Red Apple Varieties: Which One to Buy for What
In short
- Red apple varieties differ most in sweetness, crunch and how they behave in the oven.
- For eating raw and sweet: Fuji, Gala, Honeycrisp. Raw and tart: Pink Lady, Empire.
- For baking that holds its shape: Braeburn, Jonagold, Pink Lady. For applesauce: McIntosh.
- Red Delicious is the darkest red but best eaten fresh, not baked.
In the produce aisle, a dozen red apples sit side by side and look nearly the same. Bite into them and they aren’t. Some shatter, some go soft, some taste like candy and some make you squint. The color of the skin tells you very little about which is which.
What are the main red apple varieties?
The red apple varieties you’ll find most often are Red Delicious, Gala, Fuji, Honeycrisp, Pink Lady, McIntosh, Braeburn, Jonagold, Empire, Rome, Cosmic Crisp and SweeTango. They range from very sweet to tart, and from crisp and firm to tender. That decides whether each is best raw, baked or cooked down.
I build Today’s Mealow, and for this post I asked it for a dessert warm from the oven, with the location set to downtown Boston. I was half hoping for something with apples in it. It offered a warm chocolate chip cookie, Cherry Garcia ice cream and a Bakewell tart from places nearby.
No apple dessert in that round, so the Bakewell tart is the closest. It’s baked pastry, warm, and fruity from the jam. If I’d wanted apples badly, “Show me others” would have brought another three. Or I’d buy Braeburns and bake them myself.
| Variety | Looks | Taste and texture | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Red Delicious | Deep, dark red; tall, with bumps at the base | Mild and sweet, thick skin, softer flesh | Eating fresh |
| Gala | Red-orange stripes over yellow | Sweet, mild, crisp, thin skin | Snacking, salads |
| Fuji | Pinkish red with yellow streaks | Very sweet, crisp, juicy | Snacking |
| Honeycrisp | Red patches over yellow-green | Very crisp and juicy, sweet with some tang | Snacking, salads |
| Pink Lady | Pink-red blush over yellow-green | Tart, then sweet; firm and crisp | Snacking, baking |
| Empire | Dark red, round | Sweet-tart, crisp | Snacking, lunchboxes |
| McIntosh | Red with green patches | Tangy, tender white flesh that breaks down when cooked | Applesauce, eating fresh |
| Braeburn | Red-orange streaks over yellow-green | Sweet-tart, firm | Pies, baking |
| Jonagold | Red blush over yellow, large | Sweet with some tang, crisp | Baking, snacking |
| Rome | Bright red, round | Mild, firm | Baked whole |
| Cosmic Crisp | Dark red with small pale specks | Firm, crisp, sweet-tart, juicy | Snacking |
| SweeTango | Red over yellow | Very crisp, sweet-tart | Snacking |
Apples vary by orchard and by how long they’ve been stored, so treat the table as a guide to each variety’s usual character. A Gala picked recently will be crisper than one that’s waited months.
How do I choose a red apple for what I’m making?
Choose a red apple by asking two questions. First, will you eat it raw or cook it? If raw, decide whether you want sweet or tart. If cooked, decide whether the pieces should hold their shape, as in a pie, or melt down, as in applesauce. Each answer points to a short list of varieties.
The two questions make four boxes:
- Raw and sweet: Fuji, Gala, Honeycrisp, Red Delicious.
- Raw and tart: Pink Lady, Empire, SweeTango, Cosmic Crisp.
- Cooked, holds its shape: Braeburn, Jonagold, Pink Lady, Rome.
- Cooked, melts down: McIntosh.
Say you’re shopping for a pie and for the week’s snacks. Pie means cooked and holding its shape, so a bag of Braeburn. Snacks for someone who likes them sweet means Fuji. If you only want one bag for both jobs, Pink Lady sits in two boxes and covers each well enough.
What is the sweetest red apple?
Fuji is usually the sweetest red apple, with Gala close behind. Both have very little tartness. Honeycrisp is also sweet but has more tang to balance it. If you dislike sour apples entirely, start with Fuji and avoid Pink Lady, Empire and McIntosh.
Sweet apples suit eating out of hand, slicing for a lunchbox, or pairing with sharp cheese, where the cheese supplies the bite. They’re less good in a pie on their own, since baking makes them taste flat. Mixing in one tart variety fixes that.
Which red apples are best for baking and applesauce?
For pies, crisps and tarts, use red apples that stay firm when cooked: Braeburn, Jonagold, Pink Lady or Rome. For applesauce, use McIntosh, which softens and breaks down on its own. Red Delicious is the one to skip for cooking, as it turns soft and loses its flavor.
Many bakers mix two varieties in one pie: a firm one so the slices hold, and a softer or tarter one for flavor and juice. Rome apples are the classic choice for baking whole, cored and stuffed with butter, sugar and cinnamon. Their shape stays upright in the oven.
What other kinds of apples are there besides red?
Besides red apples, the common kinds are green apples like Granny Smith, which are very tart and firm, and yellow apples like Golden Delicious, which are sweet and tender. Granny Smith is a favorite for pies. Golden Delicious works for both eating and baking.
Many popular apples are bicolor, with red patches or stripes over yellow or green. That’s why Gala and Honeycrisp sometimes look half yellow in the bin. The sticker on each apple usually names the variety, which is the quickest way to tell look-alikes apart.
Apples sorted for the week, but tonight’s dinner isn’t? Today’s Mealow asks six questions, from the meal to how you’re feeling, then picks 3 dishes from real places near you.
Pick my dinnerSweet red apples are a good base for a quiet snack, and the late night snack list has the peanut butter pairing. A crisp Empire or Gala also fits the packed-lunch ideas in what to have for lunch.
What else do people ask about red apple varieties?
What is the crunchiest red apple?
Honeycrisp, SweeTango and Cosmic Crisp are known for the most crunch, with a crisp snap and lots of juice. Fuji and Pink Lady are firm and crisp too.
Why are some Red Delicious apples mealy?
Red Delicious apples turn soft and mealy when they’ve been stored a long time or kept warm. Choose firm ones that feel heavy for their size, and keep them in the fridge.
How should you store red apples?
Store red apples in the fridge, in the crisper drawer, to keep them crisp for longer. Apples left in a fruit bowl at room temperature soften faster.
Are Honeycrisp apples worth the higher price?
Honeycrisp apples often cost more than Gala or Fuji. If crunch and juice matter most to you, many buyers find them worth it. For baking or sauce, a cheaper variety does the job just as well.
Which red apple is best for a fruit salad?
Gala and Fuji suit a fruit salad, since they’re sweet and crisp. A squeeze of lemon juice over the slices slows browning.