The Best Apples for Apple Crisp (2024)

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Updated: Dec. 01, 2023

    The secret to making the best apple crisp is using a combination of sweet and tart apples, or choosing an apple with a naturally sweet-tart flavor. Need more specifics? Here are the best apples for apple crisp.

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    The Best Apples for Apple Crisp (2)

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    Granny Smith

    Out of all the apple varieties, Granny Smiths are everyone’s go-to baking apple for a reason. They’re we—ll-known for their delightful tart flavor, making them an ideal blending apple with some of the sweeter apples on this list. Don’t be afraid to use them solo, either. Their high acidity makes them perfect with a sweet, apple crisp topping.

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    The Best Apples for Apple Crisp (3)

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    Fuji

    Fuji apples super sweet and crunchy, making them an ideal snacking apple. But they’re also fantastic in baked dishes! Fujis are firm enough to hold their shape during the cooking process, and their sweet flavor deepens to become extra rich. Blend them with tart apples and they’ll create an apple crisp that’s hard to beat.

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    The Best Apples for Apple Crisp (4)

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    Gravenstein

    If you’re looking to use a single apple variety for apple crisp, this is the one. Gravensteins are delightfully tart with a honeyed finish, giving them the perfect sweet-tart balance needed in baked goods.

    Trying to decide between baking a crisp, crumble or cobbler? Here’s the difference between each dessert.

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    The Best Apples for Apple Crisp (5)

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    Jonagold

    If your taste buds tend more toward the sweet side of the spectrum, look for Jonagolds. They’re a cross between Jonathan and Golden Delicious, and we love using when making apple pie. These apples are another good choice as a solo baking apple. They’re mild in flavor but contain the right sweet-tart balance.

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    The Best Apples for Apple Crisp (6)

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    Crispin

    Crispin apples (also called Mutsu) are pale green like a Granny Smith, but they taste sweet like a Golden Delicious. Their texture is perfect for baking, with a firm and crisp consistency that holds its shape. They do have a lightly tart flavor to balance out their juicy, sweet taste.

    Use this recipe to make a fruit crisp with any fruit.

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    The Best Apples for Apple Crisp (7)

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    Winesap

    We saved the best for last! These green and red apples are crisp with the perfect balance between sweet and tart flavors. As a bonus, they also taste spicy like wine or apple cider. Because they’re exceptionally juicy, they’re traditionally used for cider making, but they taste fantastic in baked desserts.

    Discover what are crap apples and if they’re safe to eat.

    Author

    Lindsay D. Mattison

    Lindsay has been a food writer, recipe developer and product tester for seven years. She’s a culinary school graduate who specializes in sustainable food and seasonal ingredients. She draws on her professional chef background to develop recipes and help home cooks gain confidence in the kitchen. When Lindsay isn’t writing, you’ll find her coo...

    The Best Apples for Apple Crisp (8)

    The Best Apples for Apple Crisp (2024)

    FAQs

    The Best Apples for Apple Crisp? ›

    When it comes to finding the best apple for your crisp, go with a crisp, tart variety that stands up well to baking, like Granny Smith or Honeycrisp. Or, go for it – try mixing the two together if you've got both on hand. Golden Delicious is another great choice for crisp hausarbeit schreiben lassen kosten.

    What type of apples are best for apple crisp? ›

    What Makes A Good Apple For Apple Crisp? The best apples for baking keep their structure under heat, which prevents the chunks of fruit from turning into mush after baking. The firm and crisp Granny Smith and Honeycrisp varieties are popular apples to use in apple pies and apple crisps.

    What are the top 5 apples for baking? ›

    For the best pies, crisps, and other baked treats, apples need to be firm enough to hold their own during the cooking process. We call these apples “baking apples” and to namedrop, they include Braeburn, Cortland, Honey Gold, Jonathan, Fuji, Gala, Granny Smith, Haralson, and Newtown Pippin.

