The Apples You Should Be Baking With For Better Desserts

From crumbles to pies, apples make for excellent dessert fillings, particularly in autumn and early winter, when the apple season reaches its peak. To truly master the art of baked apple desserts, it's essential to understand the best types of apples to cook with. That's right: no two apple types are the same, and while some apples thrive in a cobbler, others are better to save for your next cheese board.

When it comes to baking, many argue that Granny Smiths are the ultimate baking apple. The tart flavor of this variety combines beautifully with sweet and warm ingredients like sugar, cinnamon, and cardamom. At the same time, its strong structure allows the slices to stay in one piece when heated, ensuring your pie filling doesn't turn into mush after an hour in the oven. Plus, as a multipurpose apple, Granny Smiths can be used for apple butter, caramel apples, galettes, salads, soups, sauces, and more.

Other stellar apples for baking include Braeburns, which excel in tarts and galettes, and Cortlands for pies and cobblers. The sweet nature of Honey Crisps makes them ideal for pies and tarts, plus their firm texture allows them to be baked solo in a classic apple bake. Meanwhile, Pink Ladies have an effortless sweetness and fizz that works especially well in pies, breads, and cakes.

The rule of thumb is that apples with thin skin and non-mealy textures are best for baking. Apple variants like Red Delicious, Galas, and McIntoshes tend to be more mealy and therefore are best enjoyed on their own, as well as in applesauce, ciders, and salads. While you can use them for pies, they tend to fall apart when heated, so combine them with other apples that are better for baking. Golden Delicious apples, though sometimes softer and more mealy, lose much of their acidity when baking, allowing for its natural sweetness to shine more. They're a decent choice if you don't mind a softer pie with a bit less of a bite.

When choosing apples for baking, look for firm, ripe fruit with little to no bruising. The only exception is with baking apple cakes, where you might benefit from a slightly softer, less firm apple, though it should still have minimal bruising. After picking out your apples, consider storage. For ultimate crispiness, full taste, and to avoid browning, wash the apples then refrigerate them for up to two weeks.

Remember that baking is also meant to be fun. Even if you've purchased less-than-ideal apples, give it a go and see how your apple bake turns out. Experimenting a little is a natural part of baking, like with this swapped pumpkin pie ingredient that results in a notably unique and elevated dessert.