This Stone Fruit and Cherry Galette Recipe is a rustic dessert I insist you make. It’s all the things you want from a pie-like dessert: as in, flaky pie crust, a layer of homemade almond paste, and an assortment of stone fruit and fresh cherrie but even easier than traditional pie.
Having parents from the Midwest, I grew up eating all-American traditional pie, but I had never had a galette until my French stepmother joined the family. My family has many great cooks, but baking has never been a big thing. That’s not to say we don’t do dessert but rather that we are drawn to simple, rustic desserts like this galette.
When I first got into cooking, we lived in a house that had a phenomenal garden with loads of stone fruit. I’d spend hours in late summer picking apricots, plums, and berries and making all the classic desserts like pie, crisps, crumbles, and galette.
After decades of baking, I am finally sharing my easy galette recipe. The crust is a gluten-free version of the pie crust recipe in my cookbook, Keys To The Kitchen. Meanwhile, the filling is something I constantly change depending on what ripe fruit I have on hand.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
Having attended culinary school in France, I have made all the classic French pastries from macarons and Tarte Tatin to croquembouche and Paris-Brest. But I make this stone fruit and cherry galette recipe on repeat because it is so easy to make and so versatile.
In the fall, you can use pears or apples in the filling, or in winter; you could combine fresh goat cheese and root vegetables for a savory twist. The galette is a keeper because it’s open-faced so it’s not only pretty but also forgiving for those new to baking.
But this version, made with any stone fruit and some cherries you can get your hands on, is a fantastic way to celebrate the best summer fruit. I like the combination of apricots and plums, nectarines or peaches and cherries, or all plumcots. But, really, any combination of ripe stone fruit will do.
While some cherry galette recipes call for cherry filling and loads of thickeners, this is a mix of fruit, so you don’t need thickeners beyond a touch of almond flour. The recipe’s versatility allows you to customize it based on whatever fruits are in season, and its gluten-free crust ensures that even those with dietary restrictions can indulge in this delightful dessert.
Recipe Ingredients
This Stone Fruit and Cherry Galette Recipe combines apricots, pluots, peaches, nectarines, and cherries. The gluten-free pie dough is made from King Arthur Gluten-Free Measure for Measure Flour, enriched with butter and vegetable shortening for flakiness and a touch of granulated sugar and kosher salt for flavor. (While various types of gluten-free flour are on the market, we find the King Arthur to be the best for this recipe, FYI.)
The filling for this rustic tart is a simple mixture of ripe stone fruit, fresh lemon juice, almond flour, and a dash of vanilla or spices; all brought together with a homemade frangipane layer of almond flour, sugar, salt, almond extract, and butter.
How to Make This Cherry Galette Recipe
Prepare the gluten-free homemade pie crust, which combines flour, sugar, and salt. Then, work in the shortening and butter to achieve the right texture. Finally, add ice water to bring the dough together. Allow the dough to rest and hydrate for about 30 minutes before rolling it out into a circle.( Note: This is our go-to gluten-free pie crust recipe, and you could use it for anything from your favorite pie recipe or savory galette to a homemade quiche.)
Next, make the frangipane by mixing almond flour, sugar, salt, almond extract, an egg, and butter until smooth. Use a floured rolling pin to roll out the chilled dough, spread the frangipane, then top with the mixed fruit filling and fold the edges to form a rustic crust. Brush with melted butter and sprinkle with sanding sugar for a crisp finish. Bake the cherry galette recipe until golden brown and bubbling.
What to Serve This Recipe With
This cherry galette recipe is perfect as a light dessert on warm summer evenings. Serve it slightly warm or at room temperature to bring out the flavors of the juicy fruits. Pair it with a dollop of fresh whipped cream or a scoop of homemade ice cream for an extra indulgent treat.
Frequently Asked Questions
The basic ingredients for a galette crust include all-purpose flour, cold butter, a small amount of sugar, salt, and ice water. These ingredients are combined to form a dough similar to pie crust but often a bit more rustic and less demanding.
For the filling, galettes can be versatile, accommodating virtually any combination of fruits for a sweet galette or vegetables and cheeses for a savory version. Typical fillings for sweet galettes include apples, berries, peaches, or plums, often mixed with sugar, spices, and sometimes a binder like cornstarch.
To prevent a soggy crust when making a galette, there are a few key tips to follow:
Use cold butter and ice water when making the dough to help maintain pockets of fat in the crust, which will steam during baking to create flaky layers.
Add a barrier between the crust and filling, such as a sprinkle of ground almonds, frangipane, breadcrumbs, or semolina flour, at the bottom of the galette to absorb excess moisture.
Chill the formed galette before baking to firm up the fat, which helps maintain structure and prevent leakage.
Galettes can be prepared beforehand, making them convenient for entertaining or meal planning. You can prepare and refrigerate the dough for up to 2 days before rolling it out and filling it. Alternatively, you can fully assemble and refrigerate the galette for a few hours before baking.
For storing leftovers, keep the baked galette in the refrigerator covered with foil or plastic wrap for up to three days. Reheat in a 300°F oven for best results. Galettes can also be frozen, either before or after baking. Wrap the galette well and freeze for up to three months; thaw in the refrigerator overnight and reheat in the oven.
