My Cherry Galette Recipe with Honey Walnut Frangipane is a sweet, easy-to-prepare mid-summer treat. It’s rustic yet impressive, sweet yet earthy. It’s inspired by the flavor profile of baklava with walnuts, honey, cinnamon and cardamom. As it bakes, the filling becomes jammy and the crust turns beautifully golden and crisp.
Rustic Galettes are one of my favorite desserts to make when fresh fruit is in season. There’s no need for a pie dish or perfect crimping, and their handmade appearance is part of the charm. Also try my Strawberry Rhubarb Galette or my Peach Blueberry Galette recipes.
Cherry Galette: Recipe at a Glance
Prep & Chill Time
3 hrs
Bake Time
45 mins
Total Time
3 hrs 45 mins
Servings
8 Slices
Calories*
399 kcal
Difficulty
Easy
Main Ingredients
All-purpose flour, butter, cherries, walnuts, honey, egg, cornstarch, cinnamon, cardamom, vanilla and almond extract.
Technique
Making a dough, preparing a filling using a food processor, pitting cherries, assembling and baking a rustic galette.
*Calories are estimated
Table of Contents
Why This Recipe Works
- It’s easier than making a traditional pie. A free-form galette is wonderfully forgiving, making it perfect for beginner and experienced bakers alike.
- Perfect for cherry season. Fresh summer cherries are the star of this recipe, creating a naturally sweet, juicy filling with incredible flavor. A great Summer Recipe.
- Tested and Reliable: Groceries are expensive! All my Dessert Recipes are tested by me, my team and/or recipe testers before posting.
Ingredients
This rustic dessert recipe comes together with some pretty standard pantry and fridge staples. Here is what you will need:
- Fresh Cherries: Fresh sweet cherries work best. Bing cherries work best. Sour Cherries can also be used, but you will need to add more sweetener. Rainier cherries will also work, but they tend to be juicier and sweeter, so you will need to cut the sugar and drain them before adding them to the galette. You will need a cherry pitter. Frozen, pitted cherries can also be used if thoroughly thawed and drained, and even patted dry with paper towel. If you don’t have cherries, you can try my Strawberry Rhubarb Galette or my Blueberry Peach Galette recipes instead.
- Walnuts: I was going for a baklava feel with this dessert, so walnuts were a natural choice. But you can also use pecans or almonds. Almonds would give you a more traditional frangipane flavor.
- Honey: Keeping with the baklava theme, honey adds both sweetness and flavor. You could use brown sugar if you prefer, but I recommend honey.
- Ground Spices: I am using ground cinnamon and ground cardamom. More baklava flavor.
Refer to the recipe card at the bottom of this post for a full list of ingredients and quantities.
How to Make This Cherry Galette Recipe
Step 1. Prepare the Dough. Prepare the pastry dough by combining the flour, sugar, and salt (Image 1). Cut in the cold butter (using a pastry cutter) until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs (Image 2). Stir the apple cider vinegar into the cold water, then gradually add the liquid to the flour mixture until a shaggy dough forms (Image 3). Shape into a disc, cover well with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 2 hours (Image 4).
Step 2. Grind Walnuts. While the dough chills, prepare the walnut frangipane. Finely grind half of the walnuts in a food processor with the flour until the mixture resembles almond meal (Image 5).
Step 3. Make Frangipane. Beat together the butter, honey, egg, vanilla, almond extract, cinnamon, cardamom, salt, and the walnut-flour mixture until smooth (Image 6). Fold in the remaining chopped walnuts and refrigerate until needed (Images 7-8).
Step 4. Roll Dough. Roll the chilled dough into an 11 to 12-inch circle on lightly floured parchment paper. Transfer to a rimmed baking sheet or sheet pan and refrigerate while preparing the filling (Image 9).
Step 5. Prepare Cherry Mixture. Toss the pitted cherries with sugar, cornstarch, vanilla, almond extract, and salt until evenly coated.
Step 6. Spread Frangipane. Spread the chilled frangipane over the center of the dough, leaving a 2-inch border around the edge (Image 10).
