When fresh strawberries are in season, this rustic, simple gluten free strawberry galette is the perfect way to let them shine. Make the entire tart ahead of time and freeze it raw, then pop it in the oven right before serving.

Do you only eat fruit during its growing season? I try to. Absence totally makes the heart grow fonder, and by the time it’s strawberry season, I’m all in!

How to make a light and flaky, gorgeous fruit galette

My favorite pie crust to use in this strawberry galette is our extra flaky gluten free pie crust, made with a bit of sour cream. Simply make the recipe as far ahead of time as you’d like, then divide it in half, and wrap each piece tightly in plastic wrap and store it in the refrigerator.

Once you find yourself with 2 pounds of fresh, juicy, bright red strawberries and a few minutes to spare, wash, dry and hull the berries. Sliced thickly so they don’t disappear as they bake in the oven, strawberries know how to make their own sauce beautifully. Draw out their moisture by adding a dash of salt, a bit of sugar and some mellow white vinegar. 

Roll out each piece of pie crust, brush the bottom with honey then pile half the strawberry in the center. Wrap the pie crust around about 1/4 of the filling, then brush again with honey, sprinkle with some coarse-grained sugar and bake. 

You can also assemble the entire galette and freeze it raw on the baking sheet. Once it’s completely firm, wrap it tightly in a freezer-safe wrap and return it to the freezer. Unwrap the galette and bake it right from frozen whenever you’re ready. You may need to add a few minutes to the baking time, but don’t defrost it first.

Why coat the pie crust with sugar?

The recipe instructions call for coating the pie crust with honey right before placing the strawberries on top, and then the edges after folding them over the filling. You may have to heat the honey briefly in the microwave (or on the stovetop) briefly to thin it out before brushing it with a pastry brush. 

The purpose of brushing the crust with honey along the edges is to help it brown gently. The reason to brush the crust with honey before adding the strawberry filling is to help seal it so the crust becomes flaky and perfect in the oven, without ever getting soggy.

Any honey that drips over the sides and onto the parchment paper will likely burn in the oven, but it’s absolutely fine. You can easily brush away any burnt bits before slicing and serving the tart. 

How to make your own simple syrup for brushing

Instead of honey or Lyle’s Golden Syrup for brushing, you can make your own simple syrup. It can be stored in a sealed container in the refrigerator for at least a week, if not more. And it’s perfect for making cocktails.

To make the syrup, simply place 1 cup (200 g) of granulated sugar and 8 fluid ounces of lukewarm water in a medium-sized saucepan and whisk to combine well. Heat the mixture over medium heat, stirring constantly, until all of the sugar dissolves.

Continue to heat the mixture, stirring occasionally but watching closely, until it begins to boil gently. Boil for about 60 seconds, and remove from the heat. The simple syrup should be clear and slightly thickened but still pourable. You can store any leftovers in a sealed container in the refrigerator for about 10 days.

Ingredients and substitutions

Dairy-free: The only dairy in this recipe is in the pie crust. If you’d like to make a pie crust without dairy, I recommend using my classic gluten free pie crust recipe. It lends itself more to being made with Spectrum nonhydrogenated vegetable shortening instead of butter and has no sour cream to be replaced with a dairy-free alternative.

Tapioca starch/flour: Tapioca starch/flour is my favorite starch to add to the strawberry mixture, as it helps the liquid in the strawberries to gel slightly without ever becoming glue-like. You can also use cornstarch, though, or arrowroot. Even potato starch would work.