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There’s something so simple yet beautiful about a rustic peach galette. A galette aux pêches is everything I love about French baking—it’s unfussy, highlights seasonal fruit, and feels just as at home at a summer goûter as it does on the table after a special dinner.
What I love most about this dessert is that the fruit takes center stage. When peaches are ripe and in season, their flavor hardly needs any help. A buttery, crisp dough cradles the peaches and bakes into a rustic tart that looks elegant without any fuss. A dollop of crème chantilly or a scoop of vanilla ice cream turns it into something truly special.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
Feeds a crowd: The dough makes two 9-inch galettes, perfect for gatherings. You can even freeze one for later.
Rustic + simple: No need for perfect folds or fancy tart pans. Galettes are meant to look beautifully imperfect.
Seasonal fruit shines: The filling uses just enough sugar to highlight the natural sweetness of ripe peaches.
Versatile: Swap in whatever fruit is in season—apples in the fall, cherries in the spring, apricots or plums in summer.
The Dough (Pâte Brisée/Crème Fraîche Variation)
This dough is my go-to for galettes. It’s buttery, crisp, and just tender enough to fold without breaking. Adding crème fraîche (or sour cream if that’s what you have) gives the dough a subtle tang and makes it extra pliable.
Tips for success:
- Use high-quality butter (Président or Kerrygold are my favorites).
- Keep everything cold—cold butter, cold water, cold crème fraîche.
- Don’t overwork the dough. Stop as soon as it comes together.
The Filling
Fresh peaches are, of course, the star. Slice them thin so they bake evenly, and toss them with a bit of vanilla sugar (or sugar + vanilla extract), flour to absorb juices, and a squeeze of lemon for brightness.
Note: Frozen fruit isn’t recommended here, since it releases too much liquid. Stick with fresh, ripe fruit for the best result.
Assembly & Baking
- Roll out the chilled dough into rough circles—it doesn’t need to be perfect.
- Sprinkle a little sugar on the base to prevent sogginess.
- Arrange the peaches in the center, fold over the edges, and let the dough fall into rustic pleats.
- Chill briefly, then brush the crust with egg wash for that golden finish.
- Bake until the crust is golden and the fruit is bubbling.
The beauty of a galette is that it’s meant to look homemade and rustic. Don’t stress over perfect folds or symmetry—it’s charm lies in its simplicity.
Serving
Peach galette is wonderful served warm or at room temperature. I love it as-is, but you can dress it up with:
- A spoonful of crème chantilly
- A drizzle of honey
- A scoop of vanilla ice cream
- Fresh herbs like a sprig of thyme or lavender for garnish
It’s the perfect dessert for summer evenings, picnics, or even a casual goûter with friends.
Storage
This galette will keep for 2–3 days at room temperature, lightly covered. If you’d like to make it ahead, the dough can be prepared and refrigerated for up to 2 days, or frozen for up to 2 months.
My Tips for the Best Peach Galette
- Imperfection is key—don’t fuss too much over the edges.
- Use fruit at its peak ripeness. Bland fruit = bland galette.
- Bake on parchment paper for easy cleanup.
- Double the recipe when peaches are abundant. It disappears quickly!
Final Thoughts
This peach galette is everything I love about French farmhouse baking—simple, rustic, and centered on the beauty of seasonal fruit. It’s a dessert that feels special without being complicated, one that invites you to slow down and savor each bite.
Whether you serve it warm with a dollop of chantilly cream, or enjoy it at room temperature with a cup of coffee, this galette is sure to bring a little taste of France to your table. My family never seems to let it last long, but when it does, it’s just as delicious the next day.
I hope you give this recipe a try while peaches are still in season. If you do, I’d love to hear how it turned out for you—leave a comment below and let me know!
Bon appétit,
Gaby
Galette aux pêches
Equipment
- 2 baking sheets
- 2 pieces of parchment paper
Ingredients
Galette dough
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 tbsp granulated sugar
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 cup unsalted butter, cold cut into small pieces
- 1/2 cup ice cold water
- 1/4 cup crème fraîche if you can't find crème fraîche at your local grocery store, sour cream can act as a substitute
Peach filling
- 4 large ripe peaches sliced into 1/4-1/2 inch wedges
- 2 tbsp all purpose flour plus a little more for dusting
- 1/2 cup sucre vanillé (vanilla sugar) – divided if you don't have any sucre vanillé, you can substitute 1/2 cup of granulated sugar PLUS either the seeds from one vanilla bean, OR 2 tsp. vanilla extract.
- 2 tbsp fresh squeezed lemon juice juice from about one large lemon
- 4 tbsp unsalted butter, cold
- 1 large egg yolk
- 3 tbsp milk
Instructions
Galette dough:
- In a large bowl, combine all-purpose flour, sugar, and salt
- Add the chilled butter
- Gently toss the butter in the flour mixture to coat
- Using your fingers, press the flour mixture and butter together, repeatedly, until it resembles a grainy mixture.
- In a separate, small bowl, using a spoon or whisk, mix together the ice cold water and crème fraîche.
- Slowly add the crème fraîche mixture to the flour mixture, and stir, using a fork. Once incorporated, use your fingertips to continue working the dough, just until it comes together, and there are no more dry spots. Do not overwork your dough! It is ready when you can squish it together and it stays together. It should not be sticky. If it is still sticking to your hands, add more flour, one tablespoon at a time, until the desired consistency is achieved. Then, stop kneading!
- Divide the dough in half, and shape into two separate discs. Wrap the dough discs in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least one hour. You can leave the wrapped dough in the refrigerator, for up to 2 days.
Peach filling
- Place your sliced peaches into a large bowl.
- In a separate bowl, combine 3 tbsp of sucre vanillé, flour, and lemon juice, and stir to combine.
- Sprinkle the sugar mixture over the peach slices, and gently toss until fully coated.
Assembling your galette:
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.
- Remove a dough disc from the refrigerator. You will work with one at a time, so it is best to leave the dough in the refrigerator, until you are ready to assemble.
- On a lightly floured piece of parchment paper, roll out one disc until it is about 12 inches in diameter, and about 1/4 inch thick.
- Dust off any excess flour, and place the parchment paper, with dough round on top of it, onto a baking sheet.
- Sprinkle the dough with 2 tsp. of sucre vanillé.
- Arrange 1/2 of your peach and sugar mixture onto the dough round, leaving a 1 1/2 inch border free of filling.
- Scatter one half of the butter pieces (about 1 tbsp) over the top of the peaches.
- Fold the dough border over the peach mixture, overlapping as you go.
- Place in the refrigerator for 15 minutes to chill, and repeat these steps with the remaining dough disc and filling.
- In a small bowl, whisk together egg yolk, and milk to make an egg wash.
- Remove your galette from the refrigerator, after it has chilled for 15 minutes.
- Using a pastry brush, lightly brush the egg wash over the dough. If you would like, you can sprinkle 1 tsp. of sugar over the egg washed dough.
- Bake for 35-40 minutes. Baking time may vary from oven to oven. You want to bake the galette until the crust is golden, and the peach filling is bubbling.
- Place the baking sheet on a wire rack to cool. Serve warm, or most commonly, at room temperature.
Super delicious recipe! And it’s not a bad choice for dessert for kids because it doesn’t contain a ton of sugar.
I’m glad that you like it!