Baskets of apples at a "farmers market" at Rogers, Ohio.
Credit: Annette McCarthy
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EmailAlmost any apple can be enjoyed when eaten fresh. However, not all apples are ideal for the kitchen. Below is a chart with some of the best baking and cooking apples in North America.
Note: When it comes to cooking with apples, it may be helpful to know the following:
1 pound of apples = 2 large, 3 medium, or 4 to 5 small apples
1 pound of apples = 3 cups peeled and sliced apples
As you cook those apples, here are some of our favorite apple recipes:
Baked Apples Filled With Sausage
Perfect Apple Pie (The Classic)
For more about apples, see our Related Articles (above) and see recipes using apples.
Please post your favorite apple varieties and any cooking tips below!
| NAME | Best Uses | Flavor Characteristic, Appearance |
|---|---|---|
| Braeburn | Sauce | Tart, sweet, aromatic, tall shape, bright color |
| Cortland | Pies, Sauces, Fruit Salad | Tart, crisp, larger than 'McIntosh' |
| Fuji | Baking | Sweet and juicy, firm, red skin |
| Gala | Dried, Cider | Mild, sweet, juicy, crisp, yellow-orange skin with red striping (resembles a peach) |
| Granny Smith | Baking | Moderately sweet, crisp flesh, green skin |
| Jonagold | Pie, Sauce | Tangy-sweet, Yellow top, red bottom |
| Jonathan | Sauce | Tart flesh, crisp, juicy, bright red on yellow skin |
| McIntosh | Sauce | Juicy, sweet, pinkish-white flesh, red skin |
| Newtown Pippin | Pie, Sauce, Cider | Sweet-tart flesh, crisp, greenish-yellow skin |
| Rhode Island Greening | Pie | Very tart, distinctively flavored, grass-green skin, tending toward yellow/orange |
| Rome Beauty | Baking, Cider | Mildly tart, crisp, greenish-white flesh, thick skin |
| Winesap | Sauce, Pie, Cider | Very juicy, sweet-sour flavor, winey, aromatic, sturdy, red skin |
See "Related Articles" above for more about apples—planting apple trees, apple crafts, apple recipes!
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Comments
By Jim Krug
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I think you forgot one of the finest pie apples...the Northern Spy from upper NY state. My mother wouldn't use any other for her great apple pies!
By piemakingmama
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I live in MI and we grow Northern Spy's here. They have to be the best pie apple ever! I have used many others, but nothing can beat a Northern Spy on taste and texture.
By Bob from NYC
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Absolutely!!!! the best for cooking. Northern Spies were my dear friend Bici's favorite. She would buy a box in the Fall and the whole apartment would smell like an orchard. She let them marinate overnight sliced with peels on in brown sugar and lemon juice and then cook. Served hot or cold with a dollop of sour cream. Great. She was my best friend and mentor when I was a younger man. A lovely Victorian lady born in 1886.
By kingskid312
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Northern Spys... In our house, the rule was: "Spies for Pies!" They are a Michigan favorite, too! But, if you like a "crunchy " apple in your pie, this is NOT the apple for you.
By Cathie R
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Thank You for mentioning NY apples! They are the best. My NC daughter loves to receive these tasty apples when we visit. Have you heard of Seneca apple chips? Read the back and discover that this company uses Washington State apples. Shame on you Seneca apple company.
By Lynne C.
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Re: NY apples...depends on where you live for your idea of the best apples. So, I respectfully disagree with you...GOOD for you, Seneca company! Speaking from taste experience, Washington State apples are VERY good! Lots of research is done at Washington State University, and Tukey Orchard at WSU has GREAT organic apples, and other fruit and vegetables! They open to sell to the public in the fall, and I can't wait to go there to stock up for winter. Some of the old varieties are grown, with limited amounts available for purchase. (Last year, they had Ben Davis, remmbered from my childhood in N.C., excellent for sauce or pies.) My stash from last fall lasted until mid 2012!
(Thanks for providing this website, I love it!)
By AppleGuy
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WSU's research has helped me lots with my little home orchard in TN. I love them.
Yellow transparent are great for sauce - but they don't keep or ship at all. Check out Calhoun's book on Old Southern Apples for loads of great cooking apple options! Carter Blue, Kinnaird's Choice, Yellow June, Limbertwigs, all the winesaps, Blacktwig, Virginia Beauty!
By Krissy Johansen
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I totally agree!! Spy apples are the best for apple pie AND apple butter making! Jonathans are good too!
By Cheryl Clark 2
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Another great one is Yellow Transparent but no one seems to grow them. My Grandma had a tree at her farm and she made the best apple pie with them.
By kingskid312
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Look for Lodi apples. That's the new name for the Transparent. They are early apples so it is probably too late for this year. I grew up on Transparent applesauce & no other EVER measures up!
By DGH
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Yes,Yellow Transparent made the best applesauce. Grandma in Spokane would treat us with that sauce.
By plaid46 on May 10
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You are right! They do make the best applesauce I've ever eaten! My Mom had a tree too. I was told by a farmer that Transparent apples bruise too easily to make it possible to ship. I surely do miss them!
By Gail Springsteen
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My mom made the best pies with those! And no, you don't see them anywhere . . . but we had a tree. It was a softer apple, so you didn't have crunchy apple pie. I don't like when the apples crunch in pie! :-)
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