Pear Caramel Galette
This cozy Pear Caramel Galette has tender slices of stone fruit tossed with brown sugar, lemon, cinnamon, and ginger and baked with a light drizzle of caramel sauce inside of a buttery pie crust, casually arranged in elegantly rustic folds. Pie’s fuss-free cousin never tasted so good.

Pie’s fuss-free cousin.
As someone who has been known to cry over pie crusts, I will happily bake up a galette any day. What’s a galette? Essentially it is a free-form pie, with a tasty filling piled casually into the middle of a crust that is folded up in relaxed little pleats to make an edge. Galettes are thinner than traditional pies, which I consider an asset, bake more quickly, and are all-around less intimidating to make.
This particular pear caramel combination is a favorite of ours in the fall but delicious any time of year that you can access quality fresh pears. A simple blend of brown sugar, cinnamon, ginger, and flaky salt sweetens the pears without overpowering their natural taste. Use a homemade crust — this apple cider vinegar version is my go-to — or store-bought. I’ll never tell. Galette is also wonderfully easy to make ahead, so truly a perfect dessert for hosting friends or family. Serve with ice cream and extra caramel sauce for a truly decadent treat.
Key Ingredients
- Pears. You’ll want about 2 and 1/4 cups of sliced pears, which should require 2 or 3 medium fruits. I’ve had the best luck with Bosc and Anjou pears, both of which are noted for holding their texture when baked. Bartlett pears break down more quickly and may require a shorter baking time.
- Brown sugar, all-purpose flour, lemon juice, ground cinnamon, ground ginger, and kosher or flaked sea salt. These simple but effective pantry staples sweeten and thicken the filling.
- One pie crust. Apple cider vinegar pie crust is my forever favorite to make at home when time permits, but a quality store-bought pie crust will make this dessert even more quick and easy.
- Salted caramel sauce. I usually do purchase this, but a homemade salted caramel would no doubt take this dessert up another level.
- For topping: one egg plus a bit of milk or water for an egg wash, and Turbinado sugar. The egg wash ensures that the exposed rim of crust turns golden and glossy in the oven, rather than brittle and brown. The final touch of sugar makes everything sparkle. Raw, or Turbinado, sugar is perfectly designed for this, but if you don’t care to purchase it, brown sugar also works well.
How To Make a Pear Galette
I’ve included step-by-step photos here to make this recipe extra easy to follow at home. For the full printable recipe instructions and ingredient quantities, scroll to the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
Slice the pears. They should be roughly 1/4″ thick. No need to peel.
Add remaining filling ingredients. Add brown sugar, flour, lemon juice, and spices to the bowl with the pears. Toss to combine and set aside for a few minutes.
Prepare pie crust. It should go in the middle of a large, rimmed baking sheet. Use parchment or a silicone baking mat under the crust so it doesn’t stick.
Arrange pear slices. These can be as carefully or as casually arranged as you like. Bring most of the brown sugar juices with the pears; they are great flavor and are not, in my experience, enough volume to make the galette mushy.
Fold up the crust. Fold up small sections at a time and gently pleat them together, so that the edge is solid and holds the filling in tightly. Drizzle the pears lightly with caramel sauce, and brush the exposed rim of the crust with an egg wash.
Bake. Bake until the pears are fork tender and the crust is golden brown. Let sit for a few moments, then slice and serve.
Tops Tips for Success
- Slice the pears thinly and evenly. You want them to cook through fully and at an even rate, so that they are nice and tender — soft enough to easily pierce and cut with a table fork.
- Don’t overstuff. If your pears are on the large side, you may find you have more than 2 and 1/4 cups once they are sliced — resist the temptation to pile the extra into the galette. I have found that jamming more pear into the same size crust makes the baking time inaccurate, and the pears in the middle never really become tender enough.
- Keep the top glossy. If the pears look dry after baking, you can brush them with a small amount of warmed jam for a gorgeous, glazed effect. Just microwave 1-2 tablespoons jam for 20-30 seconds, then use a pastry brush to brush that across the top of the filling. You can use any flavor of jam, but my favorite for a pear galette is apricot, because it is light in color and mild in taste.
