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This easy and delicious Apple Brown Betty recipe brings tender apples together with a caramel sauce and crunchy cinnamon crumb topping.
Serve with homemade vanilla ice cream for a delicious fall dessert.
Do you have a traditional autumn dessert that you just LOVE? I have a few, but one of them is this Apple Brown Betty recipe! Growing up, my mom served it warm with fresh whipped cream; to me, it was heaven on a plate!
Why This Recipe Works
- Combining brown and white sugar adds a balanced sweetness and caramel flavors.
- Using vanilla adds an extra depth of flavor
- Cinnamon and nutmeg give a spiced warmth that makes the dish.
- The crumb topping adds a layer of buttery, cinnamon crunch.
What Is Apple Brown Betty
Like an Apple Crisp, it is a baked, deep-dish apple dessert that traditionally has a crumb topping made with flour or bread crumbs.
My version uses a cinnamon streusel topping instead of bread crumbs for added flavor and crunch. This is one of my favorite desserts because I love apples, and I’m crazy for a good crumb topping.
What apples for Baking
Granny Smith and Golden Delicious apples are good choices as they tend to hold up better under heat. Use granny smith if you like a tart flavor and Golden delicious for a sweet choice.
To Peel, or Not to Peel
I’ve made this recipe with and without the peels, and they both came out great. Traditionally, apple brown betty is made with peeled apples, but these days people like the added nutrients you get with the peel. Just be sure to clean the apples well if you choose to leave the skins on.
How To Make Apple Brown Betty
- Cut the apples into wedges.
- Coat in flour, sugar, melted butter, vanilla, cinnamon, and nutmeg.
- Add to a baking dish.
- Make the topping and crumble over the apple mixture.
- Bake until golden.
- Serve warm.
Step By Step Instructions
Mix the apples with the lemon juice in a small mixing bowl.
Add the cinnamon and flour, brown sugar, sugar, and salt.
Toss to evenly coat. Add the melted butter, and vanilla, and mix to coat evenly.
Pour apple mixture into a prepared baking dish and spread into an even layer.
Mix the flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt for the topping in a medium mixing bowl. Add the warm melted butter and stir to blend.
Hand-squeeze small handfuls of topping together and crumble clumps evenly over top of apples.
Bake in the preheated oven until the top is golden brown and apples are tender.
Serve warm.
Other Apple Recipes You’ll Love
Erren’s Top Tips
- Be sure to cut the apples into similar sized pieces for even cooking.
- Coat the apples in lemon juice as soon as they’re cut to stop them from browning.
- Test the tenderness of your apples by inserting a fork, if it goes in easily the apples are cooked.
- If the fork meets resistance with the apples but your topping is brown, cover the pan with foil so the apples will bake without your topping burning.
Make Ahead & Freezing Instructions
To Make Ahead: Make the apple filling as instructed but add an extra tablespoon of lemon juice to keep the apples from turning brown. Store in an air-tight container, in the fridge, for up to one day. Make the topping and store in a separate container in the fridge. Then assemble as instructed when ready to bake.
Storing: Place leftovers covered in the refrigerator. You can eat the leftovers cold, straight from the fridge or you can reheat it in the microwave to warm it up again.
To Freeze: Prepare and bake as directed. Cool completely, then cover with a double layer of aluminum foil. Freeze for up to 3 months.
To Thaw: Thaw overnight in the refrigerator, then warm in a 350°F oven for 20-25 minutes or until heated through.
Recipe
Apple Brown Betty
Ingredients
For The Filling
- 2 lbs Apples (approx 6 medium apples (at room temperature) peeled, cored, and cut into wedges))
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- ½ cup light-brown sugar
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons butter (melted)
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
For The Topping
- 1½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup brown sugar packed
- 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 6 tablespoons butter (melted)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees and position the oven rack one level below the center. Butter a 12 by 8-inch baking dish (or medium casserole dish with a similar size), and set aside.
For The Filling
- Mix the apples with the lemon juice in a small mixing bowl. Add the flour, brown sugar, sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt and toss to evenly coat. Mix in the melted butter and vanilla.
- Pour apple mixture into a prepared baking dish and spread into an even layer.
For The Topping
- Mix the flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt in a medium mixing bowl. Add the warm melted butter and stir to blend. Squeeze a handful of the topping into your hand, if it doesn’t clump together, add some more melted butter until it does.
- Hand-squeeze small handfuls of topping together and crumble clumps evenly over top of apples.
- Bake in the preheated oven until the top is golden brown and apples are tender when pierced with a fork, about 30 minutes.
Tips
- Be sure to cut the apples into similar-sized pieces for even cooking.
- Coat the apples in lemon juice as soon as they’re cut to stop them from browning.
- Test the tenderness of your apples by inserting a fork if it goes in easily, the apples are cooked.
- If the fork meets resistance with the apples, but your topping is brown, cover the pan with foil so the apples will bake without your topping burning.
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