Make A Sweet Pumpkin Maple Galette || Easy To Put Together

A sweet pumpkin maple galette is one of the best fall season desserts around. It’s free form crust couldn’t be easier to make. And it’s sweet, rich, maple sweetened pumpkin filling can’t be beat.

slice of sweet pumpkin maple galette on a pie server

I’ve grown very fond of this tasty dessert. It’s had a place on my fall table for a few years now. And I know if you make one for yourself, it will earn a place on your fall table as well.

It’s super fun to make. There’s something about it’s sheer simplicity and rustic charm that beckons you into the kitchen to whip one up.

And it doesn’t hurt that the hands on time it takes to make this dish is pretty minimal. It takes a long time from start to finish. But most of that time is hands off and leaves you free to do other things.

What Is A Galette?

A galette is a free-form pastry dough that is topped with either a sweet or a savory filling. It is a French dessert that is very easy to make.

Seasonal fruit is usually a main component of the filling in this delicious dessert. It may be sweet and dessert-like, or it may be rich and savory, but it is generally based around a fruit component.

Although, occasionally other ingredients are the star of the show, such as; eggs, potatoes, or mushrooms.

Galettes are basically a pie that doesn’t require any real fussing around with the crust. This makes them a big win in a busy kitchen.

They do have a different crust to filling ratio than a pie though. They are quite shallow, which reduces the amount of filling in comparison with the amount of crust.

I’m okay with that, because the crust in this recipe is so tender and flaky that I could eat it without any filling at all!

A galette is traditionally baked on a sheet pan or a baking stone. I’ve seen them made in cast iron skillets, which is a great idea because of how the skillet adds a crisp to the crust.

And I’ve seen some people bake them in a pie dish. This is probably also a great idea, especially if you’re going for a more symmetrical crust.

But, it just makes me feel like I should have baked a pie. I tend to gravitate toward using my baking stone.

Ingredients Needed To Make A Sweet Pumpkin Maple Galette

You can use any pie crust recipe you like to make a galette. So, if you have a favorite crust recipe already, feel free to use it if you like.

I’m a little partial to the recipe in this post. It’s not my go-to pie crust recipe. But it’s flavor profile is perfect for this sweet pumpkin maple galette.

whole homemade galette sitting on a stone pan

These are the ingredients you’ll need to make the crust …

  • All-Purpose White Flour – A good quality organic all-purpose white flour is the base for the crust in this recipe.
  • Cornmeal – Finely ground cornmeal adds a nice texture to the crust in this recipe.
  • Sugar – There’s just enough sugar in this crust to give it a hint of sweetness.
  • Salt – Salt is used in pie crust to enhance the flavor of the flour and fat.
  • Lard – Lard is the fat used to make this crust. It gives it a flaky texture that is far superior to pie crusts made with other fats.
  • Water – Icy cold water brings this crust together nicely.
  • Egg – The edge of this crust is washed with an egg to provide a light shine and to help the sugar sprinkled on it to stick.
  • Turbinado Sugar – Any coarse sugar can be used to dust the crust of this dessert. I used turbinado sugar.

These are the ingredients you’ll need to whip up the filling …

  • Pumpkin – Farm fresh pumpkin is the best way to go when making the filling for this dessert. You can use canned pumpkin if that’s all you have. Be sure that the only ingredient is pumpkin, as most canned pumpkin products are mixed with other ingredients for baking.
  • Maple Syrup – There is a warmth and depth of flavor that maple syrup lends to this desserts filling that can’t be matched by other sweeteners.
  • Salt – The salt brings out the intensity of the other flavors in this dessert.
  • Cinnamon, Ginger, & Nutmeg – These 3 classic pumpkin pie spices offer the perfect flavoring for this recipe.
  • Eggs – Eggs help to bind all of the ingredients together in this recipe.
  • Sour Cream – A good quality farm fresh sour cream is the perfect choice for this dessert.

How To Make A Sweet Pumpkin Maple Galette

Making a sweet pumpkin maple galette is pretty similar to making a pie, except easier.

slice of homemade sweet pumpkin maple galette on a dish

The logistics are the same. You’ll make a pie crust and refrigerate it for about an hour or so.

Whie it’s in the fridge, you’ll whip up some pumpkin maple filling and set it aside to cool. When it’s cool you’ll roll out the crust, top it with the filling, and fold the edges over to hold the filling in.

Then you’ll egg wash the crust and dust it with a little coarse sugar, and pop it in the oven. It will bake until the crust is a nice golden brown color.

It can then be cooled on a cooling rack and served.

The really great thing about this dessert is it’s homemade vibe. It is meant to have a rustic charm. There’s no need to be too fussy with it.

It can be a little bit of an odd shape. And if the crust is a bit uneven that’s okay. It just adds that much more character.

Tips And Tricks

There are a few tips and tricks that will enhance your sweet pumpkin maple galette dessert making experience.

slice of fresh made galette on a dish

I’ve put together a list of them for you to consider …

  • Use a food processor to make the dough – You can easily make the pie dough in a food processor. It will do the blending for you and it tends to produce a very smooth crust.
  • Make the dough in advance – Pie dough can be made and stored in the refrigerator for 3-5 days before you use it. So, go ahead and get the dough made when you have a chance early in the week and then use it to whip your galettes together on the weekend. You’ll need to let the dough rest at room temperature for an hour before you roll it out for your galette.
  • Cook the pumpkin in advance – Go ahead and cook off the pumpkin for this dessert up to 3 days ahead of time. It can simply be roasted in the oven, on a parchment lined sheet pan until soft. Once it’s cooked the flesh will easily separate from the skin. It can then be mashed, cooled, and put in the refrigerator until you’re ready to bake your dessert.

