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    Home » Sweets » Apple Brown Betty

    Apple Brown Betty

    Posted on December 10, 2020 · Last Updated on December 10, 2020 · By Srividhya G · 29 Comments

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    collage of apple brown with text overlay for pinterest

    Here is my take on the classic and comforting American dessert – Apple brown betty. A not-so-buttery dessert made with apples, bread, sugar, and spices – a perfect fall treat!

    overhead shot of apple brown betty placed on a wooden board with some apples and lemon slices on the side

    I love fruit-based desserts, and I have mentioned it many times on my blog, and I have shared quite a few fruit-based desserts. And now I am adding one more to that list – Apple Brown Betty. Interesting name, right? 

    The name and the recipe are quite exciting, and the highlight is – it’s an effortless recipe, and you can whip it up quickly. 

    Jump to:
    • Brown Betty
    • Brown Betty with Bread
    • Equipment needed
    • Serving suggestion
    • How to make apple brown betty
    • Recipe Notes
    • For the love of apples… More apple recipes
    • 📖 Recipe

    Even though this recipe involves baking, there is no mixing, no accurate measuring, etc. All you need to do is chop the bread and apples, prepare the syrup, layer them all, and bake. 

    Are you wondering how I got to know about this recipe? Back in 2016, there were many recipe challenges and contests in the blogging world. I got to know about this dessert in one of the cake challenges. It was a rare dessert/cake challenge, and brown betty was one among them. As it was fruit-based, I picked it up, did my usual research, understood the recipe, and shared my version with my own spin. 

    Brown Betty

    Apple Brown Betty is one of the traditional American desserts. I read that this recipe’s origin was around colonial times and chances are that it could be named after a person. The name “Apple Brown Betty” seems to have first appeared in print in 1864, when an article in the Yale Literary Magazine listed it. (Referred from here) Here is another quora link behind the name reason.

    Brown Betty with Bread

    There are several versions of this apple brown betty, and you can some with oats, flour, etc. I took the base recipe from Ree Drummond from Food Network. Still, I modified and added other ingredients to give a “fall” taste and considerably reduced the butter. 

    Traditionally granny smith apple varieties are used in this brown betty, but I used our all-time favorite honey crisp. I have tried this recipe with fuji and gala apples as well. 

    apple brown betty served on a silverware

    Coming back to the recipe, all you need is some bread, sugar, syrup, and of course, apples. The other ingredient depends based on your taste preference. I included multi-grain bread and also used maple syrup to retain the moisture. To enhance the flavor, I included orange zest and also the allspice for the fall flavor. But you can replace it with cinnamon powder or nutmeg powder. (Please refer to notes section below)

    You layer the bread, apple, and sugar, and then add the syrup and bake the brown betty. That’s it. 

    Equipment needed

    You can bake this brown betty in a baking pan or in a casserole dish. I usually bake this in my Corningware 2.5 oval baking dish. It’s easy for me to carry to the parties and potlucks. 

    Serving suggestion

    You can serve the brown betty warm as is or serve it up with ice cream or whipped cream. I usually make this dessert for parties and potlucks, and it will be gone in no-time, and there won’t be any leftovers. I have never stored it for more than a day in the fridge. :-) But you can very store it in an air-tight container and refrigerate it. Warm it before serving. 

    Now let me share the detailed recipe with step-wise pictures. 

    How to make apple brown betty

    Prepare the syrup

    • In a mixing bowl, add the dark maple syrup, water, allspice, and orange zest. Mix well and blend the allspice thoroughly. Peel, core, and slice the apples and remove the bread’s edges and chop them into cubes and set aside.
    ingredients required for the apple brown betty

    Layer the bread and apples

    • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Use the room-temperature butter and generously butter the baking dish. 
    • Place half of the bread slices in the baking dish and spread them evenly. Then place half the apple slices. Then sprinkle 2 tbsps of brown sugar.
    layer 1 of the apple brown betty
    • Now place the remaining half the bread slices, followed by the apples. Sprinkle the remaining sugar on top.  Gently and evenly pour the prepared maple syrup mix on the top. 
    layer 2 of the apple brown betty with syrup sprinkled
    • Cover the baking dish with aluminum foil, and using a fork, poke a few holes like below.
    covering the baking dish with aluminum foil

    Bake the brown betty

    • Bake this for 45 minutes at 350 deg F. After 45 minutes, remove the cover and bake for another 15 minutes.
    brown betty after baking for 45 minutes
    • That’s it. Apple Brown Betty is ready.
    apple brown betty after completely baked
    • Let it cool and serve it as is or with ice cream or whipped cream. 
    apple brown betty served on a silverware topped with whipped cream

    Recipe Notes

    • You can use the apple variety that you have in hand. 
    • Instead of dark maple syrup, you can use light maple syrup or old-fashioned syrup also. Alternatively, you can skip the syrup and use more sugar instead. In that case, add ¼ more cup of water.
    • I highly recommend brown sugar for this recipe.
    • Allspice powder can be replaced with ground nutmeg and ground cinnamon or just with ground cinnamon alone.
    • Lemon / Lime / Orange zest can also be used, and also you can use about 2 tbsps of juice for added flavor.
    • I did not use any additional butter other than for greasing the baking dish. But along with sugar, you can drizzle 1 tbsp of melted butter while forming the layers. 
    • You can use white/wheat/multi-grain bread of your choice.

