In this simple recipe for Apple Streusel Galette, apples are tossed with warm spices, enveloped in a flaky crust, and topped with a crunchy and buttery streusel. It's a sweet treat that is perfect for breakfast, brunch, or dessert!
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Once upon a time, I put some big apple chunks in a pie plate lined with store-bought dough, covered it with more store bought-dough, baked it and served it. It looked like raw apple soup wrapped in a wet hand towel. Tasted like it too. That does not count as my first apple pie.
My actual first apple pie was an apple galette. I used store bought crust again, no shame in that, and added thinly sliced cinnamon apples. I wrapped the dough around the filling and baked it. It was pie! I made pie! Small beginnings can lead to great things. This Apple Streusel Galette is that first pie all grown up!
If you've never made pie dough before, this is the easiest pie dough ever. I use it in my Peach Frangipane galette as well. Also, a galette is very forgiving. If your dough isn't perfect, chances are your pie will still be amazing. A galette's rustic shape can hide many an imperfection. Let's make pie!
Important ingredient information
- All-purpose flour This flour gives your crust enough strength for structure, but is still light enough to bake up flaky.
- Unsalted butter In both my sweet and savory recipes, I always use unsalted butter. Every butter manufacturer has a different saltiness to their product, so to make sure that I control the salt level of whatever I'm making, I use unsalted butter. And when making a crust, make sure it's cold butter. Cold = flakier crust.
- Kosher salt When I say that, I mean specifically Diamond Crystal Kosher Salt. Why? There's an article I've read that really dives into the whole salt story, but in my case, it's that this is what I've found works best for me and I use it consistently throughout all of my recipes. If you use another kosher salt, I would use half the amount and taste from there. Remember, you can always add more salt, but you can't take it out.
- Ice water In making a crust, the colder the better. You're already using cold butter. Don't warm it up with room temperature water. I actually put ice in my water before pouring.
- Lemon juice Lemon juice added to the ice water helps to soften the dough, making for a more tender pie crust. There's a lot of science about the acid snipping the gluten strands, but it also adds a surprising bright note to your pie crust.
- Honeycrisp apples These are a firm, tart, and sweet apple that hold its shape when baking and doesn't become mushy. I also like Envy apples because they don't turn brown very quickly, in case I'm dawdling while baking.
Love apples? Love maple syrup? They are even better when they team up. Try my Pork Chops with Maple Apples and My Maple Apple Turnovers and you'll be a convert!!
How to make Apple Streusel Galette
- Make streusel In a small bowl, mix together the flour, sugars, cinnamon, and tiny pinch of salt (less than ⅛ tsp). Add in the cut up butter and, using your fingers or a pastry cutter, combine the ingredients until crumbly. There should be no dry floury bits, and no huge butter pieces. Place in the fridge until ready to use.
- Make crust Even first-time pie makers have heard that keeping everything cold is so important in making a good pie crust, and that can sound scary to some people. Using a food processor, as opposed to your warm hands, keeps the ingredients cold, and and that takes away a lot of that pie dough fear.
Just add all your ingredients, except the water and lemon juice, to your food processor. Press the pulse button 5 or 6 times, or until the butter and flour resemble streusel. Press the on button on your food processor and drizzle in the lemony ice water until the dough just starts to clump, about 10 seconds. Dump it out onto a piece of plastic wrap, shape into a disc, wrap tight and refrigerate for 30 minutes. When you dump it onto the plastic wrap, there may be some stray dry parts, but just press them in and wrap tightly. They will come together while resting in the fridge.
(btw you can also make this Apple Galette with my Rough Puff Pastry!)
- Prepare apples Peel your apples, cut them in half, and remove the cores. I use a melon baller to scoop out the cores, but a small spoon will work, too. Cut into ¼ inch thick slices. Toss the apples with sugar, cornstarch, and cinnamon.
- Roll the dough Place a large piece of parchment paper on your counter. Dust the parchment paper, rolling pin, and the top of your dough lightly with flour. Roll your dough out to about a 14 inch circle. There will be some overhang on two of the sides, but it will all be wrapped around apples in just a minute. Transfer the dough, with the parchment paper, onto a large sheet pan.
- Assemble the galette Pile your apples in the center of your dough, and then spread them out to within 2 inches of the edge of the circle, all the way around. Dot all over with small pieces of butter.
- Top with streusel Sprinkle the streusel all over the top of the apples.
- Fold up edges Bring up the sides of the dough, letting it envelope the outer edges of the apples, draping the dough over itself, like the folds of a curtain, creating a 2 inch border. If you get any holes from sharp apples poking through, etc, no problem. Just pinch off a bit of dough from the edge and press it over the hole. Place the galette in the refrigerator to chill for 15 minutes while you preheat the oven to 400°F. This allows the butter to harden again, giving you a flakier crust.