How To Serve This Dish

Serving sweet pumpkin maple galette is really no different than serving pie, except it’s easy to pick up with your fingers!

crunchy golden brown crust on a sweet pumpkin maple galette

You can serve it while it is still a little warm. It’s especially nice this way with a scoop of ice cream on top. All that creamy goodness starts to melt down onto your slice of galette and adds even more flavor to it.

I like it best straight out of the fridge. I slice it into thin slices before I put it in there, so that I can just grab a little slice and go on my way. It’s a great treat on the go.

It can be served with or without whipped cream topping. And you can drizzle it with a little caramel sauce or chocolate syrup if you like.

How To Store A Sweet Pumpkin Maple Galette

This sweet pumpkin maple galette will last in the fridge for 5-7 days. That’s how I usually store mine, as I prefer to eat it cold.

2 small plates with slices of freshly made galette on them

I really don’t know, off the top of my head, what the food safety guidelines are for storing this dish. After close to 50 years in the kitchen, I know it’s safe to assume that it is recommended that you refrigerate it. It contains fruit and dairy which would make it susceptible to spoilage by safety standards.

I, like so many other people, have been eating pumpkin pie straight from the counter for days around the holidays. So I have been known to leave it out, if I know it is going to get eaten in a short period of time.

However, please note that the choice to follow my lead is strictly at your own discretion. You decide what you feel is safe for yourself and your family and go with it.

I’ll be over here just eating my sweet pumpkin maple galette any darn way I can get my hands on it. It’s sooooooooo good!

pinnable image for sweet pumpkin maple galette

If you try this recipe and love it, please give it 5 stars! It supports my work more than you may realize, and I appreciate that a great deal!

You can also show your support by tagging me on Facebook @sustainableslowliving and/or Instagram @slowlivingbydianegail when you post a pic of your finished dish.

slice of sweet pumpkin maple galette on a pie server
Yield: 8 SERVINGS

SWEET PUMPKIN MAPLE GALETTE

Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 40 minutes
Additional Time: 1 hour
Total Time: 2 hours 10 minutes

A sweet pumpkin maple galette is one of the best fall season desserts around. It's free form crust couldn't be easier to make. And it's sweet, rich, maple sweetened pumpkin filling can't be beat.

Ingredients

  • FOR THE DOUGH:
  • 1 1/2 c all-purpose flour
  • 1/4 c cornmeal, medium grind
  • 1 tbl sugar
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 1/2 c lard, cold
  • 3-5 tbls water, icy cold
  • 1 egg, beaten
  • 1 tbls turbinado sugar
  • FOR THE FILLING:
  • 2 c pumpkin puree
  • 1/4 c maple syrup
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • 1 tsp ground ginger
  • 1/4 tsp nutmeg
  • 2 eggs
  • 1/2 c sour cream

Instructions

  1. Whisk flour, cornmeal, sugar, and salt together in a medium bowl.
  2. Add the lard and cut it in with a fork or a pastry blender until it is pea sized.
  3. Add the water 1 tbls at a time until a dough ball starts to form.
  4. Use your hands to squeeze the dough together to form a ball. It should be fully hydrated and sticking together well.
  5. Wrap the dough ball in saran wrap and place it in the fridge for at least an hour, no more than 2 hours.
  6. Meanwhile, prepare the pumpkin to make the filling. If you are using farm fresh pumpkin you will need to cook it down to reduce the water content in it. You want it to be the consistency of a loose tomato paste. If you are using canned pumpkin you can use it just as it is from the can.
  7. Add the maple syrup, salt, cinnamon, ground ginger, and nutmeg to the pumpkin.
  8. In a separate bowl, whisk together the eggs for the filling and the sour cream.
  9. Pour the sour cream mixture into the pumpkin mixture and hand blend them together well.
  10. Set the filling aside.
  11. When the dough is ready to come out of the refrigerator, preheat the oven to 350°.
  12. Flour the surface that you will be rolling the dough out on. Remove the plastic wrap from the dough, and flour both sides of the dough ball.
  13. Roll the dough out to about 1/4" inch thick. Roll it into a free-form round shape.
  14. Place the dough on a parchment lined sheet pan or a baking stone.
  15. Pour the filling in the center of the dough and spread it toward the edges. Leave about a 2" edge free of filling all the way around the dough.
  16. Fold the edges of the dough over the filling. Crimp them as needed to hold the filling in place.
  17. Brush the beaten egg onto the crust and sprinkle the turbinado sugar on top of the egg.
  18. Bake for 40 minutes, or until the crust is a nice golden brown.
  19. Remove from the oven and place on a cooling rack.
  20. Serve slightly warm, at room temperature, or chilled.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

8

Serving Size:

1

Amount Per Serving: Calories: 320Total Fat: 18gSaturated Fat: 7gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 9gCholesterol: 90mgSodium: 261mgCarbohydrates: 35gFiber: 3gSugar: 10gProtein: 6g

This data was provided and calculated by Nutritionix on 10/12/2022. Nutrition information isn’t always accurate.

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