    For the love of apples… More apple recipes

    • Eggless Apple Walnut Muffins
    • Apple Basundi Without Condensed Milk
    • Pan Grilled Apple and Butternut Squash with Pumpkin Spice
    • Oreo Milkshake | Oreo Apple Milkshake

    PS:  If you try this apple brown betty, please don’t forget to comment and rate this recipe. If you have any questions, please leave a comment, and I will get to it A.S.A.P.  Make sure to follow me on my Pinterest for more healthy and delicious ideas! Follow me on Instagram or join my Facebook Group for more gardening and recipe updates! You can also sign-up for my newsletter for weekly updates.

    📖 Recipe

    square image of brown betty in the french white baking dish with apples and lemon slices on the side
    Pin Recipe Print Recipe
    5 from 3 votes

    Apple Brown Betty

    My take on the classic & comforting American dessert – Apple brown betty. A not-so-buttery dessert made with apples, bread, sugar, & spices.
    Prep Time15 mins
    Cook Time1 hr
    Total Time1 hr 15 mins
    Course: Dessert
    Cuisine: American
    Servings: 8
    Calories: 134kcal
    Author: Srividhya G

    Equipment

    • conventional oven
    • Baking dish or casserole

    Ingredients

    Measurement Details: 1 cup=240ml; 1 tbsp=15ml; 1tsp=5ml;

    • 2 apples I used honey-crisp variety. Approx 462 grams. Peeled, cored, and sliced.
    • 5 bread slices I used Dave’s Killer bread. Edges removed and cut into cubes.
    • ¼ cup brown sugar
    • 1 tbsp butter at room temperature

    For the Syrup

    • ¼ cup dark maple syrup
    • 3 tbsp water
    • 1 tsp allspice
    • 1 tsp orange zest

    Instructions

    Prepare the syrup

    • In a mixing bowl, add the dark maple syrup, water, allspice, and orange zest. Mix well and blend the allspice thoroughly. Peel, core, and slice the apples and remove the bread’s edges and chop them into cubes and set aside.
      ingredients required for the apple brown betty

    Layer the bread and apples

    • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Use the room-temperature butter and generously butter the baking dish.
    • Place half of the bread slices in the baking dish and spread them evenly. Then place half the apple slices. Then sprinkle 2 tbsps of brown sugar.
      layer 1 of the apple brown betty
    • Now place the remaining half the bread slices, followed by the apples. Sprinkle the remaining sugar on top. Gently and evenly pour the prepared maple syrup mix on the top.
      layer 2 of the apple brown betty with syrup sprinkled
    • Cover the baking dish with aluminum foil, and using a fork, poke a few holes like below.
      covering the baking dish with aluminum foil

    Bake the brown betty

    • Bake this for 45 minutes at 350 deg F. After 45 minutes, remove the cover and bake for another 15 minutes.
      brown betty after baking for 45 minutes
    • That’s it. Apple Brown Betty is ready. Let it cool and serve it as is or with ice cream or whipped cream.
      apple brown betty after completely baked

    Notes

    • You can use the apple variety that you have in hand. 
    • Instead of dark maple syrup, you can use light maple syrup or old-fashioned syrup also. Alternatively, you can skip the syrup and use more sugar instead. In that case, add ¼ more cup of water.
    • I highly recommend brown sugar for this recipe.
    • Allspice powder can be replaced with ground nutmeg and ground cinnamon or just with ground cinnamon alone.
    • Lemon / Lime / Orange zest can also be used, and also you can use about 2 tbsps of juice for added flavor.
    • I did not use any additional butter other than for greasing the baking dish. But along with sugar, you can drizzle 1 tbsp of melted butter while forming the layers. 
    • You can use white/wheat/multi-grain bread of your choice.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 134kcal | Carbohydrates: 27g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 2g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 4mg | Sodium: 86mg | Potassium: 124mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 18g | Vitamin A: 69IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 40mg | Iron: 1mg

    I am not a nutritionist. The nutritional information is provided as a courtesy and is an estimate only. It varies depending upon the product types or brands.

    Tried this recipe?Mention @vidhyasvegetariankitchen or tag #vidhyasvegkitchen
    For Video RecipesCheck out My YouTube Channel

    Update Notes: Earlier posted in 2016, now updated with new pics, recipe card with nutritional information.