Make Ahead Instructions
Another reason to love galettes is that they can easily be made in advance. In my experience, the best approach is to fully assemble and bake the galette, let it cool to room temperature, then refrigerate until nearly ready to eat. Return the unsliced galette to the oven at 200°F for 10-15 minutes before you are ready to slice and serve.
I usually do this in the early afternoon before hosting dinner, so the galette is just in the refrigerator for 3-4 hours, but I think it would be fine chilling for up to 24 hours if needed. The longer you plan to store it, the more tightly I would wrap it with plastic wrap, just to keep the fruit from drying out and to prevent the transfer of any unwanted fridge smells.
Pear Caramel Galette
Ingredients
- 2 and 1/4 cups pear slices from 2-3 medium pears, sliced 1/4” thick
- 2 Tablespoons brown sugar
- 2 Tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 and 1/2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
- 3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher or flaked sea salt plus extra for sprinkling
- 1 pie crust chilled
- 2-3 Tablespoons salted caramel sauce
- egg wash: 1 large egg and 1 Tablespoon milk or water
- 1 Tablespoon turbinado sugar or extra brown sugar, for sprinkling
Instructions
- In a large bowl, gently toss together the pear slices, brown sugar, flour, lemon juice, cinnamon, ginger, and salt. Set aside for 5-10 minutes while you prep the crust.2 and 1/4 cups pear slices, 2 Tablespoons brown sugar, 2 Tablespoons all-purpose flour, 1 and 1/2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice, 3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon, 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger, 1/4 teaspoon kosher or flaked sea salt
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees F and line a large rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone mat. Roll pie crust into a large circle and place on the parchment. Don’t worry if the circle is not precisely even.1 pie crust
- Transfer the pears and the sugar mixture from the bowl onto the top of the pie crust, leaving a 2-3 inch border around the edge. You can just scatter the pears in the middle or arrange them in a specific pattern if you like.
- Fold the edge up and over the fruit, overlapping it every few inches into a sort of a pleat. Gently press the seams to seal. Drizzle caramel sauce evenly over the filling, but not over the crust.2-3 Tablespoons salted caramel sauce
- To make a quick egg wash, whisk egg and milk or water together in a small bowl. Brush this mixture over the exposed rim of the galette, then sprinkle the rim lightly with turbinado sugar.egg wash: 1 large egg and 1 Tablespoon milk or water, 1 Tablespoon turbinado sugar
- Bake for 25-30 minutes, until the crust is golden brown and the pears are very tender. Let cool on the baking sheet for 5-10 minutes before slicing and serving. Serve with scoops of ice cream, an extra drizzle of caramel sauce, and a sprinkle of sea salt, if desired.
Notes
- If your pears are on the large side, you may find you have more than 2 and 1/4 cups once they are sliced–resist the temptation to pile more and more into the galette. After testing this recipe several times, I have found that jamming more pear into the same size crust makes the baking time inaccurate, and leads to the pears in the middle never really getting tender enough.
- If the pears look dry after baking, you can brush them with a small amount of warmed jam for a gorgeous, glazed effect. Just microwave 1-2 tablespoons jam for 20-30 seconds, then use a pastry brush to brush that across the top of the filling. You can use any flavor of jam, but my favorite for a pear galette is apricot, since it is light in color and mild in taste.
- Make ahead: This can easily be made a few hours in advance. Bake the galette, let it cool at room temperature, then return to the oven at 200 degrees F for 10-15 minutes before eating.
Nutrition Estimate
If you try this Pear Caramel Galette, don’t forget to rate the recipe and leave a comment below. I love hearing how recipes turn out in your kitchen, and it helps other readers, too.
More Fruit and Caramel Desserts
- Mixed Berry Galette
- Simple Strawberry Blueberry Cake
- Blueberry Nectarine Crisp
- Caramel Apple Cheesecake Dip
- Caramelita Bars
You can also FOLLOW me on PINTEREST, INSTAGRAM, FACEBOOK, and TWITTER for more great recipes and ideas!