Warmly spiced, sweet and tart, and wonderfully fruity, Apple Brown Betty is comfort dessert at its best.
Don’t you love how certain smells evoke sweet, wistful memories? For some folks, it’s coffee; for others, it’s the way Thanksgiving foods fill the kitchen with their nostalgic aromas while they’re in the oven. For me, it’s the warm, fruity, spicy smell of apples baking, particularly when they’re in an apple brown betty.
In the realm of retro desserts, apple brown betty seems to be the OG. Foodie historians tell us that fruit-based baked desserts were around in colonial times, but apple brown betty was one of the first to be officially documented. It appeared in print in an 1864 edition of the Yale Literary Magazine as part of a list of things to give up during physical training that also included tea, coffee, and pie. At that time, the dessert was called brown betty. Beyond assuming the creator’s name was Betty, not much else is known about the history of this apple confection or how it got its name.
Of all the apple desserts, even classic apple pie, apple brown betty is my favorite, partly because growing up, my mom and her sister made it for nearly every family occasion. But I also love it best because of the way the butter-flour-sugar-spice layers soak into the apples as they cook, yet also remain distinctive when the dish is done. I love the simplicity of apple brown betty, too, both its ingredients and its preparation. This is a perfect dessert to whip up for a weeknight treat, to take to a potluck or picnic, or to serve a crowd—especially in the fall to celebrate this favorite autumn fruit flavor.
I like to highlight some of the ingredients in apple brown betty by serving it with Brown Sugar Ice Cream or Cinnamon Ice Cream, and then garnishing the top with some slices of Oven-Dried Apples.
Distinguishing Between Fruit-Based Baked Desserts
Cobblers, crisps, crumbles, and betty: oh my! What is the difference between all of these desserts? Well, to start, only one of them is exclusively a betty and generally made with apples; the others come in all sorts of flavors, such as Peach Cobbler or Blueberry Crisp. But there are other subtle differences among them. Cobbler is usually topped with batter or biscuits; crisps are topped with a mix of oats, flour, butter, sugar, and cinnamon; the topping for crumbles is generally flour, butter, and sugar (though sometimes oats or nuts are added in). And then there’s betty. She’s a bit different than her cousins here because instead of just fruit baked with topping, apple brown betty is a layered dessert. First, the apples, then a layer of flour, white and brown sugar, cold butter, and spices mixed together, then another layer of fruit, then another of the flour mix. All of these desserts are delicious, but with apple brown betty, you can get two layers of fruit and two of topping in every single bite.
FAQs & Tips
How Do I Store Leftovers?
Cooled apple brown betty can be transferred to an airtight container and stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Can I Prep This Ahead?
If you cut the apples and add the lemon juice, the fruit will last in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 1 day. The flour-butter-sugar-spice mix will keep in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 1 week.
What Is The Best Kind Of Apple To Use For This Dish?
As I usually say, the best kind is the kind you like best! This is very true for apple brown betty: tart apples such as Granny Smiths work well, but so do sweeter ones like Honeycrisp or Fuji. Some folks do a mix of more than one type of apple, and that’s delicious, too.
Serving Suggestions
Whipped Cream is perfect on apple brown betty. This is also true for more elaborate creamy confections like Diplomat Cream, or if you want to add some lovely tang to this dessert, Mascarpone Whipped Cream. And we recommend drizzling some Salted Spiced Caramel Sauce over any of these choices.
Because great apples are available year-round, you can make this delicious dessert anytime. But if you really want to celebrate fall, try spooning some Pumpkin Spice Syrup or Spiced Maple Syrup over servings of apple brown betty that have been topped with scoops of Vanilla Ice Cream (and maybe then topped with some crushed Candied Pecans in the spirit of Thanksgiving pecan pie!).
Apple Brown Betty
Ingredients
- 6 large apples peeled, cored, and sliced
- 2 1/2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon apple pie spice
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter cold, cubed
- Vanilla ice cream for serving (optional)
Instructions
- Toss the apple slices in lemon juice and arrange half of them in a lightly greased 9-inch baking dish.
- In a medium bowl, mix flour, granulated sugar, brown sugar, cinnamon, and apple pie spice. Add cold butter and blend using a pastry blender or two forks until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
- Sprinkle half of the crumb mixture over the apples in the dish. Layer the remaining apples and top with the remaining crumb mixture.
- Bake in a preheated oven at 350°F for about 45 minutes, or until the topping is golden brown and the apples are tender.
- Serve warm. Top with vanilla ice cream if desired.
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