How many types of apples have you tried? How many does your local store sell? We would guess that your answers to these questions are somewhere around five or sixmax. You may not even know the names of the different varieties beyond the obvious yellow, red, and green. As it turns out, there are somewhere around 7,500 different types of apples that are grown in the world. Yes, you read that correctlyover seven thousand apple varieties compared to the five or six that you may have tried. Now if that doesn't leave you feeling a little confused, then we don't know what will. Luckily, in the United States, that number is significantly smaller. Unluckily, it is still not that small. About 1,000 apple types are commercially grown and sold in the United States. While not quite 7,500, this number is definitely still intimidating when you are trying to find the perfect apple pie. We do not want all of you to have to bake 1,000 pies to be confident you have found the best applesso we have a slightly easier way of figuring it out. Keep reading to help you figure out the perfect apple variety for your next apple pie.
If you search high and low for the best apples, you want to ensure that you have the best crust possible to complement these apples. We recommend our Easy Gluten Free Pie Crust recipe for the best results!It is also important to find a pie pan that is the right size for your crust.
With 7,500 varieties, there are unimaginable combinations of apples you could use to bake your perfect apple pie. Try checking out your local farmers market and testing out some new varieties if you can find them. The best pies often come from mixing two to three varieties and taking the best attributes from each onewe recommend grabbing one variety with great texture, and one with your favorite flavors to get the best combination. Let us know what varieties you try and which ones are your favorites in the comments section belowwe can't wait to taste test our own experiments with apple pie.
Sources:
https://www.thespruceeats.com/best-apples-for-apple-pie-1388318
https://www.bonappetit.com/test-kitchen/cooking-tips/article/the-3-best-apples-to-use-for-baking
https://www.southernliving.com/food/best-apples-for-apple-pie
Decades ago, my friend who owned an apple orchard in Connecticut and I worked out how to make a wonderful apple pie for Thanksgiving. She chose an array of about 14 apples that added up to four characteristics. Some varieties that are tart, some that are sweet, some that cook down into applesauce and some hold their shape.
No Haralson fans? My pies aren’t pies without them. Most farms and many suburban homes have Haralson apple trees so I don’t think we’ve ever had to buy them. They produce bountiful, firm, tart apples that some people say are only good for baking, but don’t tell me that. (My mom used to visit me in San Francisco every October/November and bring me a carry-on of Haralsons that she would packed like they were eggs that would break. )
They ripen late here in MN and keep for 3 months in a cool place. I’m back in Minnesota now and am going to try freezing some for the first time this week.
I have been eating apple pies and dumplings for over 60 years and the best pie and dumplings I've had, by far, were made with Stayman Winesap apples. Their taste and texture just appealed to me much better than the other, (including Granny Smith) apples that my wife has tried when we have not been able to find the Stayman Winesaps.
I have been eating apple pies and dumplings for over 60 years and the best pie and dumplings I've had, by far, were made with Stayman Winesap apples. Their taste and texture just appeal
ed to me much better than the other, (including Granny Smith) apples that my wife has tried when we have not been able to find the Stayman Winesaps.
That sounds great, thanks for sharing!
I started making pies in the 90’s when both my girls were at MSU to make extra cash on top of my regular job because I had been divorced. I still make about 200 pies a year to sell, as gifts and to donate to silent auctions. I love McIntosh and Northern Spy although sometimes it’s hard to get all the northern spy apples that I would like. I realize some people use a variety and like them but I have had really good luck with these two varieties and s th I’ve to those.
We have an old apple tree that was on the property when we moved here fifty years ago. I never knew the name of the apple tree until 4 years ago. Gravenstein and let me tell you they make the most divine apple pies and apple desserts. there is nothing like them. They don't make fruit every year so you never know when you will get these wonderful apples. When they do everyone around town wants some! Best apple for pies hands down. The bears like them too!
Lodi, one of the best apples for pie and apple sauce. One of the worst to eat fresh, it will make you pucker up. Apples are ready around July 10th and are mushy by the 20th. I drove around in farm country and well established older suburbs. I found several trees and picked about 4 boxes, way too much for me but the neighbors loved the sauce I made. So they took some apples too.
