Want to Bake a Better Apple Pie? It Starts With Buying the Right Apples

Apples cover a lot of culinary ground. Biting into a great one is a crisp, juicy revelation; baking with them gives you some of the best pies, crisps, and cakes of the season; and they make excellent applesauce and cider. Few fruits give cooks and eaters as much to work with. From late August through November, orchards are at their peak, and farmers markets brim with varieties beyond the usual standbys, including heirlooms and local gems available only briefly each year.

This guide will give you the lay of the apple land, including the best uses for each variety, with expert insights from Robert Schueller of Melissa's Produce, and cookbook author Dorie Greenspan, whose new book, Dorie's Anytime Cakes, comes out in October—just in time for apple season.

What Exactly Are Apples?

Apples (Malus domestica) belong to the rose family, making them relatives of pears, quinces, peaches, plums, cherries, and even strawberries. They've been cultivated for thousands of years and now number in the thousands of varieties worldwide. In the US, most commercial apples are grown in New York, Michigan, and Washington, though there are also orchards and growers of varying sizes scattered across the country.

Apples span the full spectrum of flavors and textures: Some are crisp and tart, others are sweet and juicy, and some are even astringent and unpleasant to eat raw. Firm varieties such as Granny Smith, Braeburn, and Honeycrisp hold their shape well in baking, while softer ones like McIntosh, Cortland, Empire, and Jonagold break down more easily.

Classic Apples

These apples dominate store shelves year-round, delivering reliable flavor, texture, and availability.

Braeburn

These reddish-orange apples are crisp and firm, with balanced sweetness and warm spiced notes of cinnamon and nutmeg. In his guide to the best apples for apple pie, former Serious Eats editor Kenji found that Braeburn apples manage to "soften fully while still retaining a good deal of texture when baked," and recommends using them in pies, tarts, and sauces. They are also a good apple for eating raw.

Cortland

These tender apples are suited for eating raw, adding to salads, and cooking into applesauce and apple butter. Greenspan recalls her mother using this variety for baked apples: “She used big fat Cortland or Rome apples, which are great for applesauce and baked apples because they break down nicely and become ‘spoonable.’”

Cripps Pink (Pink Lady)

Because this variety is slow to oxidize and has a sweet-tart flavor, it's a versatile choice for eating fresh or baking, maintaining its texture and flavor across both uses. Serious Eats contributor Ozoz Sokoh prefers using this variety for her sweet and spicy applesauce: "They have crisp, firm yet juicy flesh and when cooked down into applesauce, a sweet-tart flavor that pairs well with the warming spices and aromatics."

Empire

A cross between Red Delicious and McIntosh, these crimson apples have creamy white flesh and a juicy, crunchy bite that makes them excellent for eating raw. Though they hold their texture when cooked, their sweetness can become cloying in baked desserts.

Fuji

These pinkish-yellow apples are very sweet and firm, ideal for snacking, salads, or pickling. While they can be used in baking, they don't hold their shape exceptionally well. Use them to make gâteau invisible (invisible apple cake), a classic French dessert where the apples practically melt into the sweet, custardy batter, becoming what Serious Eats contributor Tim Chin describes as "texturally indistinguishable from the custard."

Gala

Gala is the most widely grown apple variety in the US today. The variety is mild and sweet, with a subtle tanginess and thin skin. It's a versatile variety that retains its shape well when baked, making it an excellent choice for pies, crumbles, cakes, and other baked goods. Galas can also be eaten raw on their own or in salads, such as this creamy broccoli salad, where they bring sweetness, juiciness, and crunch to balance rich, savory ingredients like bacon and cheddar.

Granny Smith

These bright-green apples are tart and crisp, a classic choice for pies and other baked desserts. Their firm texture helps them hold their shape when cooked, while their acidity makes them refreshing to eat raw. In her recipe for easy apple pie, former Serious Eats editor Stella recommends using Granny Smith apples, which "ensures a consistent texture from batch to batch, as their high pectin levels help maintain the pie's thick filling."

Golden Delicious

These yellow-green apples are mildly sweet with crisp, juicy flesh. They soften in the oven yet hold their shape, making them well-suited for pies, crisps, and tarts. They're also excellent eaten fresh. This variety is senior culinary editor Leah's choice when preparing her grilled apple crisp. Leah also calls for a mix of Golden Delicious and Granny Smith apples in her Pennsylvania Dutch apple pie.

Honeycrisp

These light red apples flecked with yellow are sweet, tangy, crisp, and juicy. Developed at the University of Minnesota and released in 1991, they're a relatively new variety but have quickly become a staple. A good Honeycrisp is delicious eaten raw and baked into crumbles, pies, and other desserts. (See senior editor Genevieve's article about the rise and fall of the Honeycrisp to see why we had to qualify that statement). Contributor Zola Gregory loves using them to prepare her baked apples, which are filled with a mixture of cinnamon sugar and butter and topped with a crisp.

