The right apple can make the difference between success and failure, depending on your recipe. A good-eating apple should be crisp, have moisture, and be acidic.
Here are some tips to help you choose the right type of apple for your cooking. Read on for helpful information. But, first, let’s talk about apples for cooking. Here are some of the most common types: Fuji, Granny Smith, and Red Delicious.
Apple nutrition facts
Apples that are best for baking
- Jonagold. Tart with a honeyed sweetness, Jonagolds hold up exceptionally well in the oven.
- Winesap
- Honeycrisp. This is our desert-island apple.
- Braeburn
- Pink Lady (or Cripps Pink)
- Granny Smith
- Golden Delicious
- Cortland
- Northern Spy
- Gala
1. Jonagold
This apple is golden in color with a crimson bottom and top. It’s a hybrid between Jonagold and Golden Delicious. Its firm, delicious flesh maintains its shape when baked. Honeycrisp Apples: This cross between the two types has a fine-grained texture and is sweet and pleasantly tangy.
This apple keeps its shape nicely in baked items, making it ideal for baking. On the other hand, Jonagold apples are more expensive than Honeycrisp apples.
Apple Jonagold This apple, which has a yellow top and a red bottom, is the ideal cooking apple. Its crisp, white flesh has a honey or vanilla flavor and is available all year in supermarkets. It has a robust flavor and works well in sauces. The most aromatic of the bunch, the red-striped orange apple, is sweeter than the others.
2. Winesap
“Winesap” is another well-known apple type. The crisp, white flesh of this late-season apple offers a sweet-tart flavor. It’s great for juicing and baking and may be used in various dishes.
It’s also fantastic in cider and baked products. This apple can be used in various ways, and there are a variety of apples that can be used in cooking.
3. Honeycrisp
Honeycrisp apples are lovely because of their genetic makeup, juicy and sweet. In addition to their tempting crunch, Honeycrisp apples have a clean and clear sweet flavor.
They have a sweet and tangy flavor that makes them unique and tasty apples.
4. Braeburn
One of the best apple kinds for baking is Braeburn.
Braeburn apples are commonly used in pies, cakes, and tarts due to their excellent texture retention. This apple type also has a natural cinnamon-spice flavor, ideal for crumbles, crisps, and cobblers.
5. Pink Lady (or Cripps Pink)
Cripps Pink is a cross of Golden Delicious and Lady Williams. Brisk, autumn nights help bring out its bright, namesake coloring. Available from November to August, Cripps Pink is often found under the retail name Pink Lady.
When choosing an apple for cooking, look for a firm and crisp one. It should be crisp and maintain its shape during cooking. The best apples for cooking are golden delicious and Granny Smith. Cooking apples with a smooth, crisp texture available all year is excellent. Although they aren’t the only ones available, these apples are the best for baking. Then you can choose the best one for your needs.
6. Granny Smith
The traditional Granny Smith apple, one of the most famous baking apples, puts the American apple pie. It’s a hard apple with an acidic and sour flavor.
Add some Honeycrisp slices to your dish if you want a little extra sweetness.
7. Golden Delicious
The golden delicious is known for its naturally sweet flavor and requires less sugar in recipes than other types. Although the thin skin does not need to be removed, the meat will not keep as firm as other baking apples.
This apple is for you if you prefer a softer, sweeter pie. Golden apples are particularly delicious in applesauce and apple butter, and they provide a nice touch to any salad.
8. Cortland
A relative of the McIntosh, this versatile red apple is a favorite for out-of-hand eating, but it is also delicious in dessert recipes. When cut, the snow-white flesh keeps its color longer than other apples.
A touch of tartness kicks it, and the crisp flesh will help your pie stay higher and have a better shape. Cortlands also do nicely in salads and kabobs.
9. Northern Spy
These Northern Michigan natives aren’t beautiful, with an uneven, lumpy shape and a dull green/red color, but they bake up beautifully. They have excellent flavor and consistency.
They have a sweet, moderately acidic flavor and are firmer and crunchier than other apples. However, they’re hard to come by because they’re biennial, which means they only produce a large crop every other year. Getting these straight from a farmer is your best chance.
10. Gala
The Gala compliments every recipe with its crisp bite and gentle sweetness—you can even use less sugar because of its natural sweetness. It doesn’t turn mealy because of the crispness, which helps it keep its shape when baking.
You can cook with any apple, but choose one with high sugar content. Apples are available in several shapes and sizes and can be prepared in various ways. Some foods should be eaten fresh, while others should be chilled beforehand. Choose firm types that have tight skin for baking and eating. During baking, they’ll keep their shape. Don’t forget to peel the fruit if you’re baking.
Conclusion
The best baking apples have a sweet-tart flavor profile and firm flesh that doesn’t break down in the oven. The Ohio Apple Marketing Program and the Michigan Apple Committee have recommended 12 exceptional baking apples that match those criteria. Play around with other combinations to pick your favorite once you’ve figured out which apples to search for.
If you want the most flavor from your apple, choose one that is firm, crisp, and red. When cooked, these apples will keep their shape. Because of their mellow flavor, Northern Spy apples are a favorite baking apple. If you want to bake with the maximum flavor, use Pink Lady or Cortland apples. Choose a lighter variety of these two for tartness.
