Brown Betty (dessert)

A Brown Betty is a traditional American dessert made from fruit, usually apple (this variant is known as Apple Betty), but also berries or pears and sweetened crumbs. Similar to a cobbler or apple crisp, the fruit is baked, and, in this case, the sweetened crumbs are placed in layers between the fruit. It is usually served with lemon sauce or whipped cream.

The dish was first mentioned in print in 1864. A recipe from 1877 uses apple sauce and cracker crumbs.

Apple Brown Betty was one of the favorite desserts of Ronald and Nancy Reagan in the White House.