McIntosh

These deep red apples are tender, sweet, and subtly tangy. They soften easily, becoming too mushy for pie filling, but are excellent for applesauce, apple butter, and baked apples.

Red Delicious

These scarlet apples are very sweet but can turn cloying and mealy when baked. They're best eaten fresh— out of hand, juiced, or tossed into salads. Once the most widely grown apple in the US, Red Delicious held the top spot from the 1970s until 2018. Although Gala has since surpassed it, Red Delicious remains the country's second-most produced apple today, according to a recent report from the US Apple Association.

Specialty Apples

Some of these, including Cosmic Crisp, may be familiar. The others are more recent varieties and are being gradually rolled out. The registered trademark means that only specific orchards or companies are authorized to sell them under those names.

Cosmic Crisp

These crisp, juicy crimson apples are a cross between Enterprise and Honeycrisp apples. They are wonderful eaten fresh, baked into desserts, and made into applesauce or apple butter. Their well-balanced texture and flavor are the reasons they are so versatile.

SweeTango®

Aromatic, and very crisp and juicy with a firm bite, this apple has Honeycrisp and Zestar!® apples as its parents. The fruit is sweet and tangy, with notes of honey and cinnamon.

Envy®

The Envy apple is very sweet, with firm, dense flesh and thick skin. It's ideal for using raw, as it is slow to oxidize. Use it in salads, relish, or simply enjoy it fresh.

SugarBee

This all-purpose apple is a firm, crisp variety with sweet, caramel-like notes and a hint of tartness. It is excellent for eating fresh and holds its shape when baked.

Limited Batch/Unusual Finds

Schueller points out that these are some of the latest attention-getting varieties currently on the market. They're grown by a few orchards in limited quantities, so keep an eye out or ask your local grocer about availability if you want to give them a try.

Green Dragon

This is a green Japanese heirloom variety that's firm and sweet, with notes of pineapple and floral pear. The apple is slow to oxidize, making it a good choice for cheese boards, snacking, and enjoying raw.

Hidden Rose

Though they are yellowish-green on the outside, these apples have a bright pink to red interior. They get their color from anthocyanins, the purple-red pigments that give blueberries, purple beets, and red cabbage their vivid hues. Though they are stunning to look at, they are quite tart and may be better appreciated when cooked.

Regional and Heirloom Favorites

These varieties really show off apples' incredible diversity, and you’ll find unique specimens all over the country. Some are prized explicitly for use in pies, cider, eating fresh, and making applesauce. Here are a few to look for.

Northern Spy (Northeast)

Sweet-tart, well-balanced flavor and a firm, crisp, and juicy texture that's ideal for pies and applesauce,

Arkansas Black (Mid-Atlantic/South)

Dark skinned with a crunchy texture and a spicy-sweet flavor. Equally suitable for baking and eating fresh.

Gravenstein (West Coast)

Tangy, complex, and aromatic with a crisp, fine-grained, and juicy texture. Excellent for baking, making preserves, and cooking into applesauce.

Newtown Pippin

Firm, crisp, and juicy, with a good sweet-tart balance. Excellent for eating fresh and for baking.

Cider Apples

Traditional cider apples, many of which originated in England, aren't grown for eating but for juice. The fruit has the right balance of sugar, acidity, and tannins to produce complex, well-structured ciders. While cider makers often blend varieties, some showcase a single apple in a varietal cider.

Kingston Black

This is a small, dark red, bittersweet apple that's ideal for single-varietal British-style cider.

Dabinett

These apples are bittersweet with fruity tannins. It is commonly used in blends or single-variety ciders.

Ashmead’s Kernel

Crisp, sweet, aromatic, and juicy, these apples work well for cider and are one of the few cider apples that aren't too bitter to be enjoyed fresh.

Roxbury Russet

A sweet, juicy, and sprightly apple with good balance. It is an American heirloom known for its excellence in cider production.

How to Shop for Apples

Look for firm, brightly colored apples with smooth skin and no soft spots. If you live in an area with orchards nearby, we highly recommend buying local apples during their harvest season.

How to Store Apples

Apples will hold their peak quality in the fridge's crisper drawer for at least a week or two. Harvest season runs from late August to early December, but thanks to modern storage methods, apples you see in grocery stores have likely been in storage for at least six months. Regular refrigeration slows down ripening, but controlled atmosphere (CA) storage takes it a step further by reducing oxygen, pausing the ripening process. As Schueller puts it, “The apples are essentially in a coma.” While apples typically last longest in the fridge, Schueller actually recommends letting them sit on the counter for up to five days before refrigerating. This gives the apples a chance to ripen a little further and develop the best flavor. For more advice, see our guide to storing apples. 

Ideas for Using Apples

Beyond eating them fresh and using them to make pies, crisps, and applesauce, try making cider doughnuts, apple fritters, and apple butter; toss diced apples into your favorite stuffing; add slices to a sandwich (grilled cheese is especially excellent); or make an autumn salad showcasing your favorite apples together with roasted nuts, cheese, and seasonal greens.