As we say goodbye to peaches in the summertime, I stay positive and look forward to the next season… pear season! Pears are one of my favorite fall fruits, and this perfectly fall-festive Pear Galette with caramel sauce is a delicious way to showcase them. This free-form pie is one of the easiest desserts you’ll EVER make, and the filling is deliciously simple. Spiced pears and tangy dried cranberries are wrapped in a flaky, buttery crust to create the best beginner-friendly dessert on a budget!
What is a Galette?
Originating from France, a galette is the answer to all your pie needs this busy holiday season! It’s essentially a rustic, free-form pie made with a single crust and folded-up edges over a simple filling. They differ from traditional pies because you don’t bake them in a pie pan (a baking tray is all you need!), and they’re often quicker to make. They also don’t have a top crust, so there’s no messing around with latticework or fancy pastry techniques. All you need is a pre-made pie crust and your filling! I use sliced pears, dried cranberries, cinnamon, ground ginger, sugar, and lemon juice for a sweet-tart pear galette perfect for fall.
Here’s what you’ll need to make this simple pear galette recipe:
- Pears: You can use any type of pear you like. I used a green Bartlett pear and a red Anjou pear for beautiful color contrast in my filling. I recommend choosing a pear that feels firm but not too hard (it should give a little when you press on it).
- Granulated Sugar & Light Brown Sugar: Mix these sugars with lemon juice and spices to create a sweet and slightly tangy marinade.
- Lemon Juice: Stops the pears from browning and adds a bright flavor to the filling.
- Spices: Ground cinnamon and ginger add a warm, fall flavor.
- Salt: Just a pinch for flavor.
- Dried Cranberries: These add a chewy texture and tart flavor to every bite. They might be labeled “craisins” in your local grocery store.
- Pre-Made Pie Dough: This is a shortcut I’m always willing to take when I’ve got a lot going on around the holidays! I use a pre-made pie crust to save myself time and effort. They often come in packs of two, so you could freeze the other and make our peach galette come summertime. For homemade, try our pie crust recipe.
- Milk: Brush a little milk over your pie crust to help it brown in the oven.
- Turbinado Sugar: A coarse, raw sugar that adds a crunchy texture and sweet flavor to the crust. Coconut sugar, demerara sugar, or brown sugar would all differ slightly, but would still work if you can’t find turbinado sugar.
- Caramel Sauce: I use salted butter, room temperature heavy cream, vanilla extract, and brown sugar to make an easy caramel sauce for serving!
Variations to try
This easy pear galette recipe is just that—easy! But don’t let it’s simplicity fool you. The flavors and textures in this dessert are anything but basic. However, if you want to use this recipe as a base and switch up the flavor, here are some variations I think you’ll love:
- Swap out one of the pears for an apple (make sure it’s sliced thin).
- Mix in a handful of berries, such as blackberries or blueberries—like in our lemon blueberry cream cheese galette!
- Sprinkle some slivered almonds or diced pecans.
- Try raisins or dried cherries in place of the craisins.
- Drizzle melted dark chocolate over the top.
- Use different spices like cardamom, allspice or nutmeg instead of cinnamon/ginger.
What About the Leftover Spiced Pear Juice?
If you want to do something creative with any leftover pear juice after step 8, you can make a cocktail with it or briefly simmer it on the stovetop to make a pear simple syrup. Delicious and no-waste—win-win!
I took our caramel sauce recipe and reduced the heavy cream used ever so slightly to make it thicker for this pear galette. Drizzle it over the top of the warm slices and enjoy every last bite! A scoop of vanilla ice cream or a dollop of freshly whipped cream would take this elegant dessert to the next level!
Storing Leftovers
This homemade pear galette recipe is best served fresh, but it’ll keep in the fridge for 2-3 days if covered with foil or plastic wrap. Just note the crust may lose some of its crispness.
You can also try freezing individual slices for up to 3 months, but let them thaw completely before serving. And like any fresh fruit dessert, the texture may be slightly softer after being frozen. I’d reheat slices in the oven at about 350F for a few minutes until warmed through.
Pear Galette Recipe
This easy Pear Galette is packed with warmly spiced pears and craisins, then wrapped in a flaky crust and served with homemade caramel sauce!
