The 13 Best Types Of Apples For Baking

Undoubtedly, one of the best things to do with apples is turn them into baked goods. A classic homemade apple pie, baked apples (even better with cinnamon), and a simple five-ingredient apple crisp are a few of the many delectable treats made with this delicious fruit. However, not all varieties are ideal for baking. In the world of apples, there is so much variation, from size and color, to texture and shape.

For example, if you're looking to craft the perfect pie, with the perfect crust, your apples need to have the right flavor. They need to cook down enough to soften, but not so much that you are left with applesauce. No one wants a sloppy or mealy apple pie. Plus, different varieties are in season at different times, so finding the right fruit can also vary depending on what time of year you're baking (via Soergel Orchards). While many of the apples you find in the grocery store are excellent for eating, they simply won't cut it for your next baking project. Whether you are looking to use a single apple or a mix, we have compiled a list of the best types of apples for baking.

Delicious apples get a bad rap due to the fact that many people don't find Red Delicious apples all that delicious. However, don't knock all apples under the Delicious name. The Golden Delicious apple both lives up to its moniker and makes an excellent baking apple.

The Golden Delicious was first discovered in the early 20th century in West Virginia. According to CMI Orchards, it is sweeter than its Red Delicious cousin, which often means that when used for baking you can be sparing with the sugar, allowing the natural sweetness of the fruit to shine through.

The Golden Delicious apple has a mellow flavor and a crisp but soft flesh. Between this and the sweet yet acidic nature, it is perfect for using in baking projects. The fruit does not brown quickly, and pairs wonderfully with popular apple baking spices, such as cinnamon. The Golden Delicious variety comes into season in the fall and can last until the spring, making it widely available.

A cousin of both the Golden Delicious and the Jonathan, the Jonagold brings the best attributes of both to form a nearly perfect baking apple.

The Jonagold arrived on the scene in the mid-20th century at the New York State Agricultural Experiment Station in Geneva, making it a newer apple than many others on this list, Stemilt Growers reports. It offers a sweet and tangy taste with notes of honey. It is a large fruit and will hold up well to baking, which Specialty Produce notes makes it a versatile baking apple. It can be used on its own, by hollowing and filling as a baked apple, or as the star ingredient in muffins, pies, or cakes.

Jonagolds are versatile and delicious, but they do have one major drawback: They have a relatively short season, which limits their availability. According to Soergel Orchards, they come into season in early October. So if you can find them in stores or at a farmers market, you can't go wrong.

If you are looking for an apple with a more complex flavor than your standard Delicious and its variants, look no further than the Braeburn. The Braeburn apple was first grown by Braeburn Orchard in New Zealand in the 1950s (via Specialty Produce). The exact parentage is not known, as it was discovered by chance, and not purposely bred. Now, Orange Pippin reports the fruit has grown so popular it makes up 40% of all apples grown in New Zealand.

Braeburn apples have their flavor to thank for their success: They're spicy, with hints of cinnamon and nutmeg. Orange Pippin describes the flavor as being good enough to make other modern varieties feel "one dimensional."

To complement this fantastic flavor, the Braeburn cooks beautifully: It holds its shape well when cooked, and the taste slightly mellows, which makes it excellent for pairing with just about any sweet or savory baked dish. Braeburn apples are available from the fall through to spring, making them an easy choice for baking.

Most people agree Honeycrisp apples taste really, really good. They were initially developed in the 1960s by the University of Minnesota's Agricultural Experiment Station as part of a project developing apples that could happily grow in cold weather (via Specialty Produce). The apple was released to the public for the first time in the 1990s and became a booming success.

The apples are medium in size and have a crisp texture. They offer a medium tang and are juicy and fruity in flavor, according to CMI Orchards. While they're great for eating on their own, they are also amazing for just about any kind of baking project, like a warming dish of baked apples with brown sugar and raisins.

The one major downside to Honeycrisp apples is their price. Due to a combination of factors, including being notoriously difficult and laborious to grow, Honeycrisp apples are more expensive than other varieties of apples. As their popularity has grown, they have become more widely available, though their primary season is fall to early winter.

Pink Lady is the trademarked brand name for Cripps Pink. John Cripps developed the apple for the Western Australia Department of Agriculture in the 1970s, and it's a cross between the Golden Delicious and Lady Williams.

The result is a fruit that has an aesthetically pleasing pink skin and a flavor that is both sweet and tart. The texture is crisp and the interior flesh of the apple is a pale white color that does not brown easily, keeping this apple beautiful for all baking needs.

Pink Lady apples can easily be used for topping delicate baked goods but they're also particularly good for pies. Tom Heflin, pie baker, and orchard owner, told SFGate that for his pies, he prefers Pink Lady apples. His reasoning is that their flavor and texture hold up better when compared to other varieties. Pink Lady apples are also widely available: They tend to appear in shops in  November, but are often available all year round as they can be kept in storage for a long time.

Northern Spy is another heirloom variety. If you are looking for something to set your baked goods apart, this is the one. The apple was first planted in the early 1800s in New York by Herman Chaplin, according to Specialty Produce. It takes the tree longer to produce fruit than other varieties, but once it does, the apples grow large and are incredibly cold tolerant, making Northern Spy a good choice for a local option in chillier climates.

Northern Spy apples have a soft and pale yellow flesh and are juicy. They are more tart than sweet, with notes of cider and hints of pear in their flavor. Because of this, Northern Spy are often used in cider making. However, the apple can be used in a number of ways. One of the best ways to use it is for baking. It's particularly good for classic apple-heavy baked goods, such as pies and cobblers. Northern Spy are currently grown primarily in the Northeast and are available in the fall.