Apple Brown Betty

Do you ever crave that old-fashioned apple dessert that brings back memories of Grandma’s kitchen? If so, you’ll love this easy Apple Brown Betty recipe that’s much faster to make. This classic dessert combines sweet, diced apples with a buttery sweet bread topping that bakes perfectly. Top it with vanilla ice cream or sweetened cream and it’s the ultimate comfort food and one of my all-time favorites.

No ratings yet

Print Pin

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Prep Time: 10

Cook Time: 45

Total Time: 55

Servings: servings

Calories: 434kcal

Author: Carolyn Thomas

Equipment

12 inch cast iron skillet or 9x13 inch baking dish

Ingredients

6 cups apples peeled, cored and diced (about 3 large apples)
8 slices bread day-old or stale bread works best
1 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon nutmeg
1 cup butter cubed

Instructions

Preheat your oven to 375°F.
Generously butter a well-seasoned 12-inch cast iron pan or a 9×13 inch baking dish.
Slice eight pieces of bread into ½” cubes.
Chop three large, tart, baking apples (such as Granny-Smiths) into ½” cubes.
Spread half of the bread cubes in the bottom of your pan, followed by half of the apples.
Sprinkle with about ¾ cup brown sugar.
Repeat with the remaining bread cubes, apples and another ¾ cup brown sugar.
Dot the top generously with the butter.
Drizzle with ½ cup water.
Sprinkle the optional cinnamon and nutmeg over the top.
Cover with foil and bake in a 375°F oven for about 45 minutes.
Remove foil and bake for about 10 minutes longer to brown.
Serve warm.

Notes

Tips for the Best Brown Betty

Making the perfect Apple Brown Betty requires attention to detail and a few expert tips. Here are some baking tips and serving suggestions to ensure you create the best dessert:

Adjust the sweetness: Depending on the sweetness of your apples, you may want to adjust the amount of brown sugar in the recipe. Taste the apples before adding the sugar, and adjust accordingly.
Use cold butter: To achieve a crumbly and crunchy topping, use cold butter when making the crumb mixture.
Don’t overmix the crumb mixture: Overmixing the crumb mixture can result in a dense and heavy topping. Mix the ingredients until they are just combined.
Choose the right apples: As mentioned in section 7, Granny Smith apples are a popular choice for their tartness and firm texture. However, other varieties such as Honeycrisp or Jonathan also work well.
Serve it warm: Apple Brown Betty is best served warm, straight from the oven. Add a scoop of vanilla ice cream or sweetened whipped cream for an extra indulgence.

Nutrition

Tried this recipe?We want to see! Tag @homesteadingfamily on Instagram.