Here Are the Best Apples for Baking

Let me share all you need to know about the best apples for baking! Learn which apple varieties are ideal for baking, and why their texture, flavor, and level of sweetness matters. You’ll find my top choices below, and why I reach for a combination!

It’s no secret that apples are a perennial favorite in a baker’s kitchen.

Apples are undoubtedly juicy and delicious, are easy to come by year round, and they can be used in a variety of sweet and savory recipes, from classic apple pie to sausage & herb stuffing.

Whether you’re whipping up this easy apple cake or apple cinnamon muffins, or something more time consuming like a salted caramel apple pie, you may be wondering…

Which are the best apples for baking?

The Texture of the Apple Matters

You want apples that hold their shape while baking, instead of cooking down into mush. (Use those for making applesauce and apple butter!) Let’s go ahead and compare apples to apples. Literally.

You’ll want to avoid soft, mealy, or creamy-flesh apples like Red Delicious, Gala, and McIntosh. They will soften up too quickly in the baking process, and therefore do not provide ideal texture.

For Best Results, Use a Combination of Apples

For depth of flavor, it’s best to bake with a mix of tart and sweet apples. Whether I’m making individual apple crumbles or apple cinnamon bread, I like to use both tart and sweet apples in the recipe.

Again, using a combination of both sweet and tart apples will give your baked good an interesting depth of flavor. So if you need 4 apples for your recipe, use 2 tart and 2 sweet.

If you only want to grab ONE type of apple, I would recommend Granny Smith.

All of the apples listed above are wonderful for cooking and baking. If I had to highlight a small handful, these would be my particular favorites/top choices:

Granny Smith (Tart)

Granny Smiths are typically my go-to apple for baking, so I’ll always have them on hand during the fall months. Their tart, citrusy flavor make them perfect for sweet baked goods, where there’s sugar in the recipe. I love using these for homemade caramel apples, too.

Braeburn (Slightly Tart)

Braeburn apples have a classic, sharp apple flavor. They’re not as tart as Granny Smith, but they hold their shape very well when cooked.

Honeycrisp (Sweet)

Who doesn’t love biting into a fresh Honeycrisp apple? They’re extra juicy and very crisp with a honey-sweet flavor that translates wonderfully into baked goods. AND they are the star of the show in my Honeycrisp apple sangria.

Pink Lady (Sweet)

These are sweet-tart, crisp, and very firm apples that hold shape beautifully in pies. Because they hold shape so well, I usually use them when I make baked apples. They’re also known as Cripps Pink.

Jazz (Sweet)

These are my favorite sweet apples for baking! They’re crisp and firm, with a mildly tangy flavor. I usually bake apple pies with a mix of Granny Smiths and Jazz or Pink Lady apples.

How to Prep Apples for Baking

Do you peel around the apple in one long strip, or straight down it in lots of short little strips? True story: Once when we were all baking in the kitchen together, two of my team members actually had a “peel-off” contest to see whose method was faster… and they tied! (Though the long spiraling ribbon was much more beautiful than the little strips, if you’re going for the Prettiest Apple Peel in the Compost Bin award. LOL.)

Some recipes don’t require peeling the apples at all. If a recipe calls for shredded apples—like morning glory muffins—a simple box grater is all you need.

One last tip: Pay attention to whether the recipe calls for slicing the apples or chopping the apples into chunks. For apple pie and apple cobbler, I recommend slices, as uniform as you can make them, about 1/4 inch thick. For apple crisp, I prefer chunks because they easily fit onto a spoon.

Best Apples for Baking: 20 Favorite Apple Recipes

The Best Apple Cobbler I’ve Ever Had

Sweet spiced apples are blanketed with a soft, fluffy topping in this comforting, homestyle cinnamon apple cobbler. Give the apple filling a quick pre-cook on the stove, and then top with an easy batter that comes together in 1 bowl.

Apple Cider Spice Muffins

These apple cider spice muffins have deep apple flavor and a moist texture thanks to a triple-dose of apple: apple cider, applesauce, and shredded apple. A medley of warming spices shines through, while a roll in cinnamon-sugar adds the sweetest touch.

Skillet Apple Cider Chicken (Quick & Easy)

This ultra-flavorful apple cider chicken is made in just 1 skillet and is ready in about 35 minutes. Pair with green beans and rice for a well-rounded, wholesome meal that the entire family will love.