More Pie Recipes To Try
Looking for even more pie ideas beyond this cherry galette recipe? Here are a few more traditional pies:
Rustic Stone Fruit and Cherry Galette
Equipment
Ingredients
For The Gluten-Free Galette Crust
- 1 3/4 cups gluten free all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 cup vegetable shortening
- 10 tablespoons cold unsalted butter cut into 10 pieces
- 1/2 cup cold water or ice water
- almond flour or almond meal, for rolling the dough
For The Frangipane:
- 3/4 cup almond flour or almond meal
- 1/3 cup granulated sugar
- pinch kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter at room temperature and cut into small pieces
For The Galette:
- 1 1/2 pounds nectarines or peaches or other stone fruit like apricots and plumcots, halved, pitted, and sliced into 6 or 8 pieces
- 12 sweet cherries pitted (optional)
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- pinch kosher salt
- Juice from 1/2 lemon
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract or ground cinnamon or ground cardamom
- 3 tablespoons almond flour or almond meal
For Garnish:
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter melted (can use whole milk or heavy cream)
- 2 tablespoons Turbinado or sanding sugar
- honey for garnish
Instructions
Make The Gluten-Free Galette Crust
- Whisk together the gluten-free flour, sugar, and salt in a large bowl. Add the shortening and rub it between your thumb and forefingers. It is ready when it is in lima bean-sized piece sand comes together in quarter-sized clumps when squeezed in the palm of your hand, about 2 minutes. Add the butter, toss it to coat in the flour mixture then rub it into the flour mixture until pea-sized pieces form (some big chunks should remain) and it comes together in fist-sized clumps when squeezed, about 1 minute.
- Drizzle in half of the cold water and rake through the mixture with your fingers until it's just moistened. Drizzle in remaining water 1 tablespoon at a time and rake again with finger to moisten. the dough will go from being a shaggy mess to coming together. (You may not need all of the water, depending on the humidity of your kitchen. Start with half of the measured water and add more as needed.) The dough is properly hydrated with it is moistened evenly but is not wet when pressed. (FYI, gluten free pie crust does better when it is wetter than standard pie crusts because the flour mixtures often absorbs more water than all-purpose flour. Try to use at least 6 tablespoons of the water even if it feels like a lot then let the dough rest until the water is mostly absorbed, at least 30 minutes in the refrigerator.)
- Before shaping, you can do the following to help flakiness (known as fraisage): Transfer the shaggy mixture to a piece of a parchment paper. Divide the dough into 4 parts and scraped each across a floured countertop with the heel of your hand. This flattens the butter into sheets -- work quickly so that the butter stays cold. (If at any point, the butter feels sticky or soft, just put it in the refrigerator to chill for about 10 minutes.)Use a pastry bench scraper to gather the dough into a ball. Turn the dough onto a piece of plastic wrap, press it into a flat disk. Roll the edges of the disk against the counter like wheel to smooth. then enclose in a plastic bag or plastic wrap. Place in the coldest part to the refrigerator at least 30 minutes before rolling out into a crust. (The galette crust can be made up to 1 month ahead of time. Store in an airtight container in the freezer until ready to use.
- When you’re ready to make the galette, remove the galette crust from the refrigerator or freezer. Allow to warm up a bit (if chilled longer than 30 minutes) until soft enough to roll but still cold to the touch. Meanwhile, make the frangipane.
Make The Frangipane:
- Whisk together the almond flour, sugar, and salt in a small bowl until evenly combined. Add in the beaten egg and almond extract and mix until smooth. Mix in the softened butter until evenly incorporated. Set aside until ready to use. (The frangipane can be made up to 2 days ahead of time. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator until ready to use. Let come to room temperature for a few minutes before using so it is spreadable.)
Make The Galette:
- Heat the oven to 400°F and arrange a rack in the middle. Place the disk of dough between two pieces of parchment paper dusted with almond flour and put on a flat surface. Roll the dough into a 14-inch circle that’s about 1/4-inch chick, turning it over and periodically dusting it with flour to keep it from sticking. (The dough is a bit fragile so work carefully). Remove one of the pieces of parchment paper and brush off any excess flour. Trim the dough into an even 14-inch circle, then transfer it (on the piece of parchment paper) into the refrigerator to chill for at least 5 minutes.
- Meanwhile, combine all the stone fruit and the cherries (if using) with 1/4 cup of the granulated sugar, the juice of half a lemon, the almond flour, the pinch of salt, and the vanilla, cinnamon, or cardamom (if using) and stir to combine. Set aside until ready to use, about 5 minutes.
- Remove the dough from the refrigerator, place it on the parchment paper, and place it on a flat surface. Spread the frangipane in the center of the dough, leaving a 1 1/2-inch to 2-inch rim around the edge. Arrange the larger fruit pieces on the frangipane and place the smaller fruit in the empty spaces, like the apricots and pitted cherries. Use the parchment paper to help fold the edges of the dough over the fruit to make a crust. The crust will overlap in places, forming a rustic galette crust that is more of a hexagon or octagon rather than a smooth edge. Brush the crust with melted butter, heavy cream, or whole milk, then brush the remaining over the fruit. Sprinkle the crust with about 1 tablespoon of the sanding sugar, then sprinkle another 1 tablespoon over the fruit.
- If it is a hot day, it is a good idea to place the galette and parchment paper on a baking sheet and place it in the freezer or oven for 10 minutes to firm up. Otherwise, put the galette in the oven and bake until the galette crust is well-browned the fruit is cooked through (a knife easily pierces it), and it is bubbling in spots, about 45 to 50 minutes. Remove the galette from the oven and let cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Drizzle with honey and serve. The galette crust is best within the first 24 hours of being baked.
