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Apple Brown Betty

Apple Brown Betty is a baked, layered apple-and-breadcrumb dessert where cinnamon-spiced apples turn soft and jammy while the buttery crumbs become golden and crisp. This old-fashioned fall classic is built in a greased 9x9-inch dish and finishes uncovered so the topping browns beautifully.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 5 minutes
Servings: 9 servings
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Calories: 420
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Apple Filling
  • 6 cup apples peeled and sliced (about 6 medium apples, mix of Granny Smith and Honeycrisp)
  • 0.5 cup brown sugar packed
  • 1 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 0.25 tsp ground nutmeg
  • 1 tbsp lemon juice
  • 0.25 cup water
Breadcrumb Topping
  • 4 cup fresh breadcrumbs from day-old bread
  • 6 tbsp unsalted butter melted
  • 0.25 cup granulated sugar
  • 0.5 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 0.25 tsp salt
Serving
  • 1 vanilla ice cream for serving
  • 1 caramel sauce for drizzling

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan

Method
 

Prep and preheat
  1. Preheat the oven to 375°F and grease a 9x9-inch baking dish.
  2. In a large bowl, toss the sliced apples with brown sugar, ground cinnamon, ground nutmeg, and lemon juice until evenly coated.
  3. In a separate bowl, toss the fresh breadcrumbs with melted unsalted butter, granulated sugar, ground cinnamon, and salt until evenly moistened.
Layer and bake
  1. Spread a third of the breadcrumb mixture in the bottom of the prepared baking dish, pressing lightly to form a thin layer.
  2. Layer half of the apples over the breadcrumbs, then repeat with another third of the breadcrumbs and the remaining apples.
  3. Pour the water evenly over the apples, then top with the remaining breadcrumb mixture in an even layer.
  4. Cover with foil and bake at 375°F for 25 minutes, until the apples start releasing juices and the top looks set.
  5. Uncover and bake at 375°F for another 20-25 minutes, until the top is golden brown and the apples are bubbling.
Serve
  1. Let cool for 10-15 minutes before serving so the layers firm up slightly.
  2. Serve warm with vanilla ice cream and drizzle with caramel sauce.

Notes

For the best jammy apples and crisp topping, use a mix of Granny Smith and Honeycrisp and keep the breadcrumb layers evenly thick. Store leftovers covered in the refrigerator for up to 3 days and rewarm in the oven at 325°F until heated through. Freezing is not recommended because the breadcrumb topping can soften. For a lighter option, use unsalted butter substitute and serve with vanilla frozen yogurt instead of ice cream.