Brown Apple Betty
Apple Brown Betty is a classic baked apple recipe that’s super easy to make. It’s loaded with spices and topped with a sugary crust people can’t get enough of!
This Apple Brown Betty recipe is one of my favorite apple desserts and is similar to Apple Crisp but made with graham cracker crumbs instead of oatmeal.
Fall is here and with it comes cravings for ALL things apple (and pumpkin)! There are so many delicious recipes that you can make with apples. This Brown Betty is one of my favorites because it’s so simple and the fruit really gets to shine!
What is Apple Brown Betty?
A Brown Betty is a popular American dessert recipe that was first made in the mid-1800s. It’s a baked dessert made with fruit (in this case, apples) and a spiced topping made with breadcrumbs, sugar, and butter.
Traditionally this recipe is made with wheat bread breadcrumbs, but my version is made with graham crackers crumbs. It’s very easy to prepare and results in deliciously tender apples with a sweet and butter crust.
Apple Brown Betty vs. Apple Crisp
A couple of things separate these two recipe concepts. The first is that while apple crisp has a streusel topping often made with oatmeal, a brown betty is made with bread crumbs.
The second differentiating factor is that a brown betty is layered with crumbs, unlike the crisp where all of the crumble is baked on top.
Apple Brown Betty Recipe ingredients
- honeycrisp apples
- lemon juice
- vanilla extract
- unsalted butter
- granulated sugar
- light brown sugar
- apple pie spice
- ground cinnamon
- graham cracker crumbs
Substitutions for Brown Apple Betty
- Apples – I prefer Honeycrisp apples, but feel free to use another good baking apple such as Granny Smith, Cortland, or Braeburn.
- Graham Crackers – It’s actually believed that the first version of this dish were made with breadcrumbs, so you can definitely use those instead. You could also use Ritz crackers or shortbread cookies crumbs for the topping. Or use all-purpose flour, but this will give you more of a streusel topping.
How To Make Apple Brown Betty
- Peel, core, and slice apples into thin slices and add to a large bowl and toss with lemon juice and vanilla extract.
- In a separate, medium bowl, use a pastry cutter to blend together the butter, granulated and brown sugar, cinnamon, and apple pie spice until a crumble forms.
- Add in the graham crackers crumbs and mix until completely combined. You may need to use your hands to blend the ingredients.
- Sprinkle half of the apple mixture in the bottom of an 8×8-inch baking dish.
- Then top with half of the crumb mixture. Repeat the layers once more.
- Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 40 to 45 minutes. Remove the aluminum foil and bake for an additional 15 to 20 minutes, until the apples are tender. Serve warm with vanilla ice cream.
Brown Apple Betty tips
- Graham crackers cannot be omitted but may be substituted for 3/4 cup all-purpose flour or for shortbread cookie crumbs.
- Try to make sure your apple slices are of similar thickness for even baking.
- This recipe calls for baking in an 8×8-inch square baking dish, but it can also be baked in a 9×9-inch dish or a 9 or 10-inch pie plate.
Apple Betty Storage
I highly recommend enjoying this dish the same day it’s made for the best texture. However, leftovers can be stored covered at room temperature for up to 2 days. And some people actually prefer to enjoy this dish cold, so storing in the refrigerator is perfectly fine too!
Apple Brown Betty Recipe FAQs
This recipe originate in colonial America, a time in which is was common to name a recipe after the person who invented it. It’s believed that the African American woman who first developed this recipe was named Betty and that the Brown was added due to her race.
An apple crisp is made with an oatmeal streusel topping and an apple brown betty has a topping that’s generally made from crumbs from bread or crackers mixed with butter and sugar.
The other main difference is that apple brown betties are made by layering the fruit and crumb mixture, this recipe has two layers of fruit and two layers of crumbs.
It’s believed to have originated in Colonial America and the first recorded print of a recipe by this name was in 1864 in Yale Literary Magazine.
Cobblers are generally made with a cake or biscuit-like batter that either covers a layer of fruit or has fruit baked into it. A betty is made with layers of fruit and a sugar crumb mixture.
More Delicious Apple Recipes
Let’s Connect!
If you’ve tried this recipe, please let me know how you liked it in the comments below and leave a review. I love hearing from you!
Don’t forget to tag me – @sugarandsoulco – on Instagram and Pinterest with your photos or join our Sugar & Soul Show-offs Community and share them there, where you can join our recipe challenges!
Apple Brown Betty
Ingredients
- 5 Honeycrisp apples1 peeled, cored, and thinly sliced.
- 2 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ cup unsalted butter cold
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup light brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon apple pie spice
- ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¾ cup graham cracker crumbs2
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- Peel, core, and slice apples into thin slices and add to a large bowl and toss with lemon juice and vanilla extract.
- In a separate, medium bowl, use a pastry cutter to blend together the butter, sugars, apple pie spice, and cinnamon until a crumble forms.
- Add in the graham crackers crumbs and mix until completely combined. You may need to use your hands to blend the ingredients.
- Sprinkle half of the apple mixture in the bottom of an 8×8-inch pan3, then top it with half of the crumble mixture. Repeat the layers once more.
- Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 40 to 45 minutes. Remove the aluminum foil and bake for an additional 15 to 20 minutes, until apples are tender. Serve warm with vanilla ice cream.
Video
Notes
- Your favorite kind of apple may be used. Try to make sure your apple slices are of similar thickness for even baking.
- Graham crackers cannot be omitted but may be substituted for 3/4 cup all-purpose flour or fo shortbread cookie crumbs.
- This recipe calls for baking in an 8×8-inch square baking dish, but it can also be baked in a 9×9-inch dish or a 9 or 10-inch pie plate.
Nutrition
Did You Make This Recipe?
Don’t forget to share it with me on Instagram @sugarandsoulco and follow on Tiktok @sugarandsoulco and Pinterest @sugarandsoulco for more!
Delicious ! Easy to make great for a quick dessert
This was DELICIOUS!!! I mis-read the 1 teaspoon of vanilla as 1 tablespoon vanilla! My entire house smelled of wonderful warm vanilla and this Apple Brown Betty was beyond delicious! I will be keeping this recipe for sure! Can’t wait to try your others! Thanks for sharing!
So glad you enjoyed the recipe!
Love this easy and delicious dessert! I had a few apples to use up and not quite enough graham cracker crumbs, so I added in some Ritz cracker crumbs to make up the difference. The result was a slightly salty buttery crumb that was delicious! Will definitely make this again!
The Ritz crackers sound like a perfect addition!
Delicious!!