My family, g-grandparents, grandparents, parents all used apples from a Yellow Transparent tree.for pies and apple dumplings that we had in the chicken lot, We would always buy apples from local orchards but would use the apples from the yellow transparent. I srtill prefer Yellow Transparent. I do not like tart apples for, Tart apple pie is not good pie, to me.
It's McIntosh all the way! My wife uses the Wesson Oil Crust and I get the best pie out there.
Wesson oil recipe: (2 crust pie)
2 cups Flour
1 tsp. Salt
1/2 cup Wesson Oil, (any oil will due)
1/4 cup Milk (even 1% will due)
Mix to form nice dough ball.
Roll out 1/2 of the ball between 2 sheets of Wax Paper. Repeat for the top crust. Wipe the counter top with a damp rag so the bottom sheet stays in place!
I left my apple pie in the warm oven overnight (with the door shut). Could this have caused my pie filling to become more like the texture of applesauce?
Hi R - Yes, doing so would have caused the pie to steam and possible continue cooking (depending on the temperature.) It's best to let pies cool uncovered, at room temperature.
Being from Europe, the Gravenstein apples are still my favorite; so I go crazy with applesauce and pie freezing when they're in season. Had been counting on Cosmic Crisps after all the hoopla about them in the media, but am really disappointed. I'd be interested to know why we can't revive our old-fashioned ones (McIntosh, Pippin, Boskoop) instead of developing new kinds that just don't pass the taste test.
My favorite pie apple for 50+ years has always been Johnathan because of the unique tart taste But for some reason they are very hard to find now. Even Johnagolds are in short supple. I bake whole apples with Macintosh cored down stuffed with raisins and maple syrup as a lazy apple pie substitute now. Will try Gannies and Goldens for my next pie. But always with Hagan Daz and warm pie: yum!
I have a tree that was labeled Northern Spy but, I’m finding that when I bake with these apples they turn to mush. How do I figure out what kind of tree I have?
Hi Karen - We unfortunately don't have that information. I'd recommend looking at an apple-tree catalog or other online resource to help identify the variety.
Hello all you apple pie fans. Im not an expert at making pies but i have been growing and marketing baking apples of many varieties for almost 30 years now. An apple variety that is reouned for use in apple pies or crisps will always mostly be on the tart side. There may be other flavor or texture facters in play but most important is the apples tartness at maturety. To put it simply, if you want apple flavor after cooking you have to start with a tart apple. Apple flavor or volotiles are easily lost in cooking. The delicate volitals in sweeter apples cooked off first, tarter apples will keep their flavor better under high heat.
Some old world classic baking varieties are: Bramley's Seedling, Belle de Boskoop, Gravenstein.
American heirlooms for baking: Cortland, Northern Spy, McIntosh.
Of course the old recipe standby, Granny Smith is a great baking apple but the secret is to find good ripe ones.
Hi Morton - we haven't yet had a chance to try them! If you do, let us know how you like them :)
Hi Karen - Fuji Apples are fine for baking; they have a higher moisture content and mild sweet flavor that makes them great for eating out of hand. When baked, that higher moisture content can lead to mushiness.
I use a plain Betty Crocker recipe and double crust. The key, I think is to use a variety of different apples, at least 2, more is better. I always include granny smith & golden delicious (firm ones) plus 2 others depending on what is available. The other thing Is that I cut the apples about an 1/8" thick, which I also think makes a difference, the flavors meld together. It is the pie people ask me to make over and over, making 3 for Thanksgiving.
You are the first person to say a variety of apples. My Mom made the best apple pie and she use 4 types, but I can only remember 3 and she passed 40 yrs ago without writing down a recipe .
Finally, thank you for giving your rating on the Granny Smith for pie. I always felt Pippin were the best for pie. I found them in grocery stores in the west for a very short window of time in late October more early November. I have not found them yet in the east. Hoping to find some of your suggestions and try combining some this year.
