Cherry cream cheese galette is a delightful dessert that combines the best of both worlds: a flaky, buttery pastry and a rich, creamy filling, all topped with sweet, juicy cherries. This rustic dessert is perfect for summer, when cherries are at their peak, offering a fresh and vibrant twist on traditional pies. Whether served for a casual weeknight treat or as a stunning centerpiece for a gathering, this galette is both easy to make and incredibly satisfying.
The galette dough is simple yet irresistible, made with cold butter and just the right amount of flour to create a tender, golden crust. Unlike a traditional pie, a galette has a free-form shape that makes it easier to assemble, adding to its charm. The dough is rolled out into a circle and then folded up around the edges, creating a rustic look while still holding in the creamy filling and juicy cherries.
The filling starts with a creamy base of cream cheese, lightly sweetened with sugar and flavored with vanilla. This smooth and tangy cream cheese layer serves as the perfect backdrop for the star of the show – fresh cherries. Pitted and halved, the cherries are spread over the cream cheese filling, their sweetness complementing the tangy richness of the cream cheese.
Once baked, the galette develops a crispy, golden crust, and the cherries soften into a jammy, flavorful topping. The cream cheese filling stays perfectly creamy, providing a balance to the sweetness of the cherries. For an extra touch of elegance, you can dust the galette with powdered sugar before serving or drizzle it with a bit of honey for added sweetness.
Cherry cream cheese galette is best served warm or at room temperature, making it a perfect dessert for any occasion. With its irresistible combination of creamy, sweet, and tangy flavors, this galette is sure to become a new favorite in your summer baking repertoire.
Ingredients
- 1 unit pie crust store-bought or homemade
- 2 cups cherries pitted and halved
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar for cherries
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch to thicken the cherry filling
- 4 oz cream cheese softened
- 1/4 cup powdered sugar for cream cheese filling
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400˚F (200˚C).
- Roll out the pie crust on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
- In a bowl, combine cherries, granulated sugar, and cornstarch. Set aside.
- In a separate bowl, mix softened cream cheese, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract until smooth.
- Spread the cream cheese mixture over the center of the pie crust, leaving a border around the edges.
- Place the cherry mixture on top of the cream cheese layer.
- Fold the edges of the pie crust over the filling, pleating as necessary.
- Bake for 35-40 minutes or until the crust is golden brown.
- Allow to cool slightly before serving.
Nutrition
Ehh. Store-bought crust is fine, but the ratio feels off to me—too much cream cheese, not enough cherry filling. Next time I’ll double the cherries.
Why do you put cream cheese in fruit desserts? Seems weird to me. I’ll stick to just cherries next time.
I tried this but my crust burned. Maybe my oven runs hot? I don’t know. Didn’t get to taste it much.
This galette turned out amazing! The cream cheese adds such a nice touch. Definitely making it again!
So glad you loved it! The cream cheese really does make a difference. What fruits do you think I could use instead of cherries?
Eh, it was fine. Not the best thing I’ve ever eaten ☹️
The instructions are clear, but 35-40 mins at 400°F felt a tad long for my oven. I think I should’ve pulled it closer to 30. Golden crust though!
Totally get that—every oven runs a little different. I usually start checking around 28-30 mins and pull it when the crust is golden. Glad yours still turned out!
Super yummy! I added some cinnamon and it was delicious. Thanks for sharing this!
Cinnamon sounds great! I’ll try that next time! Thanks for the tip!
I tried this recipe and it was ok, but the dough was really hard to roll out. Maybe I did something wrong?
I’m skeptical about the store-bought pie crust + cream cheese combo, but it actually tasted homemade. The fold edges look rustic instead of messy, so that helped me feel better.
I’m still skeptical 😬 Cream cheese on pie crust sounds kinda weird to me. Did you bake it long enough? Mine might’ve gotten runny before when I tried something like this.
Okay this makes me feel way better 😅 I always side-eye store-bought crust, but “tastes homemade” is exactly what I needed. Rustic edges for the win.
I was skeptical about the cream cheese, but it actually works well with the cherries! Who knew?
I was surprised too! Cherry and cream cheese is a match made in heaven! 🍒🧀
Really? Cream cheese in dessert? Sounds weird to me. 🤔
I used frozen cherries and added an extra pinch of cornstarch because mine were kinda juicy. Turned out great though—definitely would make again.
