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Apple Betty

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desserts•american•vegetarian, contains gluten
1 hour 15 minutes•6 servings•

Ingredients

  • 6 ounces bread – torn into coarse fresh breadcrumbs (about 3 cups)
  • 6 tbsp unsalted butter – melted
  • 1/2 cup brown sugar – packed (110g)
  • 1 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
  • 1/4 tsp kosher salt
  • 2 pounds apple – peeled, cored, and sliced 0.25-inch thick (~5.5 medium apples)
  • 1 tbsp lemon juice – freshly squeezed
  • 1/2 cup water
  • heavy cream – for serving
Apple Betty

Instructions

  1. 1.

    Heat the oven to 375°F with a rack in the middle. Melt the butter; brush a little onto a 2-quart baking dish to lightly grease.

  2. 2.

    Tear the bread into pieces and pulse in a food processor to make coarse fresh breadcrumbs (about 3 cups), or tear finely by hand.

  3. 3.

    In a large bowl, combine the breadcrumbs, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt. Pour in the remaining melted butter and toss until the crumbs are evenly moistened.

  4. 4.

    In a separate bowl, toss the apple slices with the lemon juice.

  5. 5.

    Scatter one-third of the crumb mixture in the prepared dish. Add half of the apples in an even layer. Top with another third of the crumbs, the remaining apples, then the remaining crumbs; press lightly to compact.

  6. 6.

    Drizzle the water evenly over the top and around the edges. Cover the dish tightly with foil.

  7. 7.

    Bake for 30 minutes. Uncover and bake 20–25 minutes more, until the apples are tender when pierced and the top is deep golden brown; tent loosely with foil if the top browns too quickly.

  8. 8.

    Let rest for 10 minutes. Spoon into bowls and drizzle with heavy cream. Serve warm.

Apple Betty, also known historically as Apple Brown Betty, is a homey baked dessert made by layering tart-sweet apples with buttery, spiced breadcrumbs. The texture lands between a bread pudding and a crumble: the apples bake soft and saucy while the crumb layers turn toasty and crisp on top. Warm spices like cinnamon and a touch of nutmeg complement the fruit, and a splash of cream at the table rounds everything into a comforting, nostalgic finish.

Emerging in 19th-century American cookery, the Brown Betty appeared in early New England and Mid-Atlantic sources as a thrifty way to use day-old bread. Unlike crisps or cobblers, its identity is defined by buttered bread crumbs rather than oats or biscuit dough. Over time it became a staple of community and church cookbooks, often served with cream, hard sauce, or lemon sauce, and it remains a beloved showcase for autumn apples in American kitchens.