The Best Apples for Apple Pie
When baking apple pie, you want to start with the very best apples. Choose ones that are firm, with a sweet-tart balance of flavor. Here are a few apple varieties that work best for apple pie:
Granny Smith: These apples are the classic choice for a perfect pie. Tangy and tart, they also have a firm flesh that doesn’t break down in the oven. Honeycrisp: Firm with a juicy sweetness, this apple complements any other apple variety. Be sure to get them in the fall while they’re in season! Golden Delicious: If you prefer a softer, sweeter apple pie, this is the variety for you. Its natural sweetness comes through in every delicious bite. Gala: Mildly sweet and crisp, these apples don’t get mealy in the oven. They’re a great year-round choice. What apples are bad for apple pie? There’s really only one to avoid:
Red Delicious: These apples are mildly sweet, with a crisp exterior and grainy flesh. However, they lack the tartness that enhances the rich apple flavor of pie, and they break down in the oven to a mushy mess.