thanksgiving

This vegan gluten-free chamomile apple galette is rustic, charming, and incredibly delicious! A flaky vegan and gluten-free crust envelops a lightly sweetened filling of green apples, chamomile, and vanilla. Serve it as-is or with a scoop of your favorite vegan ice cream.

I LOVE a really good apple pie, especially a Dutch apple pie. But you know what I don’t like? Faffing about and making one from scratch. I know, I know. There’s just something about making traditional pies that makes me feel exhausted and stressed. But I still love eating pies! So, I typically turn to a galette to satisfy my pie craving. They’re much simpler to make and super forgiving because they’re supposed to look rustic and homemade.

For this vegan and gluten free galette I wanted to go with an apple filling since apple pies are such a popular baked good this time of year! I really love apples and chamomile together so it seemed like the perfect opportunity to share a recipe featuring this delicious duo. The gluten free and vegan crust comes together simply with just gluten free flour, a pinch of salt, sugar, vegan butter, and ice water. And the filling is made of thinly sliced and peeled green apples, dried chamomile, vanilla extract, sugar, and lemon juice. It’s perfect for a holiday dessert spread, especially if you have a friend or family member that eats a gluten free and/or vegan diet!

What is a galette?

Just in case you’ve never eaten or made one, a galette is a flat, free-form pastry that is baked on a baking pan rather than a pie dish or tin. It’s made by rolling out your pastry or pie dough into a rough circle, filling it with fruit or veggies, then folding up the edges of the dough around the fruit. Galettes are meant to be rustic and inviting which is perfect if you’re someone like me that shudders at the mere thought of dragging out a pie dish!

Tips for Making the Best Galette Dough

I’ll let you in on the secret for making the best galette or pie dough: it’s all about using very cold butter, ice water, and not skipping the chilling time in the fridge! You want the butter that is in the dough to be cold so that as it hits the heat of the oven, it doesn’t immediately melt. Instead, it will create steam which leads to a flaky, moist crust.

For this recipe, once you make your dough, you’ll wrap it and let it rest in the fridge for 30 minutes. This allows the butter to chill back down after being handled. It also lets the flour hydrate by absorbing the ice water you added. Once you roll out your dough, fill it with the apple mixture, and fold up the edges, you’ll chill the entite galete once more before putting it in the oven. This step is crucial in keeping the butter from melting out leaving you with a dry and unappetizing crust.

FAQ

What are the best apples to use in a galette? Do I have to use green apples?

The best apples to use in a galette (or a pie) are ones that are firm and on the tart side. Firm apples hold their shape after being baked rather than turning soft or mushy. You don’t have to use green apples here! You can use any tart and firm variety like Cripps Pink (Pink Lady), Granny Smith, or Northern Spy.

Is galette dough the same as pie dough?

Yes! The main difference is how you form the dough rather than the ingredients that go in it.

Do I need to make this galette gluten free and vegan?

If you don’t need it to be vegan, you can just as easily use regular butter. Same goes for the flour if you don’t need it to be gluten free. Simply use a standard all-purpose flour and make sure not to overwork the dough!

Where can I find dried chamomile?

It is sometimes sold loose on bulk spice or tea aisles. Otherwise, you can use a bagged chamomile tea. Just make sure chamomile is the only ingredient. To use bagged chamomile tea in this recipe, you’ll simply rip open the tea bag.

What if I don’t like the taste of chamomile?

You can just as easily swap in some ground cinnamon, cardamom, or any other spices you like! I would use about 1 1/2 to 2 teaspoons total.

Looking for more vegan and gluten-free holiday desserts?

• If you’re looking for something that is easier to make than this apple galette, try this maple cinnamon apple crumble! It’s incredibly delicious and requires less than 10 ingredients.
• If chocolate is your thing, try these almond shortbread sandwiches with dark chocolate ganache or these dark chocolate pumpkin bonbons.
• Don’t want to mess around with turning on your oven? Try these coconut milk panna cotta with ginger cranberry compote and fresh grapefruit.
• Looking for a special ice cream to serve alongside slices of apple, pecan, or pumpkin pie? Try this honey sage ice cream!

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