20+ Types of Apples to Admire

Gala apple is one of the most popular apples in the U.S. today. This variety is a cross between Kidd's Orange Red and Golden Delicious. Gala apple is ideal for snacking, as it is juicy, crisp, and very sweet. It typically ripens between mid-August to early September. However, it is available all year round.

This variety must be refrigerated and consumed within a few weeks. It does not get brown when sliced and is very good when eaten fresh. Gala apple is one of the best varieties to make the apple sauce too. They are light red with more yellow on their skin.

Fuji, from the name you must have guessed, it's an apple breed from Japan. Fuji apples are widely grown and sold variety of apples. This apple is predominantly sweet, crispy, juicy, and very refreshing. They ripen around mid to late October.

It is an excellent all-purpose apple because of its sweet aromatic flavor. Fuji apple tastes best when eaten raw, and is a great touch to the salads, but not made for baking. It is also one of the best apples to make the apple sauce. It can be stored in a garage or basement.

As the name has it, this apple variety is crispy, sweet, juicy, and high in demand. Honeycrisp apple's skin is light, covered in red over a yellow background. It is very good when consumed raw and is the best apple variety to make apple juice.

However, the apple tends to bruise easily so, they are sold in packs rather than loose. The Honeycrisp apple is a good disease-resistant apple and, hence, a good variety for the commercial grower. It ripens around September and can be kept in storage till April to retain its crispness.

The another variety of apples is McIntosh. This variety has a deep-red finish, sometimes a green blush, and carries juicy, tart, tangy flavors. It has a tender, white flesh and is best for snacking. However, it can be used in making pies as well because of the tart flavor.

McIntosh apple typically ripens in September. This apple is popular in New England and often used in making apple cider. The best flavor of the apple can be achieved in colder apple-growing regions.

Golden Delicious apple is referred to as 'Apple Lite' for its mild, sweet flavor. The apple is yellow with an occasional pink blush. Golden Delicious apples are soft apples with a thin skin.

The rich flesh of this apple has a crisp and tender consistency. They ripen around mid to late September and are very good for making apple sauce. You can eat it raw, cook, or bake it. The apple does not have a tart flavor, so when baking apple pie, it is advised to add tart apples.

Cross-breed of Lady Williams and Golden Delicious apples, Pink Lady is the first ever apple to be marketed with a brand name. The other variety of the Pink Lady apple is Cripps Pink. Pink Lady apple is a premium appeal and the apples that do not meet the criteria of Pink Lady are often sold as Cripps Pink.

The distinguishing factors in these two varieties are the intensity of the apple's color and the sugar/acid balance. They ripen around mid to late October. Pink Lady apples are first to blossom and last to be harvested. It has the perfect blend of sweet and tart tastes.

Empire apple is a crossbreed of McIntosh and Red Delicious apple plants. It has been named after New York (the Empire State). The apple differentiates itself from others with its thick red skin and firm texture. It ripens around mid-August through September.

Empire apples are very crisp and juicy. It is an aromatic sweet-tart flavor apple with creamy white flesh. On top, these apples do not turn brown when sliced. Its sweet, tart, juicy nature makes it an all-purpose apple.

Named after its discoverer, Maria Ann Smith-"Granny", this apple is the superstar in the grocery store. These apples have distinctive green skin (sometimes red blush). Granny Smith apples are extremely tart with a subtle sweetness, making them essential in the making of apple pie.

They ripen around mid to late October and are available year-round. These crisp, tart apples taste delicious with sweet dips and can also be paired with savor dishes.

Red Delicious is another most famous and widely grown apple varieties in the U.S. It has a soft interior making it a perfect fit for the production of apple sauce or apple butter. These apples ripen around mid to late September and are available almost a year long.

The Red Delicious apple plant is widely used for crossbreeding purposes and has Fuji, Empire, and Cameo as its offspring. These are super mild, simple-flavored apples. With its mild taste, it's better consumed fresh as a snack or in salads rather than cooked or as a pie.

Baldwin is one of the oldest and best apples in New England. Apple's popularity is making a comeback in the American market too. The crimson red over coppery green skin, Baldwin apples are crisp and juicy apples. It ripens around late mid-season.

The aromatic sweet-tart, spicy-flavored apple, Baldwin apples can be consumed in different ways. These apples are best when eaten fresh and also hold a good shape when cooked. It can also be used in making pie and excels in making cider.

Gravenstein, also known as Gravs, is one of the delicious and versatile apple varieties. These apples are North America's early birds in the apple market, signaling the beginning of the year's harvest season. They ripen around August and should be refrigerated.

Gravs are one of the very good varieties of apples that can be used in making apple sauce. With its tartier taste beating the sweetness in apples, it makes the best apple pies and baked goodies. It can also be munched on fresh, depending on the level of ripeness.

Another most popular apple variety in the U.S. is Ambrosia. An apple with a yellow background and red flush is also known as a bi-colored apple. With less acidic content, these apples are mostly on the sweeter side with a taste like honey.

