The Best Apples for Baking (20+ Apple Recipes)
Let me share all you need to know about the best apples for baking!
It’s no secret that apples are a perennial favorite in a baker’s kitchen.
The Texture of the Apple Matters
You want apples that hold their shape while baking, instead of cooking down into mush. (Use those for making applesauce and apple butter!) Let’s go ahead and compare apples to apples. Literally. Look for an apple variety that’s known for its crisp, firm texture. On the crisp-crunchy end of the spectrum, you’ll find: These are all excellent choices for baking. You’ll want to avoid soft, mealy, or creamy-flesh apples like Red Delicious, Gala, and McIntosh. They will soften up too quickly in the baking process, and therefore do not provide ideal texture.
For Best Results, Use a Combination of Apples
For depth of flavor, it’s best to bake with a mix of tart and sweet apples. Whether I’m making individual apple crumbles or apple cinnamon bread, I like to use both tart and sweet apples in the recipe. Best Tart Apples for Baking: Best Sweet Apples for Baking: Again, using a combination of both sweet and tart apples will give your baked good an interesting depth of flavor. So if you need 4 apples for your recipe, use 2 tart and 2 sweet. If you only want to grab ONE type of apple, I would recommend Granny Smith. All of the apples listed above are wonderful for cooking and baking. If I had to highlight a small handful, these would be my particular favorites/top choices
Granny Smith (Tart)
Granny Smiths are typically my go-to apple for baking, so I’ll always have them on hand during the fall months. Their tart, citrusy flavor make them perfect for sweet baked goods, where there’s sugar in the recipe. I love using these for homemade caramel apples, too.
Braeburn (Slightly Tart)
Braeburn apples have a classic, sharp apple flavor. They’re not as tart as Granny Smith, but they hold their shape very well when cooked.
Honeycrisp (Sweet)
Who doesn’t love biting into a fresh Honeycrisp apple? They’re extra juicy and very crisp with a honey-sweet flavor that translates wonderfully into baked goods. AND they are the star of the show in my Honeycrisp apple sangria.
Pink Lady (Sweet)
These are sweet-tart, crisp, and very firm apples that hold shape beautifully in pies. Because they hold shape so well, I usually use them when I make baked apples. They’re also known as Cripps Pink.
Jazz (Sweet)
These are my favorite sweet apples for baking! They’re crisp and firm, with a mildly tangy flavor. I usually bake apple pies with a mix of Granny Smiths and Jazz or Pink Lady apples.
How to Prep Apples for Baking
If the apple recipe you’re using includes a step for peeling (not all do!), you’ll need an apple peeler. Do you peel around the apple in one long strip, or straight down it in lots of short little strips? True story: Once when we were all baking in the kitchen together, two of my team members actually had a “peel-off” contest to see whose method was faster… and they tied! (Though the long spiraling ribbon was much more beautiful than the little strips, if you’re going for the Prettiest Apple Peel in the Compost Bin award. LOL.) Some recipes don’t require peeling the apples at all. If a recipe calls for shredded apples—like morning glory muffins —a simple box grater is all you need. One last tip: Pay attention to whether the recipe calls for slicing the apples or chopping the apples into chunks. For apple pie and apple cobbler, I recommend slices, as uniform as you can make them, about 1
The Best Apple Cobbler I’ve Ever Had
Sweet spiced apples are blanketed with a soft, fluffy 1-bowl topping in this comforting, homestyle cinnamon apple cobbler.
Apple Cider Spice Muffins
These apple cider spice muffins have deep apple flavor and a moist texture thanks to a triple-dose of apple: apple cider, applesauce, and shredded apple.
Skillet Apple Cider Chicken (Quick & Easy)
This ultra-flavorful apple cider chicken is made in just 1 skillet and is ready in about 35 minutes. Pair with green beans and rice for a well-rounded, wholesome meal that the entire family will love.
Apple Cinnamon Rolls
Homemade apple cinnamon rolls combine soft and fluffy dough with a warmly spiced apple filling and sweet salted caramel icing.
Apple Turnovers (Puff Pastry)
My recipe for apple turnovers comes together with homemade puff pastry dough, gooey rich apple filling, and a drizzle of homemade caramel sauce on top.
Apple Cinnamon Babka
This apple cinnamon babka features sweet apples and a thick cinnamon filling twisted inside a rich and buttery yeasted dough.
Easy Apple Cake Recipe
Soft and tender with a stick-to-your-fork moist crumb and juicy apples in every bite, this cake is delicious plain, topped with buttery brown sugar glaze, or even a quick dusting of confectioners’ sugar.
Apple Cupcakes with Salted Caramel Frosting
Comforting flavors like nutmeg and cinnamon dot each bite of these moist and flavorful apple cupcakes that are topped with a rich, fudge-like salted caramel frosting.
Homemade Apple Fritters
These homemade apple fritters are crisp and golden on the outside, tender in the center, and loaded with juicy pieces of fresh apple.
Healthy Apple Muffins
These healthy apple muffins are wonderfully wholesome and soft, and you’ll appreciate that they’re made without any refined sugar.
Apple Cinnamon Bread
This apple cinnamon quick bread is buttery moist and cake-like with plenty of apples dotted in each slice and dreamy pockets of sweet cinnamon swirl throughout.
Classic Apple Crisp Recipe
Featuring warm gooey cinnamon apples and a brown sugar oat topping, this comfort food classic takes half the time and effort of traditional apple pie.
