This Jacques Pepin apple galette recipe is an easy, rustic freeform tart made in the French country style with a touch of honey. The crust is all-butter, flaky and crisp, and it doesn’t require long chilling, so you can assemble and bake without much waiting. The apples are finished with a sprinkle of cinnamon and sugar for a warm baked color and gentle sweetness.
Simple assembly, classic flavor. You don’t need to arrange the apple slices in a perfect pattern unless you want to — a casual layered look works beautifully. A light drizzle of honey on the base apples adds floral complexity, while the cinnamon-sugar topping is sprinkled right before baking so you skip an extra mixing step.
This is an all-butter crust, unlike some fruit galettes that use shortening or puff pastry. The result is a shatteringly crisp crust that holds up under the fruit yet is delicate enough to enjoy on its own.
The finished crust is crisp enough to hold in your hand like a slice of pizza if you like. Because the dough doesn’t require extensive chilling, you can move from prep to oven quickly — less fuss, great results.
Apple galette recipe ingredients
Galette crust
This crust is quick to make and easy to roll. The ratio of butter to flour gives extra flakiness — pulse everything in a food processor, bring it together, and you’re ready to roll.
- All-purpose flour, unsalted butter, granulated sugar, ice water, kosher salt
Apple cinnamon filling
- Granny Smith apples: Tart, firm, and low on excess juice—great for baking and for keeping shape in the galette.
- Lemon: Fresh juice prevents browning and helps the apples hold their texture during baking.
- Honey: A tablespoon adds a floral note to the base layer of apples.
- Sugar and cinnamon: Sprinkled on top just before baking for color and warmth—no macerating needed.
*Ingredients with exact measurements are in the recipe card below.
Best apples for a galette
Many baking apples work well. Try these varieties for good texture and balanced flavor:
- Granny Smith: Tart and sturdy — a classic choice.
- Braeburn: Balanced sweetness, moderate juiciness.
- Golden Delicious: Mildly sweet and holds shape.
- Pink Lady: Sweet and crisp with good color retention when sliced.
How to make an apple galette
Adapted from Jacques Pépin’s country galette approach. The steps below focus on straightforward technique and practical tips so the galette bakes evenly and the crust stays crisp.
Step 1: Make the crust
Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C) and line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Cut cold butter into small cubes. Pulse flour, sugar, salt and butter in a food processor until the butter resembles small peas. Sprinkle ice water over the mix and pulse just until the dough looks like coarse crumbs or wet sand and holds together when pressed.
Step 2: Wrap and chill
Turn the dough out onto a work surface, quickly bring it together with your hands, and pat into a disk. Wrap in plastic and refrigerate while you prepare the apples. The dough can be used almost immediately, so there’s no strict minimum chill time required.
Step 3: Prep the apples
Mix sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl and set aside. Peel, core, and prepare the apples: chop two into small pieces and toss with a little lemon juice to prevent browning; slice the remaining apples into 1/4-inch half-moons, toss with lemon, and set aside.
Step 4: Roll out the galette crust
On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough gently, turning it as you go to keep it from sticking. Aim for roughly a 14-inch diameter. Drape the dough over a rolling pin or fold it over the pin to transfer it to the prepared baking sheet.
Step 5: Add the filling
Spread the chopped apples in the center, leaving about a 1½-inch border. Drizzle the honey over the chopped apples. Layer the sliced apples on top in whatever pattern you prefer — concentric circles or a more relaxed, rustic arrangement both look great.
Step 6: Finish and bake!
Sprinkle the cinnamon-sugar evenly over the apple slices. Fold the dough up over the filling, creating small pleats as you go. Dot the apples with the remaining bits of butter. Bake until the crust is deep golden and the apples are tender, about 50–60 minutes. Let cool on the sheet pan on a rack for at least 15 minutes before slicing. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Galette shape doesn’t matter!
The galette can be circular, oval, or freeform — what matters is that the dough is large enough to hold the fruit with a border you can fold over. Imperfect edges add to the rustic charm, so don’t worry about making a perfect circle.
Expert tips
- Keep ingredients cold. Cold butter and ice water help create flaky layers. Briefly freezing cubed butter before pulsing helps if your kitchen is warm.
- Turn the dough while rolling. Rotate the dough to prevent sticking; lightly flour the surface and rolling pin as needed.
- Handle the dough minimally. Overworking warms the butter and reduces flakiness.
- Don’t pile on fruit. This galette is meant to be a relatively flat French-style tart, which helps prevent excess juice and a soggy bottom.
- Watch the bake time. Check at 50 minutes; if the crust edges darken too quickly, tent with foil.
- Make ahead: Crust and cinnamon-sugar can be prepared a day ahead; assemble and bake the day you plan to serve for best texture.
Debra’s Details: Jacques Pepin apple galette is simple, quick and rustic!
- Crust comes together quickly in the food processor — no long chill required.
- Filling prep is easy: peel and slice four apples.
- Moderate fruit amount prevents a soggy base.
- Cinnamon sugar sprinkled on top gives a warm, rustic finish.
- Excellent served warm or at room temperature—ideal for dessert tables or brunch.
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Recipe
Jacques Pepin Apple Galette Recipe
25 mins
1 hr
1 hr 25 mins
Ingredients
Galette Crust
- 1½ cups all purpose flour
- 1½ teaspoon sugar
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- 10 tablespoons cold unsalted butter
- ⅓ cup ice water
Apple Filling
- 4 medium Granny Smith apples
- 1 lemon
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Cut the butter into small pieces and chill briefly if your kitchen is warm.
- Pulse flour, sugar, salt and cold butter in a food processor until the butter is the size of small peas. Add ice water a little at a time and pulse until the mixture looks like coarse crumbs or wet sand and holds together when squeezed.
- Turn the dough out, bring it together quickly, pat into a disk, wrap and refrigerate while you prepare the filling. Chilling is optional but helpful.
- Mix sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl and set aside.
- Peel and core the apples. Chop two apples into small pieces, toss with a little lemon juice. Slice the other two into ¼-inch half-moons and toss with lemon juice; set aside.
- On a lightly floured surface, roll dough to about 14-inch diameter, turning to prevent sticking. Transfer to prepared baking sheet.
- Spread chopped apples in the center, leaving a 1½-inch border. Drizzle honey over them. Layer the sliced apples on top in your chosen pattern.
- Sprinkle cinnamon-sugar over the apples. Fold the dough up around the fruit, pleating as needed, and dot with remaining butter.
- Bake 50–60 minutes until the crust is golden and the apples are tender. Let cool on the pan on a rack for at least 15 minutes before serving. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Notes
- Keep ingredients cold. Cold butter and ice water help form flaky layers.
- Turn the dough while rolling to avoid sticking and to maintain an even thickness.
- Handle dough minimally so the butter stays cold—this creates flakiness during baking.
- Shape is flexible: A roughly 14-inch diameter is ideal; the finished galette should look rustic rather than perfectly round.
- Bake time: Check at 50 minutes and tent with foil if the edges brown too quickly.
Storage and Make Ahead
- Storage: Best the same day. Leftovers keep for one day loosely covered at room temperature; reheat gently in a 350°F oven to refresh the crust.
- Make ahead: The crust and cinnamon-sugar can be prepared a day ahead; keep the dough refrigerated until you roll it out.
Nutrition information is an estimate and not guaranteed.
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