There’s something wonderfully effortless about a cherry galette. No lattice to perfect. No crimped edges to fuss over. Just crisp, buttery pastry folded loosely around fruit at its absolute best.

This version has become my summer favourite — a free-form tart layered with glossy cherries, softened with fragrant vanilla, warmed with a touch of almond extract, and lifted by fresh lemon. As it bakes, the fruit collapses into a rich ruby filling while the pastry turns deeply golden and impossibly flaky around the edges.

It’s the kind of dessert that feels elegant without trying too hard.

Serve it warm from the oven with vanilla ice cream melting into the cherries and it becomes something truly special.

Why You’ll Love This Cherry Galette

Beautifully rustic, effortlessly impressive

A galette has all the charm of a handmade dessert without the precision of a traditional pie. Fold, bake, serve — the more relaxed it looks, the better.

A pastry worth making from scratch

The homemade crust bakes into delicate, buttery layers with crisp edges and a tender bite. It’s simple to make and transforms the whole dessert.

Peak summer flavour

Sweet-tart cherries are the centrepiece here. Combined with almond, vanilla and lemon, every bite tastes bright, rich and unmistakably seasonal.

Made for sharing

Whether served after dinner, brought to a garden gathering or sliced alongside afternoon coffee, this is the sort of dessert people remember.

Choosing the Best Cherries

The beauty of this galette starts with the fruit.

Sour cherries are the traditional choice and create that perfect balance of sweetness and sharpness that makes each slice feel vibrant rather than overly sugary. Their season is brief, but if you find them fresh, they’re worth every minute spent pitting.

Frozen sour cherries are an excellent alternative and work beautifully year-round — simply thaw completely and drain away excess juice before using.

If sweet cherries are easier to find, don’t worry. They create a softer, richer finish. Just reduce the sugar slightly and add an extra squeeze of lemon to keep the flavour bright and balanced.

Whichever variety you choose, look for fruit that tastes good enough to eat straight from the bowl — because that flavour only becomes more concentrated in the oven.

Simple Ways to Make It Your Own

This galette welcomes a little improvisation.

• Use sweet cherries instead of sour for a softer, jammier filling — simply ease back on the sugar.

• Swap the vinegar in the pastry for lemon juice or apple cider vinegar to maintain tenderness.

• Replace cornstarch with arrowroot or tapioca starch for the same glossy finish.

• Finish with coarse sugar for extra sparkle and crunch across the crust.

• Add extra flavour with orange zest, a pinch of cinnamon or a spoonful of cherry jam folded into the fruit.

The beauty of a galette is that it never demands perfection.

Serving Ideas

This dessert was made to be served warm.

A generous scoop of vanilla ice cream is almost essential — cool, creamy and slowly melting into the warm cherries and crisp pastry.

For something more indulgent, try:

• Soft whipped cream with vanilla bean

• Lightly sweetened mascarpone

• Thick crème fraîche

• A drizzle of warm honey

• A dusting of icing sugar just before serving

Pair it with strong coffee, Earl Grey tea or a chilled dessert wine and suddenly an ordinary evening feels like an occasion.

Storing & Making Ahead

Best enjoyed fresh

Cherry galette is at its absolute peak on the day it’s baked, when the pastry is at its flakiest and the filling still slightly warm.

Keeping leftovers

Store loosely covered at room temperature for up to two days. To revive the crust, warm in the oven for 8–10 minutes until crisp again.

Refrigerating

Keep refrigerated for up to four days in an airtight container. The pastry softens slightly, but the filling becomes beautifully rich and jammy.

Prepare ahead

The pastry can be made in advance and chilled for up to three days, or frozen for up to three months.

When ready to bake, simply thaw overnight in the fridge, roll, fill and bake fresh.

Because sometimes the most impressive desserts are the ones that look beautifully unfinished.

Method

Step 1 — Make the All-Butter Pastry

A good galette starts with exceptional pastry — buttery, flaky and just rustic enough to feel effortless.

Place the flour, sugar and sea salt into a food processor and pulse briefly to combine.

Scatter in the cold butter cubes and pulse in short bursts until the mixture resembles coarse breadcrumbs with visible pea-sized pieces of butter throughout. Those small pockets of butter are what create delicate layers and that deeply satisfying crisp finish once baked.

In a separate jug, whisk together the egg, apple cider vinegar and ice-cold water.

Pour the liquid mixture into the processor and pulse only until the dough begins to clump together into soft, shaggy pieces. Avoid overworking the dough — less handling means a lighter, flakier pastry.

Turn everything out onto a lightly floured surface and gently bring the dough together with your hands. Shape into a thick disc, wrap well and chill for at least 30 minutes.

While the pastry rests, prepare the filling.

Step 2 — Prepare the Cherry Filling

This is where the galette begins to smell like summer.

Place the pitted cherries into a large mixing bowl and add the sugar, cornflour, salt, vanilla, almond extract and lemon juice.

Gently fold everything together until the fruit is glossy and evenly coated.

Leave the filling to rest for around 10–15 minutes while the dough chills. As the cherries sit, they release their juices and soften slightly, creating a richer, more concentrated flavour once baked.

The cornflour will absorb those juices in the oven and transform them into a beautifully glossy filling rather than letting them escape into the pastry.

Step 3 — Roll, Fill & Assemble

Preheat the oven to 200°C (180°C fan) and line a large baking tray with parchment paper.

Lightly flour your work surface and roll the chilled dough into a rough circle approximately 30–35cm wide and around 5mm thick.

Don’t aim for perfection — uneven edges and soft curves are exactly what give a galette its character.

Transfer the pastry to the prepared tray.

Spoon the cherry filling into the centre, leaving a generous 5cm border around the edge.

Scatter the small cubes of butter across the cherries. As the galette bakes, the butter melts into the fruit, creating a richer, silkier filling.

Step 4 — Fold & Finish

Now for the part that makes a galette feel beautifully handmade.

Lift sections of pastry and fold them gently over the edge of the filling, overlapping slightly as you move around the circle to create loose, natural pleats.

The centre should remain open with flashes of cherry visible through the middle.

Whisk together the egg and water to make your egg wash.

Brush generously over the exposed pastry and finish with a generous scattering of coarse sugar.

This final layer gives the crust its deep golden colour and that delicate bakery-style crunch.

Step 5 — Bake Until Deeply Golden

Bake for 40–45 minutes, until the pastry is richly golden and the cherry juices are bubbling slowly at the edges.

Your kitchen should smell of butter, vanilla and warm fruit.

Remove from the oven and allow the galette to rest for at least 15 minutes before slicing. This gives the filling time to settle and makes serving far easier.

Serve slightly warm with generous scoops of vanilla bean ice cream and watch it melt into the cherries and crisp pastry.

Because desserts this good are never meant to be eaten cold.