Step 7. Dress and Crimp. Spoon the cherry filling over the frangipane, leaving about 1½ inches around the outside (Image 11). Fold the edges of the dough over the filling, pleating as needed (Image 12).
Step 8. Chill and Preheat Oven. Chill the assembled galette while preheating the oven to 400°F (200°C).
Step 9. Bake. Brush the crust with egg wash, sprinkle generously with turbinado sugar, and bake on the lower oven rack for 45 to 50 minutes until the crust is deeply golden brown and the filling is bubbling (Image 13). Rotate the baking sheet halfway through baking for even browning.
Step 9. Cool. Allow the galette to cool for at least 30 minutes before slicing and serving. Serve with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and a drizzle of honey.
Troubleshooting Tips
Why is my galette leaking?
In my experience, a small amount of bubbling fruit juice is completely normal, but excessive leaking usually means the filling had too much moisture or the edges weren’t folded tightly enough. If using frozen cherries, thaw and drain them well before mixing with the filling ingredients. If your fresh cherries are really ripe and juicy, use a slotted spoon to transfer the dressed cherries to the galette to reduce the moisture.
Why is my bottom crust soggy?
After having made dozens of galettes, I can say that there are 2 main reasons for a soggy bottom. The filling releases too much liquid or the crust isn’t baked long enough. Baking the galette on the bottom oven rack helps the base crisp up, and the layer of walnut frangipane also acts as a barrier between the fruit and the pastry.
My dough is cracking when I fold it.
If the dough cracks, it’s likely too cold. Let it sit at room temperature for 5 to 10 minutes before folding the edges over the filling. Small cracks can also be gently pressed back together with your fingers.
My dough is too sticky to roll out.
Lightly dust your work surface, rolling pin, and the top of the dough with flour as needed. If the dough has become too warm, place it back in the refrigerator for 10 to 15 minutes before continuing.
Why did my filling turn runny?
To have a well-set filling, the cornstarch-covered fruits need to first bubble in the oven, and then cool to set. Cutting into the galette too soon will cause it to leak. Patience is a virtue! Wait at least 30 minutes before serving. The same principle applies to other desserts like my Strawberry Rhubarb Crisp with Tahini Topping and Blueberry Peach Crisp.
My crust browned before the filling was finished.
If the edges are browning too quickly, loosely cover them with strips of aluminum foil during the final 10 to 15 minutes of baking while the filling continues to bubble and cook.
Expert Tips
- Keep every ingredient for the crust as cold as possible. Cold butter creates steam during baking, resulting in flaky layers. This also applies to savory galettes like my Heirloom Tomato Galette recipe.
- Chill the assembled galette before baking to help the crust maintain its shape. I almost always chill the assembled galette for 15–20 minutes before baking because it helps the butter firm back up, resulting in a flakier crust.
- Pit and halve the cherries for easier slicing and more even baking.
- Don’t skip the cornstarch. It thickens the cherry juices and helps prevent a soggy crust.
- Spread the frangipane evenly but avoid making the layer too thick, as it expands slightly during baking.
- Bake the galette on the bottom oven rack to ensure the bottom crust cooks through and becomes crisp.
- If your cherries are particularly tart, taste them first and add an extra tablespoon or two of sugar if needed.
- Let the galette cool before slicing so the filling has time to set and won’t run out.
Cherry Galette Recipe FAQs
Yes. You can prepare both the dough and the frangipane up to two days ahead and keep them refrigerated. The assembled unbaked galette can also be refrigerated for several hours before baking, though the cherries may be juicy. So I would recommend adding the cherries only before baking.
Absolutely. Thaw them completely and drain away as much excess liquid as possible before mixing with the sugar and cornstarch.
Store leftover galette covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Reheat individual slices in a 325°F oven for 10 to 15 minutes to restore the crisp crust.
Yes, you can use store-bought pie dough or pie crust sold in sheets or bricks. But I can’t guarantee that it will come out as intended. I still recommend making the crust from scratch.
