Apple Galette with Pie Crust

The key to a crisp, flaky apple galette is managing the moisture from the apples while helping the bottom crust bake properly. Here are a few simple tips to help prevent a soggy bottom.
1. Drain excess apple juices – Toss the sliced apples with sugar and spices, then let them sit for 10 to 15 minutes. The sugar draws out some of the apples’ natural juices, so drain off the excess liquid before arranging the apples on the crust. This helps keep too much moisture from soaking into the dough as it bakes.
2. Add a thickener – Toss the apple slices with a little cornstarch along with the sugar and spices. As the galette bakes, the cornstarch thickens the juices released by the apples, helping create a luscious filling without leaving the bottom crust swimming in liquid.
3. Bake in the lower third of the oven – Position the galette in the lower third of your oven rather than the center. This brings the bottom crust closer to the heat source, helping it bake through and turn golden.
4. Choose pie crust over puff pastry – For this apple galette, I prefer pie crust because it creates a sturdier base that holds up well to the juicy apple filling. It bakes into a tender, flaky crust without being weighed down as easily by the fruit’s moisture.
5. Keep the pie crust cold – After rolling out the dough, place it in the refrigerator while you prepare the apples. Cold dough helps the butter stay firm, which helps develop a flaky crust and helps the galette hold its shape as it bakes.

Absolutely! While I prefer my homemade butter pie crust for its rich flavor and flaky, tender texture, store-bought pie crust works well, too. It’s a great shortcut when you want a homemade apple galette without the extra prep.
You’ll need just one sheet of store-bought pie crust for this recipe. Simply roll it out if needed, add the apple filling, fold the edges over, and bake until golden and flaky!

Both apple pie and apple galette feature tender, cinnamon-spiced apples wrapped in buttery pastry, but the way they’re assembled and baked is quite different. Apple pie is structured and baked in a pie dish, while an apple galette is a rustic, free-form dessert that’s much easier to put together.
Here are the main differences:
1. Baking dish – Apple pie is baked in a pie dish, which gives it its familiar shape and holds the filling in place. A galette is baked flat on a standard baking sheet, with the edges of the dough folded casually over the fruit.
2. Crust-to-fruit ratio – Apple pie typically has a deeper layer of filling enclosed in pastry, often with a top crust as well. A galette has a shallower layer of apples, giving you a lovely balance of tender fruit and crisp, buttery crust in every bite.
3. Ease of preparation – Apple pie usually requires a little more attention to shaping the crust, crimping the edges, and adding a top crust or vents. A galette is much more forgiving: simply roll out the dough, arrange the apples in the center, and fold the edges over.
In short, apple pie is a great choice when you want a classic, neatly shaped dessert, while an apple galette is perfect when you want all those familiar apple pie flavors with less fuss. Its rustic look means that a few uneven folds or imperfect edges are part of the charm!

A rimmed half-sheet pan is ideal for baking an apple galette. I prefer a light-colored, uncoated baking sheet because it helps the crust bake evenly and develop a beautiful golden color without browning too quickly on the bottom.
I also recommend lining the pan with parchment paper. It prevents the galette from sticking and makes cleanup much easier, especially if any apple juices bubble out during baking.
Try to avoid dark-colored baking sheets, which absorb more heat and can cause the bottom crust to brown too quickly before the galette is fully baked.

Peeling the apples is entirely up to you, but I recommend it for the best texture. Without the skins, the apples soften more evenly as they bake, giving you a tender filling without any chewy bits of peel.
If you prefer to leave the skins on, that works, too! They add color, retain more of the apples’ nutrients, and save you some prep time. Keep in mind that the skins can stay slightly chewy after baking, and the apple slices may not be as tender or uniform.

Apple galette is delicious warm, at room temperature, or even chilled. On its own, it’s a simple, rustic treat, but a scoop of vanilla ice cream or a drizzle of caramel sauce takes it to the next level. A dollop of whipped cream is also wonderful. This cozy dessert is perfect for Thanksgiving, the holidays, a weekend treat, or even a sweet fall brunch.