still need to bake a little longer for the bottom to be cooked through.
Variations & Substitutions
- One of my favorite flavor combos is raspberry peach. You can replace up to half of the peaches with raspberries (or blackberries or blueberries, which are great with peaches too) for a different, slightly more tart galette.
- You can also replace the peaches with sliced strawberries, blueberries, apples, rhubarb, or other fruit for different galette flavors.
- If you don’t have cornstarch, you can thicken the filling with all-purpose flour, although you might want to double the amount to 2 Tablespoons.
- This recipe works well with a good cup-for-cup gluten-free flour to make a gluten-free pie crust. With the cornstarch thickener, you’ll have a great gluten-free dessert!
Recipe FAQ’s
A galette is a free-form, open-faced pastry, while a pie is made in a pie pan so that it has a structured shape, usually with a top and bottom crust. Pies are usually baked in a pie dish, while galettes are baked on a baking sheet.
To fold the edges of a galette, start by lifting the dough from the edge and folding it over the filling, pleating as you go around to create a rustic border. There is no need to be fussy or precise about it since the charm of a galette lies in its rustic appearance. This is a fun recipe for kids to help with because they can help with all of it!
I think galettes are best enjoyed fresh, slightly warm, the day they are baked, but it’s still tasty for a day or two after baking before the crust starts tasting stale if you keep it in an airtight container on the counter. If you want to make it ahead of time, I recommend making the crust, which you can store for 2-3 days in the fridge of up to 3 months in the freezer. Let it thaw on the counter before rolling out and proceeding with the recipe. You can also bake the galette a day or two in advance and reheat it in the oven before serving so it tastes like it was just baked.
Yes, but you will get best results using fresh peaches. If using frozen peaches, thaw and drain first to remove excess moisture. If using canned peaches, drain the liquid off them before using.
Fresh Peach Galette
Ingredients
Galette Crust
- 1 1/2 cups (191g) all-purpose flour
- 1 Tablespoon granulated sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon table salt
- 10 Tablespoons salted butter
- 4-6 Tablespoons ice water
- 1 large egg for egg wash
- 1 teaspoon cold water for egg wash
- 1-2 Tablespoons coarse sugar for sprinkling
Peach Filling
- 1 1/4 pounds peaches sliced 1/2-inch thick (about 4-5 medium peaches or about 3 to 3 ½ cups sliced)
- 1/3 cup granulated sugar
- 1 Tablespoon cornstarch
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- To make the pastry crust, combine the flour, sugar, and salt in a large mixing bowl. Use a pastry cutter to cut the cold butter into the dry ingredients until the chunks of butter are about the size of peas. This can also be done in a food processor (affiliate link) or using two knives if you don't have a pastry cutter.1 ½ cups (191g) all-purpose flour, 1 Tablespoon granulated sugar, ½ teaspoon table salt, 10 Tablespoons salted butter
- Add the cold water a tablespoon at a time, stirring it in with a fork to evenly moisten the dough just until it starts to clump together. Gather the dough into a ball and flatten it into a disc on a piece of plastic wrap. Wrap it up and stick it in the fridge or freezer for 20 to 30 minutes. This serves both to keep the butter in the dough cold while also allowing the flour to hydrate from the water in the dough so it is easier to roll out.4-6 Tablespoons ice water
- Wash and slice the peaches into 1/2-inch slices. You can remove the peels if you like, but they soften considerably while baking so you won't notice them and they actually add to the rustic look of the galette, so I like to keep them. Add the sliced peaches to a large bowl with the sugar, cornstarch, cinnamon, and vanilla. Gently toss to evenly coat the peach slices. The sugar will start to draw out the juices from the peaches.1 ¼ pounds peaches, ⅓ cup granulated sugar, 1 Tablespoon cornstarch, ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon, ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- Roll out the pastry crust on a lightly floured surface into a large 12-inch circle. Transfer to a baking sheet lined with a piece of parchment paper. You want it to hang over the edges a bit so you have crust to fold over the edges of the galette.
- Arrange the peach slices in an overlapping circular pattern in the center of the crust, leaving about 1 ½ to 2 inches border around the edges. I like to drizzle the sugary juices that came off the peaches over the filling unless there is a lot of it, in which case you might just want to discard it so the galette isn't overly runny.
- Fold the edges of the crust over the peach filling, leaving the center open. Beat an egg with a little water and brush it over the edges of the crust, then sprinkle with coarse sanding sugar to finish.1 large egg, 1-2 Tablespoons coarse sugar, 1 teaspoon cold water
- Bake at 375°F for 45-55 minutes until the crust is golden brown and the peach filling is bubbling. Let cool for at least 15 minutes before slicing and serving warm or room temperature.
Notes
- Storing: I think galettes are best enjoyed fresh, slightly warm, the day they are baked, but it’s still tasty for a day or two after baking before the crust starts tasting stale if you keep it in an airtight container on the counter. If you want to make it ahead of time, I recommend making the crust, which you can store for 2-3 days in the fridge of up to 3 months in the freezer. Let it thaw on the counter before rolling out and proceeding with the recipe. You can also bake the galette a day or two in advance and reheat it in the oven before serving so it tastes like it was just baked.
- Using Frozen or Canned Peaches: If using frozen peaches, thaw and drain first to remove excess moisture. If using canned peaches, drain the liquid off them before using.
