A Summer Peach Galette Recipe (+VIDEO)

I perfected a simple Rustic Peach Galette with an all-butter pie crust, fresh peaches, brown sugar, vanilla and spices, and the single pantry trick I use keeps the pastry flaky and prevents the fruit from making the crust soggy.

I made this Rustic Peach Galette on a sweaty July afternoon and it still managed to look like I tried harder than I did. The crust, laced with cold unsalted butter, puffed into flaky ribbons while the ripe peaches slipped into sticky, golden folds at the edge.

It’s easier than pie and the VIDEO captures those slightly messy moments that make it feel honest. You’ll read the recipe, maybe roll your eyes, then watch the clip and suddenly you want to bake it tonight.

It’s simple, slightly wild, and somehow gets everyone asking for just one more slice.

Why I Like this Recipe

– I love that it’s forgiving, I can mess up the crust or hurry it and it still turns out tasty
– The rustic, imperfect look makes it feel homemade and I actually wanna show it off to friends
– Every bite is juicy and bright, it just screams summer to me
– Super flexible so I can swap things with whatever I have on hand and it never gets boring

Ingredients

• Peaches: juicy and sweet, good fiber and vitamin C, make the filling bright and fresh
• All purpose flour: provides structure and carbs, makes a tender, flaky crust when kept cold
• Unsalted butter: rich in fat, browns nicely, helps layers and flavor, keep it very cold
• Light brown sugar: adds moist, caramel sweetness and a little molasses depth to peach filling
• Fresh lemon juice: brightens flavors, adds mild acidity that balances the peaches sweetness
• Cornstarch: thickens juices, prevents runny filling without changing flavor, use sparingly
• Egg wash: gives golden, glossy crust and helps coarse sugar stick for extra crunch

Ingredient Quantities

• 1 1/4 cups all purpose flour (150 g)
• 1 tablespoon granulated sugar (for crust)
• 1/2 teaspoon fine salt
• 1 stick unsalted butter cold (8 tbsp / 113 g)
• 3 to 4 tablespoons ice cold water
• 4 to 5 ripe peaches (about 1 1/2 to 2 lb / 700 to 900 g)
• 1/3 cup packed light brown sugar (70 g)
• 2 tablespoons granulated sugar (extra for filling)
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch or arrowroot
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• pinch ground nutmeg
• pinch fine salt (for filling)
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter cold (to dot the filling)
• 1 large egg (for egg wash)
• 1 tablespoon coarse or turbinado sugar for sprinkling

How to Make this

1. Make the dough: in a bowl stir together 1 1/4 cups (150 g) all purpose flour, 1 tablespoon granulated sugar and 1/2 teaspoon fine salt. Cut 1 stick (113 g) cold unsalted butter into small cubes and work into the flour with a pastry cutter or your fingers until pieces are pea sized. Sprinkle 3 tablespoons ice cold water over the mixture and gently mix until the dough just comes together, add the 4th tablespoon only if it’s still dry. Flatten into a 1 inch disc, wrap and chill at least 30 minutes.

2. Prep the peaches: bring a pot of water to a boil, score small X’s on the peach bottoms and blanch 20 to 30 seconds, then plunge into ice water so skins slip off easily. Slice 4 to 5 ripe peaches (about 1 1/2 to 2 lb / 700 to 900 g) into 1/4 inch slices and put them in a large bowl.

3. Make the filling: to the peaches add 1/3 cup packed light brown sugar (70 g), 2 tablespoons granulated sugar, 1 tablespoon cornstarch, 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice, 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract, 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon, a pinch of ground nutmeg and a pinch of fine salt. Toss gently so slices are coated and let sit 5 to 10 minutes to macerate and release juices.

4. Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C) and line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. a rimmed sheet will catch any bubbling juices.

5. Roll and assemble: on a lightly floured surface roll chilled dough into about a 12 inch circle, transfer the circle to the parchment on the baking sheet. Pile the peach filling in the center leaving a 2 inch border all around.

6. Fold the edges: fold the dough over the peaches, pleating as needed to make a rustic round and leaving the center exposed. Don’t worry if it looks imperfect, that’s the point.

7. Finish and bake: dot the fruit with 2 tablespoons cold unsalted butter cut into small pieces. Beat 1 large egg and brush it over the folded crust for a glossy finish, then sprinkle 1 tablespoon coarse or turbinado sugar over the crust and exposed fruit. Bake 35 to 45 minutes until crust is deep golden and filling is bubbling, rotate the sheet once halfway. If edges brown too fast tent with foil.

8. Rest: remove from oven and let the galette cool on the sheet 20 to 30 minutes so the juices thicken a bit and it slices cleaner.

9. Serve: slice and serve warm or at room temperature, great with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream. Tips: keep everything cold so crust stays flaky, chill dough again if it gets too warm while rolling, and use a rimmed sheet because peaches will bubble over.

Equipment Needed

1. Large mixing bowl for the dough and to macerate the peaches
2. Measuring cups and spoons, and a kitchen scale if you got one
3. Pastry cutter or fork (or your fingers) to cut cold butter into the flour
4. Rolling pin and a lightly floured surface
5. Rimmed baking sheet lined with parchment paper, to catch bubbling juices
6. Saucepan, slotted spoon and a large bowl of ice water for blanching peaches
7. Sharp knife and cutting board for slicing the peaches
8. Pastry brush and a small bowl for the egg wash
9. Bench scraper or spatula to help transfer the galette and tidy the crust

FAQ

A Summer Peach Galette Recipe (+VIDEO) Substitutions and Variations

• All purpose flour – Use pastry flour 1:1 for a more tender, flaky crust; or swap with a 1:1 gluten free baking blend (add 1/2 tsp xanthan gum if the blend has none) and expect a slightly different texture.
• Unsalted butter (cold) – Substitute cold vegetable shortening 1:1 by weight for extra flake but less buttery taste, or use chilled block vegan butter/coconut oil 1:1 for a dairy free galette (refined coconut oil keeps coconut flavor low).
• Peaches – Swap with nectarines, ripe plums, or apricots in the same quantity; nectarines are the closest match, just taste and cut a little smaller if fruit is extra juicy.
• Cornstarch or arrowroot – Use tapioca starch 1:1 for similar clear, glossy thickening; if you only have all purpose flour use about 2 tablespoons flour for 1 tablespoon cornstarch, but the filling will be a bit cloudier.

Pro Tips

1) Keep everything cold, always. Work fast, chill the dough again if it gets soft, and if the butter starts to smear into the flour rather than looking like little peas, freeze the bowl for 10 minutes and then continue.

2) If your peaches are extra juicy, add a little more thickener or drain off 2 to 3 tablespoons of the maceration liquid before filling the galette, otherwise the crust will get soggy; quick-cook tapioca works wonders if you want extra glossy, thick juices.

3) Use a rimmed baking sheet and rotate it halfway through baking, and if the edges are getting too dark while the center still bubbles, loosely tent the crust with foil so the fruit finishes without burning the rim.

4) Let it rest at least 20 minutes before slicing so the juices set up, and if you want cleaner slices chill it briefly in the fridge; serve warm with ice cream, but dont slice it piping hot or it will run everywhere.