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Pear Galette Ingredients
- 2 pears, cored and quartered* ($2.64)
- 2 Tbsp granulated sugar ($0.08)
- 2 Tbsp brown sugar ($0.10)
- 2 tsp lemon juice ($0.02)
- ½ tsp cinnamon ($0.04)
- ½ tsp ground ginger ($0.12)
- pinch of salt ($0.01)
- 1 pre-made pie dough ($1.38)
- 1 Tbsp dried cranberries or ”craisins” ($0.13)
- 1 Tbsp milk, for the crust ($0.01)
- 1 Tbsp turbinado sugar, for the crust ($0.06)
Caramel Sauce Ingredients
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Preheat oven to 450F. Slice pears ¼ inch thin.**
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In a medium mixing bowl, stir together sugar, brown sugar, lemon juice, cinnamon, ground ginger, and salt.
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Pour the mixture over sliced pears and set aside.
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Unroll pie dough on a sheet of parchment paper and fill the crust with sliced pears in one single layer, leaving 1-2 inches of space around the edge. (I had some extra pear slices, so I fanned them out on top, making a small second layer.)
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Then, add craisins to the leftover pear juice to rehydrate. Set aside while you make the caramel sauce.
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In a small saucepan, melt salted butter over medium-low heat. Then, add brown sugar and whisk together until a smooth caramel forms.
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Remove caramel from heat and stream in room temperature heavy cream and vanilla, whisking until smooth.
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Set aside caramel sauce to thicken. Meanwhile, brush some of the leftover juice from the soaking cranberries over the pears.
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Dot the pears with hydrated cranberries.
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Gently fold the sides of dough over the edges of the pears and pinch the dough to form a rustic texture and enclose your pear filling inside the galette.
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Brush the crust with milk.
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Sprinkle turbinado sugar over the crust and on top of your galette.
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Bake for 15-20 minutes or until the crust turns golden brown and the pears begin to wilt.***
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**I sliced my quartered pears, keeping them organized and together so they would be easier to fan out when filling my tart for aesthetic reasons.
***The pears will not turn to mush but should be tender and maintain their signature texture. If you find your crust is beginning to burn, you can lightly place a piece of tinfoil on top of your galette to help dodge the heat. This is a very flat “pie alternative” and doesn’t take as long to cook.
Serving: 1sliceCalories: 288kcalCarbohydrates: 40gProtein: 2gFat: 14gSodium: 141mgFiber: 2g
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how to make Pear Galette – step by step photos
Preheat oven to 450F. Slice 2 cored and quartered pears ¼ inch thin.
In a medium mixing bowl, stir together 2 Tbsp sugar, 2 Tbsp brown sugar, 2 tsp lemon juice, ½ tsp cinnamon, ½ tsp ground ginger, and a pinch of salt.
Pour the mixture over sliced pears and set aside.
Unroll 1 pre-made pie dough on a sheet of parchment paper and fill the crust with sliced pears in one single layer, leaving 1-2 inches of space around the edge. (I had some extra pear slices, so I fanned them out on top, making a small second layer.)
Then, add 1 Tbsp craisins to the leftover pear juice to rehydrate. Set aside while you make the caramel sauce.
In a small saucepan, melt ¼ cup salted butter over medium-low heat. Then, add ½ cup brown sugar and whisk together until a smooth caramel forms.
Remove caramel from heat and stream in ¼ cup room temperature heavy cream and ½ tsp vanilla, whisking until smooth.
Set aside caramel sauce to thicken. Meanwhile, brush some of the leftover juice from the soaking cranberries over the pears.
Dot the pears with hydrated cranberries.
Gently fold the sides of dough over the edges of the pears and pinch the dough to form a rustic texture and enclose your pear filling inside the galette.
Brush the crust with 1 Tbsp milk.
Sprinkle 1 Tbsp turbinado sugar over the crust and on top of your galette.
Bake for 15-20 minutes or until the crust turns golden brown and the pears begin to wilt.***
This easy dessert recipe is one to keep in your back pocket for those last-minute fall gatherings! It’s quick, delicious, and sure to impress anyone who takes a bite.
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