Cherry Galettes

Tender, buttery and sweet, these individual-size cherry galettes are a fantastic and mouthwatering way to make use of the fresh cherries of the season. Made with a simple buttery galette dough flavored with almond, and brimming with sweet, juicy, red cherries nestled into the dough, this cherry galette recipe is a delectably rustic summer dessert!

Little galettes filled with fresh, sweet cherries of the season

Being the lover of fresh cherries that I am, I just adore this time of year, when cherry season is in full swing. It must be the Michigander in me, haha!

From late May through late July/early August (depending on where you live), those big, beautiful cello bags of fresh cherries begin popping up in plentiful supply in the markets. Both sweet red cherries and the golden-red Rainier cherries are available. Shiny and plump, I simply cannot resist buying a bag or two of fresh cherries to snack on by the handful!

And if my sweet tooth really begins to get the best of me, then I know it's time to incorporate these cherries into a delicious homemade treat. My cherry turnovers, my luscious cherry jam, or these cute little cherry galettes are go to favorites.

Rustic and simple to make (easier than pie!), this cherry galette recipe is a fantastic pick to make use of summer's delicious cherries. And topped with a spoonful or two of sweetened whipped cream or crème fraiche, there's nothing tastier!

My recipe for cherry galettes

While I love to bake up full-size galettes such as my summer fruit galette or my fresh peach galette, there's something really pretty and cozy about individual-size galettes.

To me, they look like elegant little pastries you find at a local bakery. All juicy, glossy and golden-brown, they're perfect size to enjoy with a fresh cup of coffee or tea.

Part of what I love about making these cherry galettes (or any galette, for that matter), is how simple it is to put the dough together, then fill, and bake.

The whole point of a galette is to make it look delectably rustic. So the dough is rolled out into a rough circle (or small, individual-size circles for this recipe), and then the sweetened fruit (cherries in this case) are loosely mounded in the center.

Around the edges the galette dough is folded over the fruit in the center, leaving it exposed, offering a glimpse into the sweet goodness within!

I like to prep the dough in my food processor, form it into individual discs, and then let them chill. For convenience, it can even be made ahead and chilled overnight. When ready, you just lightly roll the dough disks out a bit and fill with them the fruit.

The addition of some sliced almonds and some turbinado sugar sprinkled around the edges of these cherry galettes before baking is a tasty touch—it also adds some sparkle and texture.

Here's a sneak peek at my cherry galette recipe:

(or just jump to the full recipe...)

1. To get started, I prepare my galette dough, shape it into a disc, then cut that disc into 8 smaller discs.
2. I then wrap the dough discs in plastic and chill for an hour, or even overnight if prepping ahead.
3. Next, I prepare my sweet cherry filling by tossing my fresh, pitted and halved red cherries with some sugar, flour, almond extract, and a little squeeze of lemon juice.
4. When ready to fill and bake, I roll each dough disc into a thin, roughly 6 by 6 inch circle, mound up a small amount of the filling in the center, then partially fold the galette dough over the filling, leaving the center exposed.
5. I brush with some egg wash, sprinkle over some sliced almonds and coarse sugar, and bake the cherry galettes for roughly 36 to 38 minutes, until golden-brown and juicy.
6. The cherry galettes are cooled on a wire rack, then enjoyed at room temperature with sweetened whipped cream or crème fraiche (even ice cream!), if desired.

Recipe

Cherry Galettes

by Ingrid Beer

Print Recipe

These rustic cherry galettes are brimming with fresh, juicy, sweet red cherries nestled into a tender and buttery almond crust!