Other Dessert Recipes
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Cherry Galette Recipe with Honey Walnut Frangipane
Equipment
Ingredients
For the Dough
- 1½ cups All-purpose flour – 186 grams
- 1 tablespoon Sugar – 13 grams
- ½ teaspoon Kosher salt
- ½ cup Unsalted butter, cold and cut into small cubes – 113 grams
- 5 tablespoon Cold water – 71 grams
- 1 teaspoon Apple cider vinegar
For the Walnut Frangipane
- ½ cup Walnuts, chopped and divided – 56 grams
- 3 tablespoon All-purpose flour
- 2 tablespoon Unsalted butter, room temperature – 28 grams
- ¼ cup Honey – 82 grams
- 1 Large egg – 50 grams
- ½ teaspoon Vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon Almond extract
- 1 teaspoon Cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon Cardamom
- ¼ teaspoon Kosher salt
For the Filling
- 4 cups Fresh cherries, pitted – 680 grams
- ¼ cup Sugar – 50 grams
- 3 tablespoon Cornstarch – 24 grams
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon Almond extract
- ¼ teaspoon Kosher salt
For the Crust
- Egg wash (1 large egg with 1 tablespoon water)
- Turbinado Sugar
Instructions
- Prepare the Dough. Prepare the pastry dough by combining the flour, sugar, and salt. Cut in the cold butter (using a pastry cutter) until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Stir the apple cider vinegar into the cold water, then gradually add the liquid to the flour mixture until a shaggy dough forms. Shape into a disc, cover well with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 2 hours.
- Grind Walnuts. While the dough chills, prepare the walnut frangipane. Finely grind half of the walnuts in a food processor with the flour until the mixture resembles almond meal.
- Make Frangipane. Beat together the butter, honey, egg, vanilla, almond extract, cinnamon, cardamom, salt, and the walnut-flour mixture until smooth. Fold in the remaining chopped walnuts and refrigerate until needed.
- Roll Dough. Roll the chilled dough into an 11 to 12-inch circle on lightly floured parchment paper. Transfer to a rimmed baking sheet or sheet pan and refrigerate while preparing the filling.
- Prepare Cherry Mixture. Toss the pitted cherries with sugar, cornstarch, vanilla, almond extract, and salt until evenly coated.
- Spread Frangipane. Spread the chilled frangipane over the center of the dough, leaving a 2-inch border around the edge.
- Dress and Crimp. Spoon the cherry filling over the frangipane, leaving about 1½ inches around the outside. Fold the edges of the dough over the filling, pleating as needed.
- Chill and Preheat Oven. Chill the assembled galette while preheating the oven to 400°F (200°C).
- Bake. Brush the crust with egg wash, sprinkle generously with turbinado sugar, and bake on the lower oven rack for 45 to 50 minutes until the crust is deeply golden brown and the filling is bubbling. Rotate the baking sheet halfway through baking for even browning.
- Cool. Allow the galette to cool for at least 30 minutes before slicing and serving. Serve with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and a drizzle of honey.
Notes
- Fresh Cherries: Fresh sweet cherries work best. Bing cherries work best. Sour Cherries can also be used, but you will need to add more sweetener. Rainier cherries will also work, but they tend to be juicier and sweeter, so you will need to cut the sugar and drain them before adding them to the galette. You will need a cherry pitter. Frozen, pitted cherries can also be used if thoroughly thawed and drained, and even patted dry with paper towel.
- Walnuts: I was going for a baklava feel with this dessert, so walnuts were a natural choice. But you can also use pecans or almonds. Almonds would give you a more traditional frangipane flavor.
- Honey: Keeping with the baklava theme, honey adds both sweetness and flavor. You could use brown sugar if you prefer, but I recommend honey.
- Ground Spices: I am using ground cinnamon and ground cardamom. More baklava flavor.
- Keep every ingredient for the crust as cold as possible. Cold butter creates steam during baking, resulting in flaky layers.
- Chill the assembled galette before baking to help the crust maintain its shape.
- Don’t skip the cornstarch. It thickens the cherry juices and helps prevent a soggy crust.
- Bake the galette on the bottom oven rack to ensure the bottom crust cooks through and becomes crisp.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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