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Celebrate apple season with this irresistible Caramel Apple Galette. A tender, flaky homemade pie crust cradles two generous layers of thinly sliced apples tossed in brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, a touch of lemon, and cornstarch to thicken. After baking to a golden brown, the galette is finished with a warm drizzle of homemade caramel sauce. Serve it with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and an extra drizzle of caramel for a cozy fall dessert that tastes like a caramel apple in every bite.
About the Recipe
This is the perfect easy fall bake: rustic, impressive, and full of apple flavor. It shines with crisp, flavorful apples—Honeycrisp is our favorite for this galette—but you can use other baking apples if needed. The galette features a simple, flaky crust and a double layer of apples for extra texture and fullness. A warm caramel drizzle right before serving makes it feel celebratory and special, ideal for a cozy weekend treat or a holiday table.
This galette is loaded with apples—two layers of thinly sliced fruit—so every bite is tender and full of flavor. It’s easy to make, impressive to serve, and captures the essence of caramel apples in a rustic tart.
This galette is a great Thanksgiving dessert: easy to prepare, visually appealing, and loaded with familiar fall flavors. Add ice cream or whipped cream and watch it disappear.
What Is a Galette?
A galette is a rustic, free-form tart with the edges of the crust folded over the filling. It can be sweet or savory; this version uses a flaky pie crust and a cinnamon-spiced caramel-apple filling.
Why You’ll Love This Caramel Apple Galette
- Rustic yet beautiful—perfect for casual gatherings or holidays.
- Simple method and minimal fuss.
- Serves a crowd and keeps well for a day or two.
- Great way to use a bounty of fresh apples.
- Every bite is tender, sweet, and caramel-forward.
Ingredients
(Full amounts and step-by-step instructions are in the recipe card below.)
For the Caramel
- Heavy cream
- Granulated sugar
- Lemon juice
- Salted butter
For the Crust
- All-purpose flour
- Granulated sugar
- Salted butter (cold, sliced)
- Apple cider vinegar
- Heavy cream
For the Filling
- Thinly sliced apples
- Melted butter
- Lemon juice
- Brown sugar
- Cornstarch
- Salt
- Ground cinnamon
- Ground nutmeg
For the Egg Wash
- Large egg
- Water
- Coarse sugar (optional)
How to Make Caramel Apple Galette
Step 1: Make the caramel
Warm the cream and keep it hot. In a small saucepan, combine the sugar and lemon juice and heat over medium-low, stirring until the sugar dissolves and begins to color. Remove from heat, whisk in the butter a piece at a time, then whisk in the warm cream. Set the caramel aside.
Step 2: Make the crust
In a food processor, pulse together flour and sugar. Add the cold, sliced butter a few pieces at a time, pulsing until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Add the vinegar and cream and pulse just until the dough begins to come together. Form into a disc, wrap, and chill for about 30 minutes.
Step 3: Mix the filling
In a large bowl, toss the sliced apples with melted butter, lemon juice, brown sugar, cornstarch, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg until evenly coated.
Step 4: Make the egg wash
Whisk the egg with water in a small bowl and set aside.
Step 5: Assemble
Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C). On a lightly floured piece of parchment, roll the chilled dough into a circle about 1/8-inch thick. Mound the apple filling in the center, leaving a 2-inch border. Fold the edges of the dough up and over the filling to create the rustic edge.
Step 6: Bake
Brush the crust with the egg wash and, if desired, sprinkle the edge with coarse sugar. Bake for 35–40 minutes or until the crust is golden and the apples are tender. If the filling browns too quickly, loosely tent the galette with foil for the last 15–20 minutes. Drizzle with the reserved caramel sauce just before serving.
Which Apples Work Best
Different apples perform differently when baked. Here are notes on common varieties:
- Granny Smith: Classic baking apple. Holds shape and adds bright tartness—an excellent choice or partner to sweeter apples.
- Golden Delicious: Mild and sweet, holds up well. Try mixing with a tart apple for balance.
