This berry galette is as delicious as berry pie, but takes half the time and effort. This easy yet impressive dessert is complete with a thick and flavorful homemade crust made with tangy buttermilk and cornmeal, and, of course, a scoop of vanilla ice cream!
I originally published this recipe in 2016 and have since added new photos and success tips.
Galette! Pieโs very unassuming and carefree little sis.
Galette is the dessert I suggest to nearly any beginner baker, especially those nervous about making pie crust from scratch. Because, great news! Itโs simply free-form pie. Just as delicious and awesome as pie, but thereโs no weaving, crimping, trimming, or any of that meticulous business. The baking and cooling times are both much shorter than a traditional blueberry pie or triple berry pie. You can make mini fruit galettes, too!
Berry galette is a perfect stepping-stone recipe for baking beginners who are feeling a bit pie-shy. ๐
An Upgraded Pie Crust
Back in 2016 when I was testing this recipe, I played around with a buttermilk cornmeal pie crust. The result doesnโt necessarily taste like cornbread, but it has many of the same ingredients including fine cornmeal, buttermilk, flour, and butter. This particular crust crisps up beautifully, has a little crunch from the cornmeal, and when paired with juicy, sweet, and warm berries? Itโs absolute heaven. Think of it as a flavorful upgrade from regular pie crust; I love it with quiche and use the same crust for my lemony blueberry galette.
One reader, Lauren, commented: โI made this twice last week because it was so good. (One for a party, one for ourselves.) The crust is no jokeโฆ so good!! I even had a slice or two as breakfast with coffee. Will definitely keep this as a favorite go-to dessert. โ โ โ โ โ โ
4-Ingredient Berry Filling
- Mixed Berries: I like using berries I donโt need to chop, like blueberries, blackberries, and raspberries. Make sure you have no more than 4 cups of berries total. I suggest a mix of berries for different flavors and textures. Using frozen berries works, too. See recipe Note below.
- Sugar: Just enough to sweeten without masking the berry flavors.
- Cornstarch: To thicken the filling.
- Lemon Juice: To brighten up the flavor and add moisture. Do not skip this, or else your filling will be dry.
For the crust, you can make the dough at least 1 hour and up to a couple days ahead of time; it must chill in the refrigerator before you shape it. And by โshapingโ I mean that in the most casual sense ever. Because galette is not picky. Whatever shape the dough rolls out to be, you can leave it.
Berry Galette Success Tip: Keep It Flat
One thing to keep in mind, thoughโunlike pies where you can pile the fillings sky-high, galettes donโt really like it when thereโs too much filling. The crust canโt bake through properly and will stay mushy, flimsy, and blah. (Technical terms here.) To avoid that nonsense, keep this in mind: flat and compact. Flatten that filling down, compact the fruit as much as you can, and leave a 2- to 3-inch border so you can fold the dough edges over.
Before baking, brush the crust with egg wash (egg + milk) and sprinkle with coarse sugar. These are my 2 main finishes for nearly all sweet pies. The egg wash leaves a golden sheen on the dough as it bakes, and helps the crust to brown evenly. The coarse sugar is forโฆ wellโฆ a sweet sparkly finish. Plus the most wonderful slight crunch.
When berry season is over, be sure to try my always-beloved apple galette or this deeply flavored ginger pear galetteโboth are fall favorites.
As low maintenance as it is, the one thing that berry galette demands is a big fat scoop of vanilla ice cream. Melty ice cream, warm berry filling, buttery crisp cornmeal crustโฆ I think we are all very happy to oblige!
Looking for More Berry Desserts?
- Fruit Pizza
- Strawberry Cream Cheese Pie
- Blueberry Pieย &ย Blueberry Pie Bars
- Berry Cobbler
- Triple Berry Pie
- Lemon Blueberry Cake
- Berry Icebox Cake
Simple Berry Galette
- Prep Time: 1 hour, 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Total Time: 2 hours
- Yield: 1 galette; about 6-8 servings
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Description
As delicious and impressive as mixed berry pie, but requires half the work! This berry galette is an easy summer dessert and truly shines with a crisp and flaky buttermilk cornmeal crust. A must-try!
