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! Pie’s 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! It’s simply free-form pie. Just as delicious and awesome as pie, but there’s 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. 😉
An Upgraded Pie Crust
Back in 2016 when I was testing this recipe, I played around with a buttermilk cornmeal pie crust. The result doesn’t 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? It’s 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: “I made this twice last week because it was so good. (One for a party, one for ourselves.) The crust is no joke… so good!! I even had a slice or two as breakfast with coffee. Will definitely keep this as a favorite go-to dessert. ★★★★★”
4-Ingredient Berry Filling
- Mixed Berries: I like using berries I don’t 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 “shaping” 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, though—unlike pies where you can pile the fillings sky-high, galettes don’t really like it when there’s too much filling. The crust can’t 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 for… well… 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 galette—both 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 crust… I think we are all very happy to oblige!
Looking for More Berry Desserts?
- Fruit Pizza
- Strawberry Cream Cheese Pie
- Blueberry Pie & 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: 1 large egg beaten with 1 Tablespoon milk
- coarse sugar for sprinkling
Instructions
- Make the crust: 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 buttermilk 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 425°F (190°C). 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. 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: Make sure the butter and buttermilk are SUPER cold. Cold ingredients, as well as chilling, help the crust keep its shape.
- Buttermilk: Buttermilk adds unbelievable flavor and texture to this dough. If you don’t 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 don’t have cornmeal. Can I substitute almond flour?
Hi Kate, We don’t recommend it. Instead you can use the crust from this galette recipe with the berry filling.
I have fresh strawberries, but they are huge! Is it okay to cut the strawberries into smaller pieces, or should I leave them whole?
Hi Janet, You can cut them up. Enjoy!
So yummy! Can’t wait to make it again.
If I wanted to make a savory version of this crust, can I omit the sugar? Would I sub anything in its place?
Hi Kelly, we haven’t tested it so aren’t sure if you would need to sub anything in its place, but I wouldn’t think so. If you try it, please report back!
Great recipe, I did use a homemade pie dough.
Would this work with peaches?
Absolutely! It would be delicious, especially with this crust.
Can I put medium ground cornmeal in a Vitamix and grind it to “fine” since I have only seen medium groud and corn flour (which is probably too finely ground).
Hi Gayle Ann, that should work just fine!
My husband and I loved this recipe! The crust had a good flavor and crunch to it. We used frozen fruit, because that’s what we had, and it was wonderful!!!! Will be making this again and again, Thank you for all your recipes. Not a bad one in the bunch!!!!!
I made this for a Memorial Day meal with my family and it was such an easy, delicious finish to the meal. Exactly as you said, all the flavor of pie without the effort. Yum!
I love galettes because they are less fussy than pie, and this one is delicious! I used frozen mixed berries and turbinado sugar instead of coarse on the crust. Yum! The leftovers were great as a snack for the few days it lasted too.
Perfect! So glad you enjoyed this. It’s not too tricky to make!
I’m always looking for simple gluten free desserts. Your Simple Berry Galette recipe, can I substitute the flour with gf flour n still use the cornmeal flour too?
Hi Jan, we haven’t tested this crust with a gluten free flour, so we’re unsure of the results. Let us know if you do give it a try, and here are some of our favorite gluten free desserts if you’re interested in browsing.
Loved the cornmeal in this! My fruit wound up being a giant mountain and “rustic” was appropriate as visually it was a disaster but it was delicious regardless.
can you use your pie crust for this recipe?
Hi Stacey, absolutely, you can use our homemade pie crust recipe instead.
I loved the recipe! Could I make an open peach cake in a springform pan with this crust?
Hi Renee, I can’t see why not. Let me know if you try it.
I was looking for a different recipe for rhubarb. And decided to try a galette. I am partial to your recipes. The berry galette was transformed into a rhubarb one. I did add another tablespoon of corn starch and a little more sugar. I also increase the cooking time until the rhubarb was tender.
If I use this recipe for mini galette’s (without doubling) do I still roll out the dough to 12″ and will it make 5 or more galette’s (using 5 inch cutouts)?
Hi Lorainie, Without doubling this crust you should get 5 mini galettes. You will still roll it out into a 12 inch circle. Follow the assembly instructions for these Mini Fruit Galettes. Happy baking!
Thinking of making this for dessert for the Fourth of July, but the oven will be occupied around dinner time. Could this be baked earlier in the day and served after dinner? Or does it need to be served soon after baking?
Hi Laurel, this would be a delicious 4th of July dessert! Yes, you can bake this earlier in the day and serve it after dinner. Once it’s cool, keep it tightly covered. You can always pop it back in the oven for a few minutes before serving to warm it up. Or, you can assemble the galette through step 5, then chill in the refrigerator for up to 4 hours. I don’t recommend longer than this because the crust could become soggy. Happy baking!
Hi Sally! I would love to make this for this coming memorial weekend! But we don’t normally keep cornmeal in our house. Could you use a normal pie crust? Also what pie crust recipe would you advise? Thanks!
Absolutely! You can use my homemade pie crust instead.
Hi Sally,
I would like to make 4 one-person size galettes vs. a large one. Do you think that would work? And would I have to adjust the baking time? Thanks!
Hi Christine! Yes, you can divide this crust and filling to make 4 individual galettes. I’m unsure of the EXACT bake time, but it will be shorter.
Made one last week and it “leaked” a lot so I am trying again and I am going to actually drain the berries. Also going to try this in my cast iron skillet.
Can I make the crust in the food processor?
Sure can!
I was looking to make mini galette’s for a Memorial day party. Could I roll the crust out and just cut them into smaller circles? Do you know how long I’d bake for?
Yep! That’s what I would do– I’d simply bake until the edges are golden brown. Have fun!
This looks yummy. Needing to save some time, can I make this with a store bought pie crust?
Hi Laurie, it should work, it just wouldn’t be the cornmeal flavor 🙂
Delicious! Been waiting to gather enough wild raspberries from my property so I could make this and today was the day! I mixed with half blueberries and the raspberries and the crust came out perfectly! I can never go wrong with a “sally recipe” 😉 thanks so much!
I just made this tonight and it’s so good!!
Can’t wait to try making this tomorrow!! Do u think I could use puff pastry for the dough too? I’ll make sure to tag u on IG and see if I did your recipe justice! Thanks for all the yummy recipes
Puff pastry should work just fine!
Hi Sally,
I love trying your desserts and usually have a good outcome, but this one didn’t hit the mark unfortunately. The flavor was there- loved the crust- but I used frozen berries and they gave off way too much liquid. I’m thinking they would need to be thawed before baking and remove the juices (like you suggest with the fresh berries), or more cornstarch? I’m not sure, but next time I will try fresh berries 🙂
Thanks again for your inspiration and delicious recipes!
Oh no! Thawing is a great idea and would certainly fix things. I tried this with frozen, without thawing, but didn’t experience any issues. Was the crust on the inside too soggy? Happy you liked the flavor.
Thanks, Sally! We loved the flavor and can’t wait to make again. 🙂
I made this twice last week Bc it was so good. ( one for a party, one for ourselves) The crust is no joke…so good!! I even had a slice or two as breakfast with coffee. Will definitely keep this as a favorite go-to desert.
hi sally! this looks like such a gorgeous and yummy dessert. i’d like to try it but berries are hard to come by (and are pretty expensive) here in the philippines. can i use this recipe with apples instead?
Sliced apples would work just fine. 🙂 I’d use 5-6 cups sliced.
When using frozen berries, do they need to be thawed first?
No need to thaw.