- Pink Lady: Firm and slightly tart; bakes well but can be tangier than some prefer.
- Gala: Sweet and softer when baked—good if you like tender apple pieces.
- Honeycrisp: Our top pick—crisp, flavorful, and stands up nicely to the caramel.
Tips for a Flaky Crust
- Keep everything cold—especially the butter and dough—so the crust stays flaky.
- Preheat the oven fully; placing cold dough into a hot oven helps create steam for flakiness.
- Leave small chunks of butter in the dough; they create layers as they melt. If large chunks appear while rolling, tuck them back into the center.
What to Serve with This Galette
Top the galette with a scoop of vanilla ice cream, caramel apple ice cream, or a dollop of Chantilly cream. It also pairs nicely with other fall desserts on your menu.
Storage
Enjoy the galette fresh for best texture. Stored in the refrigerator in a sealed container or zip-top bag, it will keep for 1–2 days. Rewarm briefly before serving, and add a fresh drizzle of caramel.
Inspired to bake more? Try classic apple desserts like Old Fashioned Apple Pie, Caramel Apple Ice Cream, Mini Apple Pies, or a Cinnamon Apple Galette for more variations.
If you make this Caramel Apple Galette, please leave a comment and share a photo. We love hearing how your baking turned out!
Caramel Apple Galette
Ingredients
Sauce
- ½ cup heavy cream
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- ¼ teaspoon lemon juice
- ¼ cup salted butter, sliced
Crust
- 1½ cups all purpose flour
- 1½ Tablespoons granulated sugar
- ¾ cup salted butter, sliced and cold
- 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
- 1½ Tablespoons heavy cream
Filling
- 3 cups sliced apples
- 1½ teaspoons melted butter
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- ¼ cup brown sugar, firmly packed
- ¼ cup cornstarch
- Pinch salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/16 teaspoon ground nutmeg
Egg Wash
- 1 large egg, room temperature
- 1 Tablespoon water
- 1 Tablespoon coarse sugar, optional
Instructions
Sauce
-
Heat the cream and keep it warm.
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In a small saucepan, combine sugar and lemon juice and heat, stirring, until the sugar dissolves and starts to caramelize.
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Remove from heat and whisk in butter a piece at a time, then whisk in warm cream. Set aside.
Crust
-
In a food processor, combine flour and sugar and pulse to combine.
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Add cold butter in slices, pulsing until the mixture resembles coarse meal.
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Add vinegar and cream and pulse just until the dough comes together. Form into a disc, wrap, and refrigerate 30 minutes.
Filling
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Combine the sliced apples with melted butter, lemon juice, brown sugar, cornstarch, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg in a large bowl and toss to coat.
Egg Wash
-
Whisk the egg and water together in a small bowl.
Assembly
-
Heat oven to 375°F (190°C).
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Roll the chilled dough on floured parchment to 1/8-inch thickness.
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Place the apple mixture in the center, leaving a 2-inch border, and fold the dough edges up over the filling.
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Brush with egg wash and sprinkle coarse sugar if desired. Bake 35–40 minutes until golden (tent with foil if the filling browns too fast).
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Drizzle with caramel sauce before serving.
Notes + Tips
- 3 cups sliced apples is roughly 2 large apples (about 1 pound).
- Do not overwork the dough—pulse just until the mixture comes together.
- Keep the crust cold when you’re not working with it.
- Slice apples thinly (about 1/8-inch) for even baking.
- If the filling browns too quickly, tent the galette with foil during the last portion of baking.
- Drizzle the caramel right before serving for the best texture.
Tools You May Need
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Small saucepan
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Food processor (or pastry cutter and bowl)
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Mixing bowls
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Parchment paper and a rolling pin
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Baking sheet
– Still Hungry? –
Here are a few recipes you may enjoy:
-
Apple Bourbon Coffee Cake
-
Apple Crumble Cheesecake
-
Cinnamon Apple Butter Puff Pastry Tarts