Interesting. I have been making homemade apple pie since I learned it at my mother's knee, fifty years ago. She taught me the lesson of 'pie apples' as versus 'hand apples'. The critical element is that the apple needs to be tart. I grew up with the perennial favorite of Gravenstein apples. The best pie apple by far...but, it doesn't ship well, it doesn't keep well, and it ripens relatively early. Orchardists started replacing Gravensteins when I was a child. I grab them when I can, usually coming from somebody's undertended orchard. My mother also taught me to look for Northern Spy and Pippins. But none of these was EVER sold at any local grocery store. They needed to be searched out at outlying fruit stands. Then, a local nursery started hosting annual apple tasting events (to sell trees and geegaws), where they had tastings and bins of apples to buy by the pound. I found the Idared....what a wonderous pie apple. That apple deserves acknowledgement as the inheritor of the crown of the Gravenstein.
The Winesap also fared well. This year, I hope to trial the Esopus Spitzenberg, the Northern Spy and, maybe, the Pink Lady.
Your mother was right on target! We lived near Geneva NY and my dad used to visit the experimental station every year to find the best apples. His favorites were 20 ounce or fall Pippins, Cortland , Mac's,Rome's, and several others. Live in Florida now and miss those apples, although a new favorite for me, when I can get them, is an Arkansas black.
I grew up with winesap apples but have not seen one in years. I even tried to find a winesap tree to plant but none of the tree companies had them. The trees I remember as a kid just grew wild in a pasture with no special care.
I like an apple pie when the apples are soft inside. I've gotten old and forget which kind I bought. Can anyone help?
I agree with Jan's comment. I've used MacIntosh apples for my pies for the past 30 years. I diverted one year and my traditionalists were not happy. I just love the taste. It's getting more difficult to find them now with the new varieties out there.
You have very good taste in apples! Google - orchards near Albany, NY. This is APPLE COUNTRY. People in New York City call us northern New Yorkers, Apple Knockers. There are orchards all over the place and most of them will ship directly to you. There's nothing like a fresh, aromatic, Adirondack grown apple. The minerals in the ground around here give each variety crisp and unique flavors.
I have always used Macintosh apples for my pies and people rave about them and ask for them every year.
Me too when I lived in Michigan. Down in the south it's hard to get the good baking apples. I don't like crunchy apple slices in my pies, I like them soft .
Yes, soft after cooked, but not necessarily mush. Macs and Cortlands together.
If you like your apples really soft in the pie, even mushy, then you are likely looking for a sweeter apple. The more tart/acidic ones tend to hold their shape better when cooked.
There are so many varieties of apple that narrowing it down could be difficult so I recommend starting with these: Cortland, MacIntosh, Golden Delicious, and Honeycrisp. Also, if you can find them, give Ginger Gold a chance (they're an early season apple so the stores may be sold out).
38 years ago, new to Seattle, Washington and in the fall, I bought some local apples at a roadside farm stand in the countryside. Lots of apples. I took them home and made them into pies. Lots of pies. I put the pies in the freezer. When I cooked the first one, the apples shriveled up, dried up, and were like biting into leather. All the pies had to be thrown away! That was how I learned that there were pie apples and NOT-pie apples! I don't think I misread the directions in my cookbook. I sure learned to look out for pie-friendly apples. I moved back home to south Florida before ever finding out what kind they were. Has anyone else had this experience? And does anyone have any idea what kind of locally grown Washington State apples they might have been? I've been wondering for years! Now I'm looking at new varieties, thanks for all the information. But I will just make one apple pie at a time, for now!
I make Apple Pie filling and Can it, that way I do not take up precious freezer space, plus it lasts longer in the jars than it does in a pie in the freezer.
When we are ready for a pie I just grab a jar from the freezer and make a pie.
I use Granny Smith, Honeycrisp & a new apple I found this year an Evercrisp, delicious and stores better than the others although I have been known to mix apples. It's delicious !!!
This sounds like red delicious which are ripe in the fall in Washington. I’ve never tried them in pies but are crisp and sweet when fresh. I never see them recommended for pies so might be your culprit.
Granny Smith apple in my opinion is the the only Apple for a great pie !
Grimes and jonagolds are my favorite pie apples. We used to have a Northern Spy tree, but that was long ago. If and when you find Northern Spies or Grimes, buy them!