Get to know the best apple varieties for all of your favorite dishes and desserts—straight from the farmers that grow them.
As soon as the leaves start to change, home bakers are ready to make apple pies, apple crisps, and other desserts. As you pull up favorite apple recipes or seek new desserts to try, you need to know all of the best apples for baking. There are so many varieties of apples—and not all of them are interchangeable—so what type is right for your recipe? We consulted apple growers (whose orchards also produce hundreds of pies, crisps, and cobblers, every fall) to find out.
You’ll want to avoid soft, mealy, or creamy-flesh apples like Red Delicious, Gala, and McIntosh. They will soften up too quickly in the baking process, and therefore do not provide ideal texture.
The Best Apples for Baking
These widely available apple varieties are fantastic for baking:
- Golden Delicious
- Pink Lady
- Granny Smith
- Honeycrisp
Lyman is a fan of the Honeycrisp. “Theyre what I call all-purpose apples, meaning that theyre great for both eating and baking,” he says. “Their nickname is the dessert apple because they have a full body of tart and sweet flavors, and their flesh is crispy.”
If the color of your apples isnt a vibrant red or an even shade of green, dont assume theyre bad. Apples picked at an orchard later in the season, like in October, are often less brightly colored. Lyman says the flavor and crispness will be just as good as picture-perfect apples; and if youre going to peel the apples for a pie or cobbler anyway, then the color of the peel makes no difference.
What Makes a Good Baking Apple?
Flavor and firmness are the most important qualifications when choosing apples for baking. “A good baking apple will have a tart, acidic flavor,” says Jake Samascott of Samascott Orchards in Kinderhook, N.Y.
John Lyman, co-owner of Lyman Orchards in Middlefield, Conn., agrees. “You definitely want good tart flavor to offset the sugar thats used in so many desserts,” he says. In addition to flavor, “the apples need to cook down to a soft consistency without turning to mush,” says Samascott.
Gala Apples
FAQ
Which apples are best for cooking?
Can you use Gala apples for an apple pie?
What are common uses for Gala apples?
Do Gala apples hold their shape when cooked?
Are Gala apples good for baking?
Gala apples are a popular choice for their sweet and crisp texture, but they may not be the best option for all baking recipes. Sweet apples, on the other hand, have a softer texture and higher sugar content, making them an excellent choice for apple pies and tarts.
Is it safe to make a juice with celery and green apples?
Apples are high in vitamins and minerals, and are a good source of pectin and antioxidants. Celery has a compound called phthalide, which can reduce high blood pressure by relaxing the vessels that blood flows through. So it is safe to make a juice with celery and green apples.
Are Gala apples good for You?
One of the most notable benefits of using Gala apples is their high levels of fiber and antioxidants. This means that they can help promote digestive health and protect against chronic diseases such as cancer and heart disease.
Do Gala apples taste good?
They have a pleasant balance of mildly sweet flavor and tartness, without being overly sugary or sour. The flavor profile is often described as mild and refreshing. The texture of Gala apples makes them suitable for both eating fresh and using in cooking or baking. Gala apples have a crisp and firm texture, making them satisfying to bite into.