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This ginger pear galette is one of my favorite desserts for autumn! It’s much simpler than traditional pie and takes just an hour to make. This rustic dessert has buttery homemade pie dough, juicy pear filling, and a nice spice from fresh ginger. Serve with whipped cream or ice cream for a quick, delicious, and easy holiday dessert!

A woman's hand grabbing a slice of ginger pear galette off of a cooling rack next to a tan linen, bowl of sugar, and red pears with a beige background.

Sometimes I yearn for the kind of life that involves an airy house on a large, green property surrounded by a variety of fruit bushes. I don’t necessarily have a job per se, unless by “job” we’re talking something along the lines of “fruit-picker who makes artisan pies and breads all day”. Then yeah, that’s my job. Also, I wear a lot of sun dresses and big floppy hats.

I realize this dream is not very realistic, mostly because 1. I’m somewhat of a workaholic and 2. I really like my city luxuries if we’re being totally honest. However, a dream is a dream, and this particular dream inspired this rustic galette.

I originally started making galettes when I was in pastry school and they’ve been my favorite ever since! Whether it’s a summery nectarine galette or savory breakfast galettes, if it’s wrapped in pie dough, I want to be eating it.

Meet my new favorite autumn dessert

This galette was thought-up the other day while I was walking my parents’ property, picking fresh apples and pears from their newly acquired fruit trees. Stumped over what to do with a million red pears, I decided to follow my go-to philosophy surrounding fruit and all foods in general. Turn it into a galette!

  • Galettes are so much easier pie and you don’t have to wait hours to slice into them.
  • This galette is jammy, has a nice spice thanks to fresh ginger and cinnamon, and it has a crisp, buttery crust.
  • It’s simple and cozy and would make a great addition to your holiday dessert tables. Especially, if say, you love the idea of baking but don’t want the commitment of an actual pie.

Ingredient notes

Pie dough and red pears on a beige counter next to sugar, flour, eggs, and spices in white bowls.
  • Pie dough – I always use my go-to pie dough recipe but any will work. You’ll only need one 9-inch pie dough which is usually half a recipe. Just freeze the other half for later or make 2 galettes! Use store-bought crust if you’re short on time.
  • Pears – I use red pears in this recipe because I love how gorgeous they look when baked. But Anjou (red or green), Bartlett, or Bosc pears will all be delicious.
  • Lemon – to add a little tartness and keep the pears from browning.
  • Sugar – a bit of regular white sugar will add sweetness and make the pears jammy.
  • Flour – just a bit of all-purpose flour to thicken the filling.
  • Spices – fresh ginger and cinnamon. You can also use ground ginger.
  • Kosher salt – I like adding a bit of Morton’s Kosher salt to offset the sweetness of the filling.
  • Eggs – you’ll need an egg for egg wash which will make the crust golden-brown.
  • Raw sugar – if you like a sugared crust. Totally optional though!

No matter which pear variety of pears you choose, make sure that they are ripe but still firm. Overripe pears will fall apart when you bake them and have a mushy texture. On the other hand, underripe pears will be tasteless and crunchy.

Recipe directions

Three steps to making pear filling. In photo 1, hands are slicing pears on a wood board. In photo 2, a hand is pouring cinnamon over a white bowl of pears. In photo 3, pear filling is in a white bowl.
Toss the sliced pears with lemon juice, sugar, flour, spices, & salt.
  1. Start by rolling out your pie dough into a 12-inch circle. It can be a little messy, but if you want clean edges, use a pizza roller to clean them up.
  2. Next, slice the pears and toss them with the lemon juice to prevent browning.
  3. Then, toss the pears with the sugar, flour, ginger, cinnamon, and a pinch of salt.
Three steps to making a pear galette. In photo 1, hands are arranging pears in the middle of pie dough. In photo 2, hands are folding the pie dough over the pears. In photo 3, hands are brushing egg wash on the pie dough.
Spoon the pears in the middle of the dough. Fold the edges, brush with egg wash, & sprinkle with raw sugar. Bake until the crust is golden-brown and crisp.
  1. Spoon the pears into the center of the dough, leaving a 2” border on the pie dough. You can either leave the pears as-is for a rustic look or arrange the pears in a concentric circle.
  2. Fold the edges of the pie dough over the filling.
  3. Next, brush the edges of the pie dough with egg wash and sprinkle with raw sugar.
  4. Finish by baking the galette at 400°F for 35-40 minutes, until the filling is bubbly and the crust is deep golden-brown.

