Pear Galette Recipe Recipe
This rustic pear galette recipe is cozy and delicious, the perfect fall dessert! It's made with fresh vanilla-infused pears and a buttery walnut crust!
How to Make the Best Pear Galette Recipe
This pear galette is the ultimate rustic fall dessert that looks impressive but is actually quite forgiving to make. Unlike a traditional pie, a galette embraces imperfection—the free-form edges and casual folds are part of its charm. The buttery walnut crust adds a wonderful nutty depth that pairs perfectly with the sweet, vanilla-infused pears.
What makes this pear galette truly special is the combination of warm spices—cinnamon and cardamom—that elevate the natural sweetness of fresh pears. The hint of lemon juice and zest brightens everything up, preventing the filling from tasting flat. It’s the kind of dessert that fills your kitchen with the most incredible autumn aromas while it bakes.
Serve this galette warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or a dollop of freshly whipped cream. It’s perfect for everything from a casual weeknight treat to an elegant dinner party finale—no one needs to know how easy it was to make!
Pear Galette Recipe
This rustic pear galette recipe is cozy and delicious, the perfect fall dessert! It's made with fresh vanilla-infused pears and a buttery walnut crust!
Ingredients
Walnut Crust
Pear Filling
Instructions
Make the Walnut Crust
- Place walnuts in a food processor and repeatedly pulse, until ground, like coarse sand. Add flour, sugar, salt and pulse. Cut butter into 8-10 pieces and repeatedly pulse, again to the consistency of very coarse sand.
- Add the cold water one tablespoon at a time, pulsing in between, adding just water until dough clumps together and forms a ball, or sticks together well when pinched. Place on a floured surface, gather into a ball, flatten with the palm of your hand, gather again into a ball, flatten again. Form into a ball, flatten to an inch-thick disk and refrigerate 1 hour or overnight. This will allow the flour to hydrate.
Prepare the Pear Filling
- After dough has chilled, preheat oven to 400°F. Pull dough out of the fridge, and let sit for 20-30 minutes.
- Cut the pears in half lengthwise, scoop out the seeds with a melon baller. Slice into ⅓ inch slices. Toss with sugar, spices, vanilla and lemon, zest, salt and flour. Let stand until the pears release their liquid and the sugar dissolves, about 15 minutes.
Assemble and Bake
- Place the dough in between two lightly floured pieces of parchment and gently roll into a disk about 14 inches wide (⅛-¼ inch thick) rolling out from the middle and keeping the edges a little thicker. If the edges get too thin, you can fold them over towards the middle about ⅛-¼ inch to strengthen them so they don't tear. Place this on a sheet pan (over the parchment). At this point if dough feels too warm, put it back into the fridge or freezer for a few minutes so it firms up, so it's easier to fold the edges up.
- Using a slotted spoon, arrange the pears in the center of the dough leaving a 1½ inch border. (Do not dump the pears onto the tart shell, it may have too much liquid). Fold the edges up and around the pears, pleating and folding a bit. It doesn't have to be perfect. You don't have to use all the liquid from the pears, unless you think they seem dry. A little juice is good, but not too much. Dot the pears with butter if you like.
- Egg wash the crust if you like for a shine, sprinkle with coarse sugar and bake 30-40 minutes at 400°F, or until golden and bubbling.
- Wait 10-15 minutes before cutting into it. Enjoy!
Notes
- Choose pears that are semi-ripe—not too hard and not too soft for the best texture.
- The dough can be made ahead and refrigerated overnight for easier handling.
- Don't dump all the liquid from the pears onto the galette—use a slotted spoon to avoid a soggy bottom.
