The 5 Best Apples for Baking

Not all apples are created equal. With so many varieties to choose from, find out which are the best apples for baking, snacking, and everything in between.

Even though the pumpkin has the market cornered on fall produce, let’s not forget about some of our other favorite fall treats – like apples! Peruse the produce section of your local grocery store and you will notice displays of apples in every shape, color and size. You may wonder which are the best apples for baking, as a filling for your favorite apple pie and which are more suited for snacking.

Table of Contents hide

1 Best Apples for Baking

2 Other Apple Varieties

Best Apples for Baking

Golden Delicious

The Golden Delicious is an apple of all trades. Its crisp texture and sweet flavor lends itself well for snacking, baking, apple juice or for homemade apple sauce or butter. It’s also perfect for savory dishes. As its name suggests, the skin is usually golden in color with just a hint of pink or red.

Granny Smith

The bright green Granny Smith is probably one of the most recognizable apples. Because of its tart flavor, Granny Smith apples are sometimes referred to as “sour apples.” They have a crisp texture which holds up well in apple pies. The apple’s high acidity also prevents it from browning quickly, so it can be used raw in salads or paired with cheese.

Honeycrisp

Honeycrisp apples have a yellow skin marked with light red or pink streaks. Slice them up and use them for a pie, or cook them down for applesauce or apple butter. They have a crisp texture that also lends itself well in salads or slaw.

Fuji

The skin of a Fuju apple can range from light red to yellow with dark pink streaks. They are crisp and hold their shape when baked on their own in the oven. If you’re looking for an apple to pair with a slice of sharp cheddar, the Fuji is the way to go.

Jazz

Jazz Apples actually a hybrid of Braeburn and Royal Gala apples. They are are rosy red in color with hints of yellow, orange or green. They have a sweet flavor and firm texture and are perfect for muffins, cakes bread, baked apples or pies.

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Other Apple Varieties

Try these apples the next time you’re in the mood for a crunchy snack or pair with a tasty salad.

Ambrosia

Ambrosia apples are typically light red with yellow patches. The flavor is sweet and juicy, making it a good apple for snacking. Ambrosia apples also don’t brown as rapidly as other varieties, so it is ideal for fruit salads or fresh fruit trays.

Gala

According to the U.S. Apple Association, Gala apples have passed the Red Delicious as the most popular apple in the U.S. It’s thin yellow-orange skin, sometimes marked with pink or red streaks, makes the Gala the perfect apple for snacking.

Red Delicious

When you think of a red apple, you’re thinking of a red delicious. It is the most well-known of the apple varieties. While they are great for snacking, they don’t hold up well when baked in a pie. However, they are excellent for using in apple sauce or soup.