There's nothing quite like an apple that's sweet, crisp, tart, and juicy. While apples are commonly eaten out of hand, many types of apples are great for cooking, too. Their culinary versatility shows in many ways: Apples work in all kinds of dishes, from kid-friendly to the most sophisticated, as well as drinks. One traditional pairing is apples with pork. The fruit's sweetness complements the meat's savoriness, resulting in classic dishes such as pork chops with apple sauce and sausage and apple stuffing.
While there are thousands of different types of apples in the world, we've rounded up 11 that represent the diversity found in today's marketplace. Some, like the Red or the Golden Delicious, are tried-and-true favorites in the United States; others, such as Cameo and Fuji, are relative newcomers to the apple scene.
The fruit has been evolving for centuries: "Modern" apples have been cultivated for qualities such as shape, taste, and high production yield, but also for their resistance to pests and disease. In 1892, there were about 735 different varieties; now fewer than 50 are mass-grown. Because of renewed interest in older—and sometimes regional—varieties, "heirloom" apples such as Northern Spy, Gravenstein, Canadian Strawberry, and Newtown Pippin can be found at farmers' markets or local orchards.
Read on to learn more about each of the most popular types of apples, followed by expert advice on how to buy and store apples for maximum freshness.
Types of Apples
A lovely red hue with hints of yellow, this species is a hybrid of the Jonathan and the Golden Delicious and bears a faint physical resemblance to both. Like the Golden Delicious, Jonagold is sweet and thin-skinned, but it takes from the Jonathan a smooth skin and tart flavor. It is versatile and can be used in any recipe that calls for apples.
Although this apple was discovered in Washington State in 1987, it's quickly grown in popularity. Juicy, crisp, and sweet with just a touch of tart, the Cameo is thought to come from both the Red and the Yellow Delicious. That explains its shape as well as the somewhat striated look of its red-and-yellow skin, which is thicker than the Golden Delicious but thinner than the Red. Try substituting Cameos for Goldens in baking and cooking recipes. This variety is especially delicious when eaten raw.
A cross between McIntosh and Red Delicious, the Empire was developed by researchers at the New York State Agricultural Experiment Station in 1966. It is generally quite round, with a skin that's bright red with hints of green. The interior is crisp and creamy white. The Empire is firmer than the McIntosh, so it makes for a good cooking apple.
This apple is the least firm of all the ones rounded up here. The soft flesh can be described as "creamy" or "mealy," which makes this variety a good candidate for eating raw or for applesauce or apple butter, but not necessarily for baking. If you bake with McIntoshes, use a thickener to keep the apples from becoming too mushy.
This all-purpose apple may share part of its name with the Red Delicious, but the two are not related. These yellow apples are a bright and cheery. They're soft apples, as well, although not as soft to the touch as a McIntosh or a Cortland. Thin-skinned, the Golden Delicious doesn't store well (it can bruise and shrivel), so try to use it as soon as possible. This apple is ideal for pies, salads, sauces, and freezing.
Created by Japanese growers in the 1930s, the Fuji apple's popularity grew in the U.S. during the 1980s and it has quickly become one of the most popular in the country. It's a large crisp apple—a relative of the Red Delicious—with an intense sweetness that makes this an ideal candidate for eating raw. Try adding Fujis to salads and slaws that require very little to no cooking to keep their consistency.
It's an understandable mistake to confuse this apple with the McIntosh. Both are on the squat side, with creamy white interiors and sweet-and-tart flavors. The Cortland is a relatively soft apple, although not quite as soft as the McIntosh. And unlike the McIntosh, the Cortland functions as an all-purpose apple, which means you can bake it, cook it, or eat it raw.
This is the most popular apple variety in the U.S. It's top heavy and has a creamy white interior. While juicy, the Red Delicious is a soft apple and won't cook well. It's best to eat them raw. They're ideal snacks for the lunchbox.
Taller than it is wide, the gala's shape is similar to that of the Golden and Red Delicious apples. It has a pleasantly mild, sweet taste, and crisp texture, and it's one of the lighter-hued red apples, boasting bright-yellow undertones. It's also one of the relatively small apples in this roundup. Like Fujis, Galas are easy to eat uncooked thanks to their thin skin and overall sweetness, making them an ideal fruit for kids. They're also good for cooking.
This is one of our favorite types of green apples. You can't miss this apple, originally from Australia, with its bright skin, hard feel, crisp bite, and extremely tart taste. When it's really ripe, the green skin usually has a touch of rosy red. While some savor the tartness, others prefer to cook it, which sweetens it up. It is an ideal complement to savory foods such as onions and cheese. On an aesthetic note: The green skin provides a great visual element to any dish.
Originating from New Zealand, this apple has a skin that's muted red with golden-yellow undertones and tinges of faint green. It has a firm, crisp bite and offers a pleasing balance between sweet and tart. Firm to the touch, Braeburns are good for baking as well as eating just as they are.
How to Buy and Store Apples
Now that you're familiar with the different types of apples, here are a few tips on how to buy, store, and prevent them from browning—plus, a list of our favorite apple recipes!
When buying apples, choose those without any bruises or soft, mushy spots. They should be firm for their specific variety (a McIntosh will not be as firm as a Granny Smith). Look for fruit with shiny skin—dull skin hints at a lack of crispness and flavor.
Apples quickly lose their crispness at room temperature. To keep apples in the fridge, place them in a perforated plastic bag in the crisper. Do not store bruised or cut apples since that will make the other stored apples spoil. To keep apples for an extended period of time, wrap each one in newspaper (don't use paper with colored ink) and then store in a dark, cool place like the cellar or the garage.
If you're slicing apples and don't want the exposed apple flesh to turn brown, dunk the slices in a bowl of three parts water to one part lemon juice.
To grow your own apples, visit the local garden nursery or purchase the trees from online purveyors such as Trees of Antiquity, Fedco Trees, and Century Farm Orchards.
15 Apple Recipes to Try Tonight
- Caramel-Dipped Apples
- Apple Galette
- Old-Fashioned All-American Apple Pie
- Three-Apple Applesauce
- Apple-Molasses Upside-Down Cake
- Apple and Parsnip Soup with Coriander
- Apple, Roquefort, and Red Leaf Lettuce with Pumpernickel Croutons
- New England Sausage, Apple and Dried Cranberry Stuffing
- Mashed Yams and Apples
- Pork Chops and Applesauce