    184 shares
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    Filed Under: International, Sweets, USA Tagged With: American Desserts, Brown Betty, fruit based desserts

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. apuginthekitchen says

      March 02, 2016 at 9:42 am

      Such a beautiful and simple dessert. Well done.

      Reply
      • Vidhya@VVK says

        March 03, 2016 at 9:04 am

        Thanks a ton and welcome here.

        Reply
    2. MyCulinarySaga says

      March 01, 2016 at 12:54 am

      :) yummy!

      Reply
      • Vidhya@VVK says

        March 01, 2016 at 9:26 am

        :-) Thanks Trupti

        Reply
        • MyCulinarySaga says

          March 01, 2016 at 9:31 am

          ?

          Reply
    3. Traditionally Modern Food says

      February 29, 2016 at 3:48 pm

      Ree s my fav:-) such a quick tasty dessert..

      Reply
      • Vidhya@VVK says

        February 29, 2016 at 6:47 pm

        Oh yeah.. Love her shows.. ;-) Thanks V

        Reply
    4. swapnakarthik says

      February 29, 2016 at 7:10 am

      Yum! Must give it a try…

      Reply
      • Vidhya@VVK says

        February 29, 2016 at 9:00 am

        Thanks Swapna

        Reply
    5. Chitra Jagadish says

      February 28, 2016 at 2:25 pm

      I love this…. looks so tempting Sri… :) :)

      Reply
      • Vidhya@VVK says

        February 28, 2016 at 7:24 pm

        :-) Thanks a lot Chitra.

        Reply
    6. tentimestea says

      February 27, 2016 at 2:54 pm

      This sounds so moist and delicious–sort an apple crumble/bread pudding cross! How thoughtful to choose multigrain bread for the “fall” taste. It’s perfect for fall or for winter or for any chilly day!

      Reply
      • Vidhya@VVK says

        February 27, 2016 at 6:55 pm

        Awww. Thanks a lot for your wonderful words and a warm welcome to my space.

        Reply
    7. Jhuls says

      February 26, 2016 at 11:55 pm

      I have never tried using apples in anything, but I always find dessert with apples very mouth-watering. This looks absolutely perfect. Thanks for participating in the challenge. :) I hope to see you next time. x

      Reply
      • Vidhya@VVK says

        February 27, 2016 at 6:00 am

        Thanks a lot Jhuls.I love fruit based desserts a lot.

        Reply
    8. Antonia says

      February 26, 2016 at 1:53 pm

      I have never had this before….it sounds delicious! Great job Vidhya! I really enjoyed the background on the dessert and apples too :D

      Reply
      • Vidhya@VVK says

        February 26, 2016 at 8:42 pm

        Thanks a lot Antonia and welcome to my space. :-)

        Reply
    9. Bharani says

      February 26, 2016 at 5:46 am

      this looks delicious….

      Reply
      • Vidhya@VVK says

        February 26, 2016 at 7:48 am

        Thanks a lot Bharani.

        Reply
    10. Ruchisvegkitchen says

      February 26, 2016 at 12:23 am

      wow.. must taste awesome

      Reply
      • Vidhya@VVK says

        February 26, 2016 at 5:14 am

        Thanks Ruchi.

        Reply
    11. CHCooks says

      February 25, 2016 at 11:35 pm

      Very nice Sri :) More like apple crumble but easier than that! Will try this out soon. By the way, I love Fuji apples out of everything that is available in our markets :) Even I am not too fond of Granny Smith except for baking.

      Reply
      • Vidhya@VVK says

        February 26, 2016 at 8:04 am

        Thanks a lot GB. The crumble and cobbler uses flour and oats but this one uses bread and that makes it super easy. I am glad picked this one. With my allergies and flu this kind of worked out easily. I love fuji too. Fuji and gala are great in smoothies and for cooking. For snacking somehow I got used to honey crisp. I wanted to try the golden or the yellow ones next.

        Reply
    12. Aruna says

      February 25, 2016 at 8:52 pm

      Here is another winner from you. This is absolutely new to me. Oh dear, I need a year’s vacation to try all your recipe. :)

      Reply
      • Vidhya@VVK says

        February 26, 2016 at 8:05 am

        Awwww.. Your comment has made my day Aruna.. Thanks a lot. And you know what, I can say the same to you too. I need to check you blog for North Eastern cuisines.

        Reply
    13. kushigalu says

      February 25, 2016 at 6:24 pm

      recipe sounds delicious. Will try out this soon!

      Reply
      • Vidhya@VVK says

        February 26, 2016 at 8:05 am

        Thanks Kushi.

        Reply
    14. Freda @ Aromatic essence says

      February 25, 2016 at 3:43 pm

      Sounds delicious! I have never tried this, shall do so soon :)

      Reply
      • Vidhya@VVK says

        February 26, 2016 at 8:06 am

        Thanks a lot Freda, let me know how it turned out.

        Reply

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