The Best Apples and Worst Apples for Apple Pie

ByJan

A Comprehensive Guide

Are you dreaming of baking the perfect apple pie? The key to achieving that dream lies in choosing the right apples. The variety you select can make or break your pie, affecting its texture and flavor. In this comprehensive guide, we’ll explore the best apples for apple pie, ensuring your dessert is a delicious success. We’ll also provide a list of apples to avoid in your pie-making adventures. But before we dive into the apple varieties, let’s answer a fundamental question for any budding pie baker: How Many Apples For An Apple Pie?

Best Apples for Apple Pie

Firm-Tart Apples for Apple Pie:

Braeburn: For a well-balanced mix of sweet and tart, Braeburn is an excellent choice. Its concentrated flavor becomes even more pronounced when baked, making it an ideal addition to apple pies. Its firm, crisp texture holds up well during baking.
Cameo: Cameo apples are both sweet and firm, making them perfect for pies. They maintain their shape and sweeten up when baked, especially when paired with a tart apple variety.
Cortland: Cortland apples, typically available for harvest in September, have thin skin for easy peeling and a delightful crisp texture. Use them soon after picking for the best sweet flavor.
Crispin (AKA Mutsu): These yellow-green apples are juicy, crunchy, and sweet. They retain their firmness during baking and intensify in flavor. A cross between Golden Delicious and Indo apples, Crispin combines sweetness with firmness for pie perfection.
Granny Smith: Widely recognized as a go-to baking apple, Granny Smiths are available year-round. Their bright green skin and extra-tart flavor contribute to the apple’s ability to hold its shape during baking. For a sweeter filling, blend them with other sweet apple varieties.

Firm-Sweet Apples for Apple Pie:

Honeycrisp: These intensely sweet apples are great for snacking and pie-making. While they do soften slightly when baked, their sweet flavor becomes complex and enjoyable.
Jonagold: A cross between Jonathan and Golden Delicious, Jonagold offers a sweet, firm-fleshed option with a bold flavor. It’s perfect for various apple desserts, including pies.
Lodi: Green-skinned Lodi apples are excellent for pies, featuring a tart flavor and a firm interior. They are often harvested early in the season.
Northern Spy: Known for its transition from tart to sweet, Northern Spy apples are popular for cider and excellent for recipes like cast-iron apple pie.
Paula Red: Sometimes labeled as Early Macs, Paula Red apples are sweet and firm, requiring minimal sugar for a phenomenal pie.
Pink Lady: Recognizable by their bright pink hue, Pink Lady apples are tart but sweeten when baked, maintaining a firm texture.
Rome: These apples, with sweet and tart notes, hold their shape well when baked. Ideal for various baked apple goods, including pies and cakes.
Winesap: Strongly flavored with a sweet-tart taste and a hint of apple cider spice, Winesap apples have a firm, crisp texture, perfect for apple pie.

Apples to Avoid for Pie

Fuji: While sweet and crisp, Fuji apples are too juicy for pie and better enjoyed fresh.
Golden Delicious: These apples break apart too easily during baking, resulting in a pie that resembles applesauce.
Gravenstein: Delicate and soft, Gravenstein apples are challenging to peel and disintegrate when cooked, making them unsuitable for pies.
Macoun: While sweet, Macoun apples are too juicy and break down when heated, leading to overly wet pies.
McIntosh: Despite their appealing flavor, McIntosh apples break down when baked, making them mushy for pies but great for applesauce.
Red Delicious: Known for their unpleasant thick skin and naturally grainy texture, Red Delicious apples fall apart when baked, making them a poor choice for pies.
Spartan: Similar to McIntosh apples, Spartans have a soft texture and are best for snacking and sauce-making, not for baking pies.

How Many Apples For An Apple Pie?

The quantity of apples you’ll need for your apple pie depends on the size and depth of your pie pan and crust. As a general guideline, six to eight large apples typically suffice to fill a standard pie, but the exact amount can vary. It’s crucial to always refer to your specific pie recipe for precise measurements and instructions to create the perfect apple pie every time.

Now, you have a comprehensive guide to selecting the best apples for your apple pie and which varieties to avoid for optimal results. Enjoy your pie-making adventures!

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