Apple Turnovers (Puff Pastry)

These are extra flaky puff pastries stuffed with apple cinnamon filling. Today’s apple turnovers come together with homemade puff pastry dough, gooey rich apple filling, and a drizzle of homemade caramel sauce on top. You can skip the from-scratch dough and use store-bought puff pastry if desired.

Apple Cinnamon Babka

This apple cinnamon babka features sweet apples and a thick cinnamon filling twisted inside a rich and buttery yeasted dough. Finish the indulgent loaf with a buttery brown sugar cinnamon crumble topping and bake until golden brown. This is a must-try recipe and it’s impossible not to love!

Easy Apple Cake Recipe

Soft and tender with a stick-to-your-fork moist crumb and juicy apples in every bite, this cake is delicious plain, topped with buttery brown sugar glaze, or even a quick dusting of confectioners’ sugar.

Apple Cupcakes with Salted Caramel Frosting

Comforting flavors like nutmeg and cinnamon dot each bite of these moist and flavorful apple cupcakes. The tiny and tender pieces of tart Granny Smith apples hiding inside melt in your mouth. Rich, fudge-like salted caramel frosting is the perfect finishing touch and if you’re up for accessorizing, add a drizzle of salted caramel sauce, too.

Healthy Apple Muffins

These healthy apple muffins are wonderfully wholesome and soft, and you’ll appreciate that they’re made without any refined sugar. This recipe is my go-to choice when I’m looking for an easy and quick healthy muffin.

Apple Cinnamon Bread

This apple cinnamon quick bread is buttery moist and cake-like with plenty of apples dotted in each slice and dreamy pockets of sweet cinnamon swirl throughout. It’s great for breakfast, with afternoon tea, or even for dessert.

Classic Apple Crisp Recipe

Featuring warm gooey cinnamon apples and a brown sugar oat topping, this comfort food classic takes half the time and effort of traditional apple pie. You only need a handful of basic ingredients to make this classic fall dessert.

Apple Cinnamon Crumb Muffins

These apple cinnamon muffins start with an easy muffin batter that’s flavored with cinnamon, brown sugar, and plenty of juicy apples. Enjoy the muffins plain or top them with crumb topping before baking and smooth vanilla icing before serving.

Brown Butter Apple Blondies

These brown butter apple blondies are wildly popular each fall—and for good reason! They’re soft and chewy, chock-full of cinnamon-spiced apples, and topped with an irresistible brown butter icing.

Apple Cinnamon Scones

Full of quintessential fall flavors, these scones are buttery soft with flaky centers, crisp-crumbly edges, and loaded with bits of sweet-tart juicy apples. Crunchy coarse sugar and caramel sauce are the perfect finishing touches.

Baked Apple Cider French Toast

Apples, challah bread (or your favorite loaf), brown sugar, cinnamon, pecans, and apple cider come together in one incredible make-ahead breakfast dish. It’s great for a crowd and can be served with maple syrup or salted caramel for an extra-sweet start to any autumn morning.

Salted Caramel Apple Pie Bars

Made with a shortbread crust, spiced apple filling, streusel topping, and homemade salted caramel sauce, these apple pie bars are everything we know and love about traditional apple pie, but in a handheld bar form. Much simpler to make, too!

Apple Cinnamon Oatmeal Cookies

Loaded with fresh apple flavor and plenty of warm spices, these soft and chewy apple cinnamon oatmeal cookies are absolutely perfect for the fall season.

My Favorite Apple Pie

With a mountain of gooey cinnamon apples nestled under a perfectly buttery and flaky pie crust, this is most certainly my favorite apple pie recipe. To bring out the best apple flavor and texture, pre-cook the filling for about 5 minutes on the stove.

Glazed Apple Bundt Cake

Tender and moist homemade apple Bundt cake smothered in a buttery brown sugar glaze. Your new favorite cake for the crisp fall weather.

Apple Cranberry Crumble Pie

Underneath a delicious brown sugar and oat crumble topping you’ll find layers of sweet spiced apples and juicy tart cranberries… all atop a buttery flaky homemade pie crust.

Apple Upside Down Cake

This is a fall must-make! Combining a soft cinnamon-spiced cake with buttery caramelized apples, we’re essentially getting two desserts in one.

Apple Cider Spice Bread

This is a recipe in my cookbook, Sally’s Baking 101. You’ll find it on page 213!