If you’re looking to use up your fresh or frozen blueberries but aren’t in the mood to bake a pie, say hello to the charming galette.

If you’ve never tried or made a galette before, it’s essentially a flat pie – making it much easier to throw together because you don’t have to worry about fancy fluted edges or perfectly latticed tops.

Instead, these little pastries showcase the “rustic” look, which – as far as I can tell – is code for “looks like a blind hamster made it.”

And if “blind hamster” sums up your skills in the crafty food department (as it does mine), then these tasty treats might be your new best friend.

This recipe is just a bit sweet, and it features a cream cheese crust that delivers more flavor than traditional pie crusts. And as with most of the recipes I feature, you can tweak it to your own personal tastes and use just about any filling you want.

Blueberry galette

For the filling

2 cups fresh or frozen blueberries
1 to 2 teaspoons cane sugar (more if you like it sweeter)
1 teaspoon cornstarch
Juice from half a lemon

For the crust

1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup cream cheese
1 1/2 cups whole wheat pastry flour
(you can also use spelt or all-purpose flour)
1/4 cup cane sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon baking powder

Assemble

For the crust: add dry ingredients to softened butter & cream cheese and mix well. Roll into ball and chill several hours or overnight.

When the crust is chilled & you’re ready to bake, preheat oven to 350 degrees & line a baking sheet with parchment paper (or don’t if that’s not your thing, but it’s easier to clean if there’s a spill and it prevents the crusts from sticking to the pan).

For the filling: combine all ingredients in a medium-sized bowl. Congratulate yourself on a job well done.

To assemble: divide the crust into 6 to 8 pieces (you may need to let it sit at room temperature for just a bit), then roll into a circle until they’re 1/4-inch or so thick. If it’s not an exact circle, that’s fine. Remember, we’re blind-hamster baking here.

At this point, you might want to transfer them to your lined baking sheet to make life easier. If you don’t, be prepared to move a raw, blueberry-filled pie crust from your counter to the baking sheet without dropping, squashing, or tearing it open. I may or may not have learned this step from personal experience.

But I digress…

When you’re ready, drop 2 to 3 spoonfuls of fruit filling into each circle, doing your best to leave an inch or so around the edge. Once they’re filled, fold the crust over the top all the way around the circle. Fill in any major cracks so your filling doesn’t leak all over the baking sheet (taking its delicious flavor with it). Otherwise, as long as they’re all folded and secure, they’re good to go.

Though – bonus points if you sprinkle them with a little raw or sparkling sugar.

Bake

Bake for 20 to 30 minutes at 350 degrees, then let them cool for 20 to 30 minutes before you dive in. That is, unless you enjoy the feeling of blueberry lava dissolving your delicate mouthparts – in which case feel free to enjoy the moment they hit the counter.