Category: Dessert
Cuisine: French-American

Yield: 8 individual galettes

Nutrition Info: 494 calories (per galette)

Prep Time: 45 minutes (does not include dough chill time)
Cook time: 36 minutes
Total time: 1 hour, 21 minutes

Cherry filling ingredients:

• 1 pound fresh, sweet red cherries, stemmed, pitted and sliced in half
• 2 ½ tablespoons sugar
• 1 ½ tablespoons flour
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice
• ¼ teaspoon almond extract

Galette dough ingredients:

• 3 cups flour
• ¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 2 sticks plus 2 tablespoons cold butter, cut into small pieces
• ½ cup plus 2 tablespoons ice-cold water
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon almond extract
• 2 large eggs, beaten, for egg wash
• Raw sugar or turbinado sugar, to sprinkle over dough
• ½ cup sliced almonds, optional garnish over dough

Preparation:

1. Begin by gathering and prepping your galette dough ingredients according to the ingredient list above to have ready and organized for use.
2. To prepare the dough, place the flour, sugar and salt into the bowl of a food processor (7 cup capacity or larger), and pulse lightly to combine the dry ingredients.
3. Next, add the cold butter pieces in, and pulse the mixture until the butter begins to form small, pea-size pieces.
4. Then, while pulsing, slowly begin drizzling in the ice-cold water, just until it brings the dough together, and add the vanilla and almond extracts and pulse a few more times to incorporate (be careful not to over-mix the dough).
5. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface and gather it up into a large ball, then gently press/form the dough ball into a large, even disk. Cut the disk into 8 equal portions, and gather each portion up and gently press it into a small disk.
6. Wrap each small disc in plastic wrap, and chill in the fridge for at least an hour, or even overnight, if prepping ahead.
7. Once the dough has chilled, gather and prep all of your cherry filling ingredients according to the ingredient list above to have ready and organized for use.
8. Preheat the oven to 375°, and line one large (or two smaller) sheet pans with parchment paper.
9. In a large bowl, combine the pitted and sliced cherries with the sugar, flour, lemon juice and almond extract, and gently toss those together to combine them well. Set aside for a moment.
10. Place one of your galette dough discs in front of you on a lightly floured work surface, and roll it out into a roughly 6 by 6 inch circle, a little under ¼ inch thick. Then, add about 1 ½ tablespoons of the fresh cherry filling to the center of it, and fold the edges of the dough inward toward the center, creating rustic pleats with the dough.
11. Set the cherry galette onto the baking sheet, and repeat the process with the remaining galettes.
12. Then, brush some egg wash over the dough of each cherry galette, sprinkle with a light touch of turbinado sugar, then add a sprinkle of the sliced almonds, if using. Bake the galettes for about 36 to 38 minutes, until golden-brown and juicy.
13. Allow the galettes to cool completely, and serve with sweetened whipped cream or sweetened crème fraiche, if desired.

Tips & tidbits for my cherry galette recipe:

• Fresh, sweet, red cherries: When choosing cherries for this recipe, opt for sweet, red cherries (organic, if possible) here. They are incredibly juicy and naturally sweet, so you won't need much sugar at all—only a couple of tablespoons. If you use sour cherries, you will need much more sugar. You could also substitute the yellow-red Rainier cherries with delicious results, but the dessert will not be quite as colorful.
• Prep the galette dough ahead for ease: To save myself some time on the day that I'd like to bake these cherry galettes, I prep my galette dough a day or even two ahead of time. I then shape the dough into individual discs, wrap each in plastic wrap, and keep chilled in the fridge until ready to roll out, fill, and bake.
• A splash of almond extract for added flavor: Whenever I prepare a cherry-centered dessert, I typically like to add a little splash of pure almond extract. Almond extract has an almost cherry-like flavor, and just adds a little something special to these cherry galettes—it offers such lovely aroma!
• How to store these cherry galettes: These little galettes keep fresh for a day or two after baking, if kept under a cake dome or on a platter lightly wrapped in plastic wrap. You can freeze any leftover galettes, then allow them to thaw either in the fridge (for a day or so), or even at room temperature.

Craving more cozy and mouthwatering fruity desserts? Check out my Summer Fruit Galette recipe, my Peach Galette recipe, my Cherry Cobbler with Cream Biscuit Topping recipe, my recipe for Cherry Turnovers, Strawberry Oatmeal Bars, my Berry Crisp recipe, my Peaches and Cream Coffee Cake recipe, or even my recipe for Blueberry Bars!

Cook's Note: This recipe was originally published in 2013, and has been updated with even more love!