    What are the three best apples for apple pie? ›

    The best apples for making apple pie
    • Braeburn. This apple is a descendant of Granny Smith, but slightly sweeter. ...
    • Cortland. ...
    • Crispin (Mutsu). ...
    • Golden Delicious. ...
    • Granny Smith. ...
    • Honeycrisp. ...
    • Jonagold or Jonathan. ...
    • Northern Spy.
    Oct 8, 2021

    Are honeycrisp apples good for baking? ›

    Honeycrisp. One of the sweetest apples around, this Midwestern favorite is good for anything—including baking. It boasts a distinctive juicy crispness and is firm enough that it won't cook down much. It complements just about any other apple variety to make a stellar pie.

    What type of apples are the most crisp? ›

    What Are The Crunchiest Apples?
    • Crisp Apples Ranked: Crunchiest to Least Crunchy.
    • SweeTango. ...
    • Honeycrisp. ...
    • Cosmic Crisp® ...
    • Pink Lady® ...
    • Rave® ...
    • Pinata® ...
    • Granny Smith.

    Which apples stay crisp the longest? ›

    Storage quality also varies by cultivar. The best apples to store long-term have thick skin and tend to be crisp and tart. Apple varieties such as Gala, Granny Smith, Fuji, McIntosh, Winesap, Honeycrisp, Northern Spy, and Rome are known to store very well given the proper conditions.

    What are the best apples for apple pie Paula Deen? ›

    Of course, you're not here to get a non-answer, so we'll share Paula's favorite combination with you because Paula never steers us wrong when it comes to cooking and baking! She prefers to use crisp Granny Smith apples paired with either McIntosh apples or Jonagold apples.

    What are the top 3 best apples? ›

    10 Most Popular Apple Types—and Which Ones Are Best for Baking and Snacking
    • 01 of 10. Granny Smith. undefined undefined / GETTY IMAGES. ...
    • 02 of 10. Golden Delicious. liaminou / GETTY IMAGES. ...
    • 03 of 10. Red Delicious. LiveFree / GETTY IMAGES. ...
    • 04 of 10. McIntosh. ...
    • 05 of 10. Honeycrisp. ...
    • 06 of 10. Gala. ...
    • 07 of 10. Pink Lady. ...
    • 08 of 10. Fuji.
    Oct 6, 2023

    Are Gala apples good for apple pie? ›

    Gala: If you want extra sweetness without the soft texture, choose Gala apples for your pie. As with Golden Delicious apples, bakers sometimes reduce the sugar in their recipes due to this variety's extra-sweet flavor.

    What apples should not be used for apple pie? ›

    There are a few apples that don't make the cut. While great for snacking, Gala, Fuji and Red Delicious are the most common apples that won't hold up in the oven and will give you a watery-mushy pie, tart or cake.

    What are the cons of Honeycrisp apples? ›

    Honeycrisp is very susceptible to black rot, powdery mildew, and fire blight. Heat and sunburn are also issues with Honeycrisp. Fruit grows on the larger size, especially in early years. “Honeycrisp has thin skin, which is easily punctured.

    Are Pink Lady apples good for baking apple crisp? ›

    Pink Lady Apples

    Pink Ladies are great for both pie and crisp because they have a super flavorful juice that concentrates beautifully during the cooking process.

    Which apples are Crispier Fuji or Gala? ›

    Texture & Use in Recipes: In terms of texture, Fuji apples are also a lot crisper, and less dense than Gala apples. So, they result in a firm bite with juicy flesh while Galas are softer and creamier. Their texture also means that Fujis are better for baking as they hold their shape better than Galas when cooked!

    Are Gala apples good for baking? ›

    Gala: If you want extra sweetness without the soft texture, choose Gala apples for your pie. As with Golden Delicious apples, bakers sometimes reduce the sugar in their recipes due to this variety's extra-sweet flavor.

    Are Gala apples crisp? ›

    Gala. Unlike the consistent, vibrant red of a Red Delicious, no two Gala apples look quite the same. They're generally light red, with yellow undertones and wisps of pink and orange spots. Gala apples have a reliable, mild sweetness and a crisp bite, and their thin skin makes them ideal for a fresh-eating apple.

    What's the difference between apple crumble and apple crisp? ›

    Like an apple crisp, an apple crumble is a baked fruit dessert with a layer of topping. But unlike the crisp, the crumble topping rarely includes oats or nuts. Instead, a crumble's topping is more like streusel, made with flour, sugar and butter.

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