Ingredients
Buttermilk Cornmeal Crust
- 1 and 1/4 cups (156g) all-purpose flour (spooned & leveled), plus more as needed
- 1/4 cup (30g) fine cornmeal
- 3 Tablespoons (38g) granulated sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup (8 Tbsp; 113g) cold unsalted butter, cubed*
- 1/4 cup (60ml) cold buttermilk, plus more as needed
Berry Filling
- 4 cups (about 600g) fresh or frozen mixed berries* (do not thaw & see Note)
- 1/4 cup (50g) granulated sugar
- 1 Tablespoon (7g) cornstarch
- 1 Tablespoon (15ml) fresh lemon juice
- egg wash:ย 1 large egg beaten with 1 Tablespoon milk
- coarse sugar for sprinkling
Instructions
- Make the crust:ย Whisk the flour, cornmeal, sugar, and salt together in a medium bowl. Using a pastry cutter or a couple forks, cut in the butter until the mixture resembles coarse, pea-sized crumbs. Add the buttermilkย and stir until the flour is moistened and the dough clumps up. Mix in 1 more Tablespoon of buttermilk if the dough seems dry. Pour crumbly dough onto a lightly floured work surface and bring it together with your hands. Shape the dough into a ball and flatten it into a 1-inch-thick disc. Wrap it in plastic wrap and refrigerate it for at least 1 hour and up to 3 days (or freeze for up to 3 months).
- Right before the dough has finished chilling, prepare the filling: Mix the berries, sugar, cornstarch, and lemon juice together in a large bowl. Tip: You do not want the berry filling to sit for too long, as the berries will release too much juice; mix filling together right before using.
- Preheat oven to 425ยฐF (190ยฐC). Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat. Set aside.
- On a lightly floured work surface, roll the chilled dough into a 12- to 14-inch circle (or any shape, really!). Trim the rim of the circle to make a clean cut, if desired. Transfer dough to the prepared baking sheet.
- Spoon the filling into the center of the dough, leaving a 2- to 3-inch border all around. Gently fold the edges of the dough over the fruit, overlapping the dough as necessary. Press gently to seal the edges. Brush the edges with egg wash and sprinkle with coarse sugar.
- Bake until the filling is bubbly and the crust is golden brown, about 28 to 32 minutes.ย Cool on the baking sheet for 10 minutes before slicing and serving. Tastes wonderful served warm with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream.
Notes
- Make Ahead & Freezing Instructions: The dough can be made ahead of time and chilled in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or frozen for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before rolling out and filling.
- Special Tools (affiliate links): Glass Mixing Bowls | Whisk | Pastry Cutter | Baking Sheet | Silicone Baking Mat or Parchment Paper | Rolling Pin | Pastry Brush | Coarse Sugar
- Cold Ingredients in Dough:ย Make sure the butter and buttermilk are SUPER cold. Cold ingredients, as well as chilling, help the crust keep its shape.
- Buttermilk:ย Buttermilk adds unbelievable flavor and texture to this dough. If you donโt have buttermilk, use this DIY buttermilk substitute instead. Add 1/2 teaspoon of fresh lemon juice or white vinegar to a liquid measuring cup. Then add enough cold whole milk until it reaches 1/4 cup. Stir together and let it sit for 5 minutes before using in the recipe.
- Mixed Berries: I use 2 cups blueberries, 1 cup raspberries, and 1 cup blackberries. If using frozen berries, do not thaw.
Reader Comments and Reviews
I picked blueberries, so I used all blueberries rather than a mix. I only had coarse corn meal, so I used a coffee grinder to make it fine. Overall, this is an amazing recipe โ not too sweet and the crust really highlights the berries. My filling leaked a bit, but it was still delicious. I will definitely make again!
I used sour cherries as I had just freshly picked some the other day, so I doubled the sugar in the filling and omitted the lemon juice. The flavor and texture came out perfectly, though I had to move it to the bottom rack about halfway through my bake as it was browning too quickly.
First time making a galette. Next time Iโll try one without cornmeal.
This recipe was incredibly easy to follow, making the process a breeze even with a few gluten-free substitutions. The crust turned out perfectly, adding a delightful texture to the dessert. Iโm excited to try it with fresh berries next time to see how it enhances the flavor and reduces excess moisture.
Forgot the 5 star rating! Perfect recipe! My crust-making skills need some work, but this recipe is very beginner friendly. Fantastic recipe, used fresh strawberries and blueberries, wouldnโt change a thing!
Perfect recipe! My crust-making skills need some work, but this recipe is very beginner friendly. Fantastic recipe, used fresh strawberries and blueberries, wouldnโt change a thing!
This was really simple to make and tasted delicious! I, personally, prefer a traditional pie crust over the cornmeal crust, but it was still really good. There were no leftovers!
Made this for a camping trip with family and it was such a hit! So incredibly easy, fresh, and the perfect summer dessert!
This was such a fun recipe! Iโm working on getting more comfortable making pie crusts, and I loved how imperfect this recipe is allowed to be. I followed other commentsโ advice to roll out to 14inches. I had a little bit of leakage but not much.