The 15 Most Common Apple Types And How To Use Them
There's one that should never end up in a pie.

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If you spend any time in the produce aisle, at the farmer's market, or a local orchard in the fall, the apple options can be overwhelming. Aside from various shades of reds, yellows, and greens, it's hard to distinguish one variety from the other. But if you've ever taken a bite of two different types, you know that each apple brings its own unique characteristics to the table.
It matters in terms of flavor and whether you want your apple to veer more tart or sweet. You also have to consider the texture—do you want a crisp, sturdy apple that can retain its structure? Or would you prefer one that cooks down into a mush. Depending on the recipe you're working with, from apple pie to applesauce to candy apples, the type of fruit you pick matters.
With the help of two apple experts, we put together this guide to all the common apple varieties. We got in touch with Arnold Wilkerson, who founded the Little Pie Company back in 1985. The New York City bakery is known for its Sour Cream Apple Walnut Pie, which is served all year long. "We had to source apples that would be available in New York year-round," Wilkerson said. "We were also looking for a nice firm texture and consistency with just the right amount of ripe apple flavor and bright acidity." They landed on Golden Delicious, a sweeter variety, and Granny Smith, a more tart variety. Mixing tart and sweet apples is good practice when baking because it gives your pie a more complex flavor. Those two types also have a firm texture that won't turn to mush in the oven.
We also reached out to James Rich, author of the cookbook Apple: Recipes from the Orchard. He is a big proponent of mixing apples when cooking. "The trick is to get the right mixture of varieties that will reduce to a sauce-like consistency and those that will keep their shape and texture for that all-important bite," he said. "For baking, you want something that will keep its shape. [For applesauce], the best varieties are those that break down and form a creamy, sweet sauce. My personal favorites for snacking on are varieties that are super crisp and tart."
Down below, you'll learn about 15 common types of apples and which applications they work best for—baking, snacking, sauce, cider, and more.
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