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Apple Betty

Apple betty is a classic American baked dessert with spiced, tender apple layers and a deeply golden, buttery breadcrumb crust. Bake until the top is crisp and the filling turns glossy for spoon-tender bites.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 5 minutes
Servings: 8 servings
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Calories: 370
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Bread crumbs topping
  • 4 cup fresh breadcrumbs from day-old bread Use day-old bread for best crispness.
  • 0.5 cup unsalted butter Melted, for coating the breadcrumbs and crisping the top.
Spiced apple filling
  • 6 large apples Peeled and thinly sliced for even tenderness.
  • 0.75 cup brown sugar Packed for caramelized flavor.
  • 2 tsp cinnamon
  • 0.25 tsp nutmeg
  • 0.25 tsp allspice
  • 1 tbsp lemon juice
  • 1 tsp lemon zest
  • 0.25 cup apple cider or water Helps steam and soften apples as it bakes.
Serving
  • 1 vanilla ice cream or heavy cream Serve warm for creamy contrast.

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan
  • 1 Dutch oven

Method
 

Prep and preheat
  1. Preheat the oven to 375F and grease a 9x13 baking dish.
Make the buttered breadcrumbs
  1. Toss breadcrumbs with melted butter until evenly coated, then spread 1/3 of the mixture in the bottom of the dish.
Season the apples
  1. Mix apple slices with brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, lemon juice, lemon zest, and apple cider or water until the apples look well coated.
Layer and assemble
  1. Layer half the apple mixture over the breadcrumbs and drizzle with half the cider.
Add the remaining layers
  1. Repeat with another layer of breadcrumbs, remaining apples, remaining cider, and finish with the final layer of breadcrumbs on top.
Bake
  1. Bake at 375F for 40-45 minutes until the top is deeply golden and crispy and the apples are tender.
Serve
  1. Serve warm with vanilla ice cream or heavy cream.

Notes

For the crispiest topping, use well-dried day-old bread crumbs and spread the breadcrumbs in even layers so they brown uniformly. Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days; reheat in a 325F oven until warm and crisped again. Freezing is not recommended due to crumb texture. For a lighter option, swap half the butter with unsweetened applesauce while keeping the breadcrumb coating even.