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When you learn how to make the perfect galette dough, you’ll be using it non-stop for both savory and sweet galette recipes! In this post, I’ll walk you through how to make this foolproof recipe and all my best tips and tricks.
about this galette dough
The first galette I made was back in the early days of the blog when I made this savory chicken caprese galette (please excuse the photos LOL). When I finally nailed the flaky crust to wrap around the filling, I put that recipe in my notebook and kept coming back to it.
Every galette that I’ve made since that day has been made with this galette dough.
Over the years I’ve gone from making it completely by hand to using a food processor to speed up the process a bit. Don’t worry, even if you don’t have a food processor, you can still make this pie dough! You’ll just get your hands a little dirty, and there’s nothing wrong with that, right?
This dough is probably my best achievement in the history of the blog, and I realized that I needed a post dedicated to just the dough. Once you have the dough, you can easily fill it with your favorite filling, whether you want to make savory galettes or sweet galettes.
To me, the galette is basically a “lazy pie”. It’s got all the buttery flaky goodness of a pie crust, but without all the work that goes into it! You don’t even need a pie pan to bake it and the more freeform it is, the better. It’s got that rustic quality that you just can’t resist!
what is a galette?
Unfamiliar with what a galette is? Basically, it’s pastry dough wrapped up around a filling, sweet or savory. There’s plenty of options to try (I’ll link all of my galette recipes below!), and I love how it can look rustic and beautiful, without the struggle of making it perfect. You can use regular tools and there’s no fancy technique to it! Use your favorite fruit like plums, raspberries, blackberries, and more.
ingredients
flour – for this galette dough, I use all-purpose flour for this recipe. If you prefer, you can also use whole wheat flour! You can also use a gluten-free 1:1 substitute flour (like Bob’s Red Mill). This recipe cannot be made with alternative flour like almond, rice, etc.
sugar – all you need is granulated white sugar. You will only use sugar if it’s for a sweet galette!
salt – use fine kosher salt when baking. Coarse or fleur de sel is best used as finishing salts when you are using it in baking!
butter – since you are adding salt to the dough already, you will use unsalted butter. If you only have salted, you can use it, but omit the salt from the recipe. You will also need a couple extra tablespoons melted for brushing the edges before baking.
ice water – make sure that it is ice water! The colder the better for the dough.
this recipe’s must haves
If you have a food processor, I highly recommend using it! I love how easily this foolproof dough comes together in it.
Instead of a food processor, you can also use a large bowl from a set of metal mixing bowls.
You’ll need a silicone brush for brushing the edges with butter before baking it.
When it comes to the baking, all you need is some parchment paper and a half sheet baking pan.
here’s how to make foolproof galette dough
pulse dry ingredients
In the bowl of a food processor, add flour, salt, and sugar (if using for a sweet galette). Pulse a few times to mix.
add butter
Add in chilled cubed butter and pulse about 8 to 10 times until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. The butter should be in pea-size pieces.
finish dough
Turn the machine on and add in water, one tablespoon at a time. The dough should come together to form a ball. Turn out on a clean work surface and form into a disk.
chill and roll
Wrap tightly in plastic and place in the fridge for at least 30 minutes.
Roll out the chilled dough into a 14-inch round on a floured surface. Transfer the dough to a baking sheet lined with a sheet of parchment paper.
bake
Add your filling to the center of the dough, leaving a 1 to 2-inch edge of dough all the way around!
Fold the edges up around the filling, pleating the dough in evenly spaced folds. Seal the folds as you work all the way around. Don’t worry about it being perfect, it is supposed to be free-form!
Brush the edges with melted butter. If you are making a sweet galette, sprinkle the edges with turbinado sugar. Bake for 35 to 45 minutes until the dough turns a light golden brown.
Cool for about 15 minutes before slicing. If you made a sweet pie, serve with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
tips for success
temperature is important. As it is anytime you are working with pastry dough, you want to make sure it is cold. Your butter should be chilled, so I will cube it and place it in the fridge until I’m ready to add it. The warmer the dough gets the harder it is to work with (and that’s why we chill it for at least 30 minutes!).
chill the dough. Don’t skip chilling the dough! It’s a crucial step to getting the perfect dough for this recipe. Be sure to let it chill for at least 30 minutes.
More tasty galettes to try: Brandy Cherry Galette | Raspberry Blueberry and Strawberry Galette | Bourbon Caramel Apple Galette | Whole Wheat Asiago Sweet Potato Galette
can I make the dough ahead of time?
Yes! Raw dough that’s in a wrapped disk can be kept in the fridge overnight, if you like.
Also, you can easily freeze the dough. Wrap it in plastic wrap tightly before placing in the freeze. Dough can be frozen for up to one month. When ready to use, let it thaw at room temperature pliable.
is galette and pie crust the same?
No, galette dough is different from pie crust because it is baked on a sheet pan instead of in a pie plate. It’s a lot easier to make and really saves you the headache of a traditional pie crust.
Need some more inspiration for dessert? Check out my desserts recipe page!
how to I use galette dough?
There are SO many ways to use galette dough, so I’ve rounded up all of my recipes that are living on the blog for you to try out:
- Blueberry Galette with Thyme Honey
- Brandy Cherry Galette
- Raspberry Blueberry and Strawberry Galette
- Bourbon Caramel Apple Galette
- Whole Wheat Asiago Sweet Potato Galette
- Pluot Lemon Galette
- Strawberry Mint Champagne Galette
- Peach Blueberry Galette
- Savory Chicken Caprese Galette
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The Perfect Galette Dough
equipment
ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups flour
- 1 1/2 tsp sugar for sweet galettes only, omit for savory
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 8 Tbsp cold unsalted butter cubed into 1/2” pieces
- 1/3 cup ice water
- 2 Tbsp melted butter
- Turbinado or raw sugar for sweet galettes only, omit for savory
instructions
- Add flour, sugar, and salt to the bowl of a food processor.* Pulse a few times to mix. Add butter cubes and pulse about 8 to 10 times until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
- Turn the machine on and add in water, one tablespoon at a time. The dough should come together and form a ball. Dump out the dough onto a clean work surface and form into a 4-inch disk.
- Cover with plastic wrap tightly and chill in the fridge for at least 30 minutes, up to overnight.
- When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 375˚F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
- Roll out galette dough into a 14-inch round. Add filling to the center, spreading it out but leaving a border of about 1 to 2 inches.
- Fold up the dough around the filling, pleating the dough evenly. Be sure to press the folds together well to seal. Brush the edges with melted butter and sprinkle with raw sugar.
- Bake for 35 to 45 minutes, until the edges are golden brown. Cool for about 15 minutes.
Rosana Alberta says
I didn’t understood much about galette dough, now I know. Thanks for the information.
Elena says
This is a great crust recipe. My fiancé loves it! I originally used it because a recipe I had for a galette called for store bought dough. Now I have used it with other recipes because it’s delicious! I made a peach raspberry galette tonight. Thanks!
Meghan Y. says
I am absolutely thrilled to hear it! The peach raspberry galette sound DELISH.
Deirdre says
I made this and loaded it with plums. It was a winner.
Meghan Y. says
I’m thrilled to hear that! A plum galette sounds so lovely!