The Best Apples For Baked Apples

Choose the right apple for your recipe.

When searching for the perfect baked apple, you must consider two things: how sweet the flesh is, and how well the apple will hold up during the cooking process. Sweetness is a matter of personal preference; the texture of the apple will determine whether you will have a beautifully baked apple that retains its shape, or a pile of mushy (albeit tasty) applesauce. Picking the perfect apple for baking requires a simple knowledge of apple varieties and their uses in the kitchen.

Braeburn

Braeburns are touted as possessing the perfect combination of sweet and tart. They contain a high amount of both natural sugars and acidity, resulting in a perfect baking apple. They originated in the late 1940s in New Zealand; however, they weren't introduced into the United States until the 1980s. When Braeburns are baked, their skin produces a striking bronze color; flavor-wise, they result in a very tasty baked apple. Adding a combination of golden and traditional raisins to your recipe will offer a pleasant textural difference as well as complimenting the color of the finished Braeburn apple. When purchasing, look for crisp, yellow-green tinged red apples with no bruises.

Granny Smith

First introduced in the late 1800s, Granny Smiths are known as the quintessential baking apple. With their bright green skin and creamy white flesh, Granny Smith apples are crispy, pleasantly tart and are available year-round. Their distinctive tartness pairs well with the cinnamon, sugar and butter needed for a classic baked apple recipe. They hold their shape very well when cooked, resulting in a professional-looking dessert.

Jonathan

Jonathan apples are a great choice for holiday sweets; their peak season is September to December. Their skin is bright red with yellow vertical streaks, and the fruit has a pleasantly plump shape. They are moderately tart with a rich flavor. Jonathans have a firm flesh that will stand up to baking well. Try mixing Jonathans with other seasonal apples to create a festive, mouth-watering pie in lieu of the traditional baked apple.

Red Rome

Red Rome apples have a deep red skin that is often striated with yellow or green. They are available in local supermarkets for most of the year and are generally considered one of the best apples for cooking and baking. They hold their shape well when baked, and their slightly tart flesh is greatly enhanced when combined with sugar or honey. Add a touch of bourbon and some sweet praline pecans to make a southern-style baked apple.

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