- Egg wash and bake Brush the exposed dough with an egg wash and sprinkle with granulated sugar, if desired. Some recipes will tell you to use raw sugar for this, but I find the big crystals have a tendency to burn during a long bake. Bake at 400°F for 45 minutes to an hour, or until the crust is golden brown and the apples are tender.
Can't get enough streusel in your life? Try my Sour Cream Coffee Cake Muffins, with a ribbon of streusel in the middle and crunchy streusel on top. They're delicious!
Serving and storage
Allow the galette to cool for at least 15-30 minutes, allowing the apples to cool to a tongue-tolerant temperature, and for the apple filling to set. Serve with ice cream, whipped cream, or all by itself. It's that good!
Love apples? Get even more apple flavor with my Easy Apple Cake with Almonds! Tender apples, practically floating in a light and fluffy almond flavored cake? I'm in!
To store, place galette on a covered cake stand or wrap in plastic wrap . Your galette is good at room temperature for 2-3 days, or refrigerated for 3-5 days.
Looking for more baked breakfast goodies?
- Mini Blueberry Cornbread
- Strawberry-Peach Cornbread Buckle
- Overnight Cinnamon Rolls
- Banana Apple Cider Donuts with Maple Glaze
- Homemade Brown Sugar Cinnamon Pop Tarts (Copycat)
📖 Recipe
Apple Streusel Galette
Ingredients
Crust
- 1 ½ cups (195 g) all-purpose flour
- 1 ½ teaspoon sugar
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 (141 g) stick plus 2 tbs unsalted butter cut into small pieces
- ⅓ cup ice water
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice or apple cider vinegar
Streusel
- ⅓ cup (44 g) all-purpose flour
- ¼ cup (50 g) granulated sugar
- 2 tbs (25 g) brown sugar
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- 4 tablespoon (56 g) unsalted butter
- Tiny pinch of kosher salt
Apple Filling
- 3-4 Honeycrisp or Envy apples
- 2 tbs (25 g) sugar
- 1 tbs cornstarch
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- 2 tbs (28 g) unsalted butter cut into small pieces
- ⅛ teaspoon kosher salt
Egg Wash
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon water
Instructions
Make the crust
- In a food processor, combine the flour with the sugar, salt and butter and process for about 5 seconds. Sprinkle the ice water, mixed with lemon juice or vinegar, over the flour mixture and process until the pastry just begins to come together, about 10 seconds; you should still be able to see small pieces of butter in it.
- Transfer the pastry to a work surface, gather it together and pat into a disk. Wrap the pastry in plastic or wax paper and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
Mix the Streusel
- Mix the flour, sugar, cinnamon and salt. Cut the butter in with a pastry blender or your fingers until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Set aside.
Make the Filling
- Peel, halve and core the apples and slice them crosswise ¼ inch thick. Toss with the sugar, cornstarch, and cinnamon.
Assemble
- Preheat the oven to 400°. On a lightly floured piece of parchment paper, roll out the pastry to a 14-inch circle. It will overhang the short sides of the paper. Transfer to a large rimmed baking sheet. Spread the apples over the pastry to within 2 inches of the edge.
- Dot with the pieces of butter and sprinkle with the streusel. Fold the pastry edge up and over the apples to create a 2 inch border. Chill the galette for 15 minutes while you preheat the oven to 400°F.
- Whisk an egg with one teaspoon of water. Brush the folded pastry dough with egg wash and sprinkle lightly with granulated sugar.
Bake
- Bake the galette at 400°F for 45 minutes to an hour, or until the pastry is nicely browned and crisp and all of the apples are tender.
- Transfer the pan to a rack and let the galette cool. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Save This Recipe! 💌
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Heather says
Made this for thanksgiving dessert this year. Was super delicious and a hit with the group!
I'm comfortable baking & cooking usually, but pie crust always makes me a little nervous. Followed the instructions step by step and had no issues.
Will definitely make again in the future!
Cynthia says
I’m so glad you liked it! I try to write my recipes as though I’m teaching my daughters, so welcome to the family! 💕
Jamie says
Why does this have no comments? It is soooo good. I never make pie and I was worried I would fail with the crust but it is amazing. I impressed myself. The whole thing is a little sweet for me (I’m just particular) and next time I might just use half the topping. Even being too sweet, it is delicious and I have already had two pieces. Yum!
Cynthia says
I’m so happy that you enjoyed it! It’s one of my favorites ❤️