Find the right one for snacking, baking and more.
Browse varietiesFind the right one for snacking, baking and more.
Browse varietiesBest apples for baking
Which apples hold up in pies, crisps and tarts, and which turn to mush.
Not every apple belongs in a pie. Some keep their shape and flavor in a hot oven, while others collapse into sauce or turn bland. Picking the right apple is the single biggest thing you can do for a better pie, crisp or tart.
Here is how to tell them apart, plus every apple on our site sorted by how it bakes.
Three things matter most. Firmness: dense, crisp flesh holds its shape when heated, while soft flesh breaks down. Tartness: a tangy apple balances the sugar in a filling, so it does not taste flat. Flavor that lasts: some apples taste great raw but lose their character in the oven.
That is why bakers often mix apples: a firm, tart one for structure and tang, plus a sweeter one for flavor.
These apples rate excellent for baking on our variety pages.
| Apple | In the oven | Flavor |
|---|---|---|
| Arkansas Black | Holds its shape | Sweet-tart |
| Braeburn | Holds its shape | Sweet-tart |
| Cortland | Holds its shape | Sweet-tart |
| Crispin | Holds its shape | Sweet |
| EverCrisp | Holds its shape | Sweet |
| Golden Delicious | Holds its shape | Sweet |
| Granny Smith | Holds its shape | Tart |
| Jonagold | Holds its shape | Sweet |
| Jonathan | Holds its shape | Tart |
| Northern Spy | Holds its shape | Tart |
| Pink Lady | Holds its shape | Sweet-tart |
| Piñata | Holds its shape | Sweet-tart |
| Rome | Holds its shape | Sweet-tart |
| Stayman | Holds its shape | Tart |
These work well, especially paired with a firmer, tarter apple: Autumn Glory, Cameo, Cosmic Crisp, Crimson Crisp, Empire, Fuji, Ginger Gold, Honeycrisp, Jazz, Kanzi, Lady Alice, Opal, Pazazz, RubyFrost, Smitten, SugarBee, Winesap, Zestar!.
These are better for snacking, salads or sauce, because they soften a lot or lose flavor when baked: Ambrosia, Envy, Gala, Kiku, Macoun, McIntosh, Pacific Rose, Paula Red, Rave, Red Delicious, Rockit, SnapDragon, SweeTango.
Soft apples are not useless in the kitchen, though. McIntosh makes some of the best applesauce there is.