I’m not sure about adding extra cornstarch—won’t it get kinda gummy? But hey if yours worked, maybe frozen cherries just need it. What temp did you bake at again?
That makes sense—frozen cherries can be juicier, so the extra pinch of cornstarch is a smart fix. Glad it turned out great! 😊
Why do you need cornstarch? Isn’t sugar enough? This recipe seems confusing. I’ll stick to my usual pies.
Pretty good! I used frozen cherries and added an extra pinch of cornstarch because my filling was a little runny. Still tasted great and looked fancy.
I tried this once and mine was runny too, so I guess cornstarch is key. But 1 tbsp seems like not enough for frozen—maybe I did something wrong? Still tastes good though.
Nice! Frozen cherries can totally work—glad the extra cornstarch saved the filling. That “fancy” look is always the best part of galettes 😄
400°F for 35–40 minutes feels a little short for my oven—crust got golden but the middle was still a bit wet. Next time I’ll bake 5–10 mins more.
This looks absolutely delicious! Can’t wait to try!
The instructions are clear and the parchment tip saved me. Also the border idea works—my folds stayed put instead of unraveling.
Yo this is dangerous. I ate half before it even cooled. Crust stayed crisp-ish and the cream cheese layer was super smooth. 10/10 would make again.
Uh… I’m skeptical it’s “10/10” if you ate it immediately. Cream cheese can be runny when it’s hot. But if yours was smooth, maybe I just underbake? Going to try but I’ll still wait like 10 mins 😂
Not dangerous at all 😄 Half before cooling is the best way—cream cheese gets all velvety and the crust still holds up. Glad it worked for you!
This galette looks divine! Cherries are the best and the cream cheese adds a nice twist. Can’t wait to try it.
Not gonna lie, I thought a galette would be harder. The pleating looks fancy but it’s actually forgiving. Vanilla in the cream cheese was a nice touch.
Interesting… I usually do my cherries with a little lemon juice so they don’t taste flat. Also, does the cornstarch really thicken enough at 400F? Might try it though.
I felt the same way—galettes look intimidating, but that “forgiving” crust is so real. The vanilla/cream cheese combo sounds perfect!
Yummmm! I loved the cream cheese combo. Such a nice twist on a regular cherry pie! Will share with my friends. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Folded crust didn’t work. My cherries fell out and it looked a mess. But still tasted good.
I ain’t never had a galette before, but that sounds like it tastes real good! Just need to work on the folding, I guess.
That’s too bad! Sometimes it helps to be a bit more gentle while folding. Maybe try a different type of crust next time?
Flavor is great, but my filling bubbled up and made the crust a bit soggy in one spot. Next time I’ll drain the cherries a little or use less cornstarch.
Idk, the cream cheese didn’t blend right for me. It was lumpy. Total let down.
I dunno, it seems a bit complicated. I like simple recipes.
This is dangerously good. I cooled it 10 minutes and then immediately cut a slice—still warm and gooey. 10/10
This is cute, but a galette for me always ends up messy. Still, I liked the combo of tart cherries and sweet cream cheese. Would make again with better sealing.
Easy peasy! Made it in under an hour, and it was a hit at the party!
Really? Under an hour? I thought galettes were complicated. Will it taste good if I use frozen cherries?
Wow, your party must have been awesome! I’m glad it turned out well. I need to try this recipe myself!
How many cherries do I need? 2 cups is… like a whole bag? 🤔
I think you might be underestimating! Cherries can be smaller than you think, maybe grab two bags just to be safe?
You need about 2 cups, which is usually one bag of cherries. You got it! 🍒
The cream cheese part was too sweet for my taste.
Too sweet? I loved it! You must not have a sweet tooth. Cream cheese is supposed to be sweet, right?
I can see why you might think that! Maybe using less powdered sugar would help balance it? Just a thought!
Not bad but the measurements feel kinda off. 1 tablespoon cornstarch for 2 cups cherries seems low? Mine ran like… like water lol. Still ate it all.
Mine did the same! I kept thinking my oven was wrong but nope—it was the filling not thickening. Next time I’m adding like 2 tbsp cornstarch or cooking the cherries a few mins first.
Totally agree—1 tbsp cornstarch for 2 cups cherries can be pretty light. I usually bump it up a bit so it gels more, otherwise you get that runny situation. Still looks tasty though!