They ripen around mid to late September and should be refrigerated to retain the crispness of the apple. This variety is good for making apple sauce as well as pie. These make a good pie when combined with a tart variety of apples like Granny Smith.

Cortland apples are one of the first man-made hybrids in the U.S. It's an apple with a yellow/green skin base with red blushing and striping. This soft and crispy apple does not brown when sliced. They ripen around mid to late September. Freshly harvested Cortland apples are crunchy but will become softer if stored for an extended period.

Cortland apples are balanced with subtle tartness and sweetness and have a tangy taste. The fiber content in this apple helps in regulating the digestive tract. The presence of antioxidants and vitamins with other nutritional compositions balances the body's organs.

Mutsu apple also known as Crispin is named after the Mutsu province of Japan. Rich in water content, Mutsu apples are best for making apple juice. They are very good when eaten raw. They ripen around mid-late season. The combination of sweet and tangy texture, these apples are the best to tickle tastebuds.

These apples are very large and are known as oven busters. One Mutsu apple is enough if you are making a feast for two. Mutsu/Crispin serves a dual purpose: pleasant as a dessert and an all-purpose apple for the kitchen.

One of the widely produced and famous apple varieties is Braeburn. It is an important commercial variety as it can be grown easily in warm apple-growing regions. Braeburn apple is a first-class dessert and all-purpose apple. The crisp and extremely juicy Braeburn gives you the rush of strong apple flavors. They have dim, red skin and ripen around early to mid-October.

A nice balance of sweet and tart flavor, the apple is best for baking and eating raw. Braeburn apples also have a cider-like underlying taste with a hint of cinnamon, nutmeg, pear, and citrus taste. Braeburn apples can be dried or frozen for extended use. 

Cross of Jonathan and Golden Delicious apple plants, Jonagold is a high-quality American apple. Jonagold apples are yellow like Golden Delicious with large flushes of red. Depending on the climate, the color of the apple might be yellow-green with bright red-orange blush and striping. It is a great all-purpose apple because of its sweet, tart flavor. It ripens around mid to late September.

The balanced flavors of the apple make it perfect for producing apple sauce, cooking, baking, and more. Jonagold apples can be used in making apple butter, jams, and other preserves.

Bred and grown in Washington state, the Cosmic Crisp apple is a crossbreed of Enterprise and Honeycrisp apple varieties. It is an excellent apple variety to make the apple sauce. The juicy red apple is perfect for snacking, cooking, baking, and more, making it a perfect all-purpose apple.

The Cosmic Crisp apples ripen around mid to late September. It is high in sugar and acidic properties, giving it a perfect balance of sweet and tart flavors. Also, the high acidity level prevents the apple from getting brown once sliced.

Evercrisp apple is a cross between the Fuji and Honeycrisp apple varieties. It inherits the qualities like crunchiness, sweetness, and juiciness from its parents. Apple's green to golden yellow coloring of the skin is covered in dark red, rose blush. It is best consumed fresh and can be used in making apple sauce. It is the best apple to make apple juice because of its high water content.

Evercrisp apples ripen around mid-October through November. The peak sweetness and flavoring of the apple are achieved after about 2 to 3 months in cold storage.

One of the oldest yet popular typical winter apples is the Northern Spy. The skin of this apple is thin, and smooth, and has a semi-glossy nature. It has yellow-green color skin covered with pale red to yellow hues. The high sugar and acidic mixture in the apple includes it in a sweet-tart flavored apple variety.

Northern Spy apples ripen around late September to early October. They are amongst the best keepers. It is an all-purpose apple as it can be consumed fresh, cooked, baked, and used in various other aspects to have a sweet dish. 

As the name has it, Winesap apples are more into tartness rather than the typical sweetness of an apple. The apple has a glossy, thick skin giving it a semi-tough and chewy texture. It can be stored in the refrigerator for a good 3 months or more. As the apple's flavor leans more towards the tart flavor, they are primarily used for juice/cider production.

The Winesap apple ripens in the late season. An excellent disease-resistant apple tree, Winesap apple hailed the name from its spicy, wine-like flavor and aroma.

Liberty apples are one of the earliest apples bred and proved to be disease-resistant. The apples are deep red. They taste mostly sweet and have a hint of tartness and melon. The apples ripen around mid to late October. Liberty apple's skin is semi-thin, smooth, glossy, and taut. It is an all-purpose apple.

Liberty apples can be consumed straight out of hand or consumed as salads, layered in sandwiches for the extra crunch, and more. The apple's a good keeper and can be stored for 3 to 4 months in cool, dry, and dark places like a cellar or refrigerator.

The apple variety, GoldRush is an attractive dessert apple. The semi-thick skin is smooth, waxy, firm, and chewy. Initially harvested GoldRush apples are high in tart flavor. Nevertheless, as they are kept in storage, they balance the flavor with a sweet, acidic, and tangy taste. They ripen around mid to late September.

This strong aroma-flavored apples are best suited for raw and cooked applications like baking and stewing. GoldRush apples can also be consumed as juice and ciders, as a pie, tarts, cakes, and more.