Galette tips

  • Peel the pears for a smoother texture. The skin on pears is pretty smooth already, but peeling the pears is an option if you like a softer filling.
  • If you don’t want to use fresh ginger, you can always use ground ginger. Use 1 1/2 tsp. of ground ginger and add more to taste.
  • Chill the galette for 10-15 minutes before baking. This will help it holds its shape and make that pie dough nice and flaky.
  • Let the galette cool for 1 hour before slicing. You want to give the filling time to set up!
A slice of ginger pear galette with ice cream on a white plate next to red pears and leaves on a beige counter.

My favorite way to serve this dessert

You can’t go wrong with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. But, I like to switch things up with butter pecan or salted caramel ice cream – so good! You can also just top slices of the galette with whipped cream. For a little crunch, try adding a sprinkle of toasted pecans or walnuts. Also, this galette goes perfectly with a cup of hot coffee. The perfect autumn combo!

How to store, freeze, & reheat

If you have leftovers, place the galette slices in an airtight container and store for 2-3 days. I do not recommend refrigerating the galette, or it will get soggy.

To freeze the galette, wrap it tightly with parchment paper. Place the galette in a freezer bag or airtight container and freeze for up to 2 months. Unwrap the galette and let it defrost at room-temperature for 1-2 hours. If you want to re-crisp the crust, bake it at 350°F for 10-15 minutes. Keep a close eye so it doesn’t burn!

A close up of a ginger pear galette on a wire rack with a tan background.

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Closeup of ginger pear galette on a tan background.
5 from 3 votes

Ginger Pear Galette

Yield: 8 servings
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 40 minutes
Total Time: 55 minutes
This ginger pear galette is one of my favorite simple, autumn desserts for the holidays or a dinner party. Buttery homemade pie dough is filled with juicy pears, cinnamon, and ginger for spice. Serve this galette with vanilla ice cream, butter pecan ice cream, or whipped cream for a simple, amazing dessert. It's the best!
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Ingredients

  • 1 pie crust, homemade or store-bought
  • 4 c pear slices (about 4 small pears)
  • 1 Tbs lemon juice, freshly squeezed
  • 1/3 c sugar
  • 3 Tbs all-purpose flour
  • 2 tsp fresh ginger, finely grated (about 1'' chunk)
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • Pinch of Kosher salt
  • 1 egg
  • Demerara sugar, for sprinkling
  • Ice cream or whipped cream, for serving

Instructions 

  • Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line a sheet pan with parchment paper.
  • Roll the pie dough into a 12'' circle (it doesn't have to be perfect). If you like a cleaner look, use a pizza cutter to cut off the rough edges. Otherwise, leave them as-is for a rustic look. Transfer the pie dough to the prepared sheet pan. Refrigerate the pie dough while you prepare the filling.
  • In a medium bowl, toss the pear slices with the lemon juice. Then, add the sugar, flour, ginger, cinnamon, and a pinch of salt. Toss well until the sugar dissolves.
  • Evenly spoon the pear filling in the middle of the pie dough, leaving a 2'' border. Leave as-is for a rustic look, or arrange the slices into a concentric circle for a pretty design. Fold the pie dough over the filling, overlapping the dough as needed. Gently press the folds to make sure they stick. Refrigerate the galette for 10-15 minutes.
  • Meanwhile, whisk the egg with 1 Tablespoon of water. Brush the egg wash on the edges of the chilled galette and sprinkle generously with Demerara sugar.
  • Bake the galette for 35-40 minutes until the filling is bubbly and the crust is deep golden-brown. Let it cool for 10-15 minutes before slicing. Serve warm with ice cream or whipped cream.

Notes

Most store-bought crusts are 9”. This is totally fine, you’ll just end up with a smaller galette.
Peel the pears for a smoother texture. The skin on pears is pretty smooth already, but peeling the pears is an option if you like a softer filling.
You can also replace the fresh ginger with 1 1/2 teaspoons of ground ginger. Add more to taste.
Chill the galette for 10-15 minutes before baking. This will help it holds its shape and make that pie dough nice and flaky.
Let the galette cool for 1 hour before slicing. You want to give the filling time to set up!
Cuisine: American
Course: Dessert
Author: Sara Lynn Hunt Broka
Serving: 1serving, Calories: 195kcal, Carbohydrates: 37.1g, Protein: 1.4g, Fat: 5.4g, Saturated Fat: 0.8g, Sodium: 105mg, Potassium: 154mg, Fiber: 3.7g, Sugar: 21.5g, Calcium: 18mg, Iron: 1mg
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